I chuckled when I saw those words on the marquee of Episcopal Church of the Ascension when I visited to interview Rev. Kai Ryan. At the time, gas prices were about $1.50 more per gallon than they are today.
But beyond the cost of gasoline and the investment it takes to drive 15, 30, 45 minutes to attend a place of worship, I had to wonder: Is there an advantage to attending a church in your own neighborhood? Should we feel some sort of responsibility to our neighborhood churches and the changes they are (hopefully) trying to make in the communities in which we live?
I liked what Rev. John Thornton of Lake Highlands United Methodist had to say: “I think the church on the corner probably tends to be more aware of their community and their situation, and may offer them some connections, both spiritually and with their neighbors, that they may not get in the church across the freeway. The other thing about that is to be a part of the community and help strengthen the community through a church on a corner that’s trying to do that.”
