Saturday, July 26, 2008

It's just a reasonable facsimile


I was reading with interest Mary Baker Easton's most recent posts about churches and weathervanes (they are actually one right after the other on her blog).

She didn't mention it, but I do believe the weathervane from the historic Old South Church was once stolen and has been since replaced with a copy (see photo, from when the bell tower was being replaced in Sept. 2006, or photo on the website, with it in place).

Well, the theft of historic icons is nothing new, but I still think it takes a lower form of life to steal from a church (although that's hardly new, either). And I'm not even religious.

Yes, I guess the First Parish Church of Newbury should sell its weathervane and try to make the best with the proceeds. It pained me to go in there a couple of months ago for Sunday service and see how few people were in attendance.

Triple-D, who is why I went in the first place (she was trying to find a church that "fit"), sniffed contemptuously at the paltry number of parisioners present. Her church of choice, Unity on the River, is apparently always full.

"My church has (modern) music!" she exclaimed. Apparently the whole experience was much to "Catholic" for her (the church is United Church of Christ, or UCC). Help save Triple-D from traditional hymns and get her that zydeco beat going.

Is religion also been co-opted by the cappucino-sipping, khaki-wearing, need-for-constant-amusement (or validation) crowd that everyone's been carrying on about? It's just a thought, being thrown out there for consideration ...

1 comment:

Macy Swain said...

I have no idea, having barely darkened the door of a house of worship since my parents died. I would recommend, though, Philip Larkin's poem "Churchgoing." And I like the idea of stolen icons and weathervanes being put together. Cool! Maybe it's just that I haven't had my lst cup of coffee, but there's something Bob Dylanish going on there.