I did a short interview about Emerging Spirit with Mr. T. Sher Singh (above) this afternoon for the program "3D Dialogue" on Omni 2. After years of arranging TV interviews for colleagues and taking them to the studio just to make sure everything went alright, (aka a "handler"), I finally had to do one myself....not that I wanted to, but I did what I had to do ;-)
Even though we were only together for a short time, I was very impressed with Mr. T. Sher Singh. At one point in the interview he asked me a question I found to be very profound. In the East, he said, there is an understanding that a person who is aged 30-45 (which is the demographic our Emerging Spirit initiative is reaching out to) will not participate in religion as they did in their youth and will again when they are old. Instead, this time in their lives is for family and business, and that's expected. Maybe this is what the United Church is experiencing by the relative lack of people in this age range? he asked.
I forget what I answered...we will see in February!.....but his point stuck with me because I am in the age range he referred to and because, especially since our baby was born, I have been so busy I really have had a hard time finding time for my spiritual life. In the East, if Mr. T. Sher Singh is right, this would be expected---it's not seen as a problem. For me, in the West, it just seems like an ominous sign of trouble to come....
You can read more about Mr. T. Sher Singh here.
Aaron, I was at a workshop once with Stan McKay, former Moderator of the UCC, and he said the same thing. He said - "everyone leaves the hearth and wanders" he noted that it happens in our teens, and some come back as parents, some come back as grandparents, and some only come back in death ...
ReplyDeleteHis point was/is - we wander from "home". He universalized it that day in Vancouver, speaking of the Church rather than just native villages, and in the process he spoke a truth.
We fret too much in this United Church of ours about what we're lacking, rather than celebrating what we have. As one firmly in the demographic of Emerging Spirit, I am disheartened by being constantly overlooked - there are many of us who have given all to the Church, and I'm ready to find the door and go elsewhere ...
Mr Singh speaks a truth. Rev McKay speaks a truth. I live a truth - the 30-45 yr olds I've worked with are busy, over worked and overwhelmed and still feel connected to the United Church, but they want to step through the doors without encountering a feeding frenzy of "will you do this?" or "thank God you're here?" or worst of all - "where have YOU been?" ...
It's a challenge - it will be fun ... and it will be interesting ... whether I'm here or not ...
Thanks Rev. Shawn.....
ReplyDeleteYou wrote:
>> "We fret too much in this United Church of ours about what we're lacking, rather than celebrating what we have. As one firmly in the demographic of Emerging Spirit, I am disheartened by being constantly overlooked - there are many of us who have given all to the Church, and I'm ready to find the door and go elsewhere ... "
I say:
Is there anybody in the whole United Church who doesn't feel overlooked? You've been involved longer than I have, but I'm beginning to think not.
I hope you don't go...we need you, and so with Peter (was it Peter?), I saw, "where else would you go?"
A