Messiah Church - ELCA

December 2007

It was twenty two years ago as I was beginning ordained ministry I had one of those revelation moments that would stay with me throughout the years. I was living with an elderly priest named Fr. Leo at the time, and given his age and his health problems, he unfortunately was not very active. My days on the other hand were filled from morning until night with meetings, hospital visits, counseling appointments and such. Being in my energetic mid-twenties and very much convinced of my own self-importance I ran around constantly from one activity to another and worried about every aspect of this large parish community.

Often I would come back to the rectory late at night after some committee or other and there would be Fr. Leo sitting in his lazy boy chair with his dog next to him readying himself to turn in for the night. One night I plopped down in a chair next to him and poured out my concerns: I told him about the budget and the deficit. I mentioned how we couldn’t afford raises for the teachers and the religious education staff that was in turmoil. I told him about the sacristy roof that was leaking and the missionary who was coming to speak that weekend. On and on I went until finally Leo signaled enough - Then came the moment of revelation.Leo spoke softly: Look Jeff, you’re a good pastor and you have so much energy and so much to offer the people of God, but you’re young and only beginning. This church was here long before you were born and it will be here long after you leave. Stop thinking that everything depends on you. The church doesn’t belong to you…and the church doesn’t belong to me. The church belongs to God! This is God’s church. Now go to bed and get some sleep!The church belongs to God!

Those words have been on my mind recently and for good reason. As you read through the pages of this report you will find our statistics for the past year. There has been significant growth in membership and stewardship. Our average attendance for Sunday worship has increased again and the Sunday school registrations have grown. We have continued to increase our Synod Benevolence and our Social Ministry Outreach. The preschool is on solid ground and the facilities are in excellent shape. When we read this kind of report there is a part of each of us that longs to feel proud. It plays into our sense of self-importance and success. We want to pat ourselves on the back and feel the contentment that comes with a job well done. And when we begin to feel self-important we need to remember the words of Leo: The church doesn’t belong to you…and the church doesn’t belong to me. The church belongs to God! The entire ministry that goes on here belongs to God.

And I think this is a good phrase as we face our concerns as well. After all, I worry about the future as you do. What are we to do with the people who come through these doors? What is our plan for the future? What programs do we have to initiate? Do we really have to expand our facilities? Can we afford to build? Will we be able to meet our budget in the years to come? What if circumstances change and people stop attending? We begin to worry and obsess about the church and its future. It is in these moments of discernment and worry that we also have to remember the words of Leo: The church doesn’t belong to you…and the church doesn’t belong to me. The church belongs to God! The entire future of this church belongs to God. As we celebrate our successes and face our fears and make decisions – let’s remember - The church belongs to God!