Church, Community, School

[John81]

In another thread we were discussing church involvement within the local community and such and touches on that but it's separate enough I'm starting a new thread.

Our pastor has a letter to the editor in the local paper addressing the fact the churches, community and schools used to work together in coordinating events with regards to schedualing. However, that's no longer the case. A few years ago Wednesday nights were no longer left open by the schools so the churches could have that time. Practices and games began being held on Wednesday nights.

Now even Sundays are no longer left open for the churches. The schools are schedualing tournaments and other events, even some practices, on Sundays and the community is also now schedualing things on Wednesday nights and on Sundays.

Basically, the schools no longer care what the churches think about such things and the community is following suit. Whereas those making the school calendars and the community calendars used to work with the churches to avoid schedualing conflicts on Wednesday nights and on Sundays, now the churches are being purposefully left out.

Our pastor, who has been here since 1982, tackles this problem in his letter to the editor, points out why this isn't good for anyone, the damage it's already causing and the consequences that will follow.

I ask that y'all would pray about this situation and that the Lord might use our pastors letter to the editor to spark serious discussion about this that will bring about good changes for His glory and honour.

I should add that one of the problems with regards to the school situation is consolodation. Whereas our small town used to have all our children in our own schools, that's no longer the case. Our high school kids are now united with several other old school districts and they attend school about 20 miles from here. Our remaining k-8 school is united with various other k-8 schools where sports are involved. That means school dissions, especially with regards to sports, involves several communities; not just ours.

[trc123]

I think your Pastor is correct and I pray some will hear and heed. If (hopefully when) the letter to the editor is published do you think it will be posted on the paper's internet site? If so, I would love to have the URL and read the full letter.

Thank you.

[John81]

:lol:I don't even know if this little local paper has a website!:lol:I'll try to find out. The letter will be published in this weeks edition of the paper.

[JerryNumbers]

I don't believe the problem is school consolation. Our local school is now having baseball games on Sunday evening, there had been no consolidation.

Plain and simple, school board member have no respect for the churches, and our school board has several people on it that is active in churches, but they let it happen.

The main problem is to many games, and of course, football is the god of our school and our community, just as its the god of Americas on pro football playing Sunday's.

[John81]

Yes, football is king around here too. Our high school and the other main school we consolodated with were both the top teams in this area. They would fight it out between one another nearly every year for who would go to State. Since the consolodation they have a real powerhouse football team. They dominate the other area teams and are virtually assured of going to State each year.

All of this has served to greatly increase the virtuall football worship. Now even more time and money goes into football. And since consolodating the new school now offers even more sport and other extra-curricular activities that all compete for time and money.

In order to promote sports and "winning", most are willing to sacrifice anything, including church activities and church attendance itself.

Area churches have seen such a drop in Wednesday night attendance for any church function that many have had to cancel them or greatly limit these functions and shuffle them around in an attempt to fit them in.

It's really sad how so many parents will expend great amounts of time and money to have their kids in all the sports programs, get them to every practice and every game, yet are unwilling to make any sacrifice at all to attend church or a church activity.

Of course, with so many of the people in this area being "church folk", if all (or even most) were to actually take a stand for Christ, and refuse to send their children to practices or games Sundays and Wednesday nights, the schools would rearrange their scheduals so as not to lose players and games.

[JerryNumbers]

Our school won state championship in 05, 06, 07, got beat out in about the 3rd round last year. This year they completely redid the home side bleachers, press box, concession stand, restrooms. They went 1st class, nothing to good for the football god. Football comes 1st and everything comes in behind it in our big time football community.

A very few years back they built a 1/2 completely enclosed dome practice field.

I know our new press box will be the envy of many, compete with elevator, we don't want the VIP football people to have to walk or climb through the stands where regular people set to get to their central heated and air condition press box.