The numbers are in from last year. We averaged 235 folks each Sunday last year, which was up from the year before. Of course, having Christmas fall on Sunday provided us with an additional bump so the improvement was a bit inflated. This year we are behind last year. Easter was lower, too. I assume we will see the gains erode and we will slip back to the previous year.
The congregation during Holy Week was significantly lower. Palm Sunday and Easter were also lower. Not huge drops, but twenty or so. The problem is, over the last six years, those drops add up. I am not complaining, by any measure we are still a healthy parish where people are growing in knowledge and faith and sharing their time, talent and treasure in service of the Kingdom. It is just I remember a time when we were crammed full.....
When I arrive here in 2001 there were 4536 folks in church each Sunday in this diocese. Some 190 of them were at our little church. For a while we grew (topping out at 270) while the wider diocese decreased each year. In 2010 the diocese was at 3351. One would think 2011 will not buck that trend. Aging, shrinking churches tend to get smaller.
In Ezra and Nehemiah we read the story of the returning exiles. The Jews had lost their homeland and temple. The city of Jerusalem was in ruins. The people were reluctant to return. The challenges they faced were monumental. Not only were they faced with poverty, but they had armed enemies nearby who threatened them with annihilation. The work crews consisted of local people. Some groups are identified (goldsmiths and perfumers) and they are not a construction firm! The workers carried stones with one hand and a sword in the other. It was hard work made all the harder because of the situation.
Nehemiah says the people said, "The strength of the basket carrier has failed, and there is so much rubble; we are not able ourselves to rebuild the wall." One can hear the weariness of the actual voices, "...there is so much rubble..." So much rubble.
There is so much rubble in the church today. We read in the NT that we, the people of the church, are living stones. Today there is less and less life in many of those stones. Who can wake them up? Who can inspire them to mission and ministry? Who can draw them into the heart of God and send them into a broken world with a message of salvation? Who?
"...we are not able ourselves to rebuild the wall." In truth the Liberal Church is dying. It diminishes rather quickly. There were 200,000 fewer Epsicopalians in church in the last ten years, roughly 23%. The walls are fallen down. It is not all bad. Churches which talk about global warming instead of Jesus really have no good reason to exist. The problem is that the situation is not terribly different for churches which hold on to the faith once delivered. While the orthodox crow about the demise of the Liberals we see the same type of losses there, too.
So what is the good news? Nehemiah 4:8 "Do not be afraid of them! Think of the great and awesome God..." and Nehemiah 4:14 "When you hear a trumpet call, gather yourselves to me at that place; our God will fight for us!" A word of hope. A challenge to courage. A reminder that it is a battle, a mighty struggle, a conflict in which we carry stones in one hand (broken people) and a sword in the other (the word of God). The environs are not pleasant (kiss the prosperity Gospel good bye) and the victory, while assured, is hard won. We cling to the promise: God with us. The good news, death is not the final word, even agonzing death. Resurrection is the last word. God's faithfulness is the last word. Hope and Joy are the last word. (Come Lord Jesus!)
In 2015 what will I be writing? Will my parishioners be re-energized and return to active service? Will they continue to drift? I do not know. I do know this. There is much rubble, but God will fight for us.
(please note, if you wanted to read more, the scripture quotations are from The Jewish Study Bible which has different numbering on verses)
As I recall, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt with fresh stones, not the rubble from the walls that had been torn down.
ReplyDeleteGod is the one who is building His Church with living stones, not us. He is the one who calls us out of darkness into his marvelous light to proclaim His excellencies. We cannot breath life into the spiritually dead, only God can.
As I see it, you can do two things--pray for spiritual renewal and faithfully preach the New Testament Gospel. God will show you what else you He wants you to do.
Robin,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping in. In the NRSV, Nehemiah 4:2 Sanballat asks the leaders and army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things?... Will theyrevive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish--and burnt ones at that?" So clearly, at least here, the implication is that the stones are not fresh. Perhaps else where?
As regards is it God or us doing the building, I think in the Ezra-Nehemiah account it is clearly both. They know God is building it up, but when God builds up the Jews are doing an extraordinary amount of work. In fact, carrying stones with one hand and a weapon in another. The New City will come from God (Revelation) but until then, He works in and through us. I do concur with your advice. I pray and I preach. I hope. I wait. But, I still got work to do. Thanks again.