Sacrament Meeting
Posted by Yam on March 29th, 2007
It’s almost Easter. When I was a kid, growing up non-LDS, this was always such an exciting time to go to church! How many people would show up? How many new faces would we see? Would everyone fit into the room? Because there were an awful lot of faces we only saw twice a year, at Christmas and at Easter.
Showing up twice a year is better than not showing up at all, but it’s still strange to me; why didn’t people go more often? I don’t have any data beyond my own personal experience, but I feel like people in our church tend to attend sacrament meetings more regularly. I like to think attendance at our sacrament meetings is more regular because they work better, and that regular attendance keeps us on the right path, nourishing our faith and testimonies of the Lord.
“Of course sacrament meeting is tied in with our faith–this is not earth-shattering news, Yam!” Well, yeah. But all the others are pretty obvious, too, and I think that, because it’s so obvious, it’s also overlooked to some extent; “Good ol’ sacrament meeting.”
I like how it’s the one time the whole ward gathers together. We see each other and interact with each other more in other situations, but those are all smaller groups; I like how the sacrament meeting brings us all together. (I know, this seems obvious to someone who grew up in the church! But when I was growing up, my family went to churches which had multiple services throughout the day, and you went to whichever one was convenient; it was easier to get lost in the shuffle, and you never saw everyone all together at once.)
I love the talks, and I love the testimonies. I like how they’re shared by all sorts of people–young and old, converts and descendents of converts, rich and poor, men and women. We’re all a part of it, you know? We are all children of Heavenly Father, we all have a voice, and any of us may be called upon to speak.
I love the quiet peace of the sacrament itself.
I’m happy that there don’t seem to be people who only show up a couple times a year; that either they come regularly as they can or not at all, and those who choose to come seem to wind up making spirituality a strong part of their lives. Again, I don’t have any data, but people seem more involved, more prayerful during the week, more thoughtful about what’s important and unimportant in this life. Healthier.
It’s just done right, done well, encouraging and supporting attendence and increasing our faith. Sacrament meeting’s a good and worth appendage to our faith, as necessary for wholeness and completeness as one’s physical arms; I’m glad we have it.
Yes, me too. I have been a member all my life, and have probably missed less than 30 sacrament meetings my entire life - ehich includes illness and vacations. For some reason I wouldn’t miss it.
It may seem a little odd to some, but from some of my observations it seems like Christmas and Easter may be times when Mormons are more likely to skip church. That is a bit odd as well.
Comment # 1 left by Eric Nielson on March 29th, 2007
I like the comment about the fact that it’s when we are all together (which doesn’t happen in other congregations, apparently).
And, for the record, I think this was a great thing to write about!
Comment # 2 left by Michelle on March 29th, 2007
I seem to recall Matt W. saying he had only missed two (I think?) meetings since he was baptized about a decade or so. Very cool.
I always wondered this myself while growing up. The Catholic chapel was across the street from our LDS chapel, and during these two times of the year the cops would have to come out and direct traffic, and parking would be a horrific nightmare, with cars parked in one mile stretches on the street curb. Crazy.
I often wonder why people go to church at all during these two times. Certainly it becomes more ceremonial than anything. Do they feel they only need to worship and/or think about Jesus twice yearly? Is there no understanding of or desire for constant communion and administered ordinances?
Thank God for the restored truth. It just makes so much sense.
Comment # 3 left by Connor on March 29th, 2007
Yeah, Connor, it’s true.
I used to be Catholic, and going to church for Christmas and easter is more tradition than anything else. Though the Best services in Catholci tradition are Palm Sunday and Good Friday (All of Lent and Advent are good, but I really enjoyed the stations of the cross and the kissing jesus’ feet on the cross)
Catholic Mass is pretty formulaic. It’s kind of like going to the Temple, but with an extemporaneous homily instead of a prayer. Oh, and you aren’t doing it for some other person’s benefit like temple repitition. (Unless you are just going to light a candle in the back for some sick person, which is also a beautiful tradition of both the Catholic Church and Mormon Temple)
Comment # 4 left by Matt W. on March 29th, 2007
Not to threadjack, but I love how you phrased this: “converts and descendents of converts.” There are people who get ‘uppity’ about having been in the church longer (generations longer) than others, and I think sometimes they forget that, really, converts are no lesser members. As you put it, they themselves are descendants of converts. Joseph Smith, himself, was a convert. Granted, he was converted by Heavenly Father and Jesus themselves. (Missionaries still come in 2’s!) Still, he was converted, and from his conversion the church was created, called missionaries, and converted more people. So, yeah, in the end, it all traces back to converts. Also, no matter how many generations of your family have been in the church, every individual has to have their own moment of or process of conversion to the gospel. Ok, sorry, like I said; I don’t mean to threadjack, but that was beautifully stated. I love a good turn of phrase.
As for Sacrament meeting as an appendage of our faith. We do it because of our faith, and because it strengthens and enriches our faith. Sort of a positive feedback cycle–like so many forms of obediance. You do it because you are faithful and mean to be obedient, but in the doing, you find it grows your faith. I love that phenomenon, and we see it again and again in regard to so many aspects of our religion.
Comment # 5 left by Naiah Earhart on March 29th, 2007
Connor said: “Thank God for the restored truth. It just makes so much sense.”
Amen to that!
Comment # 6 left by Naiah Earhart on March 29th, 2007
A coworker of mine mentioned all the C&Es that were going to be at church one year around Easter time. I asked what he meant by C&Es and he responded almost as if I should have known, “Christmas and Easter, you know the people who only come on Christmas and Easter.”
I agree that I never really have noticed this phenomenon, until I moved to this ward. I can think of at least two people who came on Christmas Day but don’t come regularly.
Comment # 7 left by Travis on April 1st, 2007