Time for Renewal.

As I go along, reading Mac's Around The Scuttlebutt, I'm realizing how much has changed from the beginnings of Presbyterianism in the US, to today.

Is it due to the changing society we live in, or the overall lack of Biblical and Constitutional knowledge in many of the members we ordain to be Elders or Deacons. I keep wondering what I can do to correct this at my church, and I realize that all I can do is point the way, I cannot make people follow. I can try to nominate Elders who are more than just bodies to fill a slot, however, we've been trying to find people to fill slots on the Board of Deacons and all we've received are I'll pray about it, then a not this year in reply.

Then I read about other elders listening to their conceptions of what Jesus would do or say, instead of reading the Scripture that tells them what Jesus would do or say, and voting for the Amendment B changes to the Book of Order.

Is faithfulness to Scripture no longer relevant; understanding the depravity of man and what is described in Scripture and the Confessions as sin, relics of the past or of what is called by some fundamentalist tripe.

I need some time for renewal, time for study and self-inspection, time to understand my own frailties and failures, and some time in prayer to ask for the Spirit to guide me in this renewal.

And so it goes ....

Discouraged and Depressed

As the Evangelism Elder for Stodgy Presbyterian, I have the mandate to reach out to the community and invite them to learn about Christ. I also have the responsibility to help renew the congregation.

In previous posts I've related that I've offered the Alpha Course to the public at large as well as the congregation. This Lenten season, I'm sponsoring a Lenten study, Jesus' Greatest Moments, the week that changed everything, using the Small Group text written by Mark Ashton.

Its been advertised in the church's February bulletin, the Sunday announcements, on our website. As of today, I have two sign-ups, out of a congregation of (on the books at least) 275. For the Alpha Course, I also had two signups, but wound up with three at the opening session.

Talk about discouraging!!

I'm getting ready to create newspaper ads for our Easter service, I'm looking at two different ads for two different papers. One, which is distributed free to everyone in the area, I'm thinking of pushing the Alpha Course, with a mention of our Easter service. In the other paper, which is one that charges a nominal sum for pickup at a 7-11 or through mail subscription, I'm thinking of pushing the Easter services, with a mention of the Alpha Course.

As you can tell, I'm trying to target the local population in ways that will catch their attention. I just wish I could reinvigorate the congregation to think about renewing their belief!!

I'm happy to say that our Pastor is trying to help, he preached a great evangelism sermon last Sunday, I just hope people were listening. This coming week, I'm going to be the Liturgist for our Worship service. The guest preacher will be using the Old Testament to preach on, so the first reading will be from the New Testament. The reading will be from Revelation 3:14-22, the verses that talk about the church of Laodicea that is neither cold nor hot.

Talk about the perfect reading for SPC !! That I'm the one reading it makes it even better (IMHO). I pray that the congregation will be open to the words of Revelation. I'm not sure if I should emphasize the text by opening with something like:

Let us pray. Lord open our minds to the Spirit that we may understand the meaning of your Holy Scripture.

Too preachy, or pointed? I'm not sure if they'll even notice.

And so it goes ....