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Religion: Unique church practices
This post is diamtrically opposed to last week’s religion post: I want to know about some particular practice of your local church that you really, really appreciate. Something that’s not necessarily required, maybe something you’ve just never had before you got to that church. I don’t want to sow the idea that I’m a “marketer” – one of those believers who believe the church should pitch its programs over its doctrines – but doctrine and belief come to life in different ways in churches that have very similar theologies. For example, my church has a meal every Sunday night after evening worship. I love this practice. I didn’t really think I would: Sunday night is when I want to get home and recompress for the week ahead. Fellowship meals are for Sunday lunch, not supper. Besides, there’s always a good movie on Sunday nights on TV. But the Sunday evening meal turns out to be the best place to fellowship with congregants. There’s no rush to get home to take a nap. There’s no rush to change into comfortable clothes. And it turns out that every time I go to the Sunday night meal, I’m glad I did. Other churches had other unique practices: one (that I visited) had believers standing shoulder to shoulder around the walls of the sanctuary, to take communion. I liked that I could see everyone else. Like around a table. Another church had no money for anything but a piano and a saxophone, which made for a pretty sweet “Amazing Grace.”
Realizing that all of these practices are a direct outpouring of specific belief and doctrine, whether acknowledged or not, what unique practices of your church (or past churches) could you share with us, and why’d you like them so much?
back to top47 Comments to “Religion: Unique church practices”
Our denomination used to sing the psalms only. We still sing from our psalter frequently, though it varies by church just how often.
I didn’t join this denomination (Associate Reformed Presbyterian) until 2001, so I’m new to the practice, relatively speaking, but I love singing the psalms and wish we did it more often.
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When I spent a year studying in Madrid (24 years ago), I attended a church pastored by a missionary from Cuba. Several American missionaries also attended, who worked at a nearby school for MKs. There was no piano, as the church met in a classroom (of a private Spanish school). So one of the missionaries had learned to play the accordion to accompany hymn-singing. It worked very well – and was portable, so she was also able to accompany us when we had an outdoors Easter sunrise service.
I loved the idea, and bought myself a used accordion a year later (back in the States), but I’ve never learned to play. Most people I mention the idea to react very negatively to the idea of using an accordion in church.
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“a piano and a saxophone, which made for a pretty sweet “Amazing Grace.”
That gave me chills just reading that – I can hear it so plainly.
My inlaws always loved polka music and the accordion is a big part of that of course. When my MIL was in a nursing home the last few months of her life, my husband and I used to attend the chapel services with her. One Sunday they had an accordion player there playing the hymns – she just loved it. We had him play for her funeral and he even played a polka number. It took people by surprise at first but then so many said how well that suited her!
I’ll have to think about something unique to my church and get back to this later. Overall I love most everything about my church!
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VS, A polka mass was written and performed often in one of the churches near here. There is still some controversy about it. Some people love it and some hate it and think it heresy. I’m not Catholic, so didn’t have to be involved in that arguement. I had a landlord who would only go to church when that mass was being said. Hopefully, it helped him.
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We’d been in non-denominational churches for many years before we began to attend a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. I had forgotten how much I appreciate the “confession of sin” during the liturgical service.
It catches me each week, pausing to reflect on where I have sinned and then receiving the benediction of forgiveness after we have corporately confessed. I confess my sins all the time, but taking time in church to do so still gives me shivers.
Not a unique practice, of course, but one I really appreciate about my church.
I guess our church’s unique practice would be that when we receive our “e-prayer” list–we don’t have a prayer chain, requests are sent out via e-mail–the pastor usually includes home addresses for people who might like a congratulations card or a sympathy card. I’ve never attended a church with so many people willing to send missives of one sort or another through the mail.
And they’re very good about looking for ways to physically minister to members in need. So, we had a prayer praise for twins born to the son of our church president–a son and daughter-in-law who don’t even attend our church–and it included an invitation to volunteer to help the family.
I like that.
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Body Life services. Informal individual sharing of what is happening in one’s life, teaching, a song, reminded me of 1Cor. 14. Learning to listen to many types of people. Learning to discern how God works.
Psalm singing without instruments. Learning how God works in the real world. Learning to really sing. Learning to think God’s thoughts after Him.
Confession of sin in the MSLC, we do it each week now. I would like to rewrite the prayer so that it doesn’t sound like we are praying the sinner’s prayer eache week, but a prayer of confession of current sins. But then again, perhaps that would be more appropriate for the closet.
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Having not grown up in church, & having only been really involved in one as an adult, I don’t know if any of our practices are unique or not.
I really like our monthly Bring-Your-Own-Lunch fellowships, as well as other kinds of get-togethers we have.
I like when we gather up at the altar for communion – we each get our piece of cracker & little cup of juice, & wait for everyone to gather round. Then, after Pastor reads from scripture, we quietly examine our hearts, then take the emblems together.
Sometimes during the prayer time, we all hold hands, stretching across the aisles. Or we gather in little groups to pray for each other’s needs. Or various people “lead out” in prayer.
I love the feeling of family we have.
Many times throughout the years, visiting preachers or missionaries have commented that we have a sweet spirit of worship.
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I don’t know that our church does anything not done by some other churches somewhere (the meaning of “unique”)…but we are a small church, and have a small-church feel. To my surprise, I like it. Wednesday night prayer, for instance, is a very small group–it’s rare that we have ten people. So we really know each other.
We have picnics two or three times a year–and we’re a group that simply enjoys being together, so nearly everyone is there, and family members who don’t attend our church (some spouses who attend elsewhere, for instance) are regulars at our picnics.
But it’s not just being together for fun stuff. My church has come alongside me in practical ways, and I have for other people. The church feels more like a family–a functional family, albeit with odd family members–than any other I’ve attended. And yes, we have members who aren’t middle-class white people, and they are part of the body as well.
I’m in a church that is elder led, no women allowed to be elders–the kind of church unbelievers can’t understand. But I’ve never attended a church where the men feel so much like brothers and are so willing to offer their protection and even their physical labor. And the women, freed up from fighting for leadership position, are able to come together and love and encourage other church members–women are actually more actively involved than in churches that are less strong about women’s roles.
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The church we attended before moving away has a meal every Sunday, and then has the communion service while everyone is still at table. They feel that this is more authentic, since the first Lord’s supper was at a meal. In the old days when they met in a house, they used whatever was available for the elements, as that would have been what Jesus used. I specifically remember one Sunday having zucchini bread as the communion bread, since no one had brought anything else for the meal.
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Peter L.,
Actually, the first Lord’s supper was a Passover, and they definitely didn’t use “whatever was available”! They used unleavened bread and wine, and I do think straying far from those isn’t a good idea. (I’ve seen leavened bread used and prefer otherwise; I think wine is probably better than grape juice…except for alcoholics, so using grape juice instead is fine. But Coke and Ritz crackers? No.)
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I agree with Cheryl, but love the fact that when mistakes were made, Peter’s church went ahead and celebrated regardless. Our church occasionally has the heads of the families go forward and take the juice and bread. They then give it to their families as the pastor leads. Special time!! I wish we could do it like that all the time, but I realize some are not comfortable with this — singles, etc.
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I appreciate the way our church exercises discipline. Just as in families that function well a church needs discipline that is centered in Christ. Discipline shown in servant-leadership but also member-to-member love that at times is tough. Certainly that kind of discipline begins in individual confession and reaches out when necessary but in humility. It’s a broader view of love than we experience otherwise.
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When I first attended an LCMS church they had a Matins service every time there was a 5th Sunday. I didn’t care much for it at first, but now, I would love to do it again. (That would be the Matins service out of the old red hymnal). There is just something really nice about the entire service being sung (except for the readings and the sermon).
I like that the elders in my church make calls and visits to the people assigned to their care and oversight.
I like the liturgy. It connects us with everyone else in Christendom that uses the liturgical calendar and the liturgy, past, present and future – just as communion connects us to all others who call upon the name of Christ, past, present and future.
We sing hymns in church. The P&W choruses are reserved for the once a month contemporary service, and anthems by the choir, but the rest of the time we stick to the hymns. I love it – they are so rich with doctrine.
Because we have a large population of Germans in our congregation, we have an annual German advent celebration with German foods and German decor. It makes me homesick for my days in Germany. (I lived there for 8 years.)
During a hiatus from the LCMS, I attended a Bible church and for the first time in my Christian life, I heard some real, no kidding expository teaching from the pulpit every Sunday. I REALLY like it when a preacher can preach his way through the Bible, book by book. His annecdotes always supported the Scripture instead of the other way around.
I once was invited by a friend to go to her church for a Good Friday service where they did the Stations of the Cross. I had never before seen or done the stations of the cross, and I thought it was a beautiful way to reflect upon the events of the day that Christ was crucified.
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We do communion by families which I really like. We also have a meal every week between both services.
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I used to go to a Messianic Fellowship that met every Friday night and everyone brought ‘finger food’ that we would stand around and eat as we fellowshipped for an hour or two after the service.
Another thing I like is that at our current church, a teenage boy gets up and plays the harmonica really beautifully sometimes.
Also, each month we are given the address of an elderly member to old or frail to attend. We all send cards, visit them etc. We have meals together only once a month, I think the idea of once a week is much better.
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As part of the Plymouth Brethren assemblies, we observe the Lord’s Supper (communion) on a weekly basis.
I’ve seen that done in other churches, but for PBers it’s a totally different format: various men in the assembly will spontaneously stand up to suggest a hymn, say a prayer or give a devotional.
The theme is slightly different every week, yet always centers upon the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection.
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Outkast
I love the idea of the Lord’s Supper each week. Our church does it only once a month.
It’s good to see you on the blog, you are missed when you aren’t here.
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Our church participates in the Lord’s supper every week, first church I’ve attended to do so. Many of us miss it when we do not have it. (We don’t have it when we have a baptism or when the pastor is absent.)
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We’re boring. And it’s beautiful.
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19-
Compared to the world you are boring?
Compared to the Word you are boring?
What is your reference point?
how would fulfilling the law of love be boring?
True religion and undefiled is boring??
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I really love acapella singing and occasionally we’ll sing a hymn that way. Beautiful!
There is a form of acapella called ’shape note singing’ that a local town does. No church I know does this anymore, but it would be fun to see.
I also like singing Psalms. But that is so rare these days.
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Xion,
Shape note singing is slightly more common in the deep South, but even there it is rare. I know the local PBS channels in GA and MS have filmed churches shape note singing and others having psalm sings simply to capture the dying music.
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http://www.psalms4u.com The Book of Psalms for Singing
for about 20 years I have played piano from this book and sung these Psalms set to hymns tunes. All regular notes and familiar harmonies.
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Thanks Cameron and Reg. Fantastic news! If there were only a church in New England like this …
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Xion,
I’ll check on the psalm-singing in NE for you…
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Xion – there is a group called the Sacred Harp Singers who do shape note singing. Thre are 2 songs by them on the Cold Mountain Soundtrack. They have become 2 of my favorite hymns. I have never checked to see if they have any other recordings, but now I think I will.
When my father died, the family who took care of him (private nursing home) were from KY. The man was a pastor and he preached at my father’s funeral. He brought members of his church and they did shape note singing at his funeral. Men only. It was one of the most moving services I have ever been to. Although I do not think my father was saved, (He rehected the gospel about 2 weeks before he died), the gospel was still preached at his funeral. It was a great comfort to me at the time.
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Klasko,
If you find out how I might obtain the “Cold Mountain Soundtrack, let me know.
Blessings
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Reg 23
I checked out the site. Which one would you suggest I order?
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Cheryl, I wish our church had the “Lords Supper” every Sunday, we have it once a month.
My father as a pastor had a wonderful portable communion case. It had a place for bread, wine, little cups and a plate. I often looked at it,… and now wish that I had it. My dad took it to hospitals, and those who were sick at home. GOD bless the pastor’s who take the message of Salvation to the needy, the sick, those who need comfort…. and the LORD’s Supper to those who believe in Christ as their Savior.
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“It had a place for bread, wine, little cups and a plate.”
I have one of those. Black leather exterior. Holds 2 bottles, shaker, strainer, 2 crystal glasses, all cradled in red velvet.
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Vic-
If you enter google dot com into your internet browser and then type “Cold Mountain Soundtrack” into the little “Search” box you will have YOUR choice of VENDORS. It’s a movie soundtrack from a real Hollywood movie and you can just buy it anywhere. You will need a credit card, so ask you mom or dad to help
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One of the sad things on how often to do the Lord’s supper: My pastor said when they were deciding to go with weekly, other pastors urged him not to, and told him that people would get tired of it or take it for granted! He said he was told that once a month is just about right–some people will want it more often, some less, so once a month is a good compromise.
OK, I can understand how someone might think once a week is too often, though I’m fairly sure they did it at least that often in the early church. But how could anyone think that once a month is “too often” so that once a month is a “compromise”? Frankly, anyone who thinks once a month is too often is probably on very shaky spiritual ground, and the person’s opinion shouldn’t factor in at all!
But we’ve continued to do it weekly, with occasional exceptions, and I think most of us consider that a blessing.
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Cheryl, have you ever had Communion at home, with someone else or a group of Believers?
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20 – yes, compared to the world’s standards for worship, we’re boring. That’s all I meant. The Lord and His Word and worship with the saints is definitely not boring, but heaven on earth!
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Some of the singular practices — now all discarded once we’ve grown….
“voorsinger” — the music leader sang the last line of the hymn, and then we sang it acapella.
Sometimes at Family Camp at Cedar Campus we will pick up Hymns II and sing with four-part harmonies. For those like myself who are pretty well tone deaf — well, there’s always a bass or alto line to keep!
Another practice: when we finished the service, we would gather around the outside of the worship space and sing “Shalom” (Shalom, my friends; shalom, my friends…).
And again, before we got so big, the congregational prayer would always start with a solicitation of requests by the prayer leader.
These were all aspects of our congregation’s and my youth. Some things endure, including weekly celebration of the Supper.
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I hate to ask this but, is expository teaching a unique practice these days?
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Roger,
Depends on denomination, and even within them. My husband preaches expositorily, and I know several others who do, but I know just as many that don’t, unfortunately.
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Roger – of the many bodies of worship where I have found myself over the years in my nomadic life, I have come accross one expository preacher.
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Roger, if it is then my church is one of the unique ones.
My church is heavily involved in missions. with all the money needed to do missions, the fundraiser that has caught on best has been “mission meals”. Once a month, most months, some of the people needing to raise funds get together to prepare food for a meal after church. Instead of descending on the local restaurants or cooking a big Sunday meal at home, people can stay at church and eat. No price is set per plate, but donations are taken.
We also have Fellowship meals on Wednesday evenings before classes. (We have undergraduate-level Bible and theology classes on Wednesday nights at the same time children have “Equipping to Praise” – children’s choirs and drama – and “Team Kids” – sports-type activities for those not inclined toward performing arts to teach teamwork within the Body of Christ.)
Another practice during normal worship services is for the choir and orchestra to lead worship and come to sit in the congregation afterward for the sermon and invitation. Any other congregational music is led only by the Director of worship, pianist and organist. Being able to come sit with families and children is beneficial.
Sunday evening services were recently changed to be more family-oriented. We have a small group of adults and youth who participate in a “praise band” type group. Whole families will come up to read scripture at key points. Materials for younger kids related to the message are printed and available for them to draw/color on, etc. The messages are also geared to convey solid theology to all age groups. As we’ve been going through Galatians, a recent message calling fathers to assume the mantle of spiritual leadership in their families was given by our Minister of Evangelism. In talking about the role of the children, my 5-year-old kept asking my wife, “Is he talking about me?” What a blessing this service has been.
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28-
The Book of Psalms for Singing
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“The messages are also geared to convey solid theology to all age groups.”
“In talking about the role of the children, my 5-year-old kept asking my wife, “Is he talking about me?”
We had this with our children, too. With the emphasis on qualified clergy, however, and correct theology, I now wonder how long the children will feel connected. When we fail to include the lay person and his/her life experiences as a regular feature of fellowship, the saints are not connected to each other, and life’s “surprises” feel like surprises when they would not have to be so much of a shock because God’s people have been regularity sharing and listening to each other’s life stories for years before the testing came. It is not all about one man standing up front and getting it more right than the next guy.
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We’ve had a series of Sunday school classes on theology and church issue topics (say, the history of the church). I’ve really enjoyed this series: it’s so much meatier than working through a little Sunday-school handout.
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Victoria – Godlumps beat me to the answer. There are only 2 songs on the CD, so you may just want to buy them from itunes or somewhere else if you just want those songs.
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Victoria – you asked Cheryl if she had ever had communion at home.
I have. One of the most memorable and meaningful communions I have ever celebrated was on Easter Sunday 1991. I was laid up (literally lame) with a herniated disc. I had not been anywhere except to sick call in weeks. One of my best friends who happened to be a lay Eucharistic minister in the Catholic church came to my house after the Catholic service at the chapel and brought me communion. I never asked her to. She did it because she knew what it would mean to me. I will never forget it. She caught a lot of flack for it too bacause I’m not Catholic.
My own chaplain couldn’t be bothered.
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The Woman Who Willed a Miracle, Cloris Leachman, and the book,May’s Boy, tells the story of Leslie Lemke, a musical savant, retarded with cerebral palsy, who was baptized by his adopted mother at the kitchen sink. They lived in the middle of nowhere.
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Victoria,
I’ve never been housebound or otherwise in need of having a minister come to me to administer the Lord’s supper. And I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a church family that would condone individual believers doing it on their own. (In my church, for instance, only teaching elders can administer the sacraments. For years that meant only our senior pastor, but it now includes one other elder/pastor.) My pastor has taken communion to those who are recovering from surgery.
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Re: expository preaching.
My pastor does this at the Wed. night Bible study, but he would probably think of it as expository teaching, with a bit of preaching thrown in.
For his Sunday sermons, Pastor relies on the leading of the Holy Spirit as to what he should preach about. His sermons are “meaty”, with a healthy focus on our great need for Christ in every area of our lives, as well as on the incredible grace of God.
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