Ok, I am admitting it, I am a total “Gleek. Have you heard that word: Gleek? It is really a combination of two words: geek and glee. The word has been coined by fans of the TV show Glee and has even become a central piece of the TV show’s advertising. Much like fans of Justin Bieber are now catching “Bieber Fever” and a few years ago fans of Clay Aiken wanted to be called “Claymates” and wanted to join the “Claynation,” Gleeks are obsessed with everything Glee, even to the point where they are proud, not offended, when others call them geeks, dorks, or even losers. And while I try to be cool and sophisticated enough to avoid the title “Gleek” the fact is my 93 song playlist on my mp3 player (all music from the TV show and all covers of pop music or popular show tunes) testifies to something different – especially since this particular playlist has been, as a DJ would put it, “in heavy rotation.” Shoot, I even tried playing my Glee playlist during a church supper prep-party last spring – although I think those helping me bake pies were less amused and more confused than anything else.
So I confess, I am obsessed with Glee. From its wicked sense of humor, to its high quality production values (this is not your average high school Glee club singers), and it’s wonderfully melodramatic take on high school life, I find Glee endlessly entertaining. However, the thing that really makes me a Gleek is its sense of joy and celebration of life. When most TV dramas are about the gritty underbelly of life or the huge emotional tolls people experience in the midst of crisis, and when most comedies have become about irony, dry wit, and absurdity, it’s refreshing to watch a show that seems to say, “Hey, nothing is so bad that a little song and a little dance won’t make it better.”
But this is not a P.R. blitz for a TV show, or even a commentary on our culture, but instead it’s about church. Recently I was in a meeting with other ministers and church elders where the conversation turned to church survival. In this day in age, church survival is a common topic actually. Many of you probably had conversations about this very thing. How is the church going to survive? Less people, less money, less resources. All of this makes us nervous.
However, as I write this I’m also trying to plan for my next sermon – a sermon that will be given at a church that has had a sermon preached every Sunday (weather permitting) for over 200 hundred years. It’s a church that still sings it’s favorite hymns every week, still baptizes babies on a regular basis, and celebrates communion at least 4 times a year. It’s a church that made its annual budget last year, and even if it hadn’t, history has shown it has always found a way to “be church” even when there wasn’t enough money.
So I guess my point is this: I think we need to more “Gleek-ee” about our churches. There’s nothing so bad about the state of the church in the world today that a little song and a little dance won’t help. In fact, we’re fine. And maybe instead of worrying ourselves to death about the legacy we’re leaving because what we are, or are not doing, we should celebrate the moment. The moment when a faithful group of believers, no matter how small, and no matter how geeky it is labeled by others, shows up in one place and sings about what matters most to them – and in turn ends up singing about their joy and celebrating life. I cannot predict the future just as I cannot control whether or not people in the future will care enough to keep the doors of my church open. But right now, at this moment, there’s a lot to sing and dance about, and I don’t want to miss out on it because I’m worried about something I can’t control. Moreover, if any group in the world should be “Gleeks,” shouldn’t it be the Church? We are made promises, by God, about how much we are loved and how the Church will be preserved forever. What are we so worried about that we can’t roll back on our heels, take a huge breath of air, and belt out a tune that will make the world want to join?
