I. Have. Had. Enough!

Okay, so I tried to get my local town Rec. Department to be considerate of sports schedules on Sunday.

To an abysmal failure.

The apathy from my other Protestant and Roman Catholic colleagues was, well, overwhelming.

Now, I've just learned that Spring Break in the Town of Chatham is scheduled for Holy Week.

Okay, the next sound you hear is that of my last nerve being pulled.

AAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!

This, after my staff and I have discerned and determined that the best way to learn about what it means to be Christian is to travel as a pilgrim in Holy Week. So, we have made it mandatory that staff, wardens and vestry, along with Confirmands, parents and sponsors attend all Holy Week services: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, The Great Vigil of Easter and Easter Day.

Here's the thing: I know that the folks in the Administration of the School Department are good people - most of them conscientious Christian people.

And, I know the complications involved.

It comes down to this: "What is the Sabbath?"

And this: "Whose Sabbath?"

Orthodox Jews claim the Sabbath from sundown Friday night to the rise of the first star on Saturday. I believe I'm right (but will be happily proven incorrect) if the Muslims consider the same time period as "Sabbath."

Conservative and Reformed Jews are a wee bit more lenient, I believe.

The Christians claim the Sabbath from sundown Saturday night to sundown Sunday night.

I get it. It's complicated.

And yet, I KNOW there is a solution to what seems, at least on the surface, like a religious-secular conundrum.

That being said, I suspect all of the above named diverse groups would not be unhappy with sport games being played after 1 PM on Sunday.

And, I also suspect that all of the same diverse groups would not only find the blatant disregard of any one's "Holy Week" to be an abomination, my hunch is that the secular - religious claims to the definition of 'Sabbath' would find sharp difference with the religious definition of "sacred time" in our frenetic, cultural lives which we give back to God.

I've tried fighting the good fight. Alone. It doesn't work.

Here's why: The argument that is given is this: "Well, I understand, but this puts us at a distinct disadvantage with the other teams in the league."

Okay. I understand, too.

So, here's what I'm thinking: What if we organized?

I'm thinking, an Interfaith organized effort.

Like, the New Jersey Council of Churches doing a little something with the generous contribution given to them, convention after convention, year after year, and taking a stand on this issue?

Hell, what if the National Council of Churches joined with the equivalent interfaith judicatory bodies about "Keeping Sabbath Holy"? Would that not be awesome?

Might we be able to make a statement in the midst of this cultural insanity which is overly concerned with "productivity" and political (secular) correctness?

Might we be able to make an impact - or, God knows - actually change the secular culture which does not "keep the Sabbath holy"?

If we, of the religious community, don't think the Sabbath is important enough to fight for, why should anyone else think it's important?

If we, as religious leaders, don't stand for something, is it any wonder our people will fall for anything?

Of course, I could be wrong.

What do you think?

Should we call on our local and national Council of Churches to work with other Interfatih Judicatories toward reclaiming the Sabbath?

Might this be a resolution for our diocesan and national conventions?