We were received into membership at Messiah this morning. Quite a showing - all seven of us gathered at the altar. Seemed a little strange though. Having been a member there for over 25 years and coming back. Treated as if we had just come there. But that's ok. There was a feeling o comfort.
I thought I would enjoy all the pains of growing a mission church because I did so enjoy it at Messiah. It has dawned on me that Celebration is really not going to grow and bloom. Not as long as a Pastor is the end all and be all of a church. Everything has to go through him and him alone. He has surrounded himself with "yes men" who won't challenge him. Privately I have dubbed him Pope Chris - because I really think that is who he is in his mind.
Chris doesn't have follow through. He had ideas that are mostly great, but he doesn't follow through. Our "new" Pastor had a dream. He worked on it diligently and it is becoming a reality, and it is his passion. I think someday he will work with this alone. He has taken on adopting some schools in Africa (sorry - I don't remember which nation because this is rather new to me). In fact that is where he has been for two weeks delivering books to them.
Chris would think of something like this, but he doesn't follow it through. Chris even has begun a "new" ministry (HA!) group of dreamers. Where should our church be in X number of years - don't think of money constraints - just dream of what we could do. What. A. Waste. Of. Time!
I am happy. I look at the sanctuary that I and so many others worked so hard to get funds to build It was during one of the oil busts in the Houston area and money was hard to come by. Many of the pledges didn't come in, and the church was strapped for quite a while to pay for this beautiful building. Sitting there today remembering what we did, and looking at the things that have been added since, I felt to at peace.
The entire feeling is positive. It is so warm and welcoming. I know we were coming back, and we are well known, but even the folks who don't know us were so great.
It was a great Sunday morning!
5 comments:
I can feel your peace through your words. I am really glad for you.
I'm happy to hear that. There is so much more to church than just a sermon and so few really get to experience it.
That's wonderful! I've been saying for quite a while that I need to find a church having not gone for more years than I would want to admit. Back when my daughter was little, I was youth counselor for teens in two different churches. Those years have melted away, but the memories are so very sweet.
xoxo
anything that brings you peace makes the Goddess happy..
I'm glad you found peace in your church. Sometimes we have to be away from something to appreciate it when we go back.
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