aren't always answered the way you thought they'd be.
Our church, Paupack United Methodist, has been going through very tough times for the last 2 years. Being a Methodist church we accept any and all so long as they accept Jesus as their savior. Being the only Protestant Church around we found our our congregation rather heavy with Presbyterians. Nice people but they have a different method of church polity. As Methodist we welcome all but we will not change our methods of administration or mission to suite your denomination no matter how much money you put in the plate. Well as that finally became apparent to them they left. Took their money too. So we're now in a major revival of Methodism but in major financial need.
We, the Administrative Council, have been looking into combining our two services into one. I've been proposing taking parts of the first service, more traditional, parts of the second service, more contemporary, and new forms of worship and creating a new service that might bring more disciples of Christ into our church.
At last nights AdCouncil meeting, which I chair, I found that the vision is mostly mine. The rest are vacillating about committing to a course of action that puts the remainder of 'The Members of Long Standing' at risk of defecting with the Presbyterians. I've pointed out that the children and grandchildren of these fading 'Blue Hairs' don't attend church. Why? 'Cause the present services don't see to their spiritual needs.
Anyway I'd prayed for guidance and I got it. I'll back off. Don't know what the plan is. I never thought it was mine. I've been following the plan that Jesus set before me in the Fall of '75. I've learned not to push the plan but to follow it with a smile on my face and love in my heart. Knowing that all goes as He wishes.
Zipidee
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2 comments:
Church politics can be so hard - it has to happen, but it's not so easy to mix with our spirituality.
The thick plottens. I am sure that other generations have had many of the same questions and apparent forks in the road that we have. I wish I had all of the answers, I would be a very popular man in the spiritual community. We at Lighthouse have had many of the same forces (outsiders wanting us to sing hymns for instance) and we have resisted (refused). We had to decide that we are who we are and God put us here for a reason. we find ourselves with the same money pressures that other churches do. We have believed for all of our time here that if we don't do what God has called us to do he will find someone else to do it. Hence, we listen and do our best to obey. He'll take care of the rest. He said so. We'll be praying for you and yours.
Uncle Westy
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