I had an unusual Sunday yesterday. I didn't go to church. I read this lousy article last spring in the local Anglican tabloid that one of our local priests wrote in which, using all kinds of theological casuistry in which he tried to convince the reader that to not attend church every Sunday is a sin. I was a bit flummoxed by this phariseeistic nonsense. Still, I became a little bit fearful and apprehensive about my own church attendance, and actually allowed this article to bully and cow me into showing up for Sunday services regularly and faithfully.
In June, because of miscommunications and circumstances beyond my control, I missed two Sundays at church. I was not struck by lightning, not even during the sudden downpour and electrical storm that drove me into the nearest Starbucks because I didn't have an umbrella. Now I don't ordinarily patronize Starbucks, preferring to support local coffee shops, but here I was sheltering in a comfy chair at a comfy table while the rain poured down outside, sipping a coffee while knowing that I would not only be late for church, I was going to miss it. I did some work on a drawing. A co-worker came in to get take out coffee and snacks for her house guests nearby. We had a brief but warm visit. The second Sunday away from church I took a walk in the forest nearby, since the church was closed that Sunday.
Sunday yesterday I decided to stay home. The priest who wrote the lousy article was guest preacher at my church last week and stayed behind to give us a workshop on how to fill up the churches with newcomers, or Bums In Pews. His sermon was every bit as lame as his article as he bashed as heretics (yes he did use this word, so many times that I eventually lost count) people who call themselves religious but not spiritual, then afterward proceeded to lecture us as though we were slow students about why Anglicans should practice evangelism. He displayed absolutely no interest in dialogue or any point of view that was not his own. Neither could he accept that the whole process of getting people into church has a lot more to do with our love in action in concert with the love of God and the work of the Holy Spirit than with our relentless nagging.
I eventually got up and left, finding this priest to be not very bright, small minded, arrogant and disrespectful of others. I am sure that in other circumstances he might be a quite decent chap and even a fun companion over a cup of coffee or a glass of beer.
I decided to stay away from church yesterday to liberate myself from the legalism of compulsory church attendance. As well as enjoying the sound of the rain while sipping coffee in my apartment I also did my laundry. Because I stayed away from church yesterday I was able to help an emotionally fragile neighbour get into the building after she'd left her key in her apartment. I was also able to accept a warm and sincere apology and offer complete forgiveness to another tenant regarding an unfortunate incident last week. Equivalents, these, of exchanging the peace and receiving the sacrament at the altar.
When my laundry was done, the rain had stopped, and the sun was out I took a long walk that led me into a legendarily wealthy neighbourhood of Vancouver.
On the sidewalk I came across a pile of money. There was no indication that it belonged to someone. I stuffed it in my pocket, took it home and counted more than $500. Because the money was abandoned, perhaps carelessly in a wealthy neighbourhood and my hours at work are a bit down I am accepting this find as a gift from God. Had there been any way of identifying the owner I would of course turned the money in. I am also aware that some individuals of means have recently been leaving sums of over one hundred dollars on sidewalks and in parks for strangers to discover and I am under the impression that this is what may have happened.
I am just about over the shock of my find. I am not going to spend it wrecklessly. My needs are small and I will just defer from withdrawing anything from my chequing account for a few extra weeks. I will sooner or later return to church, probably in a few weeks after Back to Church Sunday is over, once the good Anglicans are over their imposed zeal for proselytizing. I personally don't care if more people become Anglicans or not since I do not have a vested interest in this church, which is to say that my spiritual fulfilment is not tied up with this or any denomination. God is everywhere and he is not confined to the boxes that we build for her. I am also not a priest so naturally I am not worried about loosing a $96,000 a year salary.
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