That's what Get Religion calls the Protestant debate over church services, which at first looks like "simply electric guitars against the pipe organ." But they explain there are also generational conflicts at work (the GI generation versus Boomers versus Gen X and Y) and possibly doctrinal conflict as well. The article profiles one congregation's "contemporary urban experience" service, "an alternative service staged by the church at a nearby nightclub that offers live rock music and a casual atmosphere that doesn’t frown on flip-flops and nose piercings." Chez LDS, I'd settle for a "contemporary suburban experience," but haven't run across one yet, at least on the mainland.



Dave: I've seen it; but it isn't in sacrament mtg; aka the Mormon worship service. Its found in other activities; such as the S. Philly Branch's cultural fashion show; but on annually by the young women as a fundraiser. The closest to cultural sacrament mtg I've seen is when some of the immigrant members were ethnic clothes to church.
Posted by: lyle | May 19, 2005 at 10:35 AM