The Effort of Church

 Having been a homeschooler for some years now, I have a unique view of our education system in America. I believe that we Americans generally view education in a different light than some of our fellow humans in other parts of the world. Because education is so readily available to us, we often take it for granted. Not only do we see education as a right instead of a privilege, we have actually declared by our laws that it is illegal NOT to educate our children. 

There is so much good that comes from education. Our public schools have lifted many out of poverty and the lowly stations to which they would've otherwise been subject in life. However, there are many downsides to a mandated, public education system. I could go on about many of those downsides, but there's one in particular that I've noticed lately having a parallel to our recent church environment. See if you can tell where I'm going with this ---

Because education is such a "given" in America, many students (and even parents) don't value it as much as they might if they had to sacrifice for it. How many kids "have to" go to school? Would kids still go if they didn't have to? How about if it was dangerous, even life threatening to make the journey to school? (Have you ever read My Name is Malala? Talk about sacrificing for an education!) How many parents would pay if their children couldn't receive free education? How much would they pay? If you went to college (and paid for it) did you take it more seriously than your "free" education? 

I know these are generalizations, but for the most part we place more value on what we personally sacrifice for. Think about when you were young and you first saved up to buy something...maybe it was a bike or a pair of fancy shoes. Odds are you valued that item more than other things like it you had given to you before. You probably took special care of that bike or those shoes. I believe education is the same. Even if it's not the kids paying for the education, the whole family tends to feel and understand that a sacrifice is being made and that, therefore, the education has value. The kids may instinctually put more into their education and get more out of it - or at least feel the pressure of making the most of the sacrifice that's been afforded.

Now how does this relate to church? Recently we've had a sort of hiatus from church attendance. In our particular area and in my particular church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), we were not able to gather together for 3 months and since then only on a small-scale, once-per-month basis. We were blessed to be prepared beforehand by moving from a church-centered outlook to a home-centered, church-supported view. Those three months and even the months that followed proved what a blessing it is to be able to have a home-centered church.

However, now that we are moving back toward the opportunity to once again gather for church services, I have heard many reluctant to leave the ease and comfort of home. "Why should we go through the trouble of getting dressed, getting everyone in the car, going to church, etc.? We can just do it at home...and maybe even have a better experience."

Hearing this moved me to ponder: why should we go to church? I thought of some reasons (like the fact that we are commanded to gather together - see Doctrine & Covenants 101:22; see also Moroni 6 for other great reasons). Ultimately, it's up to each individual to find their own reasons for attending or not attending.

 However, this pondering also made me reflect on some of my friends and family who attend different churches. I thought of the exultance of one Christian friend when she told me about her pastor declaring there is no pandemic and, therefore, no reason to continue separating from each other. (Yes, I know...that's his opinion. Let's not get into that, please.) The point is, she was so elated at the idea of coming together again. 

I thought of another family member who was part of a very small community church. They worked for years to raise money, buy land, and construct a building. They were like a church family. (Not an uncommon term in many churches.) Later when they moved to another congregation, they struggled to find a place to meet - first meeting in a congregants' garage, then renting a small building, then having to disperse for a time when the building was no longer available. They were sad to not be able to meet. They sacrificed and worked to make their church experience one of coming together.

I thought about a book I'm reading (Children of the Promise). It describes church members during WWII in Germany - their struggle to meet together. 

I thought about how, in our church, it used to be the member's responsibility (at least partly) to raise money for and provide labor for the church building they would meet in.

There are so many other examples of church members - both Latter-Day Saints and others - who have had to sacrifice, fight, and work for the opportunity to gather together, to worship, to partake, to talk about their faith, to support one another, to teach, and to learn. 

Do we as members of this church in this area, we who have a church building around every corner paid for and built and upkept largely without our effort, we who have to sacrifice so little to gather together, take this for granted? Would we appreciate it more and be more enthusiastic to return to church if it were not so easy? Will we let our ease trump our effort?