Billericay United Reformed Church

Minister's Letter

A Church Holiday?

So, are you on holiday this July or August? If you belong to a church is the church itself on holiday during August? Does the normal run of activities (Sunday worship excepted) come to a halt, with leaders and participants heading off to other activities whilst the church “goes dark” for the month? Most of us are in favour of holidays. We have the chance for the rest from the strain and stresses of the work routine or the opportunity to explore something out of the ordinary from the normal day to day activity of life. Where does church come in all of this?

The very word “holiday” has church connections. It derives from term “holy day”. In the Middle Ages in Europe there were scores of holy days, celebrating saints of the church and on those days no work was to be done. Some were associated with feasts, processions and plays, expressing religious faith but also providing entertainment for people in the midst of a hard life. Much further back in time the day that was to be kept as holy was the Sabbath day, the day when Jewish people, followed the instruction in the fourth commandment:

“Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy. You have six days to labour and do
all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath; that day you must not do any work …” (Exodus 20: 8)

Perhaps to our surprise, the commandment contains no special requirement to attend or participate in worship on the holy day. Worship was a seven-day-a-week activity, not something reserved for one day in seven. Instead what was required was a stopping of work, an opportunity for all to rest and be refreshed.

The idea of one day in seven shared by all, or nearly all in our society, as a time of rest has crumbled in recent years. Shopping and eating out may be rest and recreation for many but if they are to be available every day then others must be at work every day to make them a reality. Likewise, the idea that there is a summer holiday period shared by most people has declined even if it has not disappeared. Families with children may be tied (more or less) to school holidays but the healthy and fit retired and those free from child care responsibilities can and do choose to holiday out of season.

I’m almost tempted to question why all those church activities should shut down during August when so many church members are probably not away on holiday at that time. I’m almost tempted, but not really, and not just because that is when it is currently most convenient for me to take my holidays. No, I’m not convinced that we should be an activity-driven fifty-two-week-a-year church because I think it is good for us to have a rest from church activities. If leaders are not to burn out and participants not to become jaded we need a rest, a time when we do something else, or perhaps just do nothing. Then we can return, refreshed and ready to go for a new church year.

In the meantime as worship continues, seven days a week, fifty two weeks a year, both public and private, I wish you all a happy holiday, whatever you may do, wherever you may be and whenever you may take it.

Trevor