Seymour CRC
SE Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids
Michigan
49507
Denomination:
Christian Reformed
Scratch Below the Surface . . .
and you might find yourself in Stepford.
Pros: The church works very hard on making new people feel welcome. And that is very important I think it the realm of evangelism - it is certainly a piece of the puzzle. What's more the church does spend a good amount of energy connecting with the local neighborhood, even offering a carnival each year with free food and activities. I also think this church would be the idea church for people with small children. The preaching is also really good.
Cons: On the day we joined the church the very first thing we were given was a financial tithing sheet and made aware of the envelopes for making our monthly tithe. I guess what I had hoped is that the church would have first focused on how becoming a member would challenge me to grow my faith, to engage the community, and help me to engage the world. Instead I found a church that pretty much just wanted my money. Many of the younger people of this church made my wife and I feel very uncomfortable because we didn't have children. Everyone there was procreating like rabbits which is fine because you want a church to grow - but it just seems way too kid oriented for your urban professional. It was kind of scarey - the blankness in the faces of many of the mothers when you told them you didn't have children. It's like something didn't register in their stepford brains. I guess my background is one where I jump into things and get going and figure out the details later but I was also disheartened when I joined an outreach committee and we spent the vast majority of our time sitting in a room talking about what we could do. Forget that, I'd rather just get going and do it. There is nothing that kills the spirit faster than an unnessary meeting.
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Sounds like your last statement agrees with one of my old terms:
True name of most ANY committee ---- "Didy-Committee" -- ;>)
Killing inspiration and action by committee. Yeah, I've seen that before.
Not sure what to make of the comment re: offering envelopes and tithing sheet on the day you joined the church, which I interpret to mean that you were officially made members of the congregation. When would have been a good time to give this to you? Maybe some would be offended if they were not given these things when they are welcomed as members, but had no tangible way to show the congregation how they choose to help the congregation? Also, tithing is supposed to be a "challenge" to grow your faith. I know the "money" thing turns off a lot of people. A quick search using my bible app shows that "money" appears in 122 verses, and "tithe" in 20 verses.
Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Don't know about others, but this is a huge challenge for me to grow in my faith. So, unless you were told to fill out the tithing sheet and start donating or else don't come back, well, I don't know what to say. I know in our congregation, there is a membership class that talks about *many* things, and one among them is we were told we would get our offering envelopes on the day we were "welcomed" into the congregation. We filled out a "talents and treasures" card towards the end of the class.
Re "families with children" orientation. I've seen this too, but I think it's the nature of the human "beast" so to speak. It's a rare congregation (especially smaller ones) that will cater to every demographic. I've not seen it at the "Stepford" level (LOL) however, so maybe it's a CRC thing? I'm surprised that you made this determination only after you joined the congregation.
Like I said, they did a very good job at making people feel welcome. I don't know if you've ever seen the stepford wives movie but that was kind of my premise. They made you feel welcome but once you became a part of the fold was when it got a little wierd. I don't agree with the tithing comments at all. I'm sure if you ran that same app and typed in the words loving your brother or loving others you would get many more results. Sadly churches think today that a tithe means 10 percent to the church. A tithe is 10 percent to God. So my money goes to the local Christian homeless shelter, world missions, and oh yeah a few dollars go to church. But in all honesty I haven't gone to church in three years, so right now it's just going to the other two places. It's either "Happy Clappy" or "Stodgy Depressed" and neither of those formats appeal to me. To me church is becoming increasing irrelevant in my life and in the lives of others that I know yet Christ and His teachings seem to be coming more and more relevant.
We can do any number of searches on different terms, but the point is that the Bible doesn't gloss over giving and tithing. Giving of talents and treasures should be a major theme of every Christian, and tithing is just one possibility. I'm glad that you appear to be tithing to "God".
I thought Grand Rapids and the surrounding area was fairly well populated with churches. I know what you mean with the two formats you mentioned. What format are you looking for? We attend a church that has a contemporary service but, lately, it seems that it's turning more happy-clappy. I interpret that "stodgy depressed" is your term for any traditional liturgy out of a hymn book? Finding something in between is a challenge, but I know it can be done.
"Happy Clappy" is not for me either [especially if it includes drums, band, etc.]
"Stodgy Depressed" is not either !!! --- If it takes ten minutes to sing "Holy, Holy, Holy" or "What a Friend We Have In Jesus", then your Organist and/or Song Leader needs to be replaced !!!!!!
Both songs [and all OTHERS] for the most part are done by MOST churches as though you are at a "Funeral for a man who died WITH NO FAITH" !!!
When traditional hymns are done RIGHT !!!!! --- there are none better !!! ;>)