Nothing too exciting.

My weekend in 3 words.  It was alright though.  Friday night, Max had his small group over to house to hang out and play videogames and spend the night.  I knew Josh was going to be there, so I headed over there to hang out as well.  We played super smash brothers on the Wii, and the young guys mopped the floor with us old guys, though we pulled out some suprising victories.

Saturday, I got some Christmas shopping in.  I bought everything that I had on my list, though my list was short on ideas for almost everyone, so I am nowhere near complete.

Sunday...Sunday...Sunday.  Went to church like usual, and afterwards scooted down to Grace to sit in on the big question and response session associated with the proposed merger process.  Fairly uneventful.  Went home and grabbed some lunch, and headed back to Salem for their question and response session.  It was fairly uneventful, but some of the elderly folks still seem to be stuck on "I's" "me's" and "we's" and not looking at the big picture, and the idea of the merger.  After Impact last weds. night, PK let me know that I need to speak up.  That prompted me to write this following monster block of text last Thursday.  I sent it to him and he shared it with the approx. 20 people on the committees.  I never felt the right time to voice it during either discussion, but am fully prepared if the need arises.

Lighting the Fire

              It wasn’t a normal drive to work this morning.  It was different.  I usually listen to music to help get me going in the morning, but I never turned that dial.  I just listened as thoughts entered my head and with a little trepidation I decided to jot them down.  I realize what I say may hurt some feelings, although that is not my intention.  Rather, I am looking towards the future.  The future of ONE Church.

              Let me start off by saying that I understand that we all have a lot of history within our own churches.  Many of you may have been married here, or this is where you have said some of your last goodbyes.  Where you were baptized and where you were received as a member.  I get this.  Over at Grace, I was in my Aunt’s wedding, and was where my Grandma’s funeral was.  I was baptized and accepted as a member.  Even though these are things I’ll never forget, I still look towards the future.  Our future should not be dictated by our past.  We need to look past the “I’s” the “me’s” and the “we’s” and look at the big picture.

              We must look at this great opportunity put before us.  We have this chance to become one!  To combine our resources, and more importantly, our people.  Why should two brick walls divide us?  At this point I am worried about what will happen if the merger doesn’t take place.  Dozens of people from both churches have worked tirelessly for over a year to make this dream a reality.  I don’t want to drive a wedge between this dedicated group, and especially not because “we” can’t accept change.  “We” aren’t doing this for “us”!  We are doing this for THEM!  Yes, the unchurched.  Change is going to happen regardless of whether or not this merger takes place.  We can’t afford to stay stagnant.  I realize there are a lot of new things going on, but at this point, we are out of room!  This is an example that “we” aren’t doing this for “us”!  We are doing this for THEM!

              This year, I have had the opportunity to help Josh and Jessica out at Impact on Wednesday nights.  And let me tell you, it is a beautiful thing.  To see these kids consciously make the decision to come to church on Wednesday nights in amazing.  I think this year we have close to 80 kids involved, with an average Wednesday attendance ranging from 45 – 60.  I don’t know how many of you have ventured up to see worship on Wednesday night, but I would encourage it sometime.  My point is we are almost out of room.  It makes it difficult to bring a friend, when there is hardly enough room for the kids we have now.  But take a look Sunday morning, where are these 45 – 60 kids?  Where are their parents?  I really believe if we could offer a praise service on Sunday, we will be seeing these kids twice a week, and once they are that involved, we are going to be seeing their parents.  This is another example that “we” aren’t doing this for “us”!  We are doing this for THEM!

              This fall something else is new.  Wednesday night dinners!  They are fabulous!  Great food, and great fellowship.  You know what would also be great?  It would be great if we were feeding families that don’t have a warm meal, if we could help a family with one meal that might put them a day ahead, instead of a day behind.  Instead of writing our names in the attendance pad with a little number circled identifying ourselves as partaking in the meal, having that little number indicating how many guests we are going to bring.  To reach out and truly make a difference one meal at a time!  Again I am not complaining about the meal at all, it is wonderful, but there is more that we can do.  Oh, one small problem, no pun intended.  The fellowship hall is already almost full.  This is just another example of how we have almost become limited by our own actions.  This is another example that “we” aren’t doing this for “us”!  We are doing this for THEM!

              Now this one is going to sound like a plug for “me” but I think that I have to be this voice, because, if you look around, there isn’t anyone else to do it.  I almost feel like I am a lost generation here.  Where are other people my age?  The 23,24,25 year olds, where are they?  Looking at the census, it would indicate that there are probably 250 – 350 of us.  I am guessing some of the other churches offered them a praise service.  Nappanee Missionary, Granger Community, they draw people in from all over the place, and people are willing to go out of their way to find a church home that fits their needs.  We can do this!  This is where the new life and blood of the church is.  I am sure there is a good deal of college age, and recent graduates in the area.  The commuters who drive up to Bethel, and IUSB, and Ivy Tech, and all the other institutions, and we can reach out to them, if we can offer them something.  How about young new couples, looking for a church home and church to get married in.  We can’t offer a center aisle wedding!  You may say, little things like that aren’t important, but maybe this new couple wants to start their relationship with God and this is the ticket to open their new hearts to Jesus Christ!  That is just one example, but I am sure there are many other little things just like that, that we can’t currently offer, but will be able to in the future.

              So quickly is closing, I would just like to state we have an excellent future in front of us.  How exciting would it be to open a new church in Bremen, Indiana?  It would be awesome!  Can’t you just hear the buzzing around the coffee shop, the BP, the Peel.  It will be hard to get the doors open when the people are lined up to come see this new church.  It won’t be an easy task, and there will be a few speed bumps I’m sure.  But we are doing this for THEM, the unchurched.  This is not the time to sit around and quibble over the “I’s” the “me’s” and the “we’s”!  This is the time to move forward to become ONE church with a goal to serve our Lord, to serve our community, and to serve one another.  The church is not a building, the church is the people!

Sooo... huge post, no big deal.