to be amazed at people going to church

[Hullygully]

I really didn't think anyone still did the whole church on Sunday thing (this is not meant rudely, am just genuinely amazed).

Why do you go?

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover?

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers?

Do you have roast dinner after?

Where do you live?

To answer the aren't-you-hungover point, sometimes yes! But mostly know as have a toddler who wakes up at 5am. There are sometimes some worse for wear faces at our 10:30 service, it's part of the fun!

1 because I'm a Christian, but we often split up over churches. Dd sings in a choir and I usually go to her service, DH plays organ at the church we used to go to. It's a nice thing to do.
2 nope don't go dancing, do drink sometimes, but have kids so don't party much.
3 depends on what services people are doing. DH often gets up even earlier if he's not playing to go for a bike ride. Don't read the papers any more.
4 depends on what people are doing, also we have one vegetarian, which makes roasts less common.
SE

Kudos Hully for acknowledging that your impressions of church and the reality for lots of people aren't necessarily the same.

It intrigues me how dismissive people can be on church threads here when their information/experience may be non existent, very partial or massively old.

To answer your qus:
To hear the bible being explored and explained by someone who's put considerable time, effort and thought into a particular passage, provoke me to think and challenge myself as a result. To meet good friends, encourage each other or whatever is appropriate for the weeks we're all having. For the children to have loads of fun learning about Jesus.

Nope, but then with young DCs, neither do most of our friends, churchgoing or not.

Have lie in on Sat if need one. DH works v early so Sun counts as a lie in for him even in getting to church.

No roast, usually would be a bit manic. Quite low key food wise but all together.

It is personal choice. When I do go it is full - very vibrant with all ages, babies, toddlers, children, teenagers- up to grandparents. You don't get out enough if you don't realise this. You can never tell by looking at someone whether they are a churchgoer or not - never make assumptions - some of them are the most unlikely looking ones. I don't go often because it would be impossible not to get actively involved.

I just can't see the point unless you get to have a roast dinner after. I think some of you are doing it wrong.

You're not alone OP I dot know anyone in RL that goes to church every week, even DP who is v.religious (Catholic) I'm not surprised that people do though.
I guess it's part of people's routine and for some people it's
Important to gather every week with time purely for their faith.

Nice to see you go sometimes exotic.

Shame all the Christians and Bible believers and plain decent people on this thread couldn't have been around to support me when I was getting it for opposing abortion and teachers who keep secrets for pupils about their pregnancies and sex lives, stating the traditional Christian view on the permanence of the moral order, and saying that you shouldn't let an unmarried grown-up child share a bed with anyone in YOUR house if you believe in abstinence before marriage.

we go every week.

I'm a chorister and DH is the organist/choirmaster.

church starts at 10, it's really not early.
it's late enough to be drinking/dancing the night before (as i have done many time)

It surprises me how FEW people go to church.

sorry, your questions:

Why do you go? because i want to worship god and i like singing

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover? have done before, but not hangover normally (because i don't drink to excess)

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers? no, sounds dull. my lie-in is til about half 8.

Do you have roast dinner after? yes. it doesn't take that long to cook, and we normally eat at about half 2.

Where do you live? sittingbourne, kent. my church is St Michael's

1. Italian Catholic - going to church reminds me of home/my culture. Plus I like singing, I always feel great after singing some nice cheerful hymns.

2. Sometimes I go to church after a night out. Sometimes I'm lazy and don't.

3. No Sunday lunch for me :( Live in a house-share and we all tend to cook for ourselves. Just have a normal lunch afterwards.

4. Kent.

In the interests of market research I'm under 25 and have no DC yet to get into Catholic school. Although I'll freely admit that once I have DC I'll go to church every week instead of roughly fortnight/monthly which I manage now.

Why do you go?
Because I enjoy the fellowship with other Christians, and love the Music and liturgy

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover?
In my youth I'd go on the way home from clubbing (all gothed-up), thus saving the hangover until later

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers?
Lie-in? With a three-year-old on the loose?

Do you have roast dinner after?
Indeed! It cooks while you're there!

Where do you live?
In a fabulously unfashionable bit of North London where finding a High-Anglican Church is a bit of a strain. OH is Catholic, so we usually go there instead

47to31in7days - just because a person is christian and nice doesn't mean they don't agree with freedom of choice.

If you are RC, you can go to "Sunday Mass" at 6pm on Saturday night then go drinking and dancing and have a lie-in and roast dinner on Sunday. Clever eh?

Churches are growing in number, is some places rapidly

ChurchGrowth

I used to love going to church. Its the one thing I regret about now being an atheist - I don't miss God at all, but I do sometimes miss the church I grew up in.

1. Because I believe in God, because I like a good sing, because I like to listen to (usually) intelligent comment on the Bible texts and its reference to current affairs, and to debate with that comment if I don't agree with it, because I have friends who I see there... because I like to go.

1. No. I hate dancing unless it's ceilidhing, and I can't think of anything worse than wasting my Sunday with a hangover.

1. No, I prefer the Saturday paper, and again I don't like wasting my Sunday (or any day, come to that) lying in bed.

1. Yuck, no thanks. But why do you think it would stop me going to church if I did?

1. In a small town in Herts.

Oh, and HerMaj, I'm 26-40 but nearer the 26 end, a primary school teacher and these two mean that consequently my wage bracket is not as high as I'd like it to be :)

Why do you go?
I'm a helper in the children's groups in the morning, which I do to volunteer, to give parents an hour off for them to breathe/focus on God/hear some inspiring ideas/have a grown-up chat over a coffee. I go in the morning service to serve and give back to such a lovely, friendly group of people, who I consider family.
I go in the evening for my breathing moment/focus/inspiration time each week. It puts the Monday-Friday into perspective for me, and reminds me of who I am, as a Christian.

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover?
Occasionally yes - but the am service doesn't start till 11. If I'm looking after other people's children, hangover's aren't really appropriate. But it's definitely very occasional, as I hate hangovers, I'm not a fan of most alcoholic drinks (except whisky - I'm an old man at heart!).

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers? That's what Saturdays are for! And on Sunday, if I wanted, I could still sleep till 10.30 which is a lie-in. If I didn't help with the kids church, I could roll out of bed at 6pm and still make it to the evening service on time.

Do you have roast dinner after? Often I go out with church friends for roast in a pub garden ("fellowship" over a pint!) If I've got guests over, I'll cook a roast, I'm home from church by 12 so we can do late lunch at 2pm.

Where do you live? Sussex

I'd go to church in Dungeness. I'd wear black. My children would wear breeches and a pinafore. DH would wear a big overcoat and be a bit grumbly and morose. We'd collect weird things from the beach after. All the children would run around wildly and get giddy. Then we'd all sit down at big trestle tables covered in white linen and eat an enormous feast. Then we'd all pile into a 1940's American pick up truck and drive home.

If the man sitting next to me doesn't remove his elbow from my ribs I will empty my bottle of water over him. He's reading this. Hello!

Lots of people go to church here.

There is a church secondary school in our town with very selective entry procedures and excellent exam results.

These two things may or may not be connected.

I don't go because I am a heathen.

Why do you go? Because I'm a christian. I enjoy spending time with other christians learning something new about the bible, lots of things. I help out in sunday school mostly because they have cake

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover? Not since I was about 20.

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers? With 3 little ones no lie in anyway

Do you have roast dinner after? yes, put chicken and potatoes in oven before church and do the veg and gravy when we get home

Where do you live? Somerset.

You mean people actually go inside those pointy buildings?! Not for a school trip?

Erm.

1. Because I believe in God and am a Christian.
2. Noooo, so boring. Don't drink anyway.
3. Fat chance with 2yo DS bouncing on my bed trying to bite my nose, demanding milk, and playing 'horsie'.
4. Only if we have people over or are at someone else's house. Don't see the point for the 2+1 of us.
5. Home counties.

P.S. This isn't a proper AIBU

I don't wish to get into a bun fight 47 but I don't recognise your views as Christian.

I guess lots of people are looking for their spiritual side. I like peace and quiet and time to think.

I go every couple of weeks, it used to be weekly until dd decided she wouldn't go any more so now I go alone and on the alternate week I let them all have a lie in.

I like the peace, it keeps me sane, it reaffirms my faith and I miss it if I don't go.

Don't drink and rarely dance.

I get up early regardless.

We sometimes have a roast but have it mid afternoon so church isn't a problem.

Midlands