Does going to church every Sunday matters to you?

@kixsh101 (2103)
Philippines
January 11, 2009 1:10am CST
I am a devoted Catholic but sadly I don't have the complete attendance when it comes to going to church every Sunday. Although it is an obligation for us Catholics to go to church every seventh day of the week, there are some instances that come along the way and we can't help it but just missed it. How about you? How do you deal with this kind of situations? Situations where you should go to church or not? Do you weigh your reasons properly?
3 people like this
23 responses
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
11 Jan 09
lol...i went to catholic school for 7 or 8 years...and we went to church twice a week...THEN i had to go on sunday with my parents. (and if you werent there they would know cuz it was a small community) i developed a very negative look on church...i hated it...now my parents let me decide if i want to go or not..cuz i am 18 but i choose not to go at all...i havent been to church in about 2 years...and just because i hate it...im not really a believer in god but who knows...after having that stuff pounded into my head..its just a little bit hard to go back to all of that...plus ive sinned so much im going to hell anyways lol so ill live it up without the church HAHA
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Jan 09
I honestly believe that if a person's faith is true that going to church shouldn't be a big deal. If you know that you believe in a higher power and that you trust it with your fate, then church won't further prove that you believe. I view church as a place of congregation and social opportunity and a way to give back to your community.
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
12 Jan 09
well then i guess i dont have faith! haha whatever
• Philippines
11 Jan 09
i'm a devoted catholic before and same to you ..got no complete attendance specially sunday mass. but i got it right with the right faith i have.i attended church service not only sunday but also thursday..i attended church service twice a day..so cool than before..it is required to all of us..according to the the bible it should be supposed daily..but since we wouldn't be able to meet the criteria...we made it twice a week.
• United States
12 Jan 09
worldbestwriter2008: Where in the bible does it say every day? I don't see that in my bible. It does say that you should meet regularly with other christians but no where does it say daily or even two times a week.
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
11 Jan 09
I don't get to church every Sunday either but that doesn't mean I'm a bad person, I still believe in the lord and I have received many answered prayers so I know God is there and very much aware of my needs, disabilities and wants. I think it's OK to make a deal with God that he's not coming to your house Sunday and you won't make it to his either. Just my opinion of course.
1 person likes this
@kixsh101 (2103)
• Philippines
11 Jan 09
Yes that doesn't mean you or I are bad. And about the "ok" thingy well... If that's your view then so be it. But I'm certain that God want's us to do something for Him too. Happy Mylotting friend!
1 person likes this
@mikkymyde (182)
• Nigeria
11 Jan 09
It's good to fellowship with people of God on sundays but i'm trying to keep up to that because i've not been going regularly
1 person likes this
• Philippines
11 Jan 09
well, i am a christian and i go to church every sunday. but there are also times that i fail to come due to some inevitable circumstances. anyway, for me, going to church matters because i grow as a person and as a christian. if i'm not able to attend, i'll to try to make it up next sunday. if i really want to go to church and if i really love God, for sure i'll find the will and the time for me to go. i go to church not out of my obligation as a christian but out of my love for God.
@kixsh101 (2103)
• Philippines
11 Jan 09
It's good to hear that! And fortunately that is what I'm trying to stress here! Cheers!
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Jan 09
Going to church every Sunday is really important to me, and I try not to miss out. Of course there are the occasional times when I get sick, or have something to work on, but overall I try to make it every time. It's more than just a routine to me, it's a place where I can fellowship with other believers and learn more about how to grow as a Christian. I really don't think it's essential for salvation or anything, but I do believe it's important.
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
12 Jan 09
oh yes... it matters a lot to me... i never absent myself from the sunday church service unless if i am really sick and can't get out from the bed... otherwise, i will go no matter what happen... we are created by Him and it is just the right thing to do if we worship Him as our Creator at least once a week every sunday... take care and have a nice day...
• United States
12 Jan 09
I thought Catholics went to church of Sunday which is the first day to the week. As for me, except when I'm not feeling well, I attend two church services every Sunday. I go to the Episcopal church's early service because I prefer their Communion service and to an independent Christian church because that's the church I grew up in and I think the preacher has excellent sermons. I don't like to miss church on Sunday morning, but there are other services during the week that at times I just don't want to attend, so I don't, and I don't feel guilty for not going to those services. I would feel guilty if I missed Sunday services.
@mods196621 (3652)
• Philippines
12 Jan 09
I am a catholic also and I responded to this obligation every sunday go to church and hear the mass. I always present if there is mass because me and my husband are church choir. He is the guitarist and one of my friend is pianist and we (wife) as the partners of them are the singer together with our friends. Not only on sundays we are there but if there is mass that no other available choir to sing. We also visits other parishes to sing if they have gatherings.
@trm820 (222)
• United States
12 Jan 09
When I was a child I enjoyed going to church because I enjoyed Sunday school. I went to a church once for quite awhile that I wanted to become baptized to but my mother would not allow it. Why? Because it was her worry that I may later on in life decide that I wanted a different religion, I was like ten years old at the time. Also, my mother never went to church, as it had been her belief that one does not need to go in order to believe in God, and as I have gotten older, that is my belief as well. However, I am part of a church in Michigan, and it is the only one I will be part of because I do not find myself falling asleep. I live in Kentucky for now, moved here a couple of months ago, so when I return home, I may go back to the church where I had gotten baptized at when I had been like eighteen years old. I am now thirty-two. Oh, and one more thing, when my granny was alive, before she lost her sight, my mother did something very special for her, she got baptized, at the church that I attend. Happy Mylotting. :)
• Philippines
12 Jan 09
I don't know why I worried a lot if I not able to attend mass. My week is not complete if I missed one mass. :( There's an emptiness inside. In the church I find peacefulness, often times I forget what is happening in the world, the crisis, the daily hardships I encounter. :) in the church I often forget when plans go wrong, when love has failed, when the shelf is empty or the stove is cold. I often times forget that in my life there is a time that a joy of the world stops. :) It strengthen me, and keeps me alive,helps me to realize and appreciate that life is wonderful, and there's a lot of reasons why should I treasure everything....
12 Jan 09
Your words could be speaking for me too.My weekly time at mass brings a peace that carries me thru the week.
• Philippines
13 Jan 09
yes, it is our duty to go to church every sunday. moreover it's God's command. in hebrews 10:25, if i'm not mistaken it says don't forget coming together for fellowship. in some situations, yes there are times that we can't go to church but we should always try to find time for it we have a lot of excuses ha ha ha. in cases of catholics you have several services, maybe you can find time to attend any of their services.
@jarnold51 (124)
• United States
12 Jan 09
I am a devoted Christian but not a Catholic. If you love God and are a Christian you should want to meet with other christians and worship God, who is so wonderful. But sometimes things happen and we can't attend church. My church is on the internet and when we can't attend, we watch and participate through the internet. Being a Christian is a matter of faith and what is in your heart. If you have Christ "in your heart" then you will try to live the way you should and try to follow his directions in your life. Attending church, good works, etc. do not secure you a place in heaven. Only faith in Christ will do that. This is the message of the New Testament and is repeated over and over in the Bible. It says: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved." Not Believe and attend church and do good works, etc. Sadly, many people feel that they need to make it more difficult than it is. How could anything a person do measure up to receive our magnificent God's attention, much less get us into heaven. Faith is all it takes!
@joniebee (182)
14 Jan 09
I don't believe in organised religion but i would like to add that if you have faith and you are a good catholic,Would you be sent to hell for not going to church?Would god be annoyed with you?Pray at home and live your life without guilt,You only get one shot.
@ivygrey (550)
• Philippines
12 Jan 09
I am not catholic, but in my religion we have to attend church services every Sunday, I'm used to this and i having nothing against it. Maybe beacuse my parents had brought us up this way, Which i think is very helpful to me, because i'm only human and i have sinned too but going to church reminded me to do good things and God is always there for everyone who call for him.
• United States
12 Jan 09
Hi kixsh101, thank you for the discussion. For me Jesus, Church its my whole life and I don't miss. I am there whenever the doors are open, I also teach Sunday School in mornings, sing in the choir for Sunday evening services, help clean the church, and bake weekly for our friday prayer and fellowship meetings. If I ever have to miss for illness or an out of town emergency, I call the Pastor and let him know, what and why. If we are out of town on vacation, we find a Church to attend. I love God so much, and he has done so much for me and my family, that I will not be disrepect Him by not attending church regularly. We have 2 Sunday Services, 1 midweek service and a Friday nite fellowship we attend them all faithfully. Being too tired, being to busy, football, sports, etc are not good reasons to miss Church, unfortuately we live in a day and time where we put ourselves and our needs before the desire of God's heart for us. Best wishes! Be happy, Be joyful, Be safe, Be strong! oohcute2340
• Philippines
12 Jan 09
If you are a Catholic and you know the ten commandments you will see that you have to honor the Sabbath Day. In our religion it is on Sunday that is our day of giving thanks to the Lord and hear mass. It is a day of obligation for us. But it isn't we go to church on Sunday because we don't want to commit sin. We go to church to hear mass, celebrate Christ and his sufferings for us and take the Holy Communion. About your questions if going to church every Sunday matters to me. Yes, it matters to me. I go to church to be with Christ, to hear mass, to take communion. I love going to church on Sundays.
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
12 Jan 09
i was brought up cathic and made to go to church every sunday and ccd twice a week. but now i don't go to church that much for different reasons.
@mazdakid (347)
• Philippines
12 Jan 09
hi there kixsh101! i am also a Roman Catholic. going to Church every Sunday, like all our fellow Catholics, is 50% mandatory and 50% expression of gratitude and faith. in my case this is also the case. but i focus more on the expression of gratitude and faith, and the "mandatory requirement by our Catholic faith" comes in as secondary purpose. for me, going to Mass is a form of celebration to thank God for all the blessings that He keeps on giving me and others. it is also a form of celebration of faith since a Mass is composed of readings, homilies with values to keep in our hearts, prayers and of course, receiving Christ in the form of the Eucharist. on the other aspect, going to Church is a mandatory requirement for all Catholics. although we are only required to receive communion once a year (receiving communion under the state of mortal and venial sin is prohibited), we are expected to go to Mass every Sunday, unless there are valid reasons for us not to go (serious injury, lack of a Catholic church in the country you visited, etc.). but for me, we should not focus too much on this technicality. what's important is that we always go to Mass regularly to thank the Lord and to celebrate with Him. thanks for reading and happy mylotting! =)
@Frederick42 (2024)
• Canada
12 Jan 09
No, it does not matter in the least. I have not been to church for several yeras. It is not an important thing at all, at least not for me. In my opinion, God is everywhere and I can feel him everywhere. Thus, I have entered into a personal relationship with God.