true religion

I visited with Alice on her front patio in International Falls, MN yesterday and she told me that she dosn't want a computer because every internet relationship she has ever seen has been nothing but bad news. She then proceeded to share 3 specific examples with me of disasterous internet romances. I don't blame you Alice, who needs all that trouble! Alice is 90 yrs old and thrilled that there is a group of teenagers helping her paint her house this week. She made sandwiches and lemonade spent all day talking with those students and telling them stories. As I left her house a phrase from the book of James, chapter 1 verse 27 entered my head and challenged my heart, "true religion is this, to care for orphans and widows in their need..."

Then I thought about my Grandma who passed away a few years ago. She was in a nursing home with ahlzeimers for a couple years and I think I visited her about 4 times. When I used to feel guilty about it I would remind myself that I wasn't able to get down there much because I was usually busy doing church stuff. Now as I look back, I think a lot of the church stuff we do is a waste of time.

So here's my question... Why do we spend so much time doing church? Is there anything in doing church that is actually helping us be the church?