Saturday, June 27, 2009
Religion WSJ: Why Sunday Schools Closing
Posted by Dan Savage on Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 2:14 PM
Soccer games and secularism are to blame, writes Charlotte Hays. Could be those twin evils, I suppose. But guys like these—and these and these and these and these and this—could be depressing enrollment.
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1
I think you also have to look at the denomination, certainly main line denominations have had drops in enrollment, but mega churchs tend to have thriving "Sunday School" programs and weekly Bible studies. I think children and student programs that include rock bands, arcade games, snacks, coffee shop, big screens, rock climbing walls, etc. are doing well. Only time will tell if the sermons and the experience have a lasting impact.
3
Mega-churches are gussied-up Club Meds for the evangelical set. They're about as "religious" as Disneyland.
4
@2 asks a good question.
I know we have had a decline for two reasons. One, the demographics of our congregation have skewed much, much older in recent years. Around here, all the families with children are moving to one of the adjoining counties because the schools are better. They still belong to our church, but with Sunday school starting at 9, they need to leave by 8 to make it. That's a hassle.
Secondly, the congregation isn't the center of social life for my denomination in my area (for the Baptists and the Catholics, it is). Our kids are spread out over multiple counties and schools. As an example, of the 7 or so senior high kids I had this year, only two went to the same school.
And yes, soccer does play a role. It is year round, games and practices are on Sunday morning (which used to be a time you didn't touch, whether or not you were religious), and kids are playing on traveling teams when they are as young as 7 or 8.
My opinion as a religious educator? We all need to get our heads out of our backsides and realize the current model in most mainline churches doesn't work.
Oh, and yes, Dan, we do need to make sure we are protecting our children. We finally started doing background checks on anyone who works with youth, and either the doors to classrooms have to stay open or their have to be two adults in a room with kids at any given time. We also have additional adults who are in the education building on Sunday morning preparing for the coffee hour, and all of them have background checks, too. We Lutherans take our coffee seriously .
I know we have had a decline for two reasons. One, the demographics of our congregation have skewed much, much older in recent years. Around here, all the families with children are moving to one of the adjoining counties because the schools are better. They still belong to our church, but with Sunday school starting at 9, they need to leave by 8 to make it. That's a hassle.
Secondly, the congregation isn't the center of social life for my denomination in my area (for the Baptists and the Catholics, it is). Our kids are spread out over multiple counties and schools. As an example, of the 7 or so senior high kids I had this year, only two went to the same school.
And yes, soccer does play a role. It is year round, games and practices are on Sunday morning (which used to be a time you didn't touch, whether or not you were religious), and kids are playing on traveling teams when they are as young as 7 or 8.
My opinion as a religious educator? We all need to get our heads out of our backsides and realize the current model in most mainline churches doesn't work.
Oh, and yes, Dan, we do need to make sure we are protecting our children. We finally started doing background checks on anyone who works with youth, and either the doors to classrooms have to stay open or their have to be two adults in a room with kids at any given time. We also have additional adults who are in the education building on Sunday morning preparing for the coffee hour, and all of them have background checks, too. We Lutherans take our coffee seriously .
5
Alright, I get it, and I agree that many churches have preached hatred of gays and lesbians as part of their family values plank, and have a long history of hypocrisy in doing so. But your complete and unfair disdain for all things religious and christian in particular only alienate good people who would happily support you, and it makes the haters dig in deeper.
So stop being such a hater, Savage and grow the hell up! It's fucking tiresome!!!
So stop being such a hater, Savage and grow the hell up! It's fucking tiresome!!!
6
Another victorious blow against the religious fascist Christ-mongers!!! All thanks to YOU, Dan.
I went to fucking Sunday School, Dan.
I didn't turn out as some homophobic, Jeebus freak.
I turned into a compassionate atheist with mad skills in macaroni art.
Sunday school was fun. I just wouldn't send my own kids, but that's my personal choice, not a question of right or wrong.
This whole Us-Against-Them tone of your articles sometimes makes ALL atheists look like a bunch of know-it-all douchebags.
Chill, dude. You're kinda going all Glenn-Becky lately.
I went to fucking Sunday School, Dan.
I didn't turn out as some homophobic, Jeebus freak.
I turned into a compassionate atheist with mad skills in macaroni art.
Sunday school was fun. I just wouldn't send my own kids, but that's my personal choice, not a question of right or wrong.
This whole Us-Against-Them tone of your articles sometimes makes ALL atheists look like a bunch of know-it-all douchebags.
Chill, dude. You're kinda going all Glenn-Becky lately.
7
5 Read Big Sven's comment on the first "guys like these" link, then you'll understand. This is not about the kids.
9
@7 Ok, Let's pretend Dan has linked us 500 pastors that have done undoubtedly fucked up shit and should pay for it for their entire lives. That's a pretty generous number but not unrealistic.
Then let's say there are, oh, 1.5 billion Christians in the world. Google it up yourself and see I'm being fairly conservative compared to the most commonly cited ~1/3 of the world (aka ~2 billion people).
500/1500000000 = 0.0000003%
So we're going to stereotype an entire group of people based on a 0.0000003% sample.
Let's talk about gay people now. According to our own Seattle Times about 13% of Seattle is gay. The population of Seattle is just under 600,000 people so that leaves us with around 78,000 folks who identify themselves as gay. Again, sort of generous.
Now the fun part: 0.0000003% of 78,000 is a whopping 0.02.
So, if you've been following along, by using this same logic we could judge every single gay person in Seattle by using only 2% of a single homosexual. What 2% should we use?
Please don't interpret this as a pro-religion post because it's not. This is a pro using-your-brain post.
Then let's say there are, oh, 1.5 billion Christians in the world. Google it up yourself and see I'm being fairly conservative compared to the most commonly cited ~1/3 of the world (aka ~2 billion people).
500/1500000000 = 0.0000003%
So we're going to stereotype an entire group of people based on a 0.0000003% sample.
Let's talk about gay people now. According to our own Seattle Times about 13% of Seattle is gay. The population of Seattle is just under 600,000 people so that leaves us with around 78,000 folks who identify themselves as gay. Again, sort of generous.
Now the fun part: 0.0000003% of 78,000 is a whopping 0.02.
So, if you've been following along, by using this same logic we could judge every single gay person in Seattle by using only 2% of a single homosexual. What 2% should we use?
Please don't interpret this as a pro-religion post because it's not. This is a pro using-your-brain post.
10
er i just realized my exact numbers are a little off (its actually 0.00003% i think) but you get the general idea of what i'm going for there
11
Is it true Dan that you said that you said that you prefer your straight friends and are dumping you gay freinds because we all have slings. People who live in glass houses should refrain from throughing stones my friend.
12
I went to sunday school, Methodist...
We stopped going to church when my mother went to her minister for counseling regarding my father's inability to hold a job, provide for his family or stop abusing her.
the minister told her to cleave to her husband.
Knowing my mother, it is entirely possible she told him to fuck off.
she stopped going to church and we stopped going to sunday school.
I am actually very grateful that I got that early training and none of the rest of it... I still think Jesus is a nice guy who likes to tell stories to kids... as a result of my mother leaving church at that time, I never got the stuff about Jesus/God hating sin and how dang near everything is a sin..
so I had so much less to get over as an adult; and I never struggled with being a lesbian from a religious perspective... whew....
We stopped going to church when my mother went to her minister for counseling regarding my father's inability to hold a job, provide for his family or stop abusing her.
the minister told her to cleave to her husband.
Knowing my mother, it is entirely possible she told him to fuck off.
she stopped going to church and we stopped going to sunday school.
I am actually very grateful that I got that early training and none of the rest of it... I still think Jesus is a nice guy who likes to tell stories to kids... as a result of my mother leaving church at that time, I never got the stuff about Jesus/God hating sin and how dang near everything is a sin..
so I had so much less to get over as an adult; and I never struggled with being a lesbian from a religious perspective... whew....
13
@9 It's called "Youth Pastor Watch" not "Christian Watch". There are nowhere near 1.5 billion Youth Pastors.
You might also notice that not all of those featured in YPW posts have done fucked up shit.
Hypocritical much?
You might also notice that not all of those featured in YPW posts have done fucked up shit.
Hypocritical much?
14
@8, Vince, religion is neither the problem nor the solution. The nut-jobs who tell you it is THE solution are blind. But at the same time, anyone who says that religion causes the world's problems is lazy. When people who beleive that the Bible is the true and literal word of God don't take the time to truly study and understand the Bible, the culture and history and translations, they are chosing ignorance and THAT is a cause of so many problems: ignorance. Chosing a religion to help someone get over alcoholism has worked for so many people (even if their faith is short-lived, many times the adiction is overcome), so religion can be A solution, among many.
15
Yes #11 he did say that. He said that he prefers his straight friends because he has more in common with them because they have kids and we gays have slings. Oh us lowley, childless deprived queers. Unlike Savage and his purchased (way hotter boyfriend, we can't see the future in the eyes of our purchased children. No, we look into the future and see only the darkness of our childless existance.This is typical self hate. If I hear one more homo say: "I am gay, but all my friends are straight", as if it is an achievement, I am going to puke.
18
Sheryl @4: it is nice to hear from a religious person who is not a total nutcase. Please continue to be a voice of reason around here.
19
Well than you worded yourself incorectly in Ellinsberg. Your should have said: "I have much more in common with my straight friends, than my then my gay friends who have slings LIKE THE SLING I HAVE WHICH I HAVE OUTGROWN" . But of course you didn't. You said you had tons of gay friends. No has tons of friends. Only a few friends and tons of aquaintances. So in reality what you are saying is that you are dumping your gay childless friends and keeping the tons of bar aquaintences You know well Dan that I am refering to this link. At around 1:00. I understand though being around your same age. I also long for the days before youtube and easy google searches. Again around1:00:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2sIf_sVY…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2sIf_sVY…
20
BREAKING NEWS:
Dan Savage says that he has much more in common with his straight friends who have kids than his gay friends who have slings (Dan has outgrown his). It is the way that he spits out this regretable phrase that really gets me. It is spat out with utter contempt. But what can you expect from an approval seeking (approvial from his own catholic family) individule who couldn't quite bring himself to break the umbelical coard enough to NOT batize his kid into the Catholic church. He is still an approvial seeking whore of an alter boy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2sIf_sVY…
Dan Savage says that he has much more in common with his straight friends who have kids than his gay friends who have slings (Dan has outgrown his). It is the way that he spits out this regretable phrase that really gets me. It is spat out with utter contempt. But what can you expect from an approval seeking (approvial from his own catholic family) individule who couldn't quite bring himself to break the umbelical coard enough to NOT batize his kid into the Catholic church. He is still an approvial seeking whore of an alter boy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2sIf_sVY…
21
While we're on this topic...
CHURCHES SHOULD BE TAXED.
Because it costs you and me billions. We are not talking chump change here.
Consider that for every tax dollar a religious organization does not pay, you and I pay it on its behalf. Many are among the wealthiest organizations in the world: by 1971, the amount of real and personal property owned by U.S. churches was approx. $110 billion. In New York City alone, the amount was $3 billion in 1989. A 1986 estimate showed religious income in that year of approx. $100 billion, or about five times the income of the five largest corporations in the U.S. All tax free.
"Some of the big giant mega churches are about 80% show and 20% good. These mega-churches should be taxed on the 80%. The kind of church I like is the one room church in Little House that doubled as a school. This is what I consider as a real church."
CHURCHES SHOULD BE TAXED.
Because it costs you and me billions. We are not talking chump change here.
Consider that for every tax dollar a religious organization does not pay, you and I pay it on its behalf. Many are among the wealthiest organizations in the world: by 1971, the amount of real and personal property owned by U.S. churches was approx. $110 billion. In New York City alone, the amount was $3 billion in 1989. A 1986 estimate showed religious income in that year of approx. $100 billion, or about five times the income of the five largest corporations in the U.S. All tax free.
"Some of the big giant mega churches are about 80% show and 20% good. These mega-churches should be taxed on the 80%. The kind of church I like is the one room church in Little House that doubled as a school. This is what I consider as a real church."
23
Well, I know that here in OH we're behind the curve. However, enrollment at our UU church RE program is completely full, with kids on the waiting list (We had to cap the classes at the fire regulation limit.) But then again, as UUs, we're probably always the exception.
24
That people still believe in a "power" that magically created everything and controls everything astounds me.
Magic is fake, people. How can anyone still believe it's real?
Magic is fake, people. How can anyone still believe it's real?
25
@24 Urgutha, I can't explain faith. It defies rational explanation, though for me, reason is a big part of my faith. I'm as certain that there is a higher power (and my understanding of that power is the triune God of Christianity) as I am that my heart is beating or that life on Earth evolved over time. Even at the dark times in my life, when I believed that God didn't give a crap what happned to me or anyone or anything else on this coarse, little planet, I believed that God was.
Now, like I implied, that doesn't mean that I don't believe in science, and I don't believe in the rational world. I believe faith and reason can and must coexist, at least for existance to make sense for me.
Personally, all I ask is that non-believers respect the fact that I'm an intelligent human being capable of rational thought despite my faith. I certainly respect your intelligence and your rationality despite your lack of belief.
And I don't believe in proselytizing. I will talk about my faith and answer questions if asked, but I don't believe I have the right to foist what I believe on anyone else. Most progressive Christians feel that way, which is why we are the silent majority. Perhaps it's time, though, that we make some noise and let the world know that we aren't all homophobic, anti-choice, gun nuts who will condemn you in one breath and try to save you in another.
Now, like I implied, that doesn't mean that I don't believe in science, and I don't believe in the rational world. I believe faith and reason can and must coexist, at least for existance to make sense for me.
Personally, all I ask is that non-believers respect the fact that I'm an intelligent human being capable of rational thought despite my faith. I certainly respect your intelligence and your rationality despite your lack of belief.
And I don't believe in proselytizing. I will talk about my faith and answer questions if asked, but I don't believe I have the right to foist what I believe on anyone else. Most progressive Christians feel that way, which is why we are the silent majority. Perhaps it's time, though, that we make some noise and let the world know that we aren't all homophobic, anti-choice, gun nuts who will condemn you in one breath and try to save you in another.
26
@ 24 Urgutha,
I share Sheryl's views. So, I won't take up thread space here, as Violet asked me to explain a few days ago: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
I share Sheryl's views. So, I won't take up thread space here, as Violet asked me to explain a few days ago: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
28
@23: What's an RE Program? Religious Education?
I never went to any church as a kid. Don't really feel like I missed anything.
I never went to any church as a kid. Don't really feel like I missed anything.
29
here is the correct link re: #19 & 20 above where Dan disparages gays. At about 1:00. can't you just feel the discust at childless gays?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2sIf_sVYuc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2sIf_sVYuc
30
I don't care if you have faith or not; I'm neither for or against it. The Christians I know in my life aren't any more or less decent than the godless aberrants.
What I care about is that Christians all too often seem to be content to let the bigots and cretins and hateful fools in their midst speak for them. Silent majority, that's great, but maybe silence isn't good enough? When Pat Robertson is on TV, how come it's only people like Dan who are willing to go up against him, and not good-guy religious people?
What I care about is that Christians all too often seem to be content to let the bigots and cretins and hateful fools in their midst speak for them. Silent majority, that's great, but maybe silence isn't good enough? When Pat Robertson is on TV, how come it's only people like Dan who are willing to go up against him, and not good-guy religious people?
31
I don't remember much about going to Sunday school; my religious education was discontinued when I was quite young. My best friend, however, recounts tales of her baptist upbringing, and how the nuns (yes, these baptists had nuns) would smack her for asking too many questions.
I not particular about our kids being taught the biblical mythology, and I'm okay with them being taught the golden rule, or the beatifications, but I think it's a disservice both to children and to our nation when they are taught that their faith is superior to others, that their neighbors will suffer Hellfire for being Mormon, or Jewish, or atheist, or gay. I don't think it's appropriate anymore to teach that women are subservient to men, or must be silent in church, and I think children should not be taught young earth creationism as science anymore than they should be taught geocentrism.
And I certainly don't think kids should be smacked, or discouraged from asking questions.
I not particular about our kids being taught the biblical mythology, and I'm okay with them being taught the golden rule, or the beatifications, but I think it's a disservice both to children and to our nation when they are taught that their faith is superior to others, that their neighbors will suffer Hellfire for being Mormon, or Jewish, or atheist, or gay. I don't think it's appropriate anymore to teach that women are subservient to men, or must be silent in church, and I think children should not be taught young earth creationism as science anymore than they should be taught geocentrism.
And I certainly don't think kids should be smacked, or discouraged from asking questions.
32
i made it through 1st communion, but not to confirmation, before my parents lapsed. the only thing that is important about christianity are the ethical teachings of jesus. the jefferson bible part. the gospel of thomas part.
the nature of "god" is most likely not anything like a being. the belief that "god" is a being who judges us in perpetuity for our actions is the worst part of monotheistic religion.
unlike buddhism, monotheistic beliefs have no basis in scientific observation.
the nature of "god" is most likely not anything like a being. the belief that "god" is a being who judges us in perpetuity for our actions is the worst part of monotheistic religion.
unlike buddhism, monotheistic beliefs have no basis in scientific observation.
34
I was raised rather strenuously Catholic, except that I went to public school (my parents wanted me to get a real education). All I had to do was go to CCD, which was a thing for public school kids on Wednesday nights at the parish school.
It was taught by parents, and was pretty low-key: Mostly just stuff about living a good life, being honest, blah blah blah. Catholics aren't big on Bible memorization or any of that nonsense that a lot of my protestant friends had to go through.
To me, the best thing about being a Catholic kid was that we never ever had to worry about Vacation Bible School, which we papists thought was absolutely ridiculous. We'd ride our bikes past the poor schmucks sitting in an un-air conditioned church "education center" and laugh cruelly, then go swim at the lake.
Ah, youth.....
It was taught by parents, and was pretty low-key: Mostly just stuff about living a good life, being honest, blah blah blah. Catholics aren't big on Bible memorization or any of that nonsense that a lot of my protestant friends had to go through.
To me, the best thing about being a Catholic kid was that we never ever had to worry about Vacation Bible School, which we papists thought was absolutely ridiculous. We'd ride our bikes past the poor schmucks sitting in an un-air conditioned church "education center" and laugh cruelly, then go swim at the lake.
Ah, youth.....
35
@ 29,
I copied and pasted your link and watched it, because your comments indicate you're upset, and perhaps you feel betrayed. Your feelings, are valid because they are your feelings. I think you're misunderstanding what was said. I do not hear any judgement on gays or slings. There is just the statement that his everyday life looks much the same as mine, the everyday life of being a parent and a spouse. I've found that having a spouse and kids changed my priorities, and that many of my activities revolve around the interests of my family, and thus I spend more time interacting and developing friendships with adults who share my stage of life. It's not that we still don't love and value our single friends, it's that our day to day lives don't resemble the lives of our single friends, our lives resemble the lives of those who's attention and interests are focused on their families.
Best wishes.
I copied and pasted your link and watched it, because your comments indicate you're upset, and perhaps you feel betrayed. Your feelings, are valid because they are your feelings. I think you're misunderstanding what was said. I do not hear any judgement on gays or slings. There is just the statement that his everyday life looks much the same as mine, the everyday life of being a parent and a spouse. I've found that having a spouse and kids changed my priorities, and that many of my activities revolve around the interests of my family, and thus I spend more time interacting and developing friendships with adults who share my stage of life. It's not that we still don't love and value our single friends, it's that our day to day lives don't resemble the lives of our single friends, our lives resemble the lives of those who's attention and interests are focused on their families.
Best wishes.
36
I went out for lunch with two friends the other day. One grew up Catholic (Portuguese) the other a Plymouth Brethren (Quakers minus all the fun).
I was the only one raised without any religious education during my youth. I am also the only one who regularly attends church today (In fact, I am in seminary of all things - ELCA Lutheran)
Sheryl makes the case well. Thanks.
I was the only one raised without any religious education during my youth. I am also the only one who regularly attends church today (In fact, I am in seminary of all things - ELCA Lutheran)
Sheryl makes the case well. Thanks.
37
There is of course one church that has been willing to see itself split apart and kicked out of the anglican communion in order to support the inclusion of gays. If any church is worthy of baptizeing my kid and Dan's kid for that fact, it is the Episocpal church. So Dan you should show your respect for the very respectful Bishop Robinson and have your kid unbaptized in the Catholic faith and repatized in a church that desearves your full suport. The Episcopal church. Our priests prefer sexual partners with pubic hair.lol
38
As if Sunday School in my Episcopal Church wasn't enough, I also attended Summer Bible School at a local Mennonite Church, and capped that all of with two week stints at Mennonite Bible Camp.
I was shy, withdrawn, and gay in school, and I got bullied some as a result. Although I have a good mind and liked learning, I hated school. These educational opportunities felt safe to me, no bullying, kind and empathetic teachers, wonderful atmosphere.
Your War On Sunday School seems to me kinda Nancy Grace. What exactly is your beef with Sunday School?
I was shy, withdrawn, and gay in school, and I got bullied some as a result. Although I have a good mind and liked learning, I hated school. These educational opportunities felt safe to me, no bullying, kind and empathetic teachers, wonderful atmosphere.
Your War On Sunday School seems to me kinda Nancy Grace. What exactly is your beef with Sunday School?
39
I agree #35. If I had it to do over again I would have played it straight and had kids. I went to the pride event today and felt sorry for the younge gays there. When they get older they will have wished that they had had kids. When your youthful good looks fade and you have only yourself or even if you have a partner like I do, it is incomplete. When Dan is a very old man on his death bed he will have his son and grandchildren and their familys by his side. If you were to ask him then or even now, what the best part of his life was it wont be gay bars or gay friends that mattered most. It will be his son. For many gay men, being gay really is a dead end.
40
@ 39
You broke my heart. I believe we make our best contributions to the world by being who we truly are. We have much to offer this world, we can be an important person in a child's life in many ways: as a foster parent, adoption, uncle/aunt, mentor, child sponsor abroad, etc. I hope you find a way to share your heart.
Best wishes,
k
You broke my heart. I believe we make our best contributions to the world by being who we truly are. We have much to offer this world, we can be an important person in a child's life in many ways: as a foster parent, adoption, uncle/aunt, mentor, child sponsor abroad, etc. I hope you find a way to share your heart.
Best wishes,
k
41
@9:
1) Without trying to get into the statistics of how often youth pastors are child molesters, I'd think it'd be above the average for the population -- not because I'm down on religion, but because if what I really want to do is have good access to kids I can molest and an authority position with which to hush them up about it, pretending to be devout and becoming a youth pastor is a GREAT way to do it.
Associate power with something and you're going to get, not most, but some people who go after the something because they want the power.
2) I think this kind of thing is more poisonous to the churches than it was a hundred years ago because people have more choices now. Not being a part of a local church is less likely to castrate your career or social life than in the past.
From the (not statistically significant, but I'd be surprised if anyone really disagreed with the trend) handful of people I've known in my life who were molested by church authority figures... those people generally want to get the fuck away from the church, even if what happened to them isn't really the church's fault. They leave, their families sometimes leave, they don't raise their kids in the faith, and they don't come back. I don't think it's a major cause of declining Sunday School attendance by any means, but it's sure not helping.
1) Without trying to get into the statistics of how often youth pastors are child molesters, I'd think it'd be above the average for the population -- not because I'm down on religion, but because if what I really want to do is have good access to kids I can molest and an authority position with which to hush them up about it, pretending to be devout and becoming a youth pastor is a GREAT way to do it.
Associate power with something and you're going to get, not most, but some people who go after the something because they want the power.
2) I think this kind of thing is more poisonous to the churches than it was a hundred years ago because people have more choices now. Not being a part of a local church is less likely to castrate your career or social life than in the past.
From the (not statistically significant, but I'd be surprised if anyone really disagreed with the trend) handful of people I've known in my life who were molested by church authority figures... those people generally want to get the fuck away from the church, even if what happened to them isn't really the church's fault. They leave, their families sometimes leave, they don't raise their kids in the faith, and they don't come back. I don't think it's a major cause of declining Sunday School attendance by any means, but it's sure not helping.
42
The clash between sports and religious activities is an epic one, eh? Being Catholic, at least we had options. If none of the four Sunday morning masses didn't work for you, there was 5pm Saturday ("anticipatory mass".) The other parish in town had 6pm Sunday as well.
"Sunday school"? No, but the alternatives didn't come without failure. Depending on the grade level, we went Saturday morning, or Monday or Wednesday night. That meant conflicts with cartoons or Blackhawks games. :-P
But between five major Christian denominations and a couple varieties of Judaism, you couldn't avoid conflicts. Teams were sized to account for never being at full strength. Everybody got to play. Done.
"Sunday school"? No, but the alternatives didn't come without failure. Depending on the grade level, we went Saturday morning, or Monday or Wednesday night. That meant conflicts with cartoons or Blackhawks games. :-P
But between five major Christian denominations and a couple varieties of Judaism, you couldn't avoid conflicts. Teams were sized to account for never being at full strength. Everybody got to play. Done.
43
Anyone notice the unnecessary quotes on the "the other" parent near the bottom of the article? Is that an actual quote? I just. I don't understand. WHY? Are they trying to imply the divorced parent NOT attending a given church loses their parental status somehow? Just....what?
Quote usage fail.
Quote usage fail.
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