Lost and Found

I often wonder why churches are frequently so empty-have we lost our faith or have we found god, whomever or whatever that might be to each of us, in other places? This is what I refer to as the lost and found god. To suppose churches are empty because of a loss of faith may not be true. I believe that people are finding god perhaps where god may want to be found- on a walk through the woods, on a beach at sunset, in newly fallen snow, in new life, in our pets and sometimes even in each other.

As a kid in Sunday School, I was challenged to memorize prayers beyond my level of understanding, to identify and ask for forgiveness for my sins, to look into my life from the vantage point of what have I done wrong, what might I do wrong if I don’t follow the rules and how I have failed. The ‘what not to do-what have I done wrong’ list, rather than the ‘‘isn’t life amazing’ list. At eight years old we were told we had to do penance for the sins that we often had to invent for delivery in the confessional. My early years of church were filled with rules and fire and brimstone- and I wonder now if current generations may have stepped away from church because of this bitter presentation and understanding of god.

As a little girl I remember in tears having to bobby-pin a tissue to the top of my head while in the vestibule because I had forgotten my hat, and god didn’t allow females into the church without a head covering. Church was a place filled with rules that settled internally and followed me through life. Instead of teaching us about the absolute wonder of life itself and the incredible beauty of creation, church became a place to unearth our earthly sins.

Of course, there were and are, lovely parts of belonging to a church, of community, caring, looking out for each other -of parables and hymns and a hopefulness that life itself is not impermanent. But in my own experience heaven was postponed until our future departure - instead of encouraging us to find it here on earth. We were taught to fear hell more than to love ourselves and recognize heaven within. But things are changing and there is hope.

God, the Divine, Higher Power, Great Spirit, Mighty Creator, Love, Light, Peace, Spirit, Braham, Allah, Father, Mother, Lord, Holy Spirit, Infinite, The Way- perhaps if we look deep enough, we can find a name for god that sits well within us- and a concept of god that we can believe in.

Children, all of us I believe, are born naturally spiritual with a direct connection to some great source and spirit of life. That I suppose is what should be encouraged- along with a love of self and others-a love of the earth and all of her creatures. It may be the only hope for this ailing planet. We tend to take good care of the things we love.

Perhaps some people have turned away from the old church, from the concept of church they were brought up in, to find some inner wisdom of the ‘god’ they can connect with in new and wonderful ways.

My hope is that all is not lost- that when one sees a sunset or the budding daffodils or the ocean waves that they also see a mystery, a miracle, and a magnificence that something or someone amazing and glorious may be behind all of that wonder.

The landscape of our lives, our villages, and our world can be an inviting home for places of worship that welcome those who believe and those who question and those who just want to have a place to belong. Perhaps we can find a new and binding force of love there.

We can regenerate the vision of god within, call a ‘do over’ and surround that 8 year old with love, lead them into forest and the seashore and the garden. Teach them about the beauty and the magnificence of our universe. Remind them of their own innate goodness-rather than their projected sinfulness. Perhaps if they are encouraged to recognize the goodness within themselves, they will also look for the good in others. Could that help curtail the bullying and violence in our world? If we focus on the love within, what an amazing world we might rediscover.