The Lead

Briefly, if sadly, noted: As the congregation of St. Stephen's in Reno, Nevada, prepares to shutter its doors in November, some traces of hope remain: even without their historic structure, members say they can still be Episcopalians who serve one another and care about where they live.

"It's been the university's church all those years, but participation has waned," said Deacon Jim McGrew, who is executive assistant to the Nevada's Episcopal bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dan Edwards. "As I understand it, the church has 31 regular, contributing members, and that became unacceptable because we just could not keep it open that way.
"It's too bad because it's a very nice church, and we'll probably sell the building," McGrew said.

....

Many of those who attended St. Stephen's plan to remain active in the area's Episcopal community and keep in touch with each other.

Meanwhile, a congregation serving a university community has its particular challenges, not the least of which has been social media and its effect on Millennial-generation thinking. So says experimental psychology prof Richard Beck.

But Millennials are in a different social situation. They don't need physical locations for social affiliation. They can make dinner plans via text, cell phone call or Facebook. In short, the thing that kept young people going to church, despite their irritations, has been effectively replaced. You don't need to go to church to stay connected or in touch. You have an iPhone.
Sure, Millennials will report that the "reason" they are leaving the church is due to its perceived hypocrisy or shallowness. My argument is that while this might be the proximate cause the more distal cause is social computing. Already connected Millennials have the luxury to kick the church to the curb. This is the position of strength that other generations did not have. We fussed about the church but, at the end of the day, you went to stay connected. For us, church was Facebook!

The pushback here will be that all this Millennial social computing, all this Facebooking, isn't real, authentic relationship. I'd disagree with that assessment. It goes to the point I made earlier: Most of our Facebook interactions are with people we know, love, and are in daily contact with. Facebook isn't replacing "real" relationships with "virtual" relationships. It's simply connecting us to our real friends. And if you can do this without getting up early on Sunday morning why go to church? Particularly if the church is hypocritical and shallow? Why mess with it?

Comments (6)

So it seems Professor Beck's understanding is that church is or was primarily a place for social interaction.

I thought it was for community worship of our God in Christ.

Posted by The Rev. Richard E. Helmer | October 17, 2010 10:40 PM

Now, now, Fr Richard: that's a snippy response.

In point of fact, for many "early Sunday morning" IS a bother! [I know that if I weren't conditioned by being an Episcopal lifer, I'm not sure I'd drag my kiester out of bed. }-)]

But at the same time, in the same way we HUNGER for human intimacy BEYOND what we can get virtually [Haven't heard of too many "I'm giving up sex: henceforth, my relationships will ONLY be online!" declarations], similar "and like unto it", is the desire of sentient minds to Go Beyond.

Combine face-to-face human intimacy, and gathering to Ask the Big Questions: there will ALWAYS be a need to gather (embodied!) for Worship/Mystery/Celebration/Contemplation.

But maybe not exclusively Sunday mornings?

[A thought---which like all my thoughts, I'm sure has been done: Flash-Mob Church! "Let's get together at ____ park, in beautiful weather today, for the sunset! Bring food! And drink! And awe and wonder!" Emanu-El]

JC Fisher

Posted by tgflux | October 18, 2010 3:44 AM

Snippy or not, Father Richard has a valid point. Church is about worshipping God as one interconnected body in Christ. And that's best pulled off in person, not online.

Let's face it: whether relating to others via Facebook is "real" or "virtual," authentic or superficial (very arguable points in either direction, indeed), getting texted "i luv u" isn't quite the same as getting a hug and a kiss in person. The sound of other voices joining mine side by side in hymns and psalmody, the touch of hands at the peace, the smell of incense, the taste of bread and wine -- these features of liturgy can't be replicated online. They're best experienced in person, seeing how we're embodied creatures who worship an embodied God. That's worth getting out of bed for on Sunday morning.

Yes, the Internet is neat -- it makes possible things like this forum -- but it can't do everything...

Posted by Gregory Orloff | October 18, 2010 10:29 AM

JC,

Snippy perhaps, but only reflecting a frustration with "studies" that assume erroneously what the Church is for and then draw irrelevant conclusions.

Note I made no mention of Sunday mornings. I agree with you that people gathering at other times to "be church" and even making arrangements to do so via Facebook is terrific!

The good people of St. Stephen's, Reno, seem to understand this, even as they close their building to eliminate its inherent overhead costs.

They are putting their trust in the Spirit who calls together the Church that is not confined to a single building, space, or time.

Posted by The Rev. Richard E. Helmer | October 18, 2010 11:36 AM

Since we are no longer agrarians, gathering for worship early on a Sunday morning may not be the most opportune time anymore. Second of all, The Church must offer that which no other place offers, because you can get That Other Stuff with your friends, or just by yourself, whenever you want it. It is no surprise to me to hear reports about High Masses really drawing the crowds these days. At the Roman Church where I direct the music, the mass with the most young families, gen Y-ers and millenials is the same [10:30 am] mass where we do big English hymns, Gregorian chant, English Anthems and polyphony. But those with all the "munny", those really in charge, can't believe it! Witness the following that I had after an 8am mass one morning:

Bored White Lady: "Why don't we do peppy songs sometimes?"
Me: "Peppy songs? What do you mean?"
BWL: "Well, like 'Be Not Afraid', I like that song."
Me: "That's not a peppy song!"
BWL: "Or what about 'Eat This Bread, Drink This Cup'?"
Me: "That's a nice Taize chant, we do that at 5:30 mass fairly often during Communion."
BWL: "Well how about I just make a list for you?"
Me: "Um, no, I'm not going to get into that."

Etc. It is my experience, not just "I believe..." or "I think...", that when you just Have Church with capable, devoted, and Get ME Out Of The Way leadership, people show up, and the younger generations esp. have an eye for authenticity vs. Bored White People trying to entertain themselves on a Sunday morning.

Posted by Clint Davis | October 18, 2010 12:52 PM

We have a very well attended midweek Eucharist and community meal. Sunday worship is not because of outmoded agrarian patterns of living, It is because that's the day when Jesus rose from the dead.

Posted by Bill Carroll | October 18, 2010 8:47 PM

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