Weekend Words

Presbyterian Church, Stanley, TAS

"I believe it is a fine thing to go to church regularly.  Our village news sheet says "Attend the church of your choice." 

There are many reasons to go to church, aside from the inspiration of the sermon and the music.  First of all, it gives one a chance to step aside from the problems of life for an hour and sit quietly, and reassess values.  Daily worries and anxieties suddenly reduce themselves to a fair proportion.  And then it is good to gather people together who believe in the power of God - or good - and all bent on a serious hour of worship.  People gather incessantly for political rallies, club meetings, committees, all full of controversy.  How blessed to spend an hour thinking about the meaning of life.

Not all communities are as fortunate as ours.  We have a federation church, which means that as long as you seriously believe in God and intend to lead a Christian life, you are eligible to be a member no matter what sect you belong to.  I think the church would be a greater force in this age if it were a single united congregation.  Minor theological differences should not separate men of good faith.  

On this particular Sunday, our young minister had preached about the brief period when the carpenter's Son called the fishermen on the shore of Galilee to pick up their nets and follow Him.  I fell to thinking that the greatest miracle in the history of man is that all over the world even now, people are still trying to "pick up their nets and follow Him".  In spite of wars, oppression, dictatorships, nobody has ever been able to permanently get rid of God.  This is a comforting thought in this atomic and satellite age."

Stillmeadow Sampler - Gladys Taber (p107)

Church of Christ, Caveside, TAS