Pew Study: Choosing a New Church or House of Worship

[Sy_Noe]

I have been to churches where the services were entirely in Spanish, Vietnamese, or Korean. It would be hard for me to make that parish my home parish. And I’ve certainly gone to Orthodox liturgies where I didn’t understand the language or some of the cultural traditions, but being a visitor is different from taking on this parish as my church family.

There is an Episcopal church about 7 miles from me where the priest-in-charge is Haitian. The congregation predominantly by a large margin is Latino. I have a little experience with their outreach program for the homeless and needy having donated to it in the past. It’s not the nearest Episcopal church but if I were making an Episcopal church my home, I’d be able to attend there because they have Masses in both English and Spanish so I would merely attend the English one. Like you though, it would be hard for me if the Masses were only offered in Spanish.

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

The main focal point of the mass is The Sacrifice.

The parish that I belong to has greeters. Also, once a month there is a second offering for St. Vincent de Paul.

 

[Sy_Noe]

See my post # 31 I certainly don’t go to Mass with the “get it done” attitude.I love going to Mass.I belong to a large and vibrant parish.The Holy Spirit is very much present as is evidenced by our 24 hour Adoration Chapel. The hour I am committed to always has an abundance of people coming in and out.This is purely out of desire that they are there.So you are assumptions as to why Catholics attend Mass.I believe it is also out of desire not some dreadful obligation.Maybe you are projecting your own attitude towards attending Mass as a now non practicing Catholic.

Jeanne, I’m not projecting my own attitude. I don’t even recall saying a thing about why you go to Mass. I have no doubt you love doing so and that many do. I’d venture to say a vast majority there do. I would certainly hope so. I was simply responding to another poster who had observed some leaving early seemingly to that poster to be in a hurry to get it done with. I too have seen people heading out the door leaving early right after receiving the Eucharist without even returning to their seats. That’s all. No offense or anything.

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

So how do you think that ‘angel unaware’ in your midst feels when you only greet her or him when it’s ‘appropriate’?

I think we’re forgetting the Gospel imperative here, to ‘welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you’, to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and visit the sick. Worship, yes, but if we do that only and ignore Christ the stranger sitting right next to us, I think something is terribly wrong.

The Catholic Church is very active in feeding/clothing the poor and visiting the sick, etc.

St. Vincent de Paul:

svdpusa.org/

Catholic Relief Services:

crs.org/

 

[ComplineSanFran]

The Catholic Church is very active in feeding/clothing the poor and visiting the sick, etc.

St. Vincent de Paul:

svdpusa.org/

Catholic Relief Services:

crs.org/

I know all about the wonderful work that these agencies do. The world is a better place because of them.

I also am very impressed with the Mormon charities, especially their emergency relief. I saw the storehouse in Utah when I was there. It was very impressive, I am sure they are hard at work in Baton Rouge, and now, unfortunately, central Italy.

Food banks are good. Local parishes here in San Francisco are taking that on. We use the church to feed a whole lot of people. It’s good to do that. It means that people in your city, town, neighborhood, get to eat because of you. It brings it home.

Did you see where Jimmy Carter is starting another Habitat project in Memphis? He’s 90-something years old, has cancer, and is out there with his hard hat, building homes for people who need somewhere to live. To me, he is living the Gospel in ways I could never do. God bless him.

 

[JMM1957]

Pew Research released a new study today: ‘Choosing a New Church or House of Worship’

So how do people choose a new church? Top factors: preaching, welcoming, and style of worship.

I’ve read over the years here on CAF that many people who visit Roman Catholic services are not always greeted and or made to feel welcome. That seems to make a difference, according to Pew. Different denominations have different worship styles and it appears that makes a difference too. And of course preaching. I don’t think I was surprised by these results, but it is good to see my experiences confirmed.

pewforum.org/2016/08/23/choosing-a-new-church-or-house-of-worship/

What is the “real” point in bringing up this study? To hear from disgruntled or ex-Catholics on how their parishes are not friendly and welcoming and/or how they have poor sermons?

Maybe this is the reason from your OP, “I don’t think I was surprised by these results, but it is good to see my experiences confirmed.”

 

[rcwitness]

I don’t know who you have been talking to.My home parish has greeters every Sunday.On any trip I have taken throughout the USA,this has been my experience in each and every parish.

I agree. There is a disposition in many independent churches because when someone walks into their service, everyone knows they are completely new to their church. When people walk into a Catholic parish, most of them are already Catholic and there is not an assumption to welcome them into the Church or invite as a member.

I have always experienced greeters in Catholic parishes, even outside the US. We have them, and it is done with the intent to welcome all to the worship. There are bulletins with adequate information for inquiring about faith formation and access to pastoral contacts.

Some parishes have a facility that accommodates social gathering, while others do not.

 

[JMM1957]

I agree. There is a disposition in many independent churches because when someone walks into their service, everyone knows they are completely new to their church. When people walk into a Catholic parish, most of them are already Catholic and there is not an assumption to welcome them into the Church or invite as a member.

I have always experienced greeters in Catholic parishes, even outside the US. We have them, and it is done with the intent to welcome all to the worship. There are bulletins with adequate information for inquiring about faith formation and access to pastoral contacts.

Some parishes have a facility that accommodates social gathering, while others do not.

I agree also. In this day of church shopping, on any given Sunday, there probably is a fairly good number people in independent churches who haven’t been there before.

 

[Jeanne_S]

What is the “real” point in bringing up this study? To hear from disgruntled or ex-Catholics on how their parishes are not friendly and welcoming and/or how they have poor sermons?

Maybe this is the reason from your OP, “I don’t think I was surprised by these results, but it is good to see my experiences confirmed.”

Exactly.This was my point as well.Thank you for confirming my thoughts about the comment above.

 

[JoyToTheWhirled]

I see both a positive side and a negative one in my experience of Catholic parishes, which extends to three all told, so obviously not a huge sample. There is a comforting assumption that if you walk into a Catholic church, you’re likely to be Catholic. You are left to pray in peace and the focus is the Eucharist and that is great.

What was a shock coming from a protestant church where the welcome is more overt is the fact that it has been supremely difficult to actually make human connections - there is plenty of talking after Mass, but only to people who are obviously already friends, I find it can be hard to even get someone to return a smile.

I am attending a course next month at my current parish and really hope to find a friendly welcome there.

On the converse of that, it is nice to go to church and not be overwhelmed with questions. I would just like a happy medium. But ultimately, truth is the governing factor for me in choosing a place to worship. I have left comfortable places for it.

 

[mary_bobo]

I had this experience as well, but after attending my first mass that wasn’t a wedding or a funeral, it became more clear to me. It was such a beautiful thing. We arrived early, sat in the back and observed. There was nobody talking with anyone. Most were kneeling in prayer, or sitting quietly. Mass started and of course we knew little of the gestures or postures, but we were familiar with liturgical worship. As I watched, I began to see something. I saw a visible unity, a body for lack of a better description, the body of Christ on earth. Then came the Eucharistic liturgy and communion. The respect and awe shown by these people for Jesus was otherworldly. I knew we had found the place where Christ dwells. The people weren’t there for social hour. They weren’t there to see or be seen by their friends. They weren’t there to see me. They were there to worship Jesus. We signed up for RCIA the next day.

Beautifully stated.

 

[mary_bobo]

Jeanne, I’m not projecting my own attitude. I don’t even recall saying a thing about why you go to Mass. I have no doubt you love doing so and that many do. I’d venture to say a vast majority there do. I would certainly hope so. I was simply responding to another poster who had observed some leaving early seemingly to that poster to be in a hurry to get it done with. I too have seen people heading out the door leaving early right after receiving the Eucharist without even returning to their seats. That’s all. No offense or anything.

Most of the few people that I see leaving Mass early are going to work or down to the parish hall if it is their week do arrange for coffee, juice and donuts.

 

[mary_bobo]

I agree. There is a disposition in many independent churches because when someone walks into their service, everyone knows they are completely new to their church. When people walk into a Catholic parish, most of them are already Catholic and there is not an assumption to welcome them into the Church or invite as a member.

I have always experienced greeters in Catholic parishes, even outside the US. We have them, and it is done with the intent to welcome all to the worship. There are bulletins with adequate information for inquiring about faith formation and access to pastoral contacts.

Some parishes have a facility that accommodates social gathering, while others do not.

I have greeted people who I have not seen at the Mass I attend to find out the reason I have not seen them before is that they usually go to a different Mass. How many protestant churches have several services on Sunday?

 

[mary_bobo]

The Catholic Church is very active in feeding/clothing the poor and visiting the sick, etc.

St. Vincent de Paul:

svdpusa.org/

Catholic Relief Services:

crs.org/

Or the Ladies of Charity, or having a sister parish (in Haiti) as my parish does and members who visit there to give aid and comfort to the parishoners there. And how about Catholic Relief Services? I think some are assuming too much.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

What is the “real” point in bringing up this study? To hear from disgruntled or ex-Catholics on how their parishes are not friendly and welcoming and/or how they have poor sermons?

Maybe this is the reason from your OP, “I don’t think I was surprised by these results, but it is good to see my experiences confirmed.”

The study is actually a positive one. The questions are: What do you look for when you are seeking a church community? Name the things that are most important to you.

And the study named all the things that are most important to people:

Sermons
Being welcomed
Location of the church
Worship style
Education for children - Christian ed
Knowing others in the congregation
Volunteer opportunities

None of that is surprising to me. It rings true with all my experiences of people church shopping.

How is that negative?

 

[Jeanne_S]

The study is actually a positive one. The questions are: What do you look for when you are seeking a church community? Name the things that are most important to you.

And the study named all the things that are most important to people:

Sermons
Being welcomed
Location of the church
Worship style
Education for children - Christian ed
Knowing others in the congregation
Volunteer opportunities

None of that is surprising to me. It rings true with all my experiences of people church shopping.

How is that negative?

Refer to your initial post,that should give you your answer.

 

[rcwitness]

The study is actually a positive one. The questions are: What do you look for when you are seeking a church community? Name the things that are most important to you.

And the study named all the things that are most important to people:

Sermons
Being welcomed
Location of the church
Worship style
Education for children - Christian ed
Knowing others in the congregation
Volunteer opportunities

None of that is surprising to me. It rings true with all my experiences of people church shopping.

How is that negative?

For the most part, I see “church shopping” as a negative dilemma in our society and culture. It’s not the specific question that is right or wrong. It’s just a question. Though it may lack some relative options. What about Doctrine? What about orthodoxy?

I think there can be a genuine discernment in order to devote to which denomination one chooses, but outside of that (mainly) I believe we are called to “come together” with our local community (which should be in communion with the universal community) and accept our challenges, burdens, blessings, gifts, struggles, strengths, etc. right where we are. It shouldn’t be a matter of taste, style, preacher, or who is there and who is not.

 

[Sy_Noe]

The study is actually a positive one. The questions are: What do you look for when you are seeking a church community? Name the things that are most important to you.

And the study named all the things that are most important to people:

Sermons
Being welcomed
Location of the church
Worship style
Education for children - Christian ed
Knowing others in the congregation
Volunteer opportunities

None of that is surprising to me. It rings true with all my experiences of people church shopping.

How is that negative?

It’s not and Catholics shop for parishes considering all the above as well. Many Catholics choose not to participate in the life of their geographical parish for a variety of reasons but faithfully attend and become part of another parish’s community. I don’t understand all the defensiveness that there has been on this thread.

 

[rcwitness]

It’s not and Catholics shop for parishes considering all the above as well. Many Catholics choose not to participate in the life of their geographical parish for a variety of reasons but faithfully attend and become part of another parish’s community. I don’t understand all the defensiveness that there has been on this thread.

That doesn’t make it right. I agree there can be some legitimate reasons, but also lots of unjust reasons that do not come from faithfulness.

 

[Sy_Noe]

I know all about the wonderful work that these agencies do. The world is a better place because of them.

I also am very impressed with the Mormon charities, especially their emergency relief. I saw the storehouse in Utah when I was there. It was very impressive, I am sure they are hard at work in Baton Rouge, and now, unfortunately, central Italy.

Food banks are good. Local parishes here in San Francisco are taking that on. We use the church to feed a whole lot of people. It’s good to do that. It means that people in your city, town, neighborhood, get to eat because of you. It brings it home.

Did you see where Jimmy Carter is starting another Habitat project in Memphis? He’s 90-something years old, has cancer, and is out there with his hard hat, building homes for people who need somewhere to live. To me, he is living the Gospel in ways I could never do. God bless him.

Amen