Dangerous pastimes.

Annual meeting got me thinking again. This time I'm going to tell you all the reasons why cool people need to be Episcopalians, especially in Enid.

Seriously. All you folks my age? The ones who are spiritual but not religious because some idiot in a wide tie tried to tell you that good girls don't wear all black clothes? Yeah. I'm talking to you.
I don't know what flipped guys my age out about church but people telling me how to dress seemed like a good reason to stay away from certain places when I was 16.

That's been a while, so consider:

1. We have interesting music. It's never just seven words eleven times. Unless we're singing Taize music and we typically don't do that all the time.

2. We will NEVER make you wear a name tag or stand up because you're new. Once you're a member, we may at some point make you one, but wearing it can be avoided by donning a choir robe. (just kidding, wearing it can be avoided by leaving it in your car in the sun though.)

3. We won't actually try to convert you. I think this is probably because we're going to assume you're either already converted or that you'll come around in your own time. Especially if you're showing up at a church without a gun to your head.

4. You can ask questions. Thinking is encouraged.

5. You don't have to dress up. You can if you want to, but it's optional. Did I mention you can if you want to? One thing I've noticed about St. Matt's is that we have no norm when it comes to that sort of thing, at least when it's cold outside.

6. We have a dearth of stupidity in our parish. Yes, I'm telling you that we are running low on stupid people. There will be no argument about whether we'll be raptured with or without clothes.

7. Worship in our church is actually different from anything you'll encounter outside. No projector screens, no stage, no stage lighting, no neon signs, and no trap set. There was a djembe in the old youth room this morning. We have candles, incense, and wine.

8. We have really cool old people. We've been hoarding them all for ourselves. Sometimes, I don't even realize they're old until someone points out their actual age.

9. God trusts us with alcohol.

10. We have actual theology. It goes beyond saying the magic words to get into heaven, getting rich, and being happy clappy. There is light and life.