What is Wrong with Church?

Someone pointed out to me yesterday that I haven't blogged in a while so, I'll address a statement I overheard last weekend at a picnic. 

Anyone with children or teens will tell you that their kids think church is boring.  In fact, many adults think much the same.  It is boring, long, not relevant, confusing, poorly done and a there are people including some clergy who don't beleive in everything the church teaches. 

So lets make a list of what is wrong with church; The music is too old.  The music is too new.  I hate classical music.  I hate rock music.  I hate organ music.  I hate piano music.  I hate guitars.  The music is too fast or too slow.  Too loud or too soft.  The musicians make too many mistakes.  The choir can't sing.  The soloists are amateurish.  They hire professionals.   The reader reads too fast, too slow, too soft or mispronounces words.  They don't know how to dress.  The Eucharistic Minister is living with someone and is thusly a hypocrite.  The church focuses too much on youth and ignores the needs of the older population.  Our church has no youth.  The homily is too childish, too heady, too preachy, too long, too philosophical, too boring, not relevant.  The bible is all about 2,000 year old dead people whose life and culture are irrelevant to me today.  They take in all that money and I get nothing out of it. The pews are too hard.  They put in cushions and destroyed the acoustics.  They argue over money, kneelers, statues, the parking lot or they have too many committee meetings.  The place looks like a dusty old museum.  The place looks like a living room.  It's too bright.  Too dark.  We have stained glass windows which are too expensive to maintain.  We don't have any stained glass windows.

Did I hit your issue with the church?  Do you have more?  We humans are very good at making excuses and externalizing our problems and laying blame.  In reality, the problem with church isn't out there but is actually within the individual. 

If you exercised for 30 minutes a day for a year, would you feel better?  Certainly.  Then why don't you do it?  The common answers are that you don't feel like working out or you don't have time. 

If you were to grow your own food and prepare your meals with a focus on nutrition, after a year, would you be a more healthy person?  Then why don't you do it?  The answer may be that you don't have time.  It is easier to go out for dinner, buy microwavable food or go to a drive-thru. 

If you were to go to bed early and get all the sleep your body requires, would you feel better during the day?  Then why don't you do it?  You don't have time or there are good TV shows on late at night. 
Would you like to spend more time with the ones you love but you work all day and when you come home at night you are too exhausted and you find that you are actually giving them the least productive and most tired part of your time?  So why do you work?  You need money to give them things?  In fifty years, will your kids wish that their dad gave them more things or that they wish Dad spent more quality time with them? 

You know all the correct answers to those questions but you don't do them.  Why?  If you purchased a $500,000 Lamborghini, would you drive it down a street filled with pot holes?  Would you drive it down muddy dirt roads?  Would you take it through a commercial car wash where the water is recycled dirt from previous cars, where the sponges can have the dirt and grit embedded in them from previous cars and the boys drying the car at the end are wiping you car's finish with used rags?  No, you would probably wash it by hand yourself and dry every inch of it by hand with a chamois.  Why don't we treat our families and bodies like a Lamborghini?  Are they not worth $500,000.  We don't have the time.

Church is only one hour long.  If you were to hear something in church which you could take with you and it could somehow make you a better person in every aspect of your life, wouldn't it be worth the hour? 

So, the first thing to do when you go to church on Sunday is to block out all those external excuses, prejudices and dislikes.  Say a short prayer asking God to teach you something that day to change your life.  God doesn't want your money, He wants you to live a happy and holy life.  So, ask Him.  Then sit back and listen.  Listen to the music, listen to the readings, listen to the homily, listen to the silence, listen to the prayers.  Chances are that within, say the Eucharistic Prayer, is the answer to something which needs your attention and can change your life, or a piece of it.   If this you do, chances are that church won't be as boring as you thought and you may actually learn to enjoy everything you thought you hated. 

If you were at a family gathering and hung out at the kids table, it could be boring.  If you sat with the old people, it might be boring.  If you played a game or watched TV or sat and ate, it could be boring.  But chances are you wouldn't be bored because you are spending time with people you love.  You share stories, food, problems and solutions.  When Grandpa tells the same old story about what happened to him 60 years ago, you listen as if it were the first time.  Why?  Because we block out everything we dislike about these rituals and people and focus only on what we can take from the experience because, we love these people.  Ask any grandparent who sits through their grandchild's first piano recital and they will tell you it was beautiful.

If Steve Jobs or some billionaire were to offer a free seminar this weekend and tell you how to be happy and successful in your life, would you go?  Probably.   If God, whether you beleive in Him or not, were to speak this weekend and tell you how to be happy and successful in your life, would you go?  Probably.  Well, guess what?  He is speaking this weekend for one hour.  All you need to do is go, block out everything you dislike about the hour, the people and what they do or don't do, and listen.  If you listen, if you TRULY listen, you will hear something which can change you.  After doing this every week for several weeks, I guarantee that you will be a better person.  You will be closer to your family, God, yourself and be happier with your life. 

For an added bonus, exercise, eat right and get plenty of sleep.  Then spend quality time with those you love.  In fifty years, nobody will remember that you showed up to work on time.  They may remember that you were cheerful, reverent, happy, giving, a great listener or sacramental.   

Listen . . .

Nursery Rhymes for Organ

I have arranged a collection of Nursery Rhymes for the organ and am selling the book on MusicNeo.com.  These pieces make excellent encores for the traditional "long haired" organ recital as they are easy, short, quickly recognizable by the audience and different.  The sheet music for the complete collection in one PDF file can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/o34oz72

To hear samples, check these out:

Did You Ever See A Lassie
http://youtu.be/sTbiPJi9oTE

Old MacDonald
http://youtu.be/h-ZWaiXVnLY

This Old Man
http://youtu.be/TJq1JaKduEM

Mary Had A Little Lamb
http://youtu.be/MKFKZS2GYH8

Pop Goes The Weasel
http://youtu.be/eWcOzgCbVeU

Ten Little Indians
http://youtu.be/8nRH9W_ezgE

London Bridge
http://youtu.be/2__tFaVlAXY

BINGO
http://youtu.be/0GMUG7Wr5RA

Fughetta on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
http://youtu.be/0O7kzclRpZI

Fughetta on “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
http://youtu.be/VAzbk7fzibs

Did You Ever See A Lassie

Here is a recording of "Did You Ever See A Lassie" which I arranged for a recent organ recital.  If you are interested in a copy of the sheet music, it is located here:

http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=63254

Amazing Grace

A parishioner in my church is a blacksmith and made this Amazing Grace Cross out of horse shoes.

#mcconnelling

Jon Stewart of the Daily Show put out a challenge for people to post a video clip Remix of the new McConnell ad. 

I had the opportunity to attend the Coffee Festival held at the Javits Center in NYC this weekend.  There were over a hundred exhibitors present and about 120 classes and workshops being offered on various topics such as Barista Training, Understanding Espresso Machines, a Tea Sommelier Program, Latte Art Training, and so much more. 

Walking through the exhibit hall, very quickly my backpack and tote bag were bursting with sample bags of coffee, tea, mugs and pastries.  There were dozens upon dozens of vendors offering sample cups of their coffee, tea, espresso, frappe, smoothies, syrups, pastries or juices.  About half the vendors were displaying products such as espresso machines, industrial juicers, coffee grinders, brewers and attendant tools to the trade. 

Since the target audience of this convention was restaurant owners, cafe managers, baristas and other food service industry professionals, there were other vendors present such as printers, label makers, cup makers, cup top makers, plumbers, water filtration, design and construction, billing, management, cardboard cup holders and box makers for portable coffee containers. 

I wasn't taking notes while I was there but did accept all the free stuff they were passing out to people.  Many of the vendors were passing out sample cups of coffee or tea so I don't remember who they were as the evidence of their offerings were quickly dispensed with.  The vendors who gave me free stuff, and if they printed their information on the labels, I can write about them. 

Another thing I learned while speaking to most every one of these vendors is that most of the coffee companies, whether they grow, roast or package, give back to the community in some capacity.  Especially the coffee companies who get their beans from poor communities and countries.  Many of them are proud that they give ten or forty percent of their profits back to the communities and workers who grow the product.   So, here are a few of the vendors:

COUNTING SHEEP COFFEE
Now you can enjoy your coffee in the evening and get a great night's, sleep. Their natural decaffeinated coffee is blended with organic Valerian root to create a great tasting coffee to help you unwind after a long day. 
countingsheepcoffee.com

ASTORIA GENERAL ESPRESSO EQUIPMENT
This was another espresso equipment company demonstrating machines I've never seen in any cafe near me.
geec.com

COFFEE SHOP MANAGER
Coffee Shop Manager is a point of sale system designed to include features such as tablet order entry, integrated online and smartphone ordering, kiosks, loyalty programs and gift cards that make customer service and payment easy.  
coffeeshopmanager.com

DAVID RIO OF SAN FRANCISCO
Based in San Francisco, David Rio crafts and delivers Thai products to customers in over 40 countries.  David  donates a percentage of his sales to an animal welfare organization.
davidrio.com

GOODDRINKS
Offering sauces, drink mixes and concentrates without high fructose corn syrup.
getgooddrinks.com

COEXIST FOUNDATION AMERICA, INC.
You've seen their bumper stickers.  The Coexist Campaign works to reduce conflict in divided communities around the world by creating opportunities for people to work and learn together.  Their hand-picked, fair-trade, organic coffee comes from a cooperative in Uganda composed of Muslim, Jewish and Christian farmers.
www.coexistcampaign.org

THE CHAI COMPANY
This company focuses on chai, using certified organic ingredients, fair-trade tea and fresh whole spices.  They have a variety of tasty products.
chaico.com

LAWRENCE'S DELIGHTS
OMG!  After tasting their product, I waved my finger at them and said "Bad, bad, bad."  Their products were SO good.  Baklava, crumb cakes, lady fingers and brownies were all I could taste before common sense kicked in and said NO MORE.
ebseibess@lawrencesdelights.com

BARTLETT DAIRY/HUDSON VALLEY FRESH
This was a family-owned and operated company and have been serving the tri-state area for over 50 years offering dairy products, bread, juice and more.  They are the distributor of Hudson Valley Fresh Milk.  Although they were not passing out free samples, I did get a bumper sticker from them promoting local milk.
bartlettny.com

ADD A SCOOP SUPPLEMENT
These were interesting products.  Called Smoothie Essentials Supplement, you could use them in practically anything for flavor but they were also marketed for other health related issues such as sleeping better, keeping alert, losing weight, getting a boost, etcetera. 
BoostsSmoothieessentials.com, addascoop.com

DESIGN & LAYOUT SERVICES
Design fit Layout Services works with clients interested in opening a cafe or starting a coffee shop. Services include floor plan design, health department coordination, construction documents, cabinetry and equipment sales.
designlayout.com

DOLE PACKAGED FOODS
More great snack items.
www.dolefoodservice@dole.com

CLASSIC SNACKS
There were several companies offering on-the-go "just add water" cups of oatmeal with dried fruits and other yummy ingredients.  Many of them were marketing to the small cafe who may wish to offer some sort of portable breakfast to their customers.  Some of these companies didn't realize that they could market their product to campers, hikers, bread makers or college students.  If you're a hammer, it is hard not to see everything as a nail.  This company may not have been one of those but, their product was delicious.
brainyoats.com

BIG TRAIN
Big Train provides premium quality gourmet drink mixes, offering an array of products including chai tea, blended ice coffees, coffee free blended frappes, protein drinks, fruit smoothies and more.
big-train.com

1ST LINE EQUIPMENT
They were offering the latest and greatest espresso machines on the market today.  They were passing out samples of Fattobene espresso blend coffee.
www.lst-line.com

DOMINION LIQUID TECHNOLOGIES
Dominion are the makers of Previsto Gourmet Coffee, sauces, smoothies and syrups.
dltdelivers.com

GUITTARD CHOCOLATE CO.
Fabulous rich and creamy caramel syrup you can mix with your drink of any kind.  I'm having a sample in my coffee right now.
guittard.com

HAPPY FEET
This company wasn't giving anything away for free, but, they did let us walk around the convention floor with their product in our shoes.  Since many food and service industry professionals spend most of their time on their feet, this was an interesting product to alleviate many symptoms from a day of walking.  They product is a sole which fits in your shoe and has a liquid which moves around as you walk.  It creates a lifted and massaging feel to your feet with each step.  I have to admit when I took them off, I could feel the difference.  However, for me, I am barefoot 95% of the time and believe strongly that shoes are not good for our bone density, muscle tone, balance and general health.  Since I run on the balls of my feet, these pads wouldn't help me as they didn't pad the toe area.  A nice product with a lot of intriguing claims.
happyfeet.com

CAPPUCCINE, INC.
This company offers 15 unique and delicious frappe flavors.
cappuccine.net

APIS HONEY/UA GLOBAL INC.
This was my favorite vendor there.  Not only did they have a variety of unusual flavors of honey such as Buckwheat, Acacia, Sunflower, May, Multiflower and Linden open and available to sample, they also gave us six jars of their honey to take home.  They took the time to talk to us about Apiary science and the production of honey.  They said that most of the supermarket honey we purchase can have up to 40% corn syrup in it and there is no law requiring them to put that information on the label.  People who use honey as a sugar substitute should be aware of that trick and consider buying from a reputable honey maker in their area.  Apis is 100% pure and with one taste, you can tell the difference.
uaglobalinc.com

3M PURIFICATION INC.
This company was offering a line of water filtration and treatment products for both coffee and food service industries.   My friend Byron was discussing the option of getting one of their products for his home which they said they could do. 
3mfoodservice.com

GIORGIO COOKIE COMPANY
Master crafters of cookies and biscotti.
giorgiocookieco.com

KIND HEALTHY SNACKS
All natural snacks and grain bars.  Delicious.
Kindsnacks.com

BASKETS- N-BAGS
This is a small family business run by a mom who creates hand bags and wallets made out of coffee bean bags.  She does everything herself and I think she said that 40% of her profit goes to three charities in LA, Jamaica and Haiti.   I don't remember because so many of these companies have charity programs designed to give back.
baskets-n-bags.biz

1STPAVPOS
This company offered credit card processing, gift card and loyalty programs whose services a cafe or restaurant can use to process payment and other programs.
www. 1stpaypos.com

There were so many other tea, coffee, packaging, labeling, coaster creators, plumbing distributors, lid-cup-and napkin makers there.  I think one of the more intriguing tea shops was one where they had see through clear glass teapots. They put in a closed bud of a flower used for tea and poured in the hot water.  In about three minutes the flower opened and steeped the most delicious tea.  The flower in the clear pot alone is worth having on your table as you sit in your favorite cafe watching your tea open and brew.

This was a magnificent convention to attend.  It spoiled me as the cafes in my area employ people who work there for the job.  The people running these booths had so much pride in the growing, picking, roasting, packing and brewing of their product.  Some of them even had pictures of the plantations and workers thereof. 

So the next time you have a cup of coffee, is it just that or something which your cafe owner chose because of flavor, point of origin, the soil it was grown in and the people the coffee employs?  Will he know the workers of the field or even know where it came from?  I do, now. 

How to Fold an Origami Dove