9/28/15

Real Church #9

The Harlan United Methodist Church was our destination THIS week.

Friendly people greeted us - designated and spontaneously.

We were handed bulletins and the current issue of The Sunday Times, September 27 edition.

Screens on either side of the front platform flashed announcements

and the church's mission statement as we waited for the service to begin.

It was Heritage Sunday and a good part of the service time included

a concert by a talented harpist, so we are aware it was not a "typical" Sunday.

We were invited multiple times to the carry-in dinner that followed but had other plans.

Positive Features of this Real Small Church

(In addition to those listed above and as we experienced it one hour on one Sunday morning.
Not to be confused with the other 167 hours in the week.)

Participation by several more persons in the congregation
Very attractive PowerPoint announcements, etc.
Longevity of presence in the community - over 170 years
Outreach programs including food bank and Upwards sports program

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Who We Are

Gary retired in August 2015 after 12 years of pastoring a rural, small church. He has also been a football coach, math teacher, camp director, a denominational executive, and worked five years as part of a church staff. He "un-retired" in September 2016 to serve as Visitation Pastor at Grabill Missionary Church (part-time). Rebecca, a published writer and occasional speaker, served in the music and Sunday school ministries of their church and led a woman's Bible study. Parents of 3 and grandparents of 13, their desire is to encourage and assist lay persons and pastoral couples in Real Small Churches.

HIM: I read your blog on rural church and the list at the end has me thinking. If a small church has all these positive attributes what is keeping the small church from growing? There must be something missing. Good music, preaching, sermon series and warm welcomes are in small churches all around us, but the church still stays small. The churches that appear to be growing are they really? Or is it a reshuffling of people from other churches? Are any churches really growing? I am concerned about church as we know it today and what the future holds. I don't believe that good music preaching nice buildings and warm welcomes are going to bring the people who don't know Jesus in. Sure that makes us all feel good gives us purpose and makes us feel accomplished but is that what the church is really about? Please understand I don't write this to be negative but truly seeking answers as I consider the future of a small church that lacks in many ways by the standards of many other churches. (Name of his church) has very little to offer in the way of music and programs where other small churches do. But like I said still staying small.

US: You are SO right. It often "appears" that something is missing. I believe our Father holds the "key"; ours is to abide in the vine via active and unquestioning service and obedience. Real Small Churches are as varied as human beings vary from person to person.and cannot be placed in a mold. No use comparing. This profile is not for duplicating or comparison as much as to provide perspective that a person can sometimes lose in the thick of the battle. Our goal is encouragement. Could it be that God determines the "size" of a church as surely as He determines the boundaries of the seas, etc.? (Prov. 8:29) As Craig said in his sermon yesterday while encouraging us to actively share our faith, "They may go to another church. That's fine. Or they may come to ours. That'd be great!" (or something like that). From experience I know it's easy to confuse CHURCH growth with KINGDOM growth. At any rate, thanks for reading. Your observations are valid and stimulate our thought processes.

“i am a little church(no great cathedral)
far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities
--i do not worry if briefer days grow briefest,
i am not sorry when sun and rain make april

my life is the life of the reaper and the sower;
my prayers are prayers of earth's own clumsily striving
(finding and losing and laughing and crying)children
whose any sadness or joy is my grief or my gladness

around me surges a miracle of unceasing
birth and glory and death and resurrection:
over my sleeping self float flaming symbols
of hope,and i wake to a perfect patience of mountains

i am a little church(far from the frantic
world with its rapture and anguish)at peace with nature
--i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;
i am not sorry when silence becomes singing

winter by spring,i lift my diminutive spire to
merciful Him Whose only now is forever:
standing erect in the deathless truth of His presence
(welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness)”

-e.e. cummings (who would have guessed?)