Praying

That title sounds ominous I know, and it's really not that bad. But I am praying in earnest. Here's why:

Our church is about 27 years old, and in that time we have had three pastors. Pastor One was there o get the church started. He was older - about to retire. Pastor M really tried to please all. I was his organist, and I saw a lot of the things he did to please. I have found that the pastor and organist have a pretty close relationship - at least in our church that was the case, especially when we were still considered a mission church and right after. The staff of the church was small.

I remember once Pastor M said he would marry these folks that weren't members. They were going to have the big wedding with bells and whistles. It was to be on Saturday afternoon. We were all assembled - me there an hour or so before to begin the music about a half hour before the set time. I began to play fully aware that the bride was not there. After 45 minutes, I gave up. One can only sit at the bench so long! I discovered the groom's dad was opposed to this marriage. It seems that it was almost an "arranged" marriage so the bride could remain in the country! After about another 30 minutes, a small car careened into the parking lot. Out tumbled the bride and a host of others making that scene resemble a clown car at the circus with a multitude of clowns emerging from a little car.

After a few years, the church was in its building and on its way, and Pastor M was going to retire. So we had to call another pastor. That's when we got Pastor L. L is a very liberal guy, and very dedicated to education. His main focus as pastor to our parish was to serve the community. To him that included a daycare/school. He kept pushing and got that in place.

His health wasn't the best, and he suffered several attacks. He has had many stints put in his heart. Many of our parish are staunch conservatives however. After a parade of two assistant pastors who turned out to be, lets call it as it was, real duds, then the specter of (gasp) sex education and homosexuality reared its ugly head, he was pretty much hounded out of the office. His heart just about quit, he went out on disability, and ultimately resigned.

That was a blow to my kids. He was THEIR pastor. He confirmed them, went to camp with them, presided at their weddings, baptized one of Daughter's children. When he left - so did they, much to L's sorrow. He repeatedly told them it wasn't HIS church.

Our interim through this ultimately became the pastor. It was his dream. He was close to retirement, and this was the position he wanted before retirement. My family didn't find his sermons inspiring. Daughter and family have begun to go to a mission church a little further out. That pastor is so dynamic. I love the spirit - I miss that mission spirit. Our church is the kind that people sit back to let "someone else" do the work. You can't do that in a mission church.

Now we are issuing a call to a new pastor. He is young and from the area. He and the mission pastor are friends. I imagine that he will deliver good messages, not Chicken Soup for the Soul. My concern is something Pastor C said. He remarked to Daughter "Church X (ours) has a bad reputation, and I hope he doesn't get run off because he is a good guy." I hope not too!

Peace.