Comments on: Are there churches in Middletown? http://www.getreligion.org/?p=3486 "The press . . . just doesn't get religion." -- William Schneider Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:02:20 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Chris Bolinger http://www.getreligion.org/?p=3486&cpage=1#comment-123335 Chris Bolinger Fri, 09 May 2008 19:20:22 +0000 http://www.getreligion.org/?p=3486#comment-123335 Hey, everyone in the [pick a city in Flyover Country]! I've never lived anywhere near your city, and I don't know anyone there, but I lived for a few years in that region of the country when I was a kid, I have a friend in [pick a town within 100 miles], and I have read a few things about your area, so that should be good enough. I am going to swoop into your area for a few days, interview a few folks, and then write the definitive article on your city and its relevance to your region and to the rest of the nation. Why? Because I work for [MSM publication], and we know everything. Look forward to seeing you! Hey, everyone in the [pick a city in Flyover Country]! I’ve never lived anywhere near your city, and I don’t know anyone there, but I lived for a few years in that region of the country when I was a kid, I have a friend in [pick a town within 100 miles], and I have read a few things about your area, so that should be good enough. I am going to swoop into your area for a few days, interview a few folks, and then write the definitive article on your city and its relevance to your region and to the rest of the nation. Why? Because I work for [MSM publication], and we know everything.

Look forward to seeing you!

]]> By: Chris M. http://www.getreligion.org/?p=3486&cpage=1#comment-123326 Chris M. Fri, 09 May 2008 18:00:23 +0000 http://www.getreligion.org/?p=3486#comment-123326 One possible religious angle could have been a brief consideration of churches located in the "historic downtown" and their attendance. <a href="http://www.fbcmuncie.org/" rel="nofollow">First Baptist Church</a>, one of the area's older churches, was experiencing a very sizable drop in attendance when I worshipped there from 1999 to 2001; it seemed to be going through a period of struggle that was familiar to nearby businesses. I have no idea if other downtown churches had the same experiences, but it would have been nice to find out. Churches are definitely important in Muncie, regardless of location, and Ball State has several active and popular campus ministries. Libby Copeland doesn't deal with race, either, which is a glaring factor in Muncie's demographics. The White River (and, literally, the downtown railroad tracks) form a clear racial divide that is rooted in the area's historic segregation. To her credit, though, she gets it right about tensions over Middletown's legacy, and her overview of the area's economy is dead on. By no means is this a bad article. One possible religious angle could have been a brief consideration of churches located in the “historic downtown” and their attendance. First Baptist Church, one of the area’s older churches, was experiencing a very sizable drop in attendance when I worshipped there from 1999 to 2001; it seemed to be going through a period of struggle that was familiar to nearby businesses. I have no idea if other downtown churches had the same experiences, but it would have been nice to find out. Churches are definitely important in Muncie, regardless of location, and Ball State has several active and popular campus ministries.

Libby Copeland doesn’t deal with race, either, which is a glaring factor in Muncie’s demographics. The White River (and, literally, the downtown railroad tracks) form a clear racial divide that is rooted in the area’s historic segregation. To her credit, though, she gets it right about tensions over Middletown’s legacy, and her overview of the area’s economy is dead on. By no means is this a bad article.

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