Exposure

We did it, we voted.  I say we because I took the kids with me.  They did their usual kid thing, sort of squirming and twitching through the whole process, which was predictably and blessedly simple.  Caitlyn got a sticker that said, "I voted," just because it's a sticker.  As we were waiting for a booth to open up, one of the volunteers at the polling place was talking to us about her experience as a girl, going with her grandmother to vote, and really not wanting to stand up and wait, because her back hurt, and her grandmother's lack of sympathy.  However, even though she was remembering something that actually caused her pain, her face was happy and she remembered feeling a part of he process.
Here she was, years later, involved in the process of democracy, entirely as a volunteer, I suspect in large part because some adult in her life taught her and showed her that it was important.
I don't really have any guilt about dragging my kids to things, like church events, polling places and such, because it exposes them to what it means to be a part of society.  This morning wasn't a Mr. Rogers moment, where I taught them all about various political offices or even about politics in general, it was just a moment where they saw me doing something that I told them was important (see yesterday's blog).
The perpetual angst of the church about how to attract and engage a younger generation is, I suspect, a much bigger problem than anyone really wants to admit.  We lament the self-involvement of 20 somethings, the over-programmed life of 30 somethings, and we kind of cross our fingers and hope 40 somethings will wander back into the church.  I used to think that was going to be the case, but I don't see it happening.
But if people have never been exposed to the journey of faith, particularly as it is structured in the communities of the church, why and how would they ever decide to come?
It's one thing if they were dragged there as children, it's one thing if their parents modeled, perhaps imperfectly, that it was an important and vital facet of life, but what if their parents constantly griped about the service being too long or how Mrs. Jones was such a busybody, or the fact they don't like this or that about the church.  Why would anyone want to be a part of that?
I'm not trying to indoctrinate my children into any particular political mindset.  What I'm trying to do is show them that voting is important, and good, and that it's not all about the end result, it is very often about participating fully in the process.  I'm trying to do the same thing about church, I may be a bit more pushy about God and Jesus, but I'm trying to make their experience of church an important part of their lives.
It's not so important that they "get" something out of the experience, it is more important that they breathe the air and experience the community, in all it's weird glory.
I can certainly talk them through the questions and the theology as they grow up, in the same way as I can share with them the nuances of politics, but for now, I want to give them the exposure to a world where decisions are made, and values are expressed and where they can get a sense of what is important.
Many assumptions the church makes about what draws people are very much the same as the political system.  Why certainly people must want a relationship with God/voice in government.  Why surely, if we make it easy for them, if we make it painless and streamlined and maybe even give them cookies, they will show up.  Maybe if we gripe about how apathetic everybody seems to be, it will change their mind and get them through the door.
Voter turnout and church attendance data seem to indicate that these assumptions are incorrect.
It' s going to take more than stickers to turn things around.