# Did you attend church today? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 12, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505 "2010-09-12T14:31:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505/101 "2010-09-13T22:25:36Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > I’m surprised that non-Catholics had the same Gospel reading as us. The [Revised Common Lectionary](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Common_Lectionary), based on the Catholic one, is also in use in many Protestant churches. So the Gospel (and other) readings will often be in common across a number of churches on any given Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505/102 "2010-09-13T23:41:08Z")
I didn’t, but I’ll share a sign I once saw outside a church at about this time of year (i.e. the start of NFL season): “Let’s meet at my house Sunday, before the game. --God.” Hey, I thought it was pretty clever! ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505/103 "2010-09-14T00:13:32Z")
No. The Bible says not to pray in public, but in thy closet, like my president. I fergit which chapter & verse. My favorite passage, though, is Exodus 31:15. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505/104 "2010-09-14T00:34:01Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > No. The Bible says not to pray in public, but in thy closet… I fergit which chapter & verse. Matthew, chapter 6, verse 6 ([cite](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6&version=NIV)): > [@](#): > > But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. I may not have gone to church yesterday, but I guess I learned something from all those Sunday School Bible classes my parents sent me to as a child! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505/105 "2010-09-14T03:17:55Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > The [Revised Common Lectionary](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Common_Lectionary), based on the Catholic one, is also in use in many Protestant churches. So the Gospel (and other) readings will often be in common across a number of churches on any given Sunday. I so didn’t know that one. Thanks a lot, because I was banging my head that it could not be a coincidence but at the same time I wondered ow that could be. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505/106 "2010-09-14T03:44:59Z")
Yes. Though by now it was yesterday. Started at 10. Over just after 11. 11:10, usually, sometimes 11:05. I think the sermon was about tolerance, but I don’t know for sure–I was teaching Sunday school at the time. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505/107 "2010-09-14T06:42:16Z")
I wish. It was the highlight of my week before I was house bound. Also, seeing as the apostles met together every Saturday night/Sunday morning, I think Ignatz is misinterpreting the verse. That verse is mostly about not making a big deal out of your praying. And Hebrews 10:25 indicates that we are to not forsake that assembly. As for Exodus 31:15, I’m not going to get into that argument. But I will point out that the seventh day is Saturday. (See the Jewish calendar if you don’t believe me.) ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505/108 "2010-09-14T12:43:10Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > > [@FriarTed](#): > > > > Dangerosa, could you explain about yearly Water Communion? I can’t think of what that might be. > > I’m Unitarian. Unitarians don’t generally have universal rituals (lighting the chalice would be probably the only one), but a Water Communion is one that is often used, and often used on opening Sunday. Water is the “stuff of life” - necessary for life. It unites us. Because UUs are big on social justice (my congregation particularly so) we are reminded that all over the world people don’t have easy access to clean water. We think about thirst, and how sometimes we are spiritually parched. We bring in water from our summer travels or a place we love - that goes into bowls and is sterilized to use in dedications thoughout the year. We cleanse hands in a community bowl and take a sip back with us. Then, we drink as a community. > > (At least that was this year. Not being big on rituals, it changes a bit from year to year). > > This year we also tied it to a special collection for flooding victims in Pakistan. Thanks! That’s pretty cool. I’d never heard of it. I’m afraid I first thought of something from DUNE. _g_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-attend-church-today/553505.md?page=5)