The night before Thanksgiving Anita Greeley, mother of Gina Lucas, was killed in a car accident. (Gina is the spouse of David Lucas, a local pastor appointed to the New Hampton/Martinsville/Mitchelville Charge.) Anita had celebrated her 50th birthday just a couple of years ago, and she was a very active participant in the lives of her children and grandchildren.
David’s mother died when he was young, and he has shared with me that Anita, his mother-in-law, quickly took him under her wing. When he made the decision to begin serving churches, she took him shopping and bought him four suits. She was a strong encourager for Gina. I know that the entire family is going to miss her immensely.
David sent me an email on Thanksgiving Day to tell me what had happened. Unfortunately, I turned off my computer on Wednesday evening and didn’t turn it back on until I returned to work on Monday morning. I celebrated the holiday with all the various family gatherings and did some charge conference business on Sunday without knowing of David and Gina’s loss.
Strangely, as I put on the coffee pot on Monday morning after arriving at the office, I had one of those “I shouldn’t have thought that thoughts.” It occurred to me that I was grateful to be working in a position where my schedule is more dependable, and I don’t get called out on emergencies on holidays anymore. Immediately, I knew that I shouldn’t have thought it. Sure enough, as soon as I opened my email, I discovered that I had almost missed the opportunity to offer a compassionate response to one of our clergy families.
However, David’s email, written back on Thanksgiving evening, told something more important. As it turns out, Anita was a member of Elmo United Methodist Church. Connie Eighmy, a lay minister assigned to the church, had gotten word about the accident and had already responded. I have received permission from David to share the following paragraph from his email to me:
“By the way the Pastor from Elmo came to the family home tonight and did a wonderful job!! I believe she helped to start the healing. As I write this e-mail I hear lots of talking in the house and some laughing. My wife is busy cooking in her Mother’s kitchen a Thanksgiving meal for her family. Her Mom would be proud of her. I know I am!”
Connie is in her first year as a lay minister. It could be considered a very part-time job. I imagine she had other things planned for Thanksgiving Day and the week-end that followed. I am sure there wasn’t time in her schedule to plan an additional service and sermon on Monday, call the right people in the church to be sure the family meal was covered, and get the building ready for the Sunday night visitation and Monday afternoon celebration of life service. But she did all that, and she did it well.
I don’t write this to give thanks to Connie for doing what other pastors wouldn’t. Rather, I write it because I know that almost every holiday one of our pastors gets such a call, and they respond just as Connie did. Pastoral responsibilities are unending, often untimely, and usually unrecognized. The tasks often require missing a family gathering and/or quietly wondering what to say in the eulogy while sitting at a family holiday celebration. After reading David’s email, I wrote this note to the other superintendents in Missouri : “Today, I am giving thanks for a very part-time lay minister who was willing to leave her Thanksgiving celebrations in order to be with a family in need. It probably happened in other places around the state. Pastors give up their holidays and give up time with family to do their jobs, and they do so without expecting anyone to notice. Then, they get the sermon ready for Sunday, drop by the visitation that evening, and prepare an additional service of worship for Monday while wondering what in the world to say to the darkness. I am humbled to be called their leader when it is clear they are the ones in the lead.”
Thank you, pastors, for the care and compassion you offer when most of the world is off celebrating. You truly bring light in the darkness. May it be that the next emergency call you get be one that takes you to the Bethlehem stable where the light shines for you.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
3. Small Group Worship
Over the past several years, there has been a lot of conversation about how congregations should worship. We have added names to styles, such as traditional, contemporary, emergent, relaxed, and blended. We have experimented with times of day and days of week. We have debated the use of video screens, power point presentations, and what music we ought to be singing.
For the most part, though, these conversations seem out of context for the half of the Pony Express District congregations that average fewer than 30 in worship. Is there a place in all of this for something that might be called small group worship? How should we preach differently, sing differently, and pray differently when the group is small enough that the passing of the peace means passing it to everyone present?
Those questions made me wonder about Jesus and the disciples. What was their style of worship when they were together? We really don’t read a lot about those daily or weekly gatherings while out on the road. We do know that they weren’t using either organs or video screens, they didn’t have printed bulletins, and they didn’t have pews in which to sit.
It seems to have been more informal. They prayed when they needed to pray, and Jesus taught whenever he had something to teach. The concern about style was so low that no one even thought to explain it to us.
So, what should our 20-something or less worship services look like? We might expect them to be less formal and structured. Folks might be sitting in a circle rather than in rows. Prayer time might flow from person to person rather than being led by a single person or read in unison. Preaching might feel more like teaching or discussion rather than a formal presentation.
We could expect that the sharing could be more personal and in-depth. The experience would unfold as it went along rather than being planned well in advance. Each person would have a greater responsibility for contributing to the worship rather than attending as an observer of the preacher. The Sacrament of Holy Communion would have greater relevance as the small group supped together.
As I think about this, I can visualize some great strengths of intentionally worshipping as a small group. Truthfully, when I name the most meaningful worship experiences in my life, many of them occurred in a small group setting, such as at camp, a youth group meeting, or seasonal special service. If done well, small group worship has the potential to be more relational, more personal and focused, more participatory, and more relevant.
Unfortunately, many of our smaller congregations are still worshipping as if they were larger. In many cases, we have 10 to 40 people seated in sanctuaries that are designed for 100 to 200 people. Those who are present separate themselves as if they don’t want to hear their neighbor singing, and they sit as far away from the leader as the sanctuary will allow. They use formal styles that are intended to be used with large crowds. If Jesus were to walk in on one of these services, he would certainly not recognize it as worship.
It is time for one or more of our congregations to try something new. It is time for worship to regain its sense of integrity, timeliness, and relevance for those who participate. It is time for all of us to go to worship thinking about what we will offer rather than wondering whether the preacher will have anything to say. It is time to find a way to downsize the space in which we worship so that it is designed to be no more than twice the size of what would be needed to seat our expected crowd. (You may have heard the rule that if a sanctuary is more than 85% full, it is already full. I would contend that if a sanctuary is less than 25% full, it is already empty. Any space that is too full or too empty will lead to a smaller crowd in the future.)
I would like to hear from others about this. Is anyone already designing small group worship in an intentional way? What other ideas do you have that would be helpful? What can we do to add passion to the worship gatherings of our smaller congregations? Post a comment.
For the most part, though, these conversations seem out of context for the half of the Pony Express District congregations that average fewer than 30 in worship. Is there a place in all of this for something that might be called small group worship? How should we preach differently, sing differently, and pray differently when the group is small enough that the passing of the peace means passing it to everyone present?
Those questions made me wonder about Jesus and the disciples. What was their style of worship when they were together? We really don’t read a lot about those daily or weekly gatherings while out on the road. We do know that they weren’t using either organs or video screens, they didn’t have printed bulletins, and they didn’t have pews in which to sit.
It seems to have been more informal. They prayed when they needed to pray, and Jesus taught whenever he had something to teach. The concern about style was so low that no one even thought to explain it to us.
So, what should our 20-something or less worship services look like? We might expect them to be less formal and structured. Folks might be sitting in a circle rather than in rows. Prayer time might flow from person to person rather than being led by a single person or read in unison. Preaching might feel more like teaching or discussion rather than a formal presentation.
We could expect that the sharing could be more personal and in-depth. The experience would unfold as it went along rather than being planned well in advance. Each person would have a greater responsibility for contributing to the worship rather than attending as an observer of the preacher. The Sacrament of Holy Communion would have greater relevance as the small group supped together.
As I think about this, I can visualize some great strengths of intentionally worshipping as a small group. Truthfully, when I name the most meaningful worship experiences in my life, many of them occurred in a small group setting, such as at camp, a youth group meeting, or seasonal special service. If done well, small group worship has the potential to be more relational, more personal and focused, more participatory, and more relevant.
Unfortunately, many of our smaller congregations are still worshipping as if they were larger. In many cases, we have 10 to 40 people seated in sanctuaries that are designed for 100 to 200 people. Those who are present separate themselves as if they don’t want to hear their neighbor singing, and they sit as far away from the leader as the sanctuary will allow. They use formal styles that are intended to be used with large crowds. If Jesus were to walk in on one of these services, he would certainly not recognize it as worship.
It is time for one or more of our congregations to try something new. It is time for worship to regain its sense of integrity, timeliness, and relevance for those who participate. It is time for all of us to go to worship thinking about what we will offer rather than wondering whether the preacher will have anything to say. It is time to find a way to downsize the space in which we worship so that it is designed to be no more than twice the size of what would be needed to seat our expected crowd. (You may have heard the rule that if a sanctuary is more than 85% full, it is already full. I would contend that if a sanctuary is less than 25% full, it is already empty. Any space that is too full or too empty will lead to a smaller crowd in the future.)
I would like to hear from others about this. Is anyone already designing small group worship in an intentional way? What other ideas do you have that would be helpful? What can we do to add passion to the worship gatherings of our smaller congregations? Post a comment.
Monday, October 20, 2008
2. Decline, Recline, then Incline
I decided to do some research on the population trends of the Pony Express district recently. I found a few surprieses.
It wasn't surprising to find that the 13 counties that comprise the district have a declining population. What surprised me was when the decline began. Was it the farm crisis of the 80's, or was it the beginning of the demise of the family farm in the 60's? Turns out it was neither.
Since 1900, almost every county in northwest Missouri has had a population reduction in almost every decade. With a few exceptions, we have been losing people on a continuous basis for more than 100 years. Wow! That is a staggering statistic.
After that little discovery, I began looking at the history of our congregations. I haven't completed an exhaustive look, but so far I have found only two congregations that were started in the 20th Century (one of those was actually a merger of two congregations started in 1869). For all intents and purposes, every person who has spent their lifetime in our district has never seen a successful church start, and at the same time they have watched their church decline as people moved out and/or died.
Those are the kind of stastistics that make one want to recline at table and eat doughnuts while waiting for the sky to finish falling. However, that really isn't the reason I share them with you. While it would be easier to take our ease and assume it is just a matter of time until no one is left, I hope we might be spurred to a different response.
In order for us to change reality, we must first name it and claim it. The truth is that we have gone from 350,000 as a population base to 200,000 during the past 100 or so years. That still leaves 200,000 people, though, and there are signs over the last 20 years that the decline is bottoming out. The good news is that our towns and communities have plenty of space to put new people. That is an interesting thought: Almost every town in our district, and every church in our district, was designed to be bigger than its current population. All we need is people!
So, what does this mean for our congregations? I am still trying to figure that out, but here are a couple of hints. First, we have to think differently about how we do church. When we meet in sanctuaries that have the sense of being empty, old, and dilapidated we exaggerate the feeling that the end is coming. Perhaps we need to consider going back to the old concept of the house church. We might need to create more small groups that meet in smaller spaces. A living room filled with 15 people creates energy while a sanctuary with 15 sends new people running for the exits. In spite of the decline in population, a great majority of our small churches could double in size by starting a couple of small groups designed for new people that meet in homes of church members. ( Note to self: I plan to write more about this in a future blog.)
Second, we need to remember that the world is our parish. I am suggesting that we have to become community leaders who bring ideas for developing a stronger economic base to the places where we serve. It may be something as simple as recreating hope and stronger self-esteem among our people. It might require more intense work such as brainstorming about new businesses and jobs that might be appropriate in our towns. Quite honestly, we are serving an area that is filled with good people who unconsciously assume that there must be something wrong and unattractive about their towns (and their churches). Maybe it is time for the prophets of the return from exile to speak and act!
We have reclined long enough. Incline your ear--I am sure that had a positive connotation when Jesus said it. We have been called to this time and this place in order to restore hope to God's people, those in and outside the Church. We have a great challenge before us, and we won't meet it by simply doing things the way we have been doing them. We may not be able to meet it by staying within our buildings to do the work. I am beginning to suspect that we won't even meet it by changing from traditional to contemporary or emergent or whatever form of worship is named in popular workshops. Rather, I believe we may have to be the pioneers of a style that fits rural life in the 21st Century. (It makes me wonder how Jesus worshiped with the 12 disciples--but that is a different blog.)
I value the ideas of others. Post a comment if you have some thoughts.
It wasn't surprising to find that the 13 counties that comprise the district have a declining population. What surprised me was when the decline began. Was it the farm crisis of the 80's, or was it the beginning of the demise of the family farm in the 60's? Turns out it was neither.
Since 1900, almost every county in northwest Missouri has had a population reduction in almost every decade. With a few exceptions, we have been losing people on a continuous basis for more than 100 years. Wow! That is a staggering statistic.
After that little discovery, I began looking at the history of our congregations. I haven't completed an exhaustive look, but so far I have found only two congregations that were started in the 20th Century (one of those was actually a merger of two congregations started in 1869). For all intents and purposes, every person who has spent their lifetime in our district has never seen a successful church start, and at the same time they have watched their church decline as people moved out and/or died.
Those are the kind of stastistics that make one want to recline at table and eat doughnuts while waiting for the sky to finish falling. However, that really isn't the reason I share them with you. While it would be easier to take our ease and assume it is just a matter of time until no one is left, I hope we might be spurred to a different response.
In order for us to change reality, we must first name it and claim it. The truth is that we have gone from 350,000 as a population base to 200,000 during the past 100 or so years. That still leaves 200,000 people, though, and there are signs over the last 20 years that the decline is bottoming out. The good news is that our towns and communities have plenty of space to put new people. That is an interesting thought: Almost every town in our district, and every church in our district, was designed to be bigger than its current population. All we need is people!
So, what does this mean for our congregations? I am still trying to figure that out, but here are a couple of hints. First, we have to think differently about how we do church. When we meet in sanctuaries that have the sense of being empty, old, and dilapidated we exaggerate the feeling that the end is coming. Perhaps we need to consider going back to the old concept of the house church. We might need to create more small groups that meet in smaller spaces. A living room filled with 15 people creates energy while a sanctuary with 15 sends new people running for the exits. In spite of the decline in population, a great majority of our small churches could double in size by starting a couple of small groups designed for new people that meet in homes of church members. ( Note to self: I plan to write more about this in a future blog.)
Second, we need to remember that the world is our parish. I am suggesting that we have to become community leaders who bring ideas for developing a stronger economic base to the places where we serve. It may be something as simple as recreating hope and stronger self-esteem among our people. It might require more intense work such as brainstorming about new businesses and jobs that might be appropriate in our towns. Quite honestly, we are serving an area that is filled with good people who unconsciously assume that there must be something wrong and unattractive about their towns (and their churches). Maybe it is time for the prophets of the return from exile to speak and act!
We have reclined long enough. Incline your ear--I am sure that had a positive connotation when Jesus said it. We have been called to this time and this place in order to restore hope to God's people, those in and outside the Church. We have a great challenge before us, and we won't meet it by simply doing things the way we have been doing them. We may not be able to meet it by staying within our buildings to do the work. I am beginning to suspect that we won't even meet it by changing from traditional to contemporary or emergent or whatever form of worship is named in popular workshops. Rather, I believe we may have to be the pioneers of a style that fits rural life in the 21st Century. (It makes me wonder how Jesus worshiped with the 12 disciples--but that is a different blog.)
I value the ideas of others. Post a comment if you have some thoughts.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
1. The Bush Still Burns
Several years ago, I wrote a bi-weekly column for the Missouri West United Methodist Review. I titled it "...After the Burning Bush" for a couple of reasons. First, I recognized that I have been chasing after burning bushes, as in the bush that burned for Moses in Exodus 3, throughout my life. It is sometimes hard to know whether God started the search with a bush that was burning for me, or if I started it because I was looking for God. The starting point is pre-memory for me, and it probably doesn't matter since it has been a dance ever since. One bush burns when I don't expect it, then I go looking for another bush to burn when I can no longer see the last one.
Second, the title was an attempt to answer the question, "What do we do after the bush has burned in front of us?" The instructions and expectations were clearly stated to Moses. They have not always been as clear for me; however, I have always known that I don't get to stay on the hillside and enjoy the view. While it would be nice to sit down and muse about the greatness of one who can burn with out wilting, that would be missing the point. God did not pay a visit to Moses in order to impress Moses, but to spur Moses to action. The same is true for me.
So, the original newspaper column was designed to help me both search for and respond to the burning bushes in my life. This blog will serve the same purpose, though for a different audience. While it is fine for anyone to listen in, my focus will be on the pastors and lay persons of the United Methodist churches in northwest Missouri. That is because one of the more recent bushes called me to this place and these people. We do have a Phaoraoh to confront, some plagues to avoid, and miracles to behold. Perhaps there will be some others who journey with me through this blog. If so, welcome!
Second, the title was an attempt to answer the question, "What do we do after the bush has burned in front of us?" The instructions and expectations were clearly stated to Moses. They have not always been as clear for me; however, I have always known that I don't get to stay on the hillside and enjoy the view. While it would be nice to sit down and muse about the greatness of one who can burn with out wilting, that would be missing the point. God did not pay a visit to Moses in order to impress Moses, but to spur Moses to action. The same is true for me.
So, the original newspaper column was designed to help me both search for and respond to the burning bushes in my life. This blog will serve the same purpose, though for a different audience. While it is fine for anyone to listen in, my focus will be on the pastors and lay persons of the United Methodist churches in northwest Missouri. That is because one of the more recent bushes called me to this place and these people. We do have a Phaoraoh to confront, some plagues to avoid, and miracles to behold. Perhaps there will be some others who journey with me through this blog. If so, welcome!
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