Confronting Change

 ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20 (NRSV)

Winston Churchill said, “If you don’t take change by the hand, it will take you by the throat.” [If] we take change seriously whenever we think about our church buildings, we will avoid the pain of being taken “by the throat.”

Positively stated, we think that a congregation has a lot to gain by facing the fact of change as they evaluate their buildings and plan for the future of their worshiping community, because they will be prepared for the inevitable cycles of life, death and rebirth. Every congregation has its story.…

[And] if the congregation is alive, then its story is not over. It will continue to speak about a group that is either growing or shrinking, either aging or welcoming new youth, either developing new responses to different needs or resting from tasks accomplished. In short, a congregation’s story is also about change. Each of us learns to live with this tension in our own lives. Why shouldn’t we expect the same of our congregations and our church buildings?

—Author, the Rev. Charles N. Fulton III, President, Epsicopal Church Building Fund, Director of Congregational Development, Episcopal Church Center, “Planned flexibility,” Congregational Builder Newsletter, Ecbf.org. Used by permission.

Friends:  In the Houston Chronicle edition of Monday, February 19, 2006, on front page article on the 100-year history of the Star of Hope Mission said this: “Same Mission, New Methods.” One thing that is constant in life is change. Although, as much as many of us would prefer for things to remain as is, constant-unchanging, it does not happen.

20 years ago, I had orthoscopic knee surgery. I had a great doctor who is at the top of his field in Houston, yet, I would be reluctant for anyone to have “cut-into-me” even though they might graduated at the top of their class in medical school, had they not kept up with medical technology, medicines to ward off infection, and the further development of skills for their profession.

The church has to re-evaluate how it does things in proclaiming the Good News of Christ, welcoming guests, and being about the discipleship making process. Many guests stay and become part of our church family. Many choose to go else where, seeking a place of relatedness and relevance. The scripture appealed to me for this one reason…”And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." I need to know that I will not be alone on this. The church will not be alone. God has called us to be the church, church.  Pray. Be a part of the active ministries of the church. Pray some more. Get involved in the “Welcoming Ministry Team.” Pray some more, knowing that through it all we will not be alone.

I am proud of all that we have done and been able to accomplish.  However, we are still far from being where we need to be. I covet your prayers and support, as together we are about church-work and the work-of-the-church. 

Blessings from Pottsboro, Pastor Frank (alegria@lakewayumc.org