Why do you go to church? Why do you not go to church? What do you want from your church? What do you wish? …hope? …wonder? What do you look for? What do you need? When do you feel like your needs are being met? When do you feel you’re left wanting? What makes you happy? What gives you a sense of purpose? …meaning? …spiritual direction? …inspiration? …hope? Who do you tell? And how?
Please don’t breeze through those questions lightly. They are important. I really want the answers. Even more, I want YOU to give thought to the answers.
We talk a lot about how to make this church – your church – more appealing and accessible to people who might visit and, we hope, choose to stay. That’s our communal job: to welcome the stranger and spread the Good News to those with a heart to hear. We are also called to care for one another and to reach out to the lost and least.
But what about those of you who are not lost and have been part of this community for a good long time? That is, what about you? How do you need your church to be for you? …with you? Where do you find the things that you need if you are not finding them here? What might you prefer? How do you want to be asked? WHAT do you want to be asked?
We have a whole lot of new program-year stuff kicking off. Great music. Meaningful worship. The potential for really good experiences in Christian Education for learners of every age. Projects, too. Festivals and Fairs. Opportunities to host, help and serve. I am personally looking forward to some happy social time because it’s fun to have fun and to get to know each other better… and, one hopes, to connect on deeper levels. Perhaps another Progressive Dinner or concert bus trip?!?
Program planning is hard and potentially pointless if the programs are not planned for particular people. People like YOU. So, what are you looking to experience? …learn? …do? …be part of? …make happen? How do you hope to be helped? How might you help?
As we launch into this second year of programs and possibilities as the pastor and people of Second Congregational Church, please take some time in prayer and reflection to contemplate your church and your vision for it. Where do you see yourself in that picture? Where do you see me? And, above all, where do you see God?