A Place To Worship

A Place To Worship by Arleen Kaptur

If you belong to a congregation, no matter the religion, 

sooner or later you will be asked for suggestions or 

ideas for improvement. The church leaders would like 

to know how to reach out to more people, what do 

individuals look for when searching for a house of 

worship and other such questions are usually the 

norm. If not a formal inquiry, then a suggestion box is 

usually placed in a prominent place for all to contribute 

as they see fit.

Suggestions and opinions have been presented across 

the world. They range from - we need a bigger parking lot 

to the color of the entrance doors. They may range from 

the need for more groups or even sports for the younger 

generation. All these are important in their place but not 

to the question presented. What the real quest is what 

people look for in a house of worship.

When someone is seeking a home for their prayer life and to find 

spiritual guidance, the size of the parking lot and the number 

of clubs is not on their agenda. While these may improve the 

social lives of the church group, they do not entice those whose 

purpose is what the church purpose should be - to provide the 

place and resources to grow spiritually and to reach out to beliefs 

and doctrines as they choose to embrace.

In other words, when someone enters the church or chapel are 

the words being spoken reaching their hearts, and are the concepts 

and the ideals touching their souls. Spirituality is very personal and 

people sometimes are not really sure what the void is that they feel, 

but they know it when they encounter it. It may be the warmth of 

the clergy or the love that is felt as soon as they open the door. It 

may be something as simple as the reverence and awe-inspiration 

they sense as they join the group. The prayers or word images make 

them feel at peace or at least hopeful. It is not a "thing" that needs 

to be considered, it is a feeling, an emotion, and it is spiritual. Many 

times members who have been members for a while lose the reason 

as to why they are where they are at the moment. They prayed here 

for years and now their contentment has lost the real meaning as to 

why they really are there. The idea to worship, find peace in their souls, love 

and acceptance seem to have been put aside. The prayers are 

a memorized repeat and the songs, well, they are just there. Nothing 

special but okay.

The reason churches,chapels, and houses of worship are there is to 

provide a service. They provide the means here on earth to reach to 

the heavens and also to reach deep inside of each individual. It is a 

mutual quest to find reason for the journey and the means to reach 

the end. It is comfort in knowing they are not alone, and it is pride in 

knowing that they can walk the walk even though they falter and fall 

sometimes. Prayers are a way of expression, and the color of the 

walls, while impressive, do not make or break a relationship with the 

Almighty.

The next time you walk into your house of worship, picture yourself 

doing it for the first time. What are the emotions that arise in your 

spirit and are you satisfied? Is this a place that you will find the peace 

that we all seek, or is the hum of voices at meetings on the lower 

level what seems to be the central theme? It will never be what the 

true reason of a house of worship is - unless it exudes its 

purpose like a song from the mountaintops. The parking lot will not 

bring in new converts, but the joy in this house of God most assuredly 

will. Look at the other members and 

see the light in their faces which can only 

come from their souls. If it is so bright that you instantly know they are being fed soul-food, then you are on the right path in your choice of a place to call home. So, the next time you are asked for suggestions, put the material 

aside for a while and ask your heart. It just may surprise you with a 

suggestion or opinion that you kept under wraps because it just got 

muddled away with the social activities.

If each church sought first the true spirituality of its house of worship so 

that its members were given all the tools they needed for their trip through 

life, then the rest would just fall into place. The Almighty would also smile 

on this place of prayer with sunshine and souls so rich in belief and goodness 

that the dark of the night would be lit up around the world. 

Just think about it.