I attended charge conference last night
even though my feet dragged
thought I was done with these things
but
I'm a member of this one
curious about the church
there is new DS to meet
young Korean shook my hand
is this him? this fellow looks too young
I gave my name but he did not give his
I asked him you are...? yes the DS
I can’t believe we’ve never met (actually I can)
it’s nice to meet you so that much is done.
No opportunity to sneak out
I stayed the duration
worship DS sermon
horrible discernment at church tables
never seen this done
felt sorry for small churches
embarrassed shamed
by having to answer questions.
Two churches doing well
growing excited about everything
Pittsboro and The Local Church
(relatively) new church merged with Evergreen
others not so much.
I feel impotently angry for little churches
who cannot understand
why outsiders do not find them attractive
last year’s charge profile allowed churches
to name villains:
Covid shrinking population
disaffiliations
terrible pastoral leadership
hard to blame shrinking population
in this corner of the state.
Here’s what I know
only one of declining churches
present last night
has functioning web site
where someone might discover
what time the church worships
that is the tip of the iceberg I’m sure
I don’t know the answer
nor why my heart hurts for them.
As we’re leaving
here came a woman from Evergreen
who remembered me
(I was there briefly with Aldersgate)
we’re doing so well she told me
I’m happy for you! happy also
it appears Local Church and you all
get to keep your (valuable) property I said
after lunching last year
with Evergreen’s former interim pastor
who told she didn’t think it would happen
make it happen I urged her
it was good to see something
that might have ended badly
end very well
praise God.
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