"church"

Which is correct?

I'm planning on going to the church this Sunday. Or:

I'm planning on going to church this Sunday

"to church" if you're attending the service, and "to the church" if you're going for another reason.

I think Guest #2 is correct.

"To church" would mean you're going to worship; to the church implies that whomever you're speaking to knows which church you're talking about.

I agree with Skippy. "Going" to the church could mean several things.

Going to church: worship
Going to the church: going to a specific church. Does not mean that one is going to worship. It could be to pick up your son from the boy scout troop meeting there or in order to vote (a polling place).

A similar distinction exists in British English, I think, between:
She's in hospital. (She's hospitalized)
She's in the hospital. (She's in the building)

I speak American English and I make the distinction, though it's different from how it's done in British English:

"She's in the hospital" (she's hospitalized)

"She's at the hospital" (she's there for other reasons)

To me "she's at the hospital" means she's there because her husband's a doctor or she's visiting a family member who is IN the hospital.

To me, "She's at the hospital" may mean that SHE is a doctor as well (the ground Rick covered) still doing rounds, still seeing patients.

In response to Gabriel and Rick's comments:

I speak 'British English' and I feel that a statement such as 'she's at the hospital' could imply many meanings which will alter depending on the context the statement is placed in. However, I comprehend the predominant meanings of the following statements (having not been placed in any context) as:

She's in hospital - She is a patient (has been admitted/hospitalised)
She's in the hospital - She is in the hopsital building for other reasons
She's at hospital - This sentence does not make sense
She's at the hospital - She is in the hospital building for other reasons


In response to the original question reqarding church:

I agree with majority of replies.

'I'm planning on going to the church this sunday' - this means you are planning on going to the church for any reason, be it worship or not.

'I'm planning on going to church this sunday' - this usually means you are planning on going to church for worship.

The key word that repliers missed was SUNDAY. As sunday is the most common day for church services to be held, either one of the above statements are correct, but as the word sunday in the statements implies worship, 'I'm planning on going to church this sunday' is the most correct.

Whereas, 'I'm planning on going to the church this tuesday' would be the most correct statement as church servies are not usually held on a Tuesday.

I hope this will help.

If she's a doctor at the hospital you would typically say "she's at work," unless she's in private practice, located away from the hospital, and happens to be there on rounds or in surgery.

That's what I meant- "on rounds". Dr. Thompson (female) is at the hospital (not in the office).