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| Along the Way 7-9-10 |
 I want to reflect this morning on what is unique about a downtown congregation. Why will people drive from the suburbs and beyond to find their way to Calhoun Square, sometimes scrambling to find a parking space? There are many answers to this question. Today I want to explore one of the most obvious: there are no new churches being built to match these historic downtown congregations. The architecture, the stained glass, the spires, the pews announce that the downtown church stands within that larger tableau of the salvation story instead of as a new congregation that might be very contemporary but has no sense of place yet. The downtown church conveys a sense of continuity with Christian history. The downside of the traditional setting, of course, is that the downtown congregation is in constant danger of being frozen in one particular era. But the urban congregation, in its setting and with its building, if there is a proper sense of past, present and future, can offer what few other congregations have. One interesting confirmation of this truth comes in the wedding requests we receive from couples who attend other churches right here in town. Some of them worship in a church building with theatre seating and a weekly praise band playing in their auditorium, but when it comes time for the wedding, they want a pipe organ, stained glass, an altar, a setting with permanence and gracefulness. Wide screens and folding chairs just don’t convey that feel. Stone, glass, wooden pews arched ceilings and a pipe organ cannot preach Christ crucified. Or can they? Though few of us would rank a physical setting as the most important way of spreading the new creation, upon reflection, the physical setting of a church can powerfully testify to the love of God in Christ Jesus, in a sense communicating the truth of Jesus’ words, “If you were silent, even the stones would cry out.” I’ll reflect more in weeks to come about the uniqueness of the downtown congregation. I suspect you have your own observations about this subject, too. Let me know what you think, either by email or at our incredibly lovely and grace-filled church on Calhoun Square. Creede Hinshaw |
