Thursday 7 May 2009

Official Jake

So on Sunday, 50 or so of us will gather at the church that Clare and I were married in and Jake will enter the Christian realm. I really am not religious but I am a traditionalist and do respect the Church as an institution; I know a lot of people get a lot from it. Before we got married I probably went to half a dozen services and Clare the same amount again. I did it out of respect. This church was equidistant from the homes we grew up in but nowhere near where we lived. Well at the time it was very close as we were camping down in my parents' place but that's a whole other story. So we went out of respect for the people who go every week but I wondered if that made me more of a hypocrite than not going at all. Was going in order to pretend I was holier than thou in order to put up a facade for the devout incumbents worse than just admitting I was there for the nice photographic back drop? Actually, it turned out, no. I am a respectful person in the main and after a bit of self reflection on the matter, the respect for the folk, I deemed, was genuine in spite of any feelings of ambivalence towards the church and that, I decided was worthy enough. I told you I brood too much.

That said, the church can be somewhat outmoded and automatically thinks that young folk who don't attend weekly services are incapable of salvation and akin to Beelzebub himself. Under what felt that police interview room interrogation I did feel like saying 'do you want the money, or what?' but thought better of it. The point is that the church must update itself if young people are to find it relevant again.

Anyway, I like churches because, save for one common use, they are usually very happy, sunny places on days when EVERYONE is there, not just the usual suspects. Girls in dresses and guys in suits, drinks and homemade sausage rolls and such after. I hope Sunday is sunny but forecast says no.

Event update on Monday.

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