If Churches Were Parks

Sometimes its best not to write but simply let someone else say what's on your mind - and I simply couldn't say it better than this!


If we tore down our church buildings and replaced them with parks would the buildings be missed? If churches were parks, there would be trees and grass and places for pleasant walks, neighbourhood families enjoying the changing seasons, and our “old ones” sitting on benches telling children stories of their lives and faith.

In the fall, as the leaves changed from green to yellow, orange and red, we could invite our friends and neighbours to corn roasts and BBQs; invite them to laugh with us, talk with us, and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation--in the park. We could leave the children something wonderful in a world gone mad.

In the winter we could roll in the snow with the neighbourhood children, throw snowballs, create snow sculptures, and grow to know each other again as we walked under trees heavy with hoar frost. At Christmas, we could string coloured lights, decorate a Christmas tree, savour the story of the nativity and sing carols under quiet stars.

If churches were parks we would have to forsake our games of power and our dreams of empire for pleasant walks, snow forts, corn roasts, Christmas trees, carol sings, Easter pageants, and heart to heart talks with those who need to know why we still believe in God.

If our churches were parks, all people could gather there; they could come whenever they wished, for there would be no locked doors or security windows on our parks--no stained glass windows to hide behind. Members of the church eating lunch in the park could strike up a conversation with a business person, university student, or shopper resting before heading home . . . admire the multi-colours of a group of teenagers and ask them if they are afraid of the world we have created for them; or angry because of the future we may have taken away from them.

Of course, we would find pain in our parks; lonely people, unhappy children, sullen youth. We might confront those trying to buy drugs in our parks. We might fear those who would hurt us and steal from us. If our churches were parks we would have to confront the world outside our buildings. We would have to be those who make peace and speak of redemption and hope rather than those who hide behind fortress walls and wish the world away.

When God started the world, He put His man and woman in a park. He chose to walk and talk with His creation in a park. When we were cast out of the park, we began to build towers, empires, cities and temples. We had to acquire and possess--not only the present, but the past and the future. We found ways to control our world and other persons. It’s hard to do this in a park.


Linda Cannell is Dean of Academic Life at North Park Theological
Seminary, Chicago, IL. She also directs CanDoSpirit Network

www.candospirit.org