What makes a church? Our English word church comes from a Greek root that means, more or less, the House of the Lord. I say more or less because the literal meaning of Kiriakon Doma is Lord’s house; however, as the word moved through the languages of the west, only the Kiriakon part traveled. You can see it in the Scottish Kirk, Old Norse Kirika, Old German Kirkja and other variants in most modern western languages. It should come as no surprise to those of you who constantly subject yourselves to my etymological ramblings that the English speakers have mauled it more than most. Those "ch"s are supposed to be as hard "k" sounds, like Loch Ness, not soft "ch" sounds like chicken. The word Kiriakon is the same word we use every Sunday when we sing the Kyrie, "Lord, Have Mercy." The phrase Kiriakon Doma was one of three words used for gatherings of worshiping Christians. The other two have evolved into the English words Ecclesiastical and Basilica.
A church is a group of Christians who gather together to worship. The word can be, and often is, used to refer to the building where folks worship, but it can also mean House of the Lord in the same way that Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were of the House of Tudor. In other words, church can properly refer to people who gather to worship.
Our own congregation seems to be in the midst of living out its etymological intentions. We are gathering in increasing numbers. We are being led by a choir that continues to expand both in numbers and in repertoire. People seem happy to be here. We are gladly coming together to praise God, and that is the heart of being a church.
RUSTY
Rev. Rusty Cowden
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WARREN 256 Mahoning Ave., NW | Warren, OH 44483 | (phone) 330-393-1524 | (fax) 330-393-1526 | (e-mail) fpcwarren@hotmail.com
