January 29, 2022
Dear Prairie Avenue Family,
Is the peak of Delta/Omicron coming, arrived, or past? How soon will we get the cost estimate for the required electrical code work for our elevator modernization to begin? What about the fire code requirements yet to be estimated (these are smoke detection equipment)?
What kind of people does God want us to produce in this body of believers? What kind of experiences do people need to have in order to become those kinds of people? What kind of leaders are needed to provide those kinds of experiences? What kind of pastor is needed to train those kinds of leaders? What kind of experiences does the pastor need to have in order to be that kind of leader?
Ok, some of these things are keeping me up at night more than you, probably. Other questions may be troubling you. The sense of loss is felt as are feelings of grief. As I was getting ready for this Sunday's worship service, I printed a copy of the bulletin from March 1, 2020. In the 8 (!?) pages were listed activities that have ended (or perhaps just suspended): Zumba, Hand and Foot fellowship, youth events on Wednesday evening, hand chimes, PACC Singers rehearsals.
Like many churches, we are worshipping only one-half to two-thirds of what we were experiencing prior to COVID. Many "absences" are merely in-person in nature: they are connecting online. However, many others are just gone. Essential pieces of our church family disappeared. No goodbye. No email to say their faith had been drifting. Nothing.
It is not easy for any pastor to experience losses in fellowship. We can consume valuable time (is not all time valuable?) in efforts to "bring them back." Experience tells me that it is easier to bring new than to persuade former attendees into fellowship. Of the many lessons of COVID-19, this is the hardest: our consumer/consumption, programmatic (to look "effective," but really we were just "busy") version of church 2.0 was already fading into history. Its peak for our church is obvious: 1980. Maybe the slow exodus was not noticed at the time, but faith without practice does not really provide enough to keep, and so it is canceled (and yet kept) like an unused gym membership. There are still those "requests for service," i.e., wedding, funeral, etc. from "former members" or their relatives/descendants. Now may be a good time to examine whether our past membership drives developed people who expect good services rather than calling them to be of service to God's world.
A few members recently read an obituary in the paper of a "member of Prairie Avenue Christian Church." These members have been around for decades, and could not recall the recently deceased. I took a look into the records of the church: not one card, baptism, or any form of contact could be found. Recent polling has revealed a hard reality: 26% of Americans are comfortable living their lives without faith. Another poll during the pandemic found that nearly two-thirds of Christians were not engaged in the church.
We were better prepared than others when our world was turned upside down by a viral menace that killed, severely injured, and stopped our life routines. Equipment was on the way for broadcasting from the sanctuary. A wireless network was in place. In shifts large and small, we responded to the world as it changed before our eyes. While we may still desire for a return to "what was" (or at least what we recall as "was"), the truth is that world is gone. Like it or not, virtual faith communities and those seeking them are the world's reality.
The door is not barricaded to anyone who decides to return whenever they make that decision. But acquiring people so we can feel "good" is not the mission of the gospel. Our mission is making disciples for the transformation of the world, rather than maintaining membership for the sake of survival.
There was a time when survival necessitated shelter. Now is the time to assess our potential, our future, our Church 3.0
And the priority question of our strategic plan for 2022-2024?
What kind of people does God want us to produce in this body of believers?
Worship This Sunday:
The Walk: A Living Hallejuah
This Sunday we begin the worship series The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Faith. What does it mean to be deeply committed Christians, growing in faith every day? How do we become fully engaged and flourishing in the Christian life? How do we close the gap between the Christian we are and the Christian we want to become? As revealed in our previous series Habits! our systems will take us in the direction we decide to go. We will not change course until we decide the path we are on is the path we no longer desire to take.
Scripture is filled with stories and descriptions of worship, and it is noted that Jesus went to the weekly gathering held at village synagogues "as was his custom." If we are desiring to imitate Christ in our lives and living, then a steady worship attendance record is essential. Worship is the primary and appropriate response of the creature to the Creator. The ultimate worship scene is found in the book of Revelation chapter 4, where the 24 elders, 12 tribes of Israel, and the 12 apostles take their crowns and cast them down while the winged creatures sing: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power because you created all things. It is by your will that they existed and were created."
A committed Christian life requires regular worship and prayer. May you join us in worship and prayer this Sunday.
PLEASE NOTE: THE ELEVATOR IS NOT IN OPERATION AT THIS TIME
The Walk Book Available
Copies of Adam Hamilton's book, The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life are available for purchase! You may pick up a hardback copy in the church office for $10, or a large print paperback for $12.
If you think this series is familiar, it is! We were doing this study during Lent 2020.
One Request for Online viewers...
If you could share a friendly "hi" or "nice to be here" in the Facebook (TM) live feeds, we can accurately record your attendance. Several of you have already consistently done something to let us know you are there. You can also send a note to prairieavenue@sbcglobal.net.
2021 Contribution Reports Distributed
Thank you for your generous support of the ministries and work of Prairie Avenue Christian Church. I know it has been a difficult season in the life of the church as well as for many members. We have 23 contributors who provide over $80,000 in total support.
My 2022 Wish List
I have just a few requests to be filled immediately.
Worship Leaders for 8 am or 9:30 am service: It is more than time for my voice to retire.
Live stream crew: Patrick Butterick has been an excellent team member of this important ministry. But Patrick cannot run it all! We need someone to handle the slides, and someone to be our "greeter" on the Facebook feed. A regular crew of three would be perfect!
Musicians/Singers: There is considerable distance between the altar and the first row of pews, in fact, is it greater than the minimum distance needed to reduce COVID risks involving singing. Our congregation will thank you. And if the desire is strong for a more blended/contemporary service, we need a guitar, drum, and more.
And lastly...
As announced last week, I am scheduling a listening tour, asking you to speak about why Prairie Avenue matters in your life, what are your desires moving forward, and what your concerns? I know there is much love and devotion given to this near 100-year-old organization. COVID-19 has quickened our pace (in both positive and negative senses) and both near-term and long-term plans and decisions need to be made as part of a larger strategic plan.
I see these listening appointments happening in several stages and through several means. We can meet in whatever way is comfortable to you: in-person, online, or by a phone conversation. Your thoughts and feedback are deeply appreciated and will shape our next steps in developing a strategic plan for 2022-2024.
