In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel 6that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. –Colossians 1:3-6
We set up only 20 chairs to start. It was, after all, a snowy Sunday in the midst of this outrageously snowy winter. We debated whether or not we should postpone the Annual Meeting, but with the way the winter was going, there was no reason to believe the weather would improve any time soon. We put out the crockpots of chili and macaroni and cheese and hoped for a quorum.
We didn’t need to worry. We added more chairs and another table, and then more chairs. In spite of the iffy weather, people came. After the official business, we moved into a time of deeper conversation. How, we asked, do we ensure the financial well-being of our church into the future, so we can continue to be a source of hope, healing, and love?
We talked about the work we did a decade ago to secure cell phone antenna rental contracts and the work we’ve done in recent years to increase building rentals and to develop Open Spirit. We recognized the important ways those sources supplement our primary source of income: contributions from members and friends. We noted the decline in those contributions in recent years, acknowledging the impact of broader demographic shifts and a change in the economy. We asked ourselves how we can begin to reverse that trend.
It was a sacred conversation. We celebrated the faithfulness of everyone who gives of their time, talent, and treasure. We listened deeply to each other and honored each idea as a gift. We trusted the Holy Spirit at work in our community. We recognized that challenges open the door for new opportunities.
We didn’t discover any easy answers; I don’t think there are easy answers to be found. We did discover (or re-discovered) the joy of a community that shares a common commitment, honors each person’s gifts, and cares. Thanks be to God!
Thank you, God, for Sacred Conversations in this Sacred Community. Amen.