.jpg)
By Carl Micks
I HAD THE PLEASURE last summer on a rare quiet Sunday in cottage country of being able to attend a service at the local seasonal church. Aside from funerals it was the first time I have attended an Anglican service in nigh on twenty years.
Part of my attraction was the building itself, being older and of wooden construction. I was not disappointed. The day was warm and bright, with the usual weekend noises of traffic and beachgoers, but upon entering I was transported to a cooler place with the dark wood and that musty smell of a wooden building that has been closed off. In my shorts and golf shirt I was transported back to my time at church camp with the little wooden chapel on hot bright Sunday mornings.
I am pleased to say that while the service was from the Book of Alternative Services, the incumbent selected the version that most closely resembled that in the Book of Common Prayer, so I was not at sea following the proceedings.
I am also pleased to report that the congregation was warm and inviting to a stranger in their midst and I enjoyed a cup of tea with them after the service on the side lawn.
Last summer was my first summer retired. As the fall approached I looked to what post-retirement needs I was required to fill. Physically, that is not a problem as I play and ref hockey. I was fortunate that an acquaintance of mine asked me to be a test reader for his books, so I had a bit of intellectual challenge to replace that from work. As the year went on I continued to look for options and discovered a noon hour service. Based upon my summer experience I decided to dip a toe into the waters of Anglicanism again.
The service followed the same format as the summer, and that added to my comfort. Again, the congregation and clergy both were warm friendly and inviting to me.
At some level, I knew this would be the case.
So why twenty years away?
Good question I say to myself. My lack of attendance was not an issue of faith. I did not have any reverse Road to Damascus situation. Indeed, given my experiences, it was family, faith and for those who know me, hockey, which carried me through the darkness I experienced. If anything, faith is stronger as a result.
So, I have to ask, why now? A summer opportunity which triggered nostalgia for a time that has long passed, combined with my familiarity with a service generally not in use and a building with dark wood and actual pews and kneelers?
I don’t know. And doubt is a hallmark of a true Christian journey. In a recent action movie, the protagonist was continually asked, “Are you back?”. For much of the run time he did not know. And neither do I.
Many people come and go from parishes. Often in our transient society they simply move to another location. Still others, such as myself, slowly slip away. The Church has many community outreach and support activities that serve the parish and local communities well and spread the Word through action. Perhaps thought can be given to a form of outreach when long term members start to disappear. A simple phone call may disclose why and offer encouragement to return. It could be a new physical restriction, simply needing a ride to church. Or it could be a more complex challenge. One does not know unless one asks.
While I cannot say with absolute certainty that a call or contact would have changed my trajectory, I do know that my address and phone number have never changed over the last 40 years and I never received that call.
Carl Micks is a “cradle” Anglican, former server, Sunday school teacher, youth leader, chair of the Opening of the Courts Committee and warden, who also served on a board of management for several years. Carl is also a lawyer who recently retired from a career in finance.