Monday February 3, 2014 Once upon a time there was a church. It was a nice church, with nice people. It was also a strong and vigorous church. Years past, and the congregation aged. Then the neighborhood began to change. New people moved in, different new people moved in. These changes were all right for some, but others were bothered. Some put homes for sale and moved away. Others found fault with the new preacher that was sent to serve them, and also went away. Most all of the goings away were sad, “But necessary,” was the voice most often heard. Then the many were few. Nice, but few. The strong and vigorous became less strong and less vigorous. “We see future,” said one wise member, “It’s not over, not done yet.” But the building ran down, together with the income. And the few were less now. “If a new pastor would come,” said one leader, the one who ‘saw future,’” we may not be able to pay much salary. We would do what we could, but there’s no surplus, and the building needs help, and the mechanical equipment is failing, and we have nothing left for doing ministry” A new pastor did come. One wanting to work in a church like that, in a place like that. On their very first Sunday together, after worship, they met. “Now,” asked the new pastor, “What shall we do to serve others, and especially what can we do to serve our own changing neighborhood?” A period of silence followed. “What about this,” the pastor went on, ‘let’s decide on one ministry we would like to offer or support, and then we can take on some of the physical stuff necessary after that.” “Well,” said one Board member, “We’re not going to support…” and he filled in the blanks. Others chimed in with what they would not support as well. At that point the new pastor countered with “What ministry would you support?” After only a brief pause, “We’d support the Children’s Home. The do good work and need help.” They agreed on the Children’s Home. The next offering included enough to pay the agreed amount for the children’s home--- for the year! With some left over for salary the pastor and his family. “Ok,” the new preacher said the next Sunday in his sermon, “God says that the greatest among us are those who serve, if we agree to repair our broken air conditioning system, how many will volunteer to welcome new people if it’s not so hot in here and some come? And would any of you be willing to tutor some of the kids at the school nearby?” Four would take time for the new comers, and two would tutor. A beginning. One Sunday some students from a nearby college came. One of them had a dark complexion. And they sat all the way down front on the very first pew! (It was quite clean, and less worn than the other pews in that church.) Upon recognition of the three students, the air became heavy in the sanctuary, heavy enough to slice. The new pastor, feeling it, then said; “Does anyone here have a favorite song or hymn you just love, and they never sing for you in church?” It was the dark complected one who spoke, he spoke softly and lovingly, “Would you be willing to sing, ‘Swing Low?” he asked. And they sang it. The heavy air went away, and there was ‘new’ in the midst of that church. As their purpose got around, others came. “You’re welcomed there,” they told friends. And friends and family came. There were fewer few, and many more attending. The new comers were all sizes, shapes and kinds. Before too long as time goes by, others came. “Are we welcomed too?” How does a church answer that? Does our Lord say, “No, only the well and the righteous are welcomed here?” What do you answer? And so they came: To be part--accepted, loved, changed, and put to work. And more and more ministry happened. And still happens, we are told. Now the few and far between --became more-- and closer than could have been dreamed possible. When someone asked how it was all going now, the answer was, “We continue, and are of many opinions. You name the subject, they said, and we’ll overcome your ease with a number and kinds of answers and convictions. “We are right and left, and up and down,” they said, “right on and far out, but mostly in the middle, and always asking is this the way God wants things to be? They were sometimes put down, misunderstood, even ‘ruined,’ as one observer put it. But those were the word of the ‘outside.’ Those inside were often lifted up, graced, inspired, saved, healed, and affirmed. Then the question at official meetings became “What more can we do, how better can we serve, what additional portion of our income should be used for others?” We were told that they had problems, and sometimes made mistakes. That every now and then they went beyond the ‘regular’ in what they did and how they did it. But we have also heard that they live and love and serve and move on finding their very existence in the Spirit of Christ. That ‘once upon a time’ church—still is. We hear that they’re active all week long, and sometimes share Sundays that are glorious… Always love, always, Keith
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 12:48:48 +0000
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