Missed a Day in NYC

If you are counting days, you'll note that I must have missed a day from my time in NYC.  If youare not counting days, that means you have a life, and are not obsessed with this blog.  That's a good thing, and indicates a degree of overall health.  My photo from the day a week ago, walking the streets on NYC on a rainy day.


St. Lydia's

Our sabbatical continues, and today you get more than one photo.  Wohoo!  Lisa and I worshipped at St. Lydia's in Brooklyn, NY this evening.  If not the originators of the dinner church concept, then pretty close.  The concept is simple.  Host a simple meal, merge it with some elements of liturgy and a casual atmosphere of people talking to one another.  

As someone that usually enter's new situations with a tad bit of reluctance, it was nice to be put to work right away.  I washed dishes.  THe pre-wash, aka, washing the pots and pans that were used by Andie, this evenings cook.

It was the music that stole my soul.  Simple accapella singing and chant.  My mystical preferences were in delight.

Then there was the atmosphere and the bread, and of course The Bread.

Dec 31 - A Photo a Day

Well, at least that is the plan.  The goal is simple, post one photo per day for the next three months during my 2017 sabbatical. If I have words to add, I will, if not - well, be thankful you got the photo. We start today, Dec 31, 2016.

I was in a store today, picking up a few non-essential items for our trip, and as I exited, I noticed this sign. What a great idea!  What if our churches had something similar?  Forget the card in the bulletin, that no one uses. Instead, have them text you.  My guess is that if you get 50 texts over the course of a few months, 49 will be trivial and unhelpful.  Especially, the ones that you know are coming from Hank, who always complains.  But, you'll get one that just might be worth it.  In addition, visitors might be more willing to text than sign a guest book or fill out a card.  Just a thought.  

Day 1, the project begins.

“I Want My Old Church Back!”—Five Responses

The grief is both real and anticipatory.

The church member knows his or her church is in decline.

That member knows some things must change or the church is headed for more rapid decline or even death.

But change is difficult. These members want their old church back. They want to do things the way they’ve always done them.

That church of the past, however, will not return. The pace of change is faster than ever, and it will only increase.

How do we respond to these hurting, and sometimes, angry people? Here are five responses.

  1. Respond pastorally. These members are not just hurting; they are grieving. Some of them believe they can find a way to return to the church of the 60s, 70s, or 80s. When they finally realize that the past will not return, their grief intensifies. They need our love, our encouragement, our support, and our prayers. If our first response is to return anger with anger, we can exacerbate a difficult situation.
  2. Respond with reality. Do not give false hope to these members. That will only make the situation worse. Let them know gently and lovingly that change is inevitable. The church will either respond proactively to change, or it will be the victim of change. The latter is usually a death sentence.
  3. Respond with the non-negotiables. Assure the church member that there are some facets of church life that can never change. The Bible is still the Word of God. The gospel is still powerful. Christ is still the only way of salvation. In providing these non-negotiables, you are pointing the members away from the minors to the majors.
  4. Respond with an outward focused. Sometimes a church member’s longing for the past is indicative that he or she is inwardly focused. These members can possibly see church as a place to meet all their needs and desires. If possible, get them involved in ministries that take them away from their own preferences and desires to the world that needs our hope, our love, and our ministry.
  5. Respond with resolution. A few church members will fight for the past no matter how toxic it may be for the church and her future. Leaders have to resolve to move on. They cannot spend all their time coddling the disaffected to the neglect of those who are ready to make a difference. This step is a last step. It is a final alternative. It is the most painful. But it can be necessary for the health of the body as a whole.

These days are days of rapid change. Congregations have not been immune from the impact of the change. We must always love people. But we cannot let one or a few hinder us from the work to which God has called us.  via Thom Rainer