While enjoying the smorgasbord at my local Happy Joe's this past Sunday, after attending Church, I took a few moments to look around at the lovely interior of this small, family-friendly chain and truly marvel in its tackiness. My eyes happened upon the wall above the ticket exchange: "Happy Joe's - Prizes- Fun - Redemption". My gosh, or should I say my God? Happy Joe's is offering Redemption?
Maybe it wasn't tackiness I was noticing. Maybe this place truly had the aura of grace and comfort, a welcoming presence to families who were too tired to cook, who wanted nothing more than fresh pizza, carbonated sugar water and some good, old-fashioned cheap arcade games their kids could throw mom and dad's hard-earned money away in. Is Happy Joe's where all the precious 25-39 year old families have gone? Is this what the church (yes, all major American Christian churches are noticing a decline in membership from that key demographic - at least, as far as I know) should be doing to draw in its new members? Offer redemption and salvation for the mere cost of some arcade games and fresh, delicious pizza?
Was it just coincidence that my wife and I were talking about this very topic, not even 24 hours earlier on one of our lovely walks through our old, college kid-inhabited neighborhood. Young families are attending church less and less, or at least fewer young families are attending church frequently. Where are they getting their sense of community or spiritual fulfillment? Work, occasional school functions, sports - those are all valid places for community but what about spiritual fulfillment? What about God? Apparently, Happy Joe's is there for you, He's there to ease your stress, put a smile on your face, and fill you up with hot food and cool drinks.
"Movie Theaters are the new church of the masses, where people huddle in the dark, waiting for the people in the light to tell them what it is to be human" - 1930's movie critic. What are we waiting for? I get angry at the notion that redemption and enlightenment can be acquired via a motion picture or a hockey game. However, I'm very guilty of memorizing the names of directors of film and remembering key lines from 8-year old movies that have no relevance to my life. Why do I shy away from the print-rich world of scripture and liturgy; of Bible Studies and meditation; of simply reading the Good Word instead of watching a 1980s movie with Jeff Goldblum metamorphosing into a fly? I'm afraid I am turning into that Happy Joe that Happy Joe's strives for everyone to be. Coming back for fast, rich food; cheap soda; old arcade games; and a washy sense of community where people talk about everything but what really matters to them.
There is something positive in all this, though. At least there is some community, a place where we laugh and share together and break bread together. It shows that people yearn for the feeling of being needed, of being loved and loving others. The building doesn't really matter, Happy Joe's, a church, an old hockey arena; the community of people gathered together is what matters. Now, the only step left to take is to change the subject from family gossip and politics to something a bit more meaningful. At this point, it's all about taking that precious word down from the wall and putting it on the menu, so at least everyone is on the same page.
