Euchre and the Meaning of Life

I have a collection of photos of silly church signs. I know that sounds strange but, over the years, I found them a useful tool for teaching about being an inclusive and accessible church.

The word “silly” covers a wide range of foolishness. There are some which are merely spelling mistakes, like the church that advertised its CHRISTMAS BIZARRE AND LUNCH. Another invited people to their ORSHIP— whatever that may be—and the sign stayed like that for several months. Others seem unaware of quite what they are offering, like the church which boasted one Advent, CHRIST WILL COME, SATURDAY 6PM.

Then there is a whole category of signs which only make sense to insiders. Would you be attracted to a church by a sign that advertised a sermon entitled, Zaccheus And The Reformation? Or another whose sermon title was Flying Sola: Sola Fide? (You may need to ask a Reformed friend who speaks Latin about that one. It was outside a Presbyterian church.)

But to my mind, perhaps the worst signs are the trivial. One of the first photos I ever took in this collection was of a church (and I’m afraid it was Anglican) whose sign said: Progressive Euchre, Monday 7pm And Penny Sale, March 30th. Tickets Are Pre-Cut. Maybe you know the significance of “pre-cut tickets”— would people stay away if the tickets were already cut? Is this really all the church has to announce to the world? Is that the main reason someone would venture through the doors?

Why don’t people come to church? There are many reasons. One simple reason is that they don’t see the point of it. “They have nothing to offer that I would be interested in. It’s weird religious stuff for weird religious people. I have more important things on my mind.” So what are the serious issues that people outside the church worry about? Here are a few that spring to mind:

• Can I stop feeling lonely?
• Is there any hope for this world?
• How can I make a difference in the world?
• Where can I explore my spirituality?
• Does anything happen when I pray?
• How do I know right and wrong?
• How can I be the real me?
• Is there a God and what are they like?
• Am I doing the right things with my life?
• Does life have any real meaning?

Here is my question: Does the church have anything to say about this kind of issue? Surely the Good News of Jesus addresses all the biggest issues of human existence, including everyone I just listed! So why, oh why, don’t some of these show up on our church signs? Why euchre and not the meaning of life?

Are there any good church signs out there? There are— though, sadly, they are in a minority, and not many are Anglican. Here’s a selection—and how I can imagine an outsider responding to them.

• A Baptist church I know says: Church? Good In A Weird Way, Weird In A Good Way, over a graphic of a wine bottle and a loaf of bread. (“Wow, so churches have a sense of humour? And they understand that I think they’re weird. Hmmm.”)
• A new church in Toronto advertises that it is a Church For Sinners, Skeptics And Saints. (“A church for skeptics? Now there’s an idea.”)
• I love the one at Brampton United Church, which is pastored by a friend of mine: Imagine God Building Better Lives, Better Families, Better Brampton: We Do! (“I could get on board with that kind of vision.”) • There is one I photographed somewhere in Western Canada, outside an Evangelical Lutheran Church. It advertises that the people who go there are Learning To Be Better Lovers By Following Jesus. (“That’s an interesting idea. Sure, I’m not always good at loving. But what has Jesus to do with that?”)
• Or, more locally, Flamborough Baptist Church, whose sign simply says the church is For Those Wanting A Change. (“Goodness, change! That’s what I need. I wonder…”)

What makes these so good? Each one is deliberately trying to connect with unchurched passers-by. Obviously, a good experience of church has to go way beyond a clever sign, but people normally come to faith step by step, and this kind of thought-provoking, intriguing sign might just provide a crucial step on the way, a stepping-stone between people’s deepest concerns and what goes on inside a church.

So what about euchre? In case you were feeling defensive about it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with euchre! Or even penny bazaars (whether the tickets are pre-cut or uncut). But here is what worries me. C.S.Lewis once wrote in a letter:

Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: put second things first, and we lose both first and second things.

 

In other words, if we keep the “first things” first, then the “second things” will fall into their proper place. On the other hand, if we prioritize the “second things”—and, however passionate you may be about euchre, I suspect you would agree that it is not the most important thing in life (or in church)—the “second things” will swallow up the “first things.” Why not find a witty, wholesome, intriguing way to whet the appetites of passers-by, so that they are curious to know what the Christian message has to say about the “first things” in their lives?

That would be healthy for the church—and good news for the world.