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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be amazed at people going to church

615 replies

Hullygully · 20/06/2012 15:19

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?

OP posts:
Original poster
Hullygully · 20/06/2012 18:05

47 you had a different name before didn't you?

OP posts:
MissAnnersley · 20/06/2012 18:07

I go to church for lots of different reasons. I get a chance to think and listen. I enjoy the rituals and the hymns. DS loves Sunday School and I enjoy seeing him with his friends. The people at the church are lovely and it feels like a community.
I don't go out and get pissed on a Saturday night anymore.
I don't really get lie ins but we don't have to be there until eleven so there's time if I wanted to.
The roast goes in the oven on low. We eat about half one ish.
I'm in Scotland. There are no Church of Scotland schools here and so no 'gain' to attending.

I don't go every week but every second week.
There are times when it genuinely feels like the best time of the week and it gives me strength to face the week ahead.

BabsJansen · 20/06/2012 18:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Hullygully · 20/06/2012 18:19

I am extremely ignorant

sad but trufax

OP posts:
Sirzy · 20/06/2012 18:25

Church is like a community, it's not just about the services but the whole support network that comes with it. I don't go every week but try to go once a month.

I find it strange that someone is amazed that some people in a Christian country choose to go to church!

Krumbum · 20/06/2012 18:26

I get what you mean op. most people don't go to church so if you meet someone that goes regularly (not just lip service, Easter and Xmas) then it is a bit unusual. I don't get why some people are pissed off that the op was surprised by this. I know no people that go every Sunday either. Someone said they go at 8am! Crazy!

misslinnet · 20/06/2012 18:27

  1. We go because we want to. Because we're Christians, and going to church is part of that for us. Because we want DS to learn about our religion as he grows up. Because we like seeing the other people who attend church.

  2. Rarely drink now that we've got a small child, and always moderated my drinking as I hate hangovers.

  3. No chance of a lie-in anyway with DS. But there are churches round here that do services on Saturday evening and later in the morning if that was an issue.

  4. No set Sunday dinner, but if we cook the joint on a low heat, we can time it so it's ready not too long after we're back from church.

  5. North East

StrawberrytallCAKE · 20/06/2012 18:27
  1. I grew up going to Sunday school and church so we have decided we are going to start going again. We want to go for positivity and a sense of community and to instill morals in our dd that we feel we got from church.
  1. I wish We occasionally go out but are more likely to go for a really good meal and a bar if we're not too knackered afterwards. I'm pg now though so no drinking for a while.
  1. I get a lovely lie in on Saturday mornings.
  1. When I have the energy to cook again yes most definitely.
  1. England (someone warned against posting too much info the other day and I agree so that's all you're getting)
EmmaNemms · 20/06/2012 18:27

I live in a village in Dorset and go to our local church most weeks. Its 5 minutes walk, i think it may be the reason we bought the house, the church sits just above us on the hill. Sometimes there's only 6 of us there but I love the peace and space to think, the singing and the community. Our vicar is also very good at linking the church year to the rural community eg harvest, outdoor services during lambing season, you get a real sense of the year passing. I am also on the Church Council, we are responsible for the upkeep of this 12c building, it's a real privilege. Even though it has its Dibley moments.

Other questions: enjoy a drink, but too old for a raging hangover, and our services rotate regularly. I don't often make the 8.30am service.
We always have a roast on Sunday, just work around the times.

After our civil wedding in December, we had a blessing in the church and the warmth and support was fantastic.

TuesdayNightClub · 20/06/2012 18:29

It's incredibly good for the soul in my experience. No phones, no celebs, just lots of thinking, singing, people watching...

I enjoy mass when I go and feel uplifted afterwards, but I do find it difficult as my DH doesn't go - the easy option is to laze around at home watching shite tv and mumsnetting.

RavenVonChaos · 20/06/2012 18:30

I keep thinking about going but I don't really believe in God.

I do like singing hymns tho and I would like my children to have a faith.

And there is an excellent catholic school nearby.....Smile

TuftyFinch · 20/06/2012 18:30

Can you wear a sash with that on Hilly? A yellow one. Blue writing. Yellow and blue. Blue and yellow.

happybubblebrain · 20/06/2012 18:30

I think the main reason people go to church these days is so they can get their kids into a 'good' school.

I go skating on Sundays.

Krumbum · 20/06/2012 18:33

47 maybe these Christians here didn't join in on those threads in agreement without you because they don't hold nasty, homophobic views. Not everyone who believes in god is the same.

Sirzy · 20/06/2012 18:33

I think you couldn't be further from the truth for most people happy. Certainly not the case at my church

EmmaNemms · 20/06/2012 18:35

In my previous town, a letter was needed from the Catholic parish priest to get into the very good Catholic primary school. It would need a couple of years regular attendance to get a letter signed - not an option for the faint hearted!

Ragwort · 20/06/2012 18:37

Why do you go? Because I have a faith and enjoy spending time with other people who have a faith, I enjoy listening to a good sermon - I love being part of the church community. Agree with Sirzy - church is a community, I have had lots of support through bereavement, health issues etc etc and I hope I give support to others. It is one of the best ways to make friends when you move (I have moved lots of times !!).

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover? errr...... no Grin

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers? - I can read the papers before I go, not particularly keen on lie-ins anyway - with a sports mad child we are up anyway taking him to matches etc.

Do you have roast dinner after? sometimes/sometimes not.

Where do you live? West Midlands

MissAnnersley · 20/06/2012 18:40

I think you're wrong happybubblebrain. As I stated a few posts back there are no Church of Scotland schools and therefore no gain to me attending other than the reasons stated.

FairPhyllis · 20/06/2012 18:42

Why do you go? Because Christianity is a corporate religion - 'corporate' as in 'united group of persons.' You cannot be a Christian in isolation - being part of a Christian community is a fundamental part of Christian life. Because I can't receive the sacraments anywhere else - again, a fundamental part of Christian life. Because I learn more about God when I go to church. Because it helps me live a more Christ-like life (I hope). Because my church is one of my social communities. Because I am a lay leader, so occasionally I preach or read, and because I have to keep in touch with what is happening so I can help make financial or programming decisions for the church. I don't go every week though.

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover?
Sometimes, yes. But my church meets in the evening Grin.

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers? See above. But there are no decent papers here (US) - they are all SHIT.

Do you have roast dinner after? No, I don't cook roasts as I live on my own. But the congregation has a meal together after the service.

Where do you live? New York state.

misslinnet · 20/06/2012 18:43

That's not why we go happybubblebrain.

None of our local schools are church schools, so it makes no difference to us.

CwtchesAndCuddles · 20/06/2012 18:45

We go as a family most sundays to our local baptist church, me and dh have a strong Christian faith and attending church is important to us. The children enjoy sunday school and we have a nice time afterwards when all the kids play in the park next to the church and the adults relax with a fresh coffe. Our church is mainly made up of families.

Not everyone drinks themseves silly on a saturday night!

With two young children a lie in with the papers is not an option!

We usually have a roast on our return - either at home or at my parents (who also attend the same church). Meat goes in the oven before we go out, veg is cooked when we get back.

South Wales.

Original poster
Hullygully · 20/06/2012 18:47

The where do you live question was because I wondered if it was because of where I live that I know no churchgoers. Altho I don't actually live there any more anyway.

OP posts:
FairPhyllis · 20/06/2012 18:53

Also what makes you think half the congregation don't have raging hangovers? I have had hangovers at a 5pm service before.

In any Anglican church there will be someone crossing their fingers at the part in the confession where you ask God to help you lead a godly, righteous and sober life ...

misslinnet · 20/06/2012 18:53

Hullygully, maybe you just don't know that you know churchgoers?

I mean, we only really talk about it if it comes up in conversation - for instance, we might say 'We won't be able to meet up on Sunday morning because we'll be at church', or we might have an amusing anecdote about something that happened at church.

But we don't automatically announce it to everyone we meet Smile

Ragwort · 20/06/2012 18:56

Where do you live Hully ?

Happy - surely if that was true the church would only be made up with families with pre-school age children Confused. I have been attending church for many years - well before I was a parent. Where we lived our local church school was massively under-subscribed anyway Grin.