Why do people go to church?
For the last four hundred years, there has been a ready answer in the words of the Prayer Book: "to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at God's hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy Word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul."
And for some of this time people have gone because they had to! In the words of the 1559 Act of Uniformity:
All and every Person and Persons inhabiting within this Realm, or any other the Queen's Majesty's Dominions, shall diligently and faithfully, having no lawful or reasonable excuse to be absent, endeavour themselves, to resort to their Parish Church or Chapel accustomed - upon every Sunday, and other days ordained or used to be kept as Holy-days, and then and there to abide orderly and soberly, during the time of Common Prayer, Preaching, or other Service of God there to be used, and ministered; upon pain of Punishment by the Censures of the Church, and also upon pain that every Person so offending, shall forfeit for every such Offence, twelve Pence, to be levied by the Church-wardens of the Parish where such Offence shall be done, to the use of the Poor of the same Parish, of the Goods, Lands, and Tenements of such offender, by way of Distress.
In the 21st century, many of these reasons seem no longer to apply. Sleeping in late, shopping, sport, Sunday lunch, visiting the family, all seem often to take priority. In some countries and in some areas there is still a tradition of regular churchgoing, but in other places, "regular" seems to mean "whenever there is a funeral". Church weddings and baptisms have become rare events. There is an expectation that the Church will be there in case of disaster: an air crash, a kidnapped child; or at times of national celebration - a coronation or a royal wedding. But in general there is an attitude of complacency. People are happy that the church is there, but they don't darken its doors.
It is significant that one of the areas where the church has most success is among the poor and the unemployed - people who have little to be complacent about. But it can also happen that the rich and successful attend frequently. Perhaps there is a place for "rendering thanks", and a place for "asking those things which are requisite and necessary."
Here in Berne St Ursula's has been accused of being an 'English club'. Put another way, many people seek to keep up their links with 'home', or with 'English-speaking culture' by coming to church, where they can meet like-minded people, hear familiar prayers, sing familiar hymns, and 'feel at home.' These people are not 'second-class Christians' - indeed, there is no such thing as a second-class Christian. Worship is worship, from whatever motive it is offered. All are welcome, from whatever background.
Why do people go to our church? This is a question to which there is no easy answer. A one-word answer would be 'fellowship' (or even better the Greek word koinonia, 'having something in common'). What is this 'something'? Is it a special interest, which might additionally draw people to Upstage or to Toastmasters? Is it a question of choice? People who regularly come to St Ursula's do not attend the mosque or the synagogue. But equally, they do not generally attend the services at the Bruder Klaus Roman Catholic Church, or the Berne International Evangelical Church in Zeughausgasse, or any of the other English-language services in and around Berne.
For whatever reason they come, they are welcome. We should try not to put obstacles in their way. But at the same time, we must be true to our own faith. As Anglicans, we value the liturgy as adding structure to our worship, we encourage women to minister (even with their heads uncovered!), we welcome children to share in baptism and in communion. We must try to respect the preferences of others, but we hope that this tolerance is two-sided, and we need to work to gain the respect of those sharing our life and worship who do not share our every view.
This is the task of us all - to welcome others. Take time when you see a strange face to give a welcoming smile, to offer a helping hand, to take an interest in the person's circumstances, their needs, their interests. We can set up welcome teams galore, give instructions to sidesfolk, to duty council members, we can produce badges and welcome leaflets. But it is the task of all of us to reach out in welcome. "Truly I tell you," says Jesus, "just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."
HD