Do What Must be Done (song) | Naked Pastor Artwork |
Hello Reader,
I'm home for six whole weeks! Whew. I love travel. And after travel I really love home.
And to top it off, my niece came to visit so we could play strategy games. And I even won one (out of many).
-Liz
Who is Lost?
At United Congregational Church in Worcester, MA they imagined a new understanding of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-10). It has been common to think of the sheep that gets lost as blame-worthy: it lost its way, it failed to stay with the group, commonly, it was a believer who has deviated away from faith. The story seems to be about being kind in looking for a wayward friend.
But sheep get lost for lots of reasons, and it would be good for Christians to avoid metaphors where we are the savior and they are to blame. We have reputation (sometimes deserved) for being judgmental and there is no reason to live up to that reputation.
What if the lost sheep is actually not with the group because we pushed them out (thank you Naked Pastor), or because we never let them join us, or because they are afraid that we'll not like them once we know who they really are? What if they are not a part of us because they can't live up to our unwritten rules or our social expectations? What if we lost them, rather than they lost us?
United Congregational Church decided spending money to meet the needs of one child was worth it. They chose to welcome into their circle someone they might lose. So they hired an aide making it possible for a single autistic child to attend their Sunday School. Some places look for a volunteer, perhaps trained, perhaps not. Some require the child to not come, or the parents to sit with their child. But this Church, under the leadership of Pastor Brae Adams, didn't want the child to feel excluded, and didn't want supporting them to be a chore. They found an aid for $25/hour, 2 hours a week.
The wider community noticed their willingness to do what needed to be done. Others came who needed similar supports. (There is a whole article about caring for people as a form of evangelism. But today we are talking about money.)
These are the times for spending money. Spend above your budget. Spend from your endowment and other investment funds. Spend (legally) from your restricted funds.
I know, the money was donated to keep the church going. I know you need it the funds to subsidize your regular budget. I know the feeling of needing to hold onto money. I know that some of our churches would not be here without those investment funds. I know that your church will only survive three or five or ten years more.
And yet there are so many lost people who need the church. So many who we have ignored. So many who we are failing to serve. The purpose of investment funds is to do God's work in the world. It is never the purpose of money to be saved.
If it's hard to get volunteers for Sunday School, hire a teacher. If you need better organization for your food pantry, hire an administrator. If people can’t get into your sanctuary, build a lift.
At your food pantry, figure out how to reach struggling middle-class people: buy better foods, set it up like a store, be open more hours. Make fancier dinners for your meal program, or meals more often. Before you respond that you don't have the volunteers, let me suggest that you hire a manager for the pantry. Use the money you've been saving.
Don't know what your community needs? Go out into the neighborhood interviewing people and asking about what is needed, and what are the strengths of the community. Find out who is being helped and who is not. If you don't have volunteers that are willing to visit 100 people in the next three months, hire a community organizer with your invested funds.
Partner with a recovery organization, an immigration rights group, a trans support organization. The organization can do the political organizing, you can focus on direct service to care for people under attack and feeling afraid. Hire a social worker or a program manager, or a community-connector so that your church is actively engaged in this work. Use your investment funds to pay them.
As a congregation, we are called to figure out who is missing, who feels lost, and who we have lost. There is no better use for our money than to reach out to those who need us.
Who is our congregation reaching? Who do you wish you were reaching? Reply to this email to let me know what's happening.
Here is Brother Sun singing Greg Greenway's song "Do What Must be Done". Choosing to see the world the way it could be.
I met David at the Wild Goose festival last year. He goes by "Naked Pastor". He is wearing clothes, but since his deconstruction he is seeking the naked truth. Check out his website and consider buying some of his artwork or books.
Use some of your money for legal fees! This church in Massachusetts is being told by neighbors that housing for the homeless is not ministry (insert eye roll here.)
Past Act! Be Church Now newsletter articles are here:
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