One of the better known and more bizarre facets of modern physics is the theory that merely observing an object changes it. I don’t pretend to understand what this means on a sub-atomic level. But I do see it happen all the time in church.

One Sunday morning when I was about 12, I decided I didn’t want to go to church. It wasn’t like you’d expect, though. My best friend Trav had spent the night, and he and my brother and I thought it would be fun to do church ourselves, at home in the living room. We fully intended to act as acolytes, presiders, singers … the entire congregation.

My parents nixed the idea. They probably thought we would just goof off instead. But they also recognized that our presence at church was important, even when we would rather stay home.

As I look out at our St. Thomas congregation on a Sunday morning, I delight to see the many people who have come, and I spend my prayer time looking at faces, remembering what’s going on in people’s lives and eagerly awaiting a chance to greet the newcomers. But I also notice the people who aren’t there. The most regular parishioners are those who are most conspicuous in their absence. When they are present, they change me. When they are absent, I miss out on that change.

In our baptismal covenant, we promise to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers. In other words, we promise to come to church.

Worship is a spiritual practice: it is not required for salvation, but if we don’t do it, we miss out. Spiritual practices are things we commit to even when we don’t feel like it. We show up after we were up too late watching Saturday Night Live. We show up with cranky, belligerent kids. We show up when we don’t care for the preacher. We show up when we are doubting or hurting or rejoicing or feeling apathetic. We show up because it’s what Christians do.

This Sunday, just show up. St. Thomas needs you here in order to make it more like St. Thomas. You never know what change God is planning, or how God intends to use you to make that change.