Grand/Father Daughter Dancing
Laura and I looked forward to this past Friday night for a couple of months. It was our fifth (and last) “Father-Daughter Dance” that we have attended at her school, Flat Rock Elementary. All the elementary schools in Powhatan host this annual event on different nights close to Valentines Day. On the same night, Gerald Hagen went with Eva to her dance at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Academy, another wonderful dance for students in our community. I don’t do a lot of dancing, mainly because I can’t dance. But whether one dances or not, the father daughter dances are still great events at our schools. This year’s theme at the Flat Rock dance was Hollywood Red Carpet theme, with a star lined walk of fame, fancy hats, and flashy sunglasses. For several weeks I also knew of an invitation that was extended to me (as a dad of daughters) to attend a Father/Daughter dance at PCC the same night. PCC is a effective and thriving church, and I think this was their second or third year having their own dance in addition to what is done at the elementary schools. Of course, I opted for the school dance. From what I hear the dance at PCC was well attended by their members and others from our community.
I thought about PCC and their dance within the walls of their church, and I thought about what it would be like for May Memorial to host such an event. Would it be better to attend an event like this in the church where I am comfortable, or is it better to attend at Flat Rock Elementary?
For many years churches tried to recreate every aspect of life inside the walls of the church. It was a little before my time, but I remember hearing a book referenced while I was in seminary titled “Total Church Life.” And that is what many churches tried to create. A “Christian” version of life outside of the church. Church book stores. Church coffee shops. Church health clubs. Churches tried to take boy scouts and girl scouts and recreate it within the church, and the Baptist version was called Girls in Action and Boys in Action. The church that my Columbia Seminary graduation was held at, Peachtree Road Presbyterian Church in Atlanta had its own parking deck with tunnel that ran under Peachtree Road so folks could easily get to their gym, pool, and fitness center. It was larger and nicer than any YMCA that I have ever seen. And I wonder, is it better for Christians to build their own life and activities within the walls of the church facility or is it better for them to be in the community? Where should I dance with Laura, at Flat Rock elementary or in the church?
There is not a right or wrong answer, of course. In the gospels we see at least two commands or methods of carrying good news. One is “come and see,” and the other is “go and tell.” And while both are part of the church’s mission in the world, I feel my life shifting toward the “go and tell.” That is where my heart is being drawn, and I seek to adjust my calendar and schedule to reflect this.
Does God want the church to create its own microcosm set apart from the world or does God want us to be salt and light in the world? Does God want us to withdraw or does God want us to carry the love and peace of Jesus into our world?
I had a great time with Laura on Friday night. We went to dinner before (we really didn’t need to do that, but Laura insists that be a part of our date) and I saw and talked to a church member who was working in the restaurant. At the dance, one dad, a friend of mine, told me that in addition to bringing his daughter he brought another student whose dad committed suicide when she was in kindergarten. “Don’t you think that is what Jesus would want me to do?” he asked. I talked to another friend who is Buddhist/Agnostic and continued building that relationship. I talked to a new student’s dad who is a Dr. at MCV, a young man, and we had a conversation about pastor’s praying for the patients before they go in to surgery. I’m not sure if this man is a Christian or not. I didn’t go to evangelize, and I didn’t do any type of thing at this dance. But I like being outside of the church and having these encounters. “Go and tell” is a command of the New Testament, and I simply have a hard time doing that at 3922 Old Buckingham Road.