Larger Church… New Pastor…

SAT., FEB. 3, 2001, 6:50 PM
FARM, STUDY

You now have met the new senior pastor of you Carbondale church… and it was in the new, but unfinished Fellowship Hall. Thus a new “era” in the life of this church commences, and you, as I’ve advised, are no longer a Session member or a Newsletter Editor. You are just one of those aging parishioners… an active member, but not in the institutional “category.”

This shall be an interesting experience for you, a specific “part” of aging and disengaging from the kind of life you have led, for nearly 50 years, in relation to the church. It feels “right” for you, and, as I’ve told you “it also is fine with Me,” your “watching over” Holy Spirit. I’ll also repeat that though this shall continue to be your “home church” I also want you to revisit, from time to time, the Church in Cobden, the Church of the Good Shepherd, and the big Methodist Church in Carbondale. You no longer have responsibilities that “tie you” to this one church, so attend, appreciate, and give to these other congregations to which you have some “connections.” You are a part of “The Church Universal,” and this is now a good time, in your life, to be more than “just a visitor” in these other, local parts of the Body of Christ.

The new Pastor, Janice, is eager to prove herself as one who can lead many of you Presbys along a path of service and commitment to Me, in My Triune “Form”. You are following My direction to you, even before I have made it specific in a Teaching. Let several weeks roll by, for she will have much to do in this commencement of her new pastorate. But then make an appointment with her, show her the excerpts from her “Remarks”, printed for the congregation, the ones that would seem to approve of Our relationship and of what We do together – these Teachings and Our Ruminations. Give her a couple of the Letters, and then just “back off” and let her decide how she should respond to you, as one surely “called” to be this contributor to the Body of Christ.

You didn’t do this with Karen, you’ve never talked with Judy about this “gift,” and, though you knew Richard was interested you didn’t pursue it with him, either.

This is not necessarily a criticism, for your “mission” is to write down these Teachings I, Holy Spirit, give to you, and share them with others. BUT it is not your responsibility or your “call” to try to convince any “others” that this all is “real.” Some will accept. Others will not, for some variety of reasons. You are “producing” something quite tangible, in a written, printed form. Just let Me use these, as I will. Oh, you may have certain “assignments,” like this one with Janice, but your main role is to hear Me and to write and maintain these Teachings. Do this well!

The “larger church” is now a challenge… to increase the size of your membership/pledges so that all of this can be paid for, as well as utilized. Because of the relatively small size of this Carbondale community it is quite a challenge to upsize your active congregation. The additions to your “plant” may help, but such is not inevitable. You saw a relatively large turnout this afternoon, even as there was “no crowding” in that new, “potential” fellowship hall. Maybe I shall lead Janice into an attractive, compelling ministry that does challenge not only you members, but also visitors and the non-churched of this community. Did you expect that I would state more definitely that I would make this happen? You know I rarely make such clear predictions. It could happen, but there are many factors that I’ll not manipulate. It still remains a “maybe.”

You realize, of course, that some growth will be necessary to pay off the debt incurred by this addition. The members who approved of this “venture” decided to go on faith that these additions would attract more members… those willing to pledge and help pay for this “leap of faith.” I like this kind of spirit, even as I know that it doesn’t always manifest itself as “success.” There are spiritual lessons to be learned in both success and lack of same.