Religion in our lives

The importance of religion in community life in our area is visible all around us. And it's much more than showing up for weekly services or giving money for support.

In this area, religion not only instructs our spiritual behavior, but also contributes to our life experiences in satisfying, fun and uplifting ways.

Just in the past week, there have three interesting activities with religious connections. All of them provided activities that were beyond the routine of "going to church."

The way to reach men, who often have to be nudged into any religious activity by the women in their lives, is to appeal to their basic male instincts -- or so organizers of Cape First's Wild Game Feast believe.

The menu at the feast -- it's theme was "Real men don't stop for directions" -- featured ram, goat, elk, bison, boars, venison, fish and wild fowl.

Effective? More than 500 men and boys showed up for an event that included Christian fellowship and contact with a church that has long been an innovator in reaching out to the community.

Trinity Lutheran Church, which has been celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding, took advantage of its German heritage last Sunday. Worshipers at a special service adopted many of the traditions that would have been familiar to their ancestors in the 1800s.

Women and men sat on opposite sides of the church. Women covered their heads with hats or scarves, as was expected 150 years ago. Men wore black trousers, suspenders and shirts without neckties in honor of their forebears. A German dinner at nearby Trinity Lutheran School with lively German music rounded out the special events.

At Notre Dame Regional High School -- like Catholic schools throughout the region -- special events were being held this week in observance of Catholic Schools Week.

One highlight at the high school was a snowman contest -- without snow. Instead, themed snowmen were created using white trash bags stuffed with newspapers. There was Brother David Migliorino, school principal, decked out as "Bikini Snowman" complete with strategically placed bikini top and bottom.

The connection between religion and the routine of our daily lives is sometimes loose at best. Today's religious groups are finding positive ways to make religion relevant to our lives and instill us with religious values.

It is because of efforts like those held this week that our community is a better and stronger place to live.