Tradition!

Tradition!
by Marilyn Mackenzie



Have you ever wondered about some of the traditions of your church? You just might be surprised at their origins.



TRADITION FOR THE SAKE OF TRADITION

This is a story told at a Lay Speaker's class on worship held in Houston, Texas, March, 2000. I received permission back then to share it where I wanted, since the message is an important one. The story may or may not be true. But it could be.




A new pastor arrived at a church, and on his first Sunday as the Affirmation of Faith was announced, the entire congregation stood and turned towards the back of the church.

During the week, the pastor discussed the matter with some church leaders. Most had no idea why they all turned towards the back of the church. Some came up with some justifications. Perhaps it was because they were to take the message to the world. Generation after generation had been doing the Affirmation that way and it continued.

The pastor came in the next Sunday and asked the congregation to face the cross when they did the Affirmation of Faith. In spite of his request, tradition won, and they all turned to face the back of the church.

The pastor decided the next week to do some research into the matter. He discovered that years and years ago, before there were copiers and printed bulletins, one of the leaders of the church had carefully printed the words of the Affirmation on the back wall. That wall had long since been taken out and replaced by glass doors. But the tradition of facing the back wall went on! People back then faced the wall so they could read the words.




Our instructor asked us to go back to our home church and research why some of the traditions in our own churches existed. Tradition itself is not bad, but tradition for the sake of tradition may be.