Yesterday I accompanied my wife to her church. Organized religion is not
my thing, but I try to support her spiritual program just as she
supports my AA activities. Sometimes I try to make her think I’m doing
her a favor by going with her, but the truth is I like her church. Just
like AA meetings, I feel better when I’m walking out of church than I
did before I walked in. As I sat in church yesterday I thought about the
similarities between church and AA and how lucky we alcoholics are to
have the program we have.
I enjoy the devotional singing the most. My wife’s church features a
six piece band complete with drums, keyboard, and bass guitar. They
play modern worship songs with a rock beat. I sing off-key but
fortunately the rest of the congregation drowns me out. When I am
singing worship songs I feel my channel open, making way for HP to flow
into my consciousness. I’m wondering if we should begin our AA meetings
with a few songs, just to get the juices flowing? (just kidding)
I notice a number of church members have service roles just like
some of us serve our AA meetings. They greet the worshipers, act as
ushers and collect the offering. The church supports a full calendar of
events and activities, providing additional opportunities for members to
serve. Just like in our meetings, the ones doing the service seem like
the happiest people in the room.
Some of the members stand in the front after the service to pray for
those who need a little extra help. I wonder if anyone ever asks their
prayer partner for their phone numbers? I’m sure meaningful
relationships develop between church members, but I doubt if many of
them go as deep at the sponsor-sponsee relationships in AA.
The sermon usually contains one or two spiritual thoughts I can
apply to my recovery. Yesterday’s sermon was about carrying the message
to non-believers. The minister shared some strategies about how to spot
opportunities to deliver the message to others. It wasn’t a hard sell
program, but it made me grateful nevertheless that AA is based on
attraction rather than promotion. An endless supply of drunks comes to
us. We don’t have to go out and drag them off bar stools. No one is
going to try to “introduce” AA to anyone unless they ask for it.
The bible is loaded with spiritual wisdom and instruction, but I
wonder how many people in church yesterday have ever taken a searching
and fearless inventory of themselves. How many shared their guilt and
fear with another? Maybe all these folks aren’t suffering like I was
before AA, but I bet some of them are. Without the 12-steps I wonder how
these people will heal and find peace.
As we filed out of the sanctuary at the end of the service, the
energy felt like the end of an AA meeting. People were talking,
laughing, and making plans. As we made our way to the exit I thought
about how grateful I am that I don’t have to wait a week for the next
meeting. I don’t believe one meeting a week would cut it for me.