If I lived in Louisiana, I’d be clearing this day on my schedule: Former Pastor Jerry DeWitt will be hosting the state’s first-ever “Secular Service” with a theme of “Joie De Vivre: To Delight In Being Alive”:
Our mission is to gather community while promoting a foundation of hope, trust, and love thus bridging tolerance through common secular values. We will bring the excitement into the hearts of freethinkers without exposing them to any supernatural aspects. We can provide all of the music, merriment, and ministry to our passionate growing secular crowd and still have it devoid of supernatural praise.
Think about those days when you went to church. How the preacher spoke passionately, so passionately that it resonated within your heart. At times it would often seem like he was speaking directly to you. No matter what his train of thought was, when he gave you the message you found a personal meaning. Think of how uplifting it was to not only hear, but feel the words.
We are not asking you to commit yourself to a church, or an idea, or even an ideology. We just wish that you come and join us and help us rejoice in simply being. You may find that this is something that helps you to analyze normal day to day activities that cause stress and deal with them in a secular way. This can be the answer to the lack of community within the secular movement.
The timing may have something to do with the fact that DeWitt is being filmed for a Kickstarter-funded documentary and his book will be released two days after the service — but don’t think that’ll diminish from the service.
Jerry is a guy you’d want to listen to even if it was just him and a microphone. Put him in front of an audience, get him back in full-on pastor-mode, and it’s bound to be a powerful service no matter what.
No word yet on whether this is first of many services or just a one-time thing, but I hope it continues. Keep in mind that the London-based Sunday Assembly is making its way over here, too, so we’re going to be seeing a lot more of these kinds of “atheist churches.” Even if you think it’s too “church-y” for you, it’s a nice point of transition, letting you enjoy the service and community without the supernatural unnecessary part.