Does Size Matter?

This past Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) I went to the local Methodist church – St. Luke United Methodist – for their Ash Wednesday service. There were not a lot of people attending, only slightly more than were in the choir. I could relate to the pastor’s feeling of disappointment in the size – I know what that is like. Just the night before we had a Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner and gospel service and I was a little disappointed with the turnout. I let wondering if people were really committed to the church and if it was worth having such programs if “no one” was going to attend. Maybe size does matter.
On Wednesday, I felt differently. Perhaps it was because I was not leading the service, but sitting in the congregation. Perhaps it had something to do with the solemn focus of Ash Wednesday, but I felt a connection with the Spirit in the service. I didn’t care how many people were around me, it didn’t matter. It did matter that I was in a gathered community, but numbers weren’t as important. Instead, it felt like a very meaningful, moving and intimate service that could not be replicated with the masses. So maybe size does not matter.
I think Wed’s lesson speaks for itself. I think it is very easy to fall into the counting game. I hope I can find the strength and conviction to worship God and lead others in worship regardless if there are 2 or 200 or 2,000. Perhaps size doesn’t matter.


Afterthought: all of this is based on the premise that the smaller the group the less it has to offer. Perhaps one should consider the inverse; the larger the group the less it has to offer.