How Often Do You Go to A House of Worship?

I've been I think 25 times total (not counting weddings and such -- going for the religious service.)

Each grandma (different religions) took me and hoped I'd see the light several times each, and when I was most curious in H.S. I went to many different ones -- the most vivid experience was Southern Baptist (I think -- now I'm not sure) complete with speaking in tongues and people being saved/ going into convulsions.

So I guess that's somewhere between rarely on the Sabbath and never.

Hey, Phoenix. Haven't been one time since we moved to Florida. I realized that church going is just an extension of my social life. I do miss singing in the choir, however.

Usually on Sunday and holydays for the liturgy.
Couple of times a month for religious ed.
Sometimes just drop in and sit a spell.

At one point in my life I was on a shopping spree of religion and visited many different types of houses of worship. Some I visited only once, others I went to for years.

After this binge I settled on the great outdoors as my church and I spend a lot of time there.

Lately I've been crossing paths with Quaker thought and I've considered going to one of their meetings just to see what its all about.

To more directly answer your question, I go to the Presbyterian church every 8 weeks to donate blood.

I go for weddings and funerals. My family stopped attending catholic services when I was about 5 years old. Ihave a hard time getting through the mass part of the funeral services without rolling my eyes. Terrible.

I also go into churches to check out historical architecture and art - as in the visit I made to St Francis Cathedrale in Assissi, to the gothic church in Barga, etc. I do like the architecture of churches.

I went to a Catholic school. My mother went to church on Sundays (but has her own particular beliefs); my father only for weddings, baptisms, funerals... I hardly ever went to church as a child, even if I learned about religion at school.

In very special, and sparse moments in my life, I've entered a church and found special peace.
The last time I went to a service, it was at my father's funeral, in 1991.

littlek made a good point I hadn't thought about. Does visiting a church to admire its architecture, frescoes, stained glass windows, etc. (especially hen traveling) count? I checked your poll, Phoenix, that I only go to weddings and funerals, but that isn't strictly true, of course. I do admire a good looking place of worship. Whenever in Tuscon, I can't stay away from the Mission of St. Xavier, just outside the city. When I was visiting Damscus, Syria, back in the 1980s, I did the grand tour of the Omayyad Mosque, the second largest place of Muslim worship in the world, I believe. So does that count? Or are you talking strictly about faith-based visits?

I go 4 times a week. Actually 5 cause on Saturday's I go twice.

I go to worship God.

I go to praise God.

I go to here his word.

I go to fellowship with other believers.


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I go to weddings and Bar and Bat Mitzvot. Jewish funerals aren't held in the synagogue (they're held in the funeral home and then there is a graveside service). Used to go a lot more frequently when I was in school, up to the end of college.

I go on yearly holidays and on Shabbat. I am looking to get involved in social activities eventually. I go to a Jewish college so that is a social Jewish thing anyway, besides services. Though it is true that many of the students are quite a bit older than I am and that is a small barrier, especially since I've been so unapproachable lately. Always off in my own little world. I'm ranting again.

Nobody ever invites me to weddings. or funerals. Well, that's not true. I went to a wedding a few months ago, but that's the only one I've been to that I have been old enough to remember.

Weddings and funerals occasionally.
Sometimes (very rarely) as a tourist.
I prefer cemetaries to 'places of worship'.
I have subscriptions to two concert series that are held in churches because of the superb acoustics.

EB,

I thought you were going to say you had subscriptions to two concert series that are held in cemeteries.

ha!

I'm with ehBeth, weddings, funerals, the occasional Bar Mitzvah (rare these days, as I get older), and as a tourist, just to admire the architecture and the art. As for the cemetery thing, I still have some cool photos of gravestones a female friend took while we were frolicking as teen goths through Mt. Pleasant.

I took my father to a synagogue in Vancouver. I think he was trying to make his peace with his religion....a religion which he had abandoned...we were raised in the Ethical Society meeting rooms.

As I sat through the service my first thought was: "I'm not Jewish, and I never will be."
The incantations were weird and foreign to my ears, but the longevity of the customs were awe-inspiring.

dauer, are you at Brandeis?

Jespah,

nope. I'm at Hebrew College. It used to be called Hebrew Teachers' College, and was located in Brookline. Now it's moved to Newton Centre, right next to the Andover Theological Seminary. They have a couple bachelor's and master's programs, as well as certificate programs, adult ed, an inter-denominational rabbinical seminary, and a new cantorial program. I was at Umass-Boston, but the closest I could come to Judaic Studies there was a course on Jesus, Moses, and Buddha.

Once I've matriculated, most likely in January, half of my credits will be coming from another school anyway, and I think one of the schools working in conjunction with HC may be Brandeis, but I would rather get my other credits in a less Jewish environment so I have exposure to a wider variety of ideas and people.

Hey, your school isn't too far from where we live (Brighton)! We had a gathering recently; I'll try to remember to steer you to the planning topic for the next one, once there is a next one, if you like.

Sure, that sounds cool. An a2k gathering?