Sunday, December 9, 2007

Yes, Virginia, there is Church today.

Yes, we had freezing drizzle all last night. Yes, there is a nice, thin yet slick layer of ice on the ground. Yes, we are supposed to get more all day. Yes, we live in Oklahoma, where the ice removal sort of doesn't have that "removal" thing down.

But no, we are not canceling Church. You see, I have a parsonage. I live next door. I can walk to Church - and I will be there. Now, will you? Well, use your sanctified common sense. If you are frail and will fall - stay at home. If you must drive great distances, perhaps you should remain at home (that's why our organist, who lives 45 miles away, isn't going to make it). But if you can - I will be here.

Why would we ever think about "canceling" Church? If the building burns down (Lord forbid) on a Saturday night, I will be preaching in the parking lot on Sunday, even if it is winter. The Word of God is to be proclaimed, come sleet or snow, come hail or thunder, come mono or plague -- as long as I can haul my carcass over there, there will be service.

4 comments:

Christopher D. Hall said...

I used to feel the same as you. I've never bailed because I was sick--even when I had a Vicar who could have filled in for me easily.

But last year I changed my mind. There are those who do not have sanctified common sense. They will come to church no matter what and have no business driving or walking in hazardous weather. I canceled church for them.

Don't get me wrong. I still didn't like it. I still wonder if it was the right decision.

Rev. Eric J Brown said...

I've been harping on using your common sense. And the fact that I have been known to say, when there is bad weather, look at someone and literally say, "What in the world are you doing here - you've got no business running around today!"

I also let them know that if they end up in the hospital because they fall and break a hip that I will come and beat them. I can be a good natured, but mean pastor =o)

We only had a total of 6 yesterday - two farmer families and Celia and I. It worked. They learn. IF i were in a city where there is just city driving, I might cancel - but out here. . . eh.

Christopher Esget said...

People are lazy and overly sensitive about the weather. But the same people for whom it will be "too dangerous" to go to church will be at the mall later that day.

You did the right thing. The Lord's Day is the Lord's Day.

When I was in seminary doing field work, I drove about an hour to my assigned congregation. One Sunday, I drove out there despite the fact that it had snowed about six or eight inches. No problem - despite the fact that I had a three-cylinder Geo Metro at the time. When I showed up, I discovered that church was "canceled" but no one had bothered to call me. Most of those people lived within a couple of miles of the church, but they couldn't come, even though I'd driven an hour? That was in 1994, and I'm still steamed.

Christopher Esget said...

@Christopher Hall:
Why not just forbid those particular people from coming, if you think it a real danger? Or send somebody over to get them? I would not want to deprive the able-bodied of the Gifts.