Many who are reading this face the question of your church moving and consolidating, It must be hard knowing that services may soon not be held in "your church." Grieving the loss of something that has been a part of your life for 20, 40, 60 or even more years of your life only makes sense.  It is a lot

like when parents need to sell the family home.  It may be necessary but that does not make it easy.  The difficulty with which the decision was made does not make the decision wrong.  In seminary we learned that sometimes it is useful to have a reminder of the memories associated with a now deceased relative.  I hold one close for each of my grandparents, a set of dishes, a set of silverware, a ring and a walnut chest.  It has helped because each time I see these items they remind me of the good memories I associate with that person.  I hope if your church is closing you can find such an object.  One possibility would be to take one of the many older hymnals we are not using and find a way to preserve and display it at your home.

I have heard lots of questions and heard lots of statements made as we have sought to move forward.  Three are particularly poignant: "Pastor, I voted against closure because I don't want it to close, but I do not see how we can keep going.", "This is not just a building, as some have suggested." & "Why should I give up my space?" I agree with the sentiment behind these.  Often as I acknowledge in the first paragraph there are many memories tied to the space in which we worship.  It is even true that having a specific space can help us feel more connected to God.  No doubt part of the answer is simply whether you want to choose what happens.  Do you want to ride it out until the money is gone and someone else determines what your death looks like or would you rather choose a dignified death, which reflects faith in resurrection.

I have spent many hours pondering these questions because I consider them valid and I want to answer with more than simply, "If we don't choose to leave, this church will go away anyhow." This answer is true, but I want an answer from the positive not the negative.  The answers I find are these: "We need to find new ways to rebuild the church and to reach out with the Gospel", "We are doing the same things as fifty other churches in the area and we need to be unique.", and maybe most importantly "We want a church for our children and grandchildren to attend, which will feed and nourish them well into the future."

I have heard on many occasions faithful long time members talk about the fact that their children will not come to church.  I sat with a gentleman in his mid forties just yesterday who said he wanted to go to church but the last time he came three things turned him off.  First, it was so quiet he felt like if he had to cough he would have to leave.  Second, there was no one the age of his children present.  Third, he did not understand what was going on and so how could it be worshipful.  Once again I am reminded that if people find it feeds them they will come.  Starting over gives us the perfect opportunity to ask who do we need to feed and how do we feed them.  Let us make sure that our legacy is that these people and their children have a place to remember the baptisms, weddings and funerals of their fore-bearers and children by boldly stepping out into this new mission.

Maybe, as well, you can transfer some of those memories to the new mission.  As we build the new and find new people to work alongside us, maybe, there will be someone who needs a mentor.  As the mission grows maybe we can return the joyous music of young children to our midst.  As the mission grows maybe the selfish answer is that it ensures we have a place to take our grandchildren to be baptized into the body of Christ, well into the future.  This is most definitely a bold step in faith to take.  We must go forth, trusting in God, to fulfill our calling.  In so doing we make sure there is a church in the future, which can continue reaching into the community with the Gospel of Christ.  I pray that many of you reading this will find a home in the worshiping body.

Shalom,

Rev. Kit Robison