How church has changed...

[Tailgate]

As a kid,my family took us to church every time the doors were open. Later life, drifted away from the organized congregations and haven't been to a regular service in years. Today, my DW and I spent Easter service with my DM at the small, very conservative (Church of Christ) church I grew up with in the small town where we lived.

How times have changed... everyone was dressed very casually (we always dressed to the nines growing up). The song leader lead hymns from his iPad with lyrics projected in a powerpoint on a giant screen. The preacher used his tablet for his notes and when he gave the invitation to walk down the aisle to be baptized or to repent, he also projected his cell number on screen and invited us to text him if we wanted more info.

Good to see lots of folks I grew up with..none of us has changed one bit We did,however continue to sing the 100+ year old hymns that we grew up on... maybe they were tops in the 1890's, but do sound very dated today. Enjoyed the service very much and, of course, the great day with my Mother..... hope everyone had a great Easter!

 

[marko]

I'm always disappointed by the new accepted dress code in churches. You don't need to wear a suit but some guys are even so clueless as to leave their baseball hats on!

Then again, I suppose it's better than an empty church; at least people go.

 

[haha]

I'm always disappointed by the new accepted dress code in churches. You don't need to wear a suit but some guys are even so clueless as to leave their baseball hats on!

Then again, I suppose it's better than an empty church; at least people go.

Try a black church. I always enjoy it when I am going past one of the historically black churches near where I live on Sunday morning. Every man very sharply dressed, every woman perfect.

Ha

 

[easysurfer]

When I went to church, the nuns would go "sit up straight or else!". That was a long time ago.

 

[Letj]

Try a black church. I always enjoy it when I am going past one of the historically black churches near where I live on Sunday morning. Every man very sharply dressed, every woman perfect.

Ha

So true. I've heard that during slavery and Jim Crow, church was the only place you can get dressed up and the tradition continues today.

 

[HFWR]

Not a church goer, but it's probably good that churches are adapting to the times. Many around here have multimedia, live bands, daycare, and other activities to attract a younger, more mobile, more ADD crowd.

 

[FIREd]

We used to have "sunday clothes" and mass used to be said in Latin, which made it that much more solemn.

 

[mpeirce]

Remember you don't have to go along with the crowd.

At the church I go to most people dress more casually, but there are always one or two of us who wear a suit. No one objects ;-)

(not that I ever wore a suit to work, but I always dress up for church)

 

[Amethyst]

I see the same thing in our area - and the African American ladies' hats are a sight to behold. It's about the only place you see people wearing hats any more.

Also, many Catholic families still dress up for church. It's very nice to see Mom, Dad, and the little ones turning out in their best.

Amethyst

Try a black church. I always enjoy it when I am going past one of the historically black churches near where I live on Sunday morning. Every man very sharply dressed, every woman perfect.

Ha

 

[MBAustin]

The church we've been part of for the past 15 years has become much more dress-code diverse - on any given Sunday (except Easter!) there will be a man in a suit and tie next to one in shorts, t-shirt, and sandals. It took me a while to get used to it but now I like it.

During fall, winter, and spring the choir and pastors wear formal robes, but we give that up in the summer to reduce the electric bill.

 

[Amethyst]

So in summertime, the pastor doesn't wear any robes?

That is quite a liberal church you've got there!

During fall, winter, and spring the choir and pastors wear formal robes, but we give that up in the summer to reduce the electric bill.

 

[ABQ2015]

Don't know if this is true of the OP's small town church but Church of Christ is known as one of the most progressive Protestant churches. My niece and her family are C of C in Texas and the OP's church sounds like a church they would attend as they are computer geeks and are very casual. Her parents are much more traditional and prefer the Baptist church.

 

[timo2]

I'm always disappointed by the new accepted dress code in churches. You don't need to wear a suit but some guys are even so clueless as to leave their baseball hats on!

Not surprised by the baseball hats. In today's culture, ball caps are to bald people what powdered wigs were to 16th century royalty, and for the same reasons!

 

[Chuckanut]

Not surprised by the baseball hats. In today's culture, ball caps are to bald people what powdered wigs were to 16th century royalty, and for the same reasons!

Back in my younger days I used to think that. But, now I realize that baseball caps or hats of any kind are primarily used for climate control by balding individuals.

 

[steelyman]

Not surprised by the baseball hats. In today's culture, ball caps are to bald people what powdered wigs were to 16th century royalty, and for the same reasons!

Not always. I have a full head of hair. I just like the way they look and hate windy days.

But I'd never wear one to church!

 

[Gumby]

Don't know if this is true of the OP's small town church but Church of Christ is known as one of the most progressive Protestant churches. My niece and her family are C of C in Texas and the OP's church sounds like a church they would attend as they are computer geeks and are very casual. Her parents are much more traditional and prefer the Baptist church.

Are you sure you're not thinking of the United Church of Christ, traditionally known as Congregationalists? (that's my church) The UCC is very progressive. As I understand it, the Churches of Christ (i.e. - no "United") are generally quite conservative.

 

[brewer12345]

I don't give a crap what you wear to Mass, so long as you are clothed. Of more substance to me is the retrograde, medieval bullcrap that the local parish serves up every week. I grew up being educated and attending Masses conducted by Jesuits, Franciscans and Dominicans. Listening to this retrograde crap by people who fervently wish to turn the clock back 800 years is a massive turn-off and is killing my youngest's interest in religion despite her obvious gift of faith. I have about had it and am not sure what to do.

 

[Chuckanut]

I grew up being educated and attending Masses conducted by Jesuits, Franciscans and Dominicans. .

That's quite a group of educated troublemakers.

And, IIRC, the current Pope is one of them.

 

[brewer12345]

And, IIRC, the current Pope is one of them.

You would not know it from listening to the local bunch. All they talk about is "saint" John Paul.

 

[JakeBrake]

Try a black church. I always enjoy it when I am going past one of the historically black churches near where I live on Sunday morning. Every man very sharply dressed, every woman perfect.

Ha

Be warned. Around here, the black churches come early and stay late.

 

[martyp]

How times have changed... everyone was dressed very casually (we always dressed to the nines growing up).

I remember, as a kid, wearing a camel hair sport coat to church. This would have been the late 1960's. In the summer it would stick to the sticky varnish of the pews. I used enjoy listening to the sound as it peeled off the varnish and left a patch of fibers on the pew.

The last time I went to church was 1975.

 

[LoneAspen]

Of more substance to me is the retrograde, medieval bullcrap that the local parish serves up every week. I grew up being educated and attending Masses conducted by Jesuits, Franciscans and Dominicans. Listening to this retrograde crap by people who fervently wish to turn the clock back 800 years is a massive turn-off and is killing my youngest's interest in religion despite her obvious gift of faith. I have about had it and am not sure what to do.

Um...find another church?

I'm not Catholic, but I suspect by you using the word "parish" you're talking about a Catholic place of worship, and if that's the case, I also suspect that every one of them in the area probably preaches the same message.

So if the message of the church/denomination doesn't match your own beliefs, I don't see where it does any good to remain a part of that church. You even said it's turning off one of your daughters. It would do no good if she got so turned off she quit going and lost interest.

Maybe it's time you checked out some other houses of worship. I didn't grow up in a very religious family, but after my Mom died, I started attending services at an Episcopal cathedral, and what they preach jives (mostly) with what I believe. Although I can appreciate the profound sense of history of the Catholic church, I just disagree with too many of their views, so it wouldn't do any good for me to try and shoehorn myself into that mold. Square peg in a round hole, and all that.

While I don't think it's possible to find a place of worship whose message agrees 100% with your beliefs, it should be possible to find a place you feel you and your children can fit in. Attending services somewhere whose message doesn't fit your beliefs does nobody any good.

 

[jjquantz]

Um...find another church?

I'm not Catholic, but I suspect by you using the word "parish" you're talking about a Catholic place of worship, and if that's the case, I also suspect that every one of them in the area probably preaches the same message.

So if the message of the church/denomination doesn't match your own beliefs, I don't see where it does any good to remain a part of that church. You even said it's turning off one of your daughters. It would do no good if she got so turned off she quit going and lost interest.

Maybe it's time you checked out some other houses of worship. I didn't grow up in a very religious family, but after my Mom died, I started attending services at an Episcopal cathedral, and what they preach jives (mostly) with what I believe. Although I can appreciate the profound sense of history of the Catholic church, I just disagree with too many of their views, so it wouldn't do any good for me to try and shoehorn myself into that mold. Square peg in a round hole, and all that.

While I don't think it's possible to find a place of worship whose message agrees 100% with your beliefs, it should be possible to find a place you feel you and your children can fit in. Attending services somewhere whose message doesn't fit your beliefs does nobody any good.

Great Advice! DW and I have shopped around for churches ever since we have been married. As usual, we bring a somewhat bizarre set of wants to the shopping process.

1) Theological - I am a devout non-believer (despite (because of) being raised in churches where people spoke in tongues, rolled in the aisles, etc. DW probably aligns more closely with Unitarians (despite being raised Catholic). Hell-fire and Damnation sermons do nothing for us. DW and I really enjoy sermons that reflect on the intellectual and theological history of the church.
2) Social Justice - We are interested in churches that support the same social issues that we support (and we are definitely on the liberal side of the Social Justice Spectrum).
3) Music - This is the key one for us. We love the one thousand year history of Western church music. So the number one criterion for us is to find a church choir that chooses its pieces from this huge repertoire. Unfortunately for us, this tradition is on the way to being replaced by more "relevant" music.

Taking all of this into consideration, we currently have an uneasy truce with the United Methodists, or at least some of the congregations.

This process is probably more difficult for those who have strong personal connections to a specific denomination or a strong commitment to particular theological viewpoints.

 

[steelyman]

I also chose Unitarian. I consider myself Buddhist and they seem to be quite accepting and welcoming. I appreciate meeting people in the community I never would otherwise.

 

[brewer12345]

Um...find another church?

I'm not Catholic, but I suspect by you using the word "parish" you're talking about a Catholic place of worship, and if that's the case, I also suspect that every one of them in the area probably preaches the same message.

So if the message of the church/denomination doesn't match your own beliefs, I don't see where it does any good to remain a part of that church. You even said it's turning off one of your daughters. It would do no good if she got so turned off she quit going and lost interest.

Maybe it's time you checked out some other houses of worship. I didn't grow up in a very religious family, but after my Mom died, I started attending services at an Episcopal cathedral, and what they preach jives (mostly) with what I believe. Although I can appreciate the profound sense of history of the Catholic church, I just disagree with too many of their views, so it wouldn't do any good for me to try and shoehorn myself into that mold. Square peg in a round hole, and all that.

While I don't think it's possible to find a place of worship whose message agrees 100% with your beliefs, it should be possible to find a place you feel you and your children can fit in. Attending services somewhere whose message doesn't fit your beliefs does nobody any good.

Finding another parish is on the list of things we will do in the fall.