WHY ARE ALTARS BEING REMOVED FROM OUR CHURCHES?

I was a kid in the 1950’s and a teen in the 1960’s. I grew up attending the New Brighton, PA Free Methodist Church. It was a large church for that time period with an average attendance over 200. They maintained a very large Sunday School attendance by using a vehicle [pun intended] common among churches of that day – repurposed school busses.

Sunday morning was a worship time that focused around the pastor’s message. Sunday evening was considered an evangelistic meeting [it had less than half the attendance of the morning service]. There was more singing in the evening, along with occasional testimonies and special music.

Every Free Methodist Church [as far as I knew] had an altar and used it. People commonly responded to the messages by going forward to pray. Sometimes the pastor would give a special invitation related to his/her message. [At that time there were only a few women pastors, but today there are many!]

When a person responded by coming to the altar, it was not uncommon for others to join them by kneeling beside them – or sometimes even across from them. The pastor would also come and pray with individuals at the altar.

If there was a strong response to the altar – which was common – most people would stay in their seats prayerfully. When the needs presented at the altar were satisfied, it was common for the person to give a testimony about how God had helped them. [This was not mandatory!] Our song leader would usually lead us in singing something appropriate and then the service would end.

At Family Camp every July, the altar was used even more frequently. I have seen the altar filled shoulder-to-shoulder MANY TIMES!  Pastors present would come to pray with members of their church. Mature believers would also assist the many ‘seekers’. The congregation would largely remain seated throughout the prayer time. Testimonies would be given and general rejoicing would take place with occasional outbursts of songs.

I knelt at those altars many times through the maturation process. I initially opened my heart to the Lord at that altar. Tissue boxes were kept near the altar for those who frequently wept out confessions and experienced the forgiveness of God through His Holy Spirit.

While leading churches from 1976 through 2017, I frequently knelt at the altar before the service began. Other committed lay people sometimes did the same. I always served Holy Communion by having the people come forward to receive the elements of the Lord’s Supper. Most knelt for a few moments while they took Communion – and then returned to their seats. Others simply stood to do so, or made their personal altar at their seat. The atmosphere was one of deep gratitude to God and many people reported that the experience was deeply meaningful!

So, that’s why I’m asking the question: Why are altars being removed from our churches?

Debbie and I have been attending an evangelical Presbyterian church for six years now. There is no altar and no opportunity – during worship – to pray with one another in a personal way.

I occasionally have the opportunity to visit other Free Methodist Churches and find that many simply don’t have an altar. Or, if they do, it’s rarely used.

About two months ago, I was struggling with some issues in my life. To be honest, at this point I can’t even remember what they were. However, I remember waking up on a Sunday and wishing that I could pray at an altar. I know that must sound odd to some, but it was deeply ingrained in me that the altar is a place of confession and drawing near to God! I almost went to a neighboring Free Methodist Church that Sunday because of that strong sense of need I was experiencing.

My  initial submission to God took place at the altar when I opened my heart to Him! I made many trips to the altar through my teen years while dealing with the stresses and confusions of adolescence. The campus church – while attending Roberts Wesleyan College - was quite large (attendance of over a thousand at that time). I don’t remember if the altar was used, however, while attending the Asbury Seminary Free Methodist Church in Wilmore, Kentucky – where we lived for three years while attending seminary – the altar was used frequently!

WHAT HAS CHANGED?

I earnestly wonder about this.

Is confidentiality a factor? Is it that we don’t share openly as we might have in decades past? Have we become more private regarding our need of God and the pressures and stresses we may be facing?

Has the church lost passion for God? Do we not seek Him as vigorously as we once did?

Have we become too proud to humble ourselves in public?

Are our services so time-restrained now that we can’t afford to spare time for personal seeking? Large churches have multiple services that are often tightly scheduled and controlled.

____________________________________

These are honest questions. Perhaps because I’m a retired pastor, I think about this a great deal.

If salvations aren’t happening at the altar anymore, where are they happening? Our denomination is in a cataclysmic decline in membership and attendance. Does the missing [or unused] altar have any connection to this fact?

What was going on a couple of months ago when I felt such a need to pray at an altar? Do others experience this need or desire? I miss kneeling at the altar to receive Holy Communion – even though it was a brief posture change. Does anybody else share these thoughts, longings and questions?

If you have thoughts about this, I’d love to hear from you! I’m active on Facebook. My email is halinasia@psmail.net 

 [Responses on this blog page always show up as 'Anonymous' - which, of course, leaves me wondering who it is? Please direct your thoughts in a way that allows for dialogue.  :-)]

STRUGGLING TO FIT IN

I have often said, “I’ve been attending Free Methodist churches since before I was born!”  I graduated from a Free Methodist college. 

Then, things changed a bit.  I attended a United Methodist seminary for three years.  Next, after having begun my pastoral ministry in the Free Methodist Church, I earned a Master of Divinity degree from a liberal, Presbyterian seminary!  It was a challenging eight years of study as a commuter.  Although the foundations of my faith were repeatedly challenged, I came out strong. 

During these educational years – that didn’t end until my fortieth year – I also acquired a basic unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at the Pittsburgh Highland Drive Veteran’s Administration Psychiatric Hospital [that’s a mouthful!].  900 hours of supervised chaplain work, verbatims, and small group process!   [And to think:  I paid for this privilege!]

I also participated in a Domus Deo program through the Roman Catholic Church in Pittsburgh.  It was a very beneficial, self-reflection, meditation program that also included a fair amount of small group engagement!

During these early ministry years, I SERIOUSLY considered joining the military chaplaincy!  On three occasions, I inquired and prepared to make the leap into that form of ministry!  I still think it would have been a good fit for me and a place for effective ministry.

Then – having been in ministry for fourteen years, I sensed some gifting in the area of counseling and decided to get a counseling degree.  I acquired that degree after two years of full-time study - while continuing to pastor a growing church - at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, which is a charismatic Catholic community!  I worshipped in that community for two years and made many close and valuable friendships.  Some of the most powerful worship experiences of my life took place on that campus. 

One last reflection:  Over all my years in ministry I participated in the local ministerial associations.  Their corporate services usually focused on Good Friday and Thanksgiving.  I enjoyed working with pastors from many diverse denominations during those years.

WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS?

Because, if you’ve followed me, I’m a bit of a mongrel.  J  I’ve deliberately exposed myself to a diverse field of experiences, leaders and environments. 

And today, I find myself in our fourth year of attending an evangelical Presbyterian church.  Debbie has joined and will soon be ordained as an elder in that church!  Notice:  She’s more deeply involved in leadership here than she ever was in the churches I served  [Of course, she also worked and primarily raised our three kids.]  ;-)

Sorry, if you were looking for something short, you can feel free to bail out now….

Having led Free Methodist churches for nearly forty-three years, I find myself missing certain aspects of ministry that had become very much a part of who I am. 

WHAT ARE THEY, HAL?

1.    I miss altar calls.

I wouldn’t expect everyone to understand this, but I miss what might officially be referred to as a ‘Call to Discipleship’. 

Typically, at the end of the message, a pastor would ‘open the altar for prayer’ and invite people to come in response to the challenge they’ve just received. 

Some Sundays, no one would respond [or the ‘call’ might not even be given].  Other Sundays, a few might respond;  and then a few others might come forward to pray with those who had responded.  Many times, services ended quietly with people still praying around the altar. 

Praying for and with one another was a warm expression of caring and engagement. 

2.   I miss altar prayer

I know, this sounds repetitive, but the altar was a special place for prayer as I was growing up and leading churches. 

Sometimes people would pray at the altar before worship even began.  I’ve seen people come to the altar while we were singing hymns or during pastoral prayer times. 

It was a place to seek God, unburden oneself, and openly indicate a desire to be closer to the Lord – a place to deal with the problems and stresses of life! 

As indicated earlier, others would often move forward to pray with those who responded in such a way!  It was a beautiful thing!  I miss it!

3.    I miss lay involvement

Being part of the Wesleyan movement, there has always been an emphasis on lay involvement. 

During my leadership years, I tried to limit my leadership to the time when I was giving the message.  As many other parts of the service as possible were turned over to trustworthy, gifted and trained individuals.  Many voices were heard during the flow of worship! 

4.    I miss a free-style of worship

Much could be said here – I’ll TRY to be brief!

One of the characteristics of my ministry was a desire to keep people engaged and interested in what was happening in worship.  Over the years, I found this was best accomplished by diversity, creativity and [to a certain extent] unpredictability. 

I know – that sounds strange.

Methods I utilized included:

·         Frequently changing the order of worship

·         Using many people in various ways during worship

·         Writing engaging dramas that brought the message to life [this, of course, gave certain people an opportunity to be involved who were drawn to this kind of ministry!] 

·         Incorporating humor into worship.  This was occasionally done via the dramas, video clips, stories, testimonies, and PowerPoint pictures.

·         Creating engaging congregational readings – often based on modern versions of the Bible!  [These go best when led by competent, trained lay leaders.]

In essence, variety!  Keeping people engaged, focused and interested!

5.    I miss going to the altar to receive Holy Communion.

In theme with what’s already been said, I have always preferred providing Holy Communion in such a way that people had the opportunity to come forward, kneel and pray at the altar – if they so desired.

Because of the sacred nature of this experience, we always provided two or three people [male and female] in our foyer for anyone who desired special prayer during the Communion time. [With people moving to and from the altar, it was easy for someone to discreetly slip out for prayer.  Occasionally, decisions for Christ were made as a result!  

The focus of the whole day was confession and restoration by the power of the risen Christ!

6.    I miss the anointing with oil for healing!

Providing for the open exercise of the exhortations given by the brother of our Lord in his New Testament letter:  James 5:14-18. 

Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

The practice of this grace can be time-consuming and awkward in public worship.  However, it can also be enormously caring, emotionally and physically healing, and a physical expression of love! 

In a world filled with such addiction, brokenness and pain – how can we ignore such clear instructions? 

_______________________________

Every tradition has its own ways of doing things.  I’m trying to adjust to a new tradition after a lifetime of experience in a somewhat different one.  I’m less elastic than I may have been when I was younger.  I openly confess to missing these aspects of worship that I had become comfortable and familiar with. 

At the same time, I am embracing new people and growing through my engagement with them.  I hope they’ll be patient with me as I try to find my way in a new system that challenges me every Sunday yet also frequently leaves me with lingering longings for the worship experiences I’ve just described! 

Blessings on the Church! 

ALTAR CALLS

A few readers are probably groaning as they see this title.  I understand!  I have negative – even humorous – memories of altar calls from my childhood and youth days.  Singing “Just As I Am” over and over as the evangelist promised “just one more verse”.  At times someone would slip into the seat with you and try to persuade you to go to the altar.  Evangelists would ask you to raise your hand if you were interested in acknowledging Christ as your Lord;  then, they’d strong-arm you into coming forward to pray.  Those situations incensed me – even when I was quite young;  it was just wrong!

Just so you’ll know:  that is NOT what I intend to talk about here. 

Some of the most favorable altar calls I ever saw were at Billy Graham crusades.  He would simply preach the gospel and then invite people to come and pray with him.  And they came – by the thousands.  “If you came on a bus, it will wait for you.”  Weeks and weeks of preparations had been made.  People had been trained to pray with ‘seekers’.  Information was available to take home and study.  The whole process was full of integrity.

As a pastor, I strongly encouraged altar prayer!  I did so for several reasons:

·         Why put off until later what you can do right now?  :-)

·         We make a public statement when we move forward and stand or kneel in prayer!

·         It gives others who love us and care about us a chance to slip to our side to join us in our appeal. 

·         If we’re willing to make this public gesture, we are more likely to hold to the commitments we’ve made!

I visit churches with some frequency and often write about the experience in my blog.  I always try to recognize what a church is doing that seems right or effective.  Of course, I also observe things that detract from worship or a sense of community.  I find very few churches that still offer altar prayer or make appeals for people to respond. 

Pastors may still appeal to people to change their lives, but I find few today who encourage that response to be public. 

For six years, I was Lead Associate pastor at a fast-growing church in Akron, Ohio.  75% of our congregation were first-time believers!  [If you don’t realize it – this is unheard of!]   Every Sunday, Pastor Brenda Young opened the altar for prayer and people [many of whom were new believers] flooded the front of the church – sometimes six deep!  Then, with them praying with one another, she led the whole congregation in prayer!  It was a powerful and moving experience.

Personally, I made many decisions to be true to Christ at the altar.  I received my ‘call to ministry’ while praying at the altar (at the age of seventeen).  

It was common in my tradition that following an altar service would be a time of ‘testimony’.  This was a time of public confession that was marked by humility and contrition.  The ‘crowd’ at this point was usually smaller and included those who were family or part of the committed core.  Genuine concern and affirmation were commonly and generously offered.

Being a Free Methodist pastor for forty-three years, I served Holy Communion in such a way that people had the option of kneeling at the altar to receive it.  The action involved in standing in community and literally coming forward had the impact of making our commitment more confessional!  In addition, people were always welcome to practice the admonition in James [5:13-18] where they could call on the elders to pray over them and anoint them with oil for healing.  This was a wonderfully compassionate and caring ministry.  While attending Springfield Church of God, when Pastor Jonathan would offer this invitation, nearly everyone present would crowd forward to participate.  It was a very caring picture!

But, these two alter-options (Communion and Healing) are very rare in churches by my observation.

So, my concern is, if many of us made our commitments to Christ while we were young at an altar of prayer, where are today’s youth making their decisions?  Where ARE people praying with one another – if not at the altar?  Where is the public confession that was naturally a part of praying at an altar? 

These things concern me!  It is likely a factor in the decline of the church’s impact in recent decades! 

BREAKING BREAD

I just read Mark 8:1-9, where Jesus feeds a crowd of four thousand people with seven small loaves of bread and a few fish.  The Message Bible reads:

Jesus told the crowd to sit down on the ground. After giving thanks, he took the seven bread loaves, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples so they could hand them out to the crowd. 

One of my favorite times in church while I was growing up was when we would have a Love Feast!  It was usually done on Sunday nights and it didn't happen real often.  

Some of the women would cut up table bread into one-inch-long strips and cover them with a cloth.  After the pastor's message, he would invite people to come forward and get a piece of bread.  Then we were to go to one another and "break bread".  I would take a small piece of your bread and you would take a small piece of mine.  Then, we would exchange some form of brief Christian greeting.  If you ran out of bread, you would simply go up front for more.  We would be given about fifteen minutes to mingle and try to get to as many people as possible.  

Children and youth were involved right along with adults.  It had its awkward moments since we didn't always know what to say, but we loved being allowed to eat in church!  When the love feast ended, we always made sure we had several pieces of that bread to get us through the rest of the service.  ;-)

It was intended, of course, to help us to mend any broken relationships we might have with those in our worshiping community.  Occasionally, there would be a very obvious healing of relationship between two people who had been arguing or avoiding one another.  These interventions were sometimes dramatic and brought a great sense of joy to the congregation!  

Eventually, concerns about passing germs increased and the practice fell into history.  However, I continued it in the churches I served by copying a shape of a loaf of bread on an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper and having people sign one another's sheet instead of actually breaking bread.  

I saw the value of connection that was increased by this practice!  Too often people enter and leave worship with little or no interaction with others.  How is this the "body of Christ?"  I also used it frequently in youth meetings and camps.  But, I haven't done so in many years now.  

I'm not suggesting we re-introduce this practice;  COVID has created a whole new package of fears that now regulate our activity.  Even back in the day, I noticed that some people didn't eat the bread that they broke from a person's piece of bread.  Instead, they were very subtle about tucking it in the palm of their hand.  That's okay.  I can understand that kind of caution.  At least they participated and didn't scoot out the back door!  

All of us have noticed that as a result of COVID, some still don't want to shake hands.  Many will stick out a fist to bump instead.  Live and adapt, right?  

But we must find 21st century ways to maintain and celebrate the community of faith!  

I loved Holy Communion Sundays and always tried to make them special for the congregations that I served.  We always had people come forward to receive the bread and the cup.  They were given an opportunity to kneel at the alter - if they so desired.  [Later, we introduced a third point of service at the back of the sanctuary for those who desired to be more discreet.]  People were encouraged to greet one another as they stood in line to receive Communion!  I used couples or pairs of singles to hold the bread and the cup to heighten the involvement of our parishoners.  We tried to always have a few people designated to pray with anyone who had a special need.  It was kind of an organized free-for-all, but packed with meaning!  

Again, if a church was not too large and if it had an appropriate space, we had fairly frequent 'cover-dish' or 'carry-in' meals!  Everyone contributed a food gift proportionate to the size of their family and we would all simply eat together.  These were wonderful!  Such good food!  I always loved them!  While in New Middletown, we had a man who made delicious chicken.  He would come before daylight to start the fires and then roast enough chicken for the whole church family.  We brought all the other stuff.  We ate in the picnic shelter.  Sometimes we had our whole service outdoors smelling the chicken as we worshipped!  Thanks, David Fitch, for your wonderful gift to us!  But, again, issues were raised about appropriate preparation, cleanliness and the passing of germs - so this practice too fell by the wayside.  

Please understand!  These ruminations are not a plea to resurrect these practices;  but we do need to find events and forms that bring us together and increase our contact with one another.  There's a chorus we often sang to express this:

We are the body of the Lord;

We are the body of the Lord.

United in Christ and working together,

We are the body of the Lord.

We are the temple of the Lord;

We are the temple of the Lord.

United in love and growing together,

We are the temple of the Lord.

Take this bread - take this cup

I just returned from leading chapel at 'Grey's Colonial Acres Personal Care Home' outside of Kittanning. This home is run by Ken and Paula Grey, who attend our Free Methodist Church.

There are about twenty residents there - mostly women.  Some are quite capable of holding a conversation and following the line-of-thought in a devotional.  Some are very sleepy.  Others are distracted by their own thoughts.

Three women reside there who (I'm told) were once VERY active in our Kittanning Free Methodist Church: Lawave Trudgen, Opal McManus and Lois Moore.

I'm reminded of a story from years ago when I was a very young pastor at Jeannette, Pennsylvania.  There was a woman in the church named Annie Demaria.  She had served the church through the years in many ways, but primarily as the hostess for any travelling evangelists or other dignitaries who visited the church. She was dearly loved and respected by everyone!

However, during my years there, her physical and mental faculties failed and her family made the tough decision of placing her in a nursing home in Apollo, PA.

I visited her regularly.  However, I often had a hard time finding her for she appointed herself as the unofficial chaplain of the institution.  Daily, she visited others and prayed with them always carrying her Bible as a point of reference.

Lo-and-behold, her condition improved significantly and eventually she was able to return home and to church.  I will never forget her first Sunday morning back!  She stood and reprimanded the congregation for not coming to visit her while she was in the nursing home!  Although she was not mean about it, she was very direct and looked people in the eye as she spoke.  A lot of people were brought face-to-face with their failures that morning!

I lead chapel three times a month - once at each of the Grey's homes.  I have established a rapport with the people and genuinely enjoy my 30-40 minutes with them each month.  They seem to reciprocate with feelings of affection. Unfortunately, I do this ministry alone!  I have invited my congregation to come along to help with the singing, but so far no one has done so.  Sad!  I guess we need another Annie Demaria to show up some Sunday.

Today, for the first time, I served Holy Communion during our chapel.  It had its awkward moments.  Some don't have the motor skills to handle the small cup and the small piece of bread.  Others are not fully aware of what we are doing and why.  Of course, others are very aware and participate with tears and attitudes of gratitude!  The staff (Paula and Caleb) were so helpful and gracious in assisting with this service.

By the way, Jesus was there!  He was loving on His children!  He was so tender and understanding with each one!  You should have seen it!  He didn't mind that grape juice was spilled or that bread crumbs fell to the floor.  He wasn't offended when a couple just didn't understand and refused to participate.  He was so patient and tender with each one!  You know, He's pro-life at both ends of the spectrum!

I was honored to be his minister in this service.  I believe people were encouraged today.  I believe they were given assurance of their salvation!  I believe they genuinely communicated their worship to God.

Paula tells me that they will often pick up my songsheets and sing the songs again for days after our chapel! How cool is that?

Oh, my schedule for this ministry is 1:30 PM:

• 2nd Wednesday - Grey's Colonial Gardens
• 3rd Wednesday - Grey's Colonial Manor
• 4th Wednesday - Grey's Colonial Acres

I'd love to have you come along and help with the singing, share a testimony, read a scripture, or sing (play) a song!  You'd probably be a blessing to the people who reside at these homes;  but to be truthful, you'd probably get the biggest blessing!  :-)