The Mechanics and Rationales for not Gathering: 2-15-15

The first winter after we came to this ministry, the Council President (something we no longer have) told me that the previous parish priest NEVER cancelled "church" and that his own opinion of why was that the pastor didn't want to pass up the opportunity to take an offering.

And, I will be honest. In those days I saw the wisdom in that line of thinking. Today, of course, it pains me to remember that I once considered gathering with other saints primarily because it afforded me the opportunity to pass the plate. But this blog is a place for painful honesty.

As I have noted in the past, we no longer take an offering. (Though we still accept the donations of our people who equate giving money with going to church. The amounts are small and we're putting it in an empty coffee can, waiting for a reason to give it to a needy person or family.)

So when fierce weather came, wind chills about 20 below zero, there was no angst related to the budget, which we don't have.

Asking myself what biblical principles apply, it occurred to me that we are commanded merely not to neglect meeting together. Our gang certainly doesn't do that.

While we don't regard gathering as an act of righteousness in and of itself, we do value the need to provoke each other to love and good works as well as the need to be provoked to love and good works.

Still in this case, it was an easy call.

We usually take off once a month anyway. Either we will cancel our next Sunday off and meet or take two off just this time.

NBD.

I hope your rationale went as easily. And, that if you bagged your "worship service" you did it without guilt--and that there is no guilt in it for you because of what you believe about gathering. (See Romans 14.)