Wednesday Word: Whining or Celebrating?

Waaa Waaa Waaa

I belong to a variety of closed Facebook groups that are church focused. Two of them have discussions around the BCP, in particular around the rubrics and possible revision. One of them has discussions about the church in general, everything from liturgy to lay employees. One is dedicated to classical, creedal, Christian orthodoxy. And one of them is local, working to connect the clergy of the diocese.

When I first got connected to these groups, my initial thought was, “This will be fun and/or interesting since all of these people seem to have the same interests I do.”

That didn't last long as it turned out that most of the conversations descend rather quickly into a gripe-fest about everything wrong with the church and the people who inhabit it. They complain about clergy who break the rubrics. They complain about the people who wrote the rubrics. They complain about budgets that don't address what they see as important parts of the church. They complain about people who don't pledge. They complain about what people name their dogs. They complain about the people who complain about what people name their dogs (yes, really).

Waaa Waaa Waaa

It makes me wonder not only if there is anything good in the church, but why these people are even in the church at all.

Then I look at St. John's.

We have a variety of outreach programs. We have people who care about our liturgy. We have people whose volunteerism in many and varied ways make this place run. We have people who make working with the Vestry a joy. We have people who give of their time and talent, and do so joyfully. Things are not perfect, no place is, but the good far outweighs the bad.

When I read those posts, I can't help but wonder, “What would their job/parish/vestry/whatever look like if they spent as much time looking for and talking about the good as they do whining about what's wrong?”

The Epiphany season is upon us. Let us look for the good. Let us look for the light. Let us look for those God moments that can open our eyes and surprise us with joy. And instead of whining about what isn't right, let us joyfully proclaim what is good.

We are part of the church. Yea! Yea! Yea!

Blessings,

Todd+