August 2013
The Pastor’s Ponderings Pastor David’s cell phone—765-330-4170 and email address —fleeneda@gmail.com When I say the word “evangelism”, what thoughts or feelings come to mind? If you’re like many Lutherans, you might begin to feel anxious. You might see evangelism as that committee that you need to avoid at all costs, because once you’re on it, you’re on for life! Or you may see evangelism as one of the weak spots of our church; something that neither pastor nor people do very well. Perhaps you look back with bittersweet nostalgia to the “golden era” of the 1950s, when the pews were full and the overflow had to be opened. Or maybe it’s something that you would rather ignore and leave to people “better equipped” than you. Truth is, evangelism is a loaded word for many of us. It’s loaded with anxiety about our survival as a congregation. For many, evangelism also produces feelings of shame and blame. Maybe these sentiments sound familiar. “I don’t know what’s wrong with
us. Why can’t we get more young families like we used to?” “What’s wrong with people these days? They just don’t seem to have any use for church.” “I wish that the pastor would go out and do more to bring those young folks in.” “Where are we going to be in twenty years if no one else comes to church?” But what if I told you evangelism could be different? What if we’ve been thinking about evangelism all wrong?
Perhaps it’s time for us as a congregation to begin “Rethinking Evangelism”. When I was at Luther Seminary discussing this very topic, I felt enlightened by the different ways the presenters thought about evangelism. And it helped me to begin to think about evangelism in our context, as a mainline-Protestant Lutheran congregation in Hartford City. Maybe we’re ready to look at evangelism with fresh eyes and ears.
What if, instead of bringing people in to meet God in church, we met God in the people in our community?
With that in mind, I would like to invite you all to a Sunday morning adult forum, “Rethinking Evangelism”, at 9 AM on Sunday, August 18. A light breakfast will be provided.
What if we became a community of “God-seekers” – people thirsty for encounters with the living God in others?
Bring your thoughts, ideas, concerns and fears with you! But let’s remember that Jesus is bigger than any of our fears or any of us.
What if we took it as a given that God is at work in our community in ways we haven’t thought were possible?
See you in church! Pr. David
Congregational Retreat! September 7, 9-3 PM Lake Placid Christian Conference Center 397 S. 200 E., Hartford City, IN 47348 The theme? “What’s God Up To? And Where Do We Fit In?” Pr. Rudy Mueller, Assistant to the Bishop, will be our facilitator. A continental breakfast and buffet lunch will be served. There is no cost to you to attend this retreat. If there is interest, Pr. David will arrange for childcare. Call Debbie in the office at 348-3157 by Sunday, August 25th so we can give Lake Placid a final count.