Sue's Musings

Maybe that’s a strange question, but one I think we need to ask every now and then. Under Upcoming Events, you’ll find a link to “Church Unbound,” a conference coming up at Montreat in July. It looks like it will be a very good conference, and I would recommend some of you check it out. The flyer advertising it says
How can the PC(USA) become a church for the next generation? What will it take to bridge the boundaries of age, culture, gender, grace, and theological differences? Come join others who care about the leadership of the church, present and future. Be part of an exciting conversation aimed at fashioning a new vision for a new day – of a Church Unbound!
There are 29 names of people well-known in the PC(USA) on the list of people leading this event, and it looks like there are some very good workshops.

My concern? Sometimes it seems like we go to these things, sponsor such events, do a lot of talking, maybe even get fired up, but that’s about all. At some point, we actually have to DO something! If the church is going to meet the challenge of being relevant to those seeking meaning in life, hope, spirituality, etc., then we, as individuals, and as individual churches, are going to have to make some changes. Talk won’t do it.

I hope as you all go to events, read books, and talk about these things with each other, I hope you also make a decision to DO something too. It almost doesn’t matter what you do – or whether you are successful or not. Even failure is a step in the right direction, because it means we are trying – and if we keep trying, change will happen, and maybe our churches will be featured in the next book about growing mainline churches!