Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!
I've read (again) our parish profile that you all prepared for the rector search. It helps to articulate our identity as St. Peter's Episcopal Church. Several pages communicated that you want to focus on programs that will reach families with young children.
I sense the need to address this directly. Episcopalians are aging (as are the Methodists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians, and others). And there is a sense that if we don't bring-in-the-young-ins', who is going to step up and take the reins of our community when we are gone?
Where are the children? What you need to know is this: in previous generations most church growth took place in new congregation plants and procreation. Married couples had children and lots of them. Families moved to the suburbs and started new congregations. We weren't really evangelizing during the golden age of Americana in the 50s and 60s. We were having lots of babies. Our memories are filled with packed Sunday School rooms and youth groups in the 70s and 80s because of the Baby Boom.
Numerical church growth happens in two ways 1) procreation and 2) invitation. As I look out at your wonderful faces I know that many of you think about these things. But I feel confident in saying, "Most of our numerical growth at St. Peter's is not going to come from procreation."
So our bless-ed alternative is "Invitation." Whether you invite children or adults we must become inviting...not just welcoming. That means we get to engage people outside our walls. And it means you have to say things like, "I'd love for you to come worship with me." "I think you would like our church family."
Like you, I feel the desire of new and young life because we all want to pass down our heritage. We have a great heritage; we have a beautiful tradition. Why do we struggle to share that with others? Why do I? Why do you struggle to share our merciful, forgiving, libertarian way of being Christian?
Are you concerned about the sense of "judging" others? Are you concerned that someone might "reject" our church. In either of these instances God does not give us the choice of withholding our faith from other people. In fact Jesus tells us if someone rejects you they are not reject you, they are rejecting Jesus. But nonetheless we are to proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come near.
As we approach the New Year (the New Christian Year starts in Advent.) Let's renew our attitude toward our Faith in Jesus. Let's be Thankful for the love we share in Christ and in our Community of St. Peter's. Christmas is a perfect time when people are receptive to invitations to worship.
Let's have an infectious attitude toward loving the people of Brenham. And maybe our infection will spread.
