# Is inclement weather a reason to cancel church?



## shackleton (Dec 9, 2007)

Where I live there is not much snow (anymore) but there is a lot of freezing rain. A big ice storm blew in this Saturday night and by Sunday morning there were a number of churches that had the closings listed on the morning news, just like school closings, and it made me wonder if church should close, (for the safety of people attending since a lot of Reformed people have to drive almost an hour to church), or should they stay open?


----------



## Guido's Brother (Dec 9, 2007)

Up here in the Great White North, we do have the odd time that we cancel church due to the weather. Basically, I think if the local police are advising that people stay off the road unless it's an emergency, we should cancel. Besides in really poor weather, a lot of people are going to be staying home anyway.


----------



## Kevin (Dec 9, 2007)

Guido's Brother said:


> Up here in the Great White North, we do have the odd time that we cancel church due to the weather. Basically, I think if the local police are advising that people stay off the road unless it's an emergency, we should cancel. Besides in really poor weather, a lot of people are going to be staying home anyway.



What he said.

Here we can get 2 feet of snow at a time. Trust me you are not going to be anywhere that morning.


----------



## Arch2k (Dec 9, 2007)

Our church canceled Sunday morning, something they don't take lightly. I believe our session usually will not cancel unless one of the local PCA churches cancels first. That being said, we enjoyed a wonderful evening service after the roads were cleared.


----------



## Semper Fidelis (Dec 9, 2007)

Hmmm....

Uh, yes inclement weather is a reason.

During Typhoon Conditions 1-E when the winds are in excess of 150 knots, do you believe that God wants me to put my children in helmet and flak, risk having our van overturned by high winds and risk death to attend Church?


----------



## etexas (Dec 9, 2007)

Jeff_Bartel said:


> Our church canceled Sunday morning, something they don't take lightly. I believe our session usually will not cancel unless one of the local PCA churches cancels first. That being said, we enjoyed a wonderful evening service after the roads were cleared.


Why do you wait on us good PCA folk? What are we your guinnia pigs?


----------



## Arch2k (Dec 9, 2007)

etexas said:


> Jeff_Bartel said:
> 
> 
> > Our church canceled Sunday morning, something they don't take lightly. I believe our session usually will not cancel unless one of the local PCA churches cancels first. That being said, we enjoyed a wonderful evening service after the roads were cleared.
> ...


 
I think that the reformed churches are the last to call off Sunday morning, so if they do, it is generally a sign of how bad the roads are.


----------



## etexas (Dec 9, 2007)

Jeff_Bartel said:


> etexas said:
> 
> 
> > Jeff_Bartel said:
> ...


Just as long as you are not "using" the PCA! By the way Jeff, you did see my wfe and I left the Angican Communion and went Presbyterian! (oops derailing a thread....PM if you have any ?'s)


----------



## Arch2k (Dec 9, 2007)

Very nice! Congrats and welcome!


----------



## No Longer A Libertine (Dec 9, 2007)

SemperFideles said:


> Hmmm....
> 
> Uh, yes inclement weather is a reason.
> 
> During Typhoon Conditions 1-E when the winds are in excess of 150 knots, do you believe that God wants me to put my children in helmet and flak, risk having our van overturned by high winds and risk death to attend Church?


If you love Him...
Couldn't you have church in the eye of the storm?


----------



## etexas (Dec 9, 2007)

Jeff_Bartel said:


> Very nice! Congrats and welcome!


We are both very happy in the PCA.


----------



## Davidius (Dec 9, 2007)

I agree that it would be expedient to cancel worship services due to inclement weather.


----------



## jfschultz (Dec 9, 2007)

In August of 1969, the Sunday evening service for the Pensacola Theological Institute was moved to 2:00 PM due to an expected hurricane. It ended up turning west and hit Mississippi hard.

It was a very memorable service. Power was lost just as we got to an obscure hymn. At someone's suggestion, we switched to Holy, Holy, Holy. Even today the third verse hits home. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached a great sermon on the "Acid Test of the Christian Profession." After rejecting orthodoxy, morality, and experience; he explained how one test would include all three. The acid test is how the Christian responds to the prospect of the end.


----------



## tellville (Dec 10, 2007)

Guido's Brother said:


> Up here in the Great White North, we do have the odd time that we cancel church due to the weather. Basically, I think if the local police are advising that people stay off the road unless it's an emergency, we should cancel. Besides in really poor weather, a lot of people are going to be staying home anyway.



I've already experienced that and I've only lived in Langley a few months! Churches never closed when I lived in Edmonton. Of course, my church not meeting might be a little skewed. See, Kwanglim meets every single day except Saturday (not because of some sort of seventh-day adventist thing, but because the Pastors need a break!) so last Monday, during the crazy snow storm, we cancelled the service. During the week we have a Worship service everyday at 6:00 AM, full worship including sermon.


Anyway, I agree with RIch, if there is an exponentially greater risk that you will die on your way to church, better stay at home and worship with the family!


----------



## Pergamum (Dec 10, 2007)

No need to risk things without cause. It is no mark of greater holiness to foolishly drive through a blizzard. Of course, a few scattered flakes is NOT a blizzard!


----------



## Romans922 (Dec 10, 2007)

I would think if weather reasons did cancel church, that fathers should take it in their hands to do family worship (moreso than usual)???


----------



## Amazing Grace (Dec 10, 2007)

Romans922 said:


> I would think if weather reasons did cancel church, that fathers should take it in their hands to do family worship (moreso than usual)???



Or you can always sit home and watch TBN....


----------



## govols (Dec 10, 2007)

Pergamum said:


> No need to risk things without cause. It is no mark of greater holiness to foolishly drive through a blizzard. Of course, a few scattered flakes is NOT a blizzard!



You haven't been to ATL in the winter when we have a few flakes flying around, have ya? 

The place shuts down, bread, milk, etc. are gone off the shelves before you can get to them.


----------



## Pergamum (Dec 10, 2007)

Ha, local abilities or inabilities I guess can also be factored in... regional differences in the definition of blizzards is acceptable maybe!......


----------



## Reformed Covenanter (Dec 10, 2007)

shackleton said:


> Where I live there is not much snow (anymore) but there is a lot of freezing rain. A big ice storm blew in this Saturday night and by Sunday morning there were a number of churches that had the closings listed on the morning news, just like school closings, and it made me wonder if church should close, (for the safety of people attending since a lot of Reformed people have to drive almost an hour to church), or should they stay open?




Hmm...the early Covenanters did not "shut up shop" when the dragoons were coming to kill them; however, whever or not the comparison is a fair one is debateable? What do others think?


----------



## Pergamum (Dec 10, 2007)

I don't think the analogy holds. 

The Covenanters had to make a point. 

What is the point of driving through a blizzard?...... unless the Pope could cast a spell and set up a snowy hindrance for the sole purpose of hindering Christians from assembling. 


He DOES look like the EMmperor wizard guy from Star Wars, so maybe he can cast a Sith spell, huh?


----------



## Reformed Covenanter (Dec 10, 2007)

Pergamum said:


> I don't think the analogy holds.
> 
> The Covenanters had to make a point.
> 
> ...



I am not sure it does either; I suppose the question is whether or not we know that the weather is so bad that no one could get to a service safely? The Covenanters could have got their without being killed in a blizzard, what happened to them when they arrived was a different matter.


----------



## Kevin (Dec 10, 2007)

Daniel Ritchie said:


> shackleton said:
> 
> 
> > Where I live there is not much snow (anymore) but there is a lot of freezing rain. A big ice storm blew in this Saturday night and by Sunday morning there were a number of churches that had the closings listed on the morning news, just like school closings, and it made me wonder if church should close, (for the safety of people attending since a lot of Reformed people have to drive almost an hour to church), or should they stay open?
> ...




I think that this is a question asked by a person who has never lived though a Canadian winter.

The question is not *should* you go to church, the question is *can* you go. It is sometimes the case that you can not get you car on the road. Let alone drive on a unplowed road. 

It simply is a physical impossibility. Period.

BTW the covenanters all lived & worshiped within walking distance of their fellow church members.

This is a silly question.


----------



## Amazing Grace (Dec 10, 2007)

Daniel Ritchie said:


> shackleton said:
> 
> 
> > Where I live there is not much snow (anymore) but there is a lot of freezing rain. A big ice storm blew in this Saturday night and by Sunday morning there were a number of churches that had the closings listed on the morning news, just like school closings, and it made me wonder if church should close, (for the safety of people attending since a lot of Reformed people have to drive almost an hour to church), or should they stay open?
> ...



Daniel probably has a bunch of oral tales speaking of the Covenanters risking life and limb just to make it to worship. Kinda like Clint Eastwood in the gauntlet. And they also walked 10 miles uphill both ways barefoot!!!!!


----------



## shackleton (Dec 10, 2007)

I think to some degree churches were closing so that the older people would not get out and potentially fall on the ice, because they would most likely come no matter what the weather was like.


----------



## Reformed Covenanter (Dec 10, 2007)

Kevin said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> > shackleton said:
> ...



True, I have never lived through a Canadian winter. However, the question of whether or not a risk to your life is a valid reason for not attending a service is a valid question, and so it helps to draw comparisons with other situations. Moreover, I have already indicated that the comparison is not the best, but raising issues such as this helps us to clarify matters further.


----------



## calgal (Dec 10, 2007)

Daniel Ritchie said:


> Kevin said:
> 
> 
> > Daniel Ritchie said:
> ...



I agree with Kevin. It appears to me that you are saying people should risk life and limb to attend church or you consider them less Christian than thou. Thank Providence our elders disagree and WILL cancel church when the parking lot is a sheet of ice or there is a tornado warning. Last winter when we had a bad storm Saturday/Sunday, even the local United Reformed, Protestant Reformed and Missionary Baptist churches did NOT meet. And that is when you KNOW it is bad weather! 

Note also that churches are cancelled when there is a lot of ice on the roads, there is a tornado warning or other natural disaster. When the California fires (2003) were blazing, church was cancelled that night all over the region due to the danger. And IMNSHO, being utterly lacking in common sense is NOT a good witness. Especially to the overburdened cops and emergency workers who HAVE to be out in the elements.  Personal safety and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Christ IS part of caring for the body. And unnecessary risktaking is not taking care of our "weaker" brothers and sisters. Especially the elderly and infirm.


----------



## satz (Dec 10, 2007)

Daniel Ritchie said:


> shackleton said:
> 
> 
> > Where I live there is not much snow (anymore) but there is a lot of freezing rain. A big ice storm blew in this Saturday night and by Sunday morning there were a number of churches that had the closings listed on the morning news, just like school closings, and it made me wonder if church should close, (for the safety of people attending since a lot of Reformed people have to drive almost an hour to church), or should they stay open?
> ...



I am not familiar with the history of the Covenanters, but could the difference be the fact that in that case, their christianity was specifically being made an issue, whereas in the current discussion this is not the case? So the covenanters were facing an issue whereby someone was specifically putting their christianity to the test, much like Daniel and King Darius. On the other hand not travelling through dangerous weather is more of a practical consideration.

I apologize if I have made undue assumptions about history!


----------



## 2 Tim 4:2 (Dec 10, 2007)

We say we should not risk our families during inclement weather but should we risk our families when we persecuted and told it is not legal to worship? What would be the difference between the two? would you risk your family during persecution where as you wouldn't during inclement weather?


----------



## Reformed Covenanter (Dec 10, 2007)

satz said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> > shackleton said:
> ...



That is an excellent point; I think that is the difference between the two situations.


----------



## Reformed Covenanter (Dec 10, 2007)

> I agree with Kevin. It appears to me that you are saying people should risk life and limb to attend church or you consider them less Christian than thou.



I can assure you that I did not say that; the point is to raise an example to see if the analogy holds - in this case I don't think it does.


----------



## Amazing Grace (Dec 10, 2007)

Daniel Ritchie said:


> > I agree with Kevin. It appears to me that you are saying people should risk life and limb to attend church or you consider them less Christian than thou.
> 
> 
> 
> I can assure you that I did not say that; the point is to raise an example to see if the analogy holds - in this case I don't think it does.



Daniel, obviously you are not speaking English... I have seen you deny this thought aimed against you 4 times now.

Ill join in for the fun of it.

Daniel Ritchie, how could you be so curt to say we should risk our life going to worship just becasue the Covenanters went risking their lives...sheeesh WHat a terrible analogy....


----------



## Reformed Covenanter (Dec 10, 2007)

Amazing Grace said:


> Daniel Ritchie said:
> 
> 
> > > I agree with Kevin. It appears to me that you are saying people should risk life and limb to attend church or you consider them less Christian than thou.
> ...



Actually, Nicholas if you keep arguing like that I may even be inclined to accept the initial argument.


----------

