Pastor's Page

   

A famous Greek mathematician and philosopher named Pythagoras, known best for the Pythagorean theorem (a2 + b2 = c2), once said this regarding decisions:

Choose always the way that seems the best, however rough it may be. Custom will soon render it easy and agreeable.

On Tuesday night, the Session of Faith Church made a decision that we do think is best for our congregation. After much discussion and thought, we decided to keep the worship hour fixed at 10am, for now. It was a difficult decision and we hope Pythagoras is right in suggesting that, in due time, it will seem easy and agreeable.

As the Session considered our choices, our Elders reported requests to return to the 11am worship time. Several described concerns about the difficulty in getting to church an hour earlier, the disruption of family routines, and a general inconvenience with the earlier hour.

We also heard about requests to remain at the 10am worship hour. Reasons cited were the need to get to Sunday sports, conflicts with family and other activities, and the general inconvenience of a later hour.

Furthermore, we also heard about church committee members who find that the ability to meet after church, instead of having to be out on a work or school night, makes serving on the committee easier.

There were also some who heard from people who hinted about the possibility of having worship at an even earlier time. Obviously, the decision could not be made on the basis of personal preference.

However, as we discussed the issue, several items arose that assisted us in determining what we hope is a course of action which reflects the best interests of Faith Church at this time. They are:

  • One of the primary goals of our church is to attract unchurched young adults and couples with small children. Experts in the field suggest that a 9:30am or 10am worship service scheduled simultaneously with Sunday School is a necessary prerequisite.
  • We lost 21 members last year: 10 deaths, 1 member transfer, and 10 inactive. That represents 10% of our total congregation.
  • We have not fully exhausted all avenues in bringing new people of all ages into the church.
  • There are several changes we would like to make to the Sunday School space so it is more attractive and child-friendly. There are also several programmatic changes worthy of consideration.
  • We have not advertised beyond the "Church News" sections of free and local papers. We think a more aggressive approach is warranted.
  • We cannot offer multiple worship services on a Sunday morning to meet the varying time preferences of our congregation because experts tell us that worship attendance should be at or above 100 in order for this approach to be successful. Our attendance averages around 70.
  • Our church mission statement calls for us to "Let Faith make a difference in your life." This call extends to a sizeable portion of Slate Belt residents who are not connected to any church community.
  • We strongly believe our church has something to offer people who are spiritually hungry. We’re a little church with big heart. The relationships we have nurtured with each other and with God are such a blessing that we cannot keep them hidden inside the four walls of our church.
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    When we took all of the above into consideration, it became clear that we needed to set a worship time that would be most agreeable to the people we wish to attract. However, we in no way want to alienate our members who have specific worship time preferences. Indeed, we are asking for forbearance, cooperation, and sacrifice in our attempts to reach out to the unconnected. In fact, we are counting on the faithful members who love Faith Church to continue their support and prayers.

    I believe that Jesus is quite instructive on this point in the 15th chapter of Luke, which is devoted in its entirety to the subject of finding the lost. First, there is the parable of the Lost Sheep where the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to go find the one that is lost. And Jesus describes the "joy in heaven over one sinner who repents."

    There’s also the parable of the Lost Coin, where a woman tears her whole house apart to find the coin. And Jesus concludes, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

    Rounding out the "lost parables" of Luke 15 is the well loved Parable of the Lost Son or the "Prodigal Son" as we are more likely to know him. Remember the scene when the wayward son returns home? The father, representing God, runs out to meet his son. He orders the best robe, a ring and sandals be brought. Then he throws a big party, complete with fatted calf. The Father’s joy is almost palpable.

    These moments of lost sons and daughters returning home are what make God’s heart glad. May all of us at Faith Church look for opportunities when we can honor and glorify God with that kind of ministry. It is surely one of the highest callings of the church as it takes up the work of the kingdom here on earth.

     

    Blessings,

    Rev. Ruth Ann

    Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

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