Catholic church closings
Submitted this to "My View," and got rejected. Their loss is your gain!
"The body is one and has many members, . . . If one member suffers, all suffer together with it." 1 Corinthians 12:12;26
As a pastor of a Presbyterian church, I am suffering with my Roman Catholic brothers and sisters.
We've closed buildings, too. What sad occasions.
The diocese has made some hard choices. A shortage of priests, a population decline, and lower giving has put all churches in a difficult place. My hope is that, though we may close buildings, every church will grow in our love for God and neighbor.
I am the Pastor of the Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church, a church that has (sadly) not yet shared in the Elmwood Village's re-vitalization. Hopefully, this will soon change, but sometimes I wonder if Lafayette's building will one day join the growing list of former-church buildings.
We have just over 50 people attend most Sundays. In a sanctuary that seats 1200, that means that we have about 1150 empty seats.
In addition to the common Christian value of following Jesus, Presbyterians also value stewardship.
Other Christians value stewardship, too, but we focus on it particularly.
This old-fashioned word reflects a timeless responsibility. God has given people resources to manage on God's behalf. We have a responsibility to care for creation, to be efficient, and to be generous.
Every day I ask myself if we are being good stewards of the God's resources. Honestly, I don't know. Some days it seems to be such a waste, heating and maintaining a giant structure when others have great need. Other days I see the glory of God reflected in the building's architecture and the ways it serves the neighborhood. I remember that our building represents the commitment of thousands of people, to God and to their neighborhood.
I share these thoughts because all churches must face the hard questions of stewardship. My Roman Catholic brothers and sisters are practicing this discipline now, and they have my prayers. Many have attacked them, but we owe a debt of gratitude. In addition to faithful worship, they provide quality, affordable education, services for immigrants and care for the disabled. Their ministry, like ours, is not perfect, but it deserves continued support.
Even so, I know that many Catholics are frustrated with their church. To you I say, please do not lose hope. We believe in a God who raises the dead, and this same God cannot be stopped by closed buildings, a priest shortage, or anything else. God can reconcile you and your church--and you ought to pursue that goal.
Again, If you have given up on the Roman Catholic Church, please re-consider. I suspect that you miss Christian community in worship and service, and you can find that in your Parish, even if it has merged. However, if you cannot achieve reconciliation with the Roman Catholic church, you may want to prayerfully consider a Christian community where you have a say in its stewardship. You are welcome in our community and in other churches--if only for a time--until we can all be reconciled.
Finally, I know that there are plenty of people who have given up on any sort of Christianity, in part because we have done such a bad job of stewardship. I confess: we fall far short of our ideal. We may not reach this ideal soon, but the church needs these prophetic voices of criticism to push us toward it. Would you consider working with us? Criticism is easy. Will you help us be faithful?
Stewardship is hard, but together, we can make best use of all that we've been given to love God and neighbor.
"The body is one and has many members, . . . If one member suffers, all suffer together with it." 1 Corinthians 12:12;26
As a pastor of a Presbyterian church, I am suffering with my Roman Catholic brothers and sisters.
We've closed buildings, too. What sad occasions.
The diocese has made some hard choices. A shortage of priests, a population decline, and lower giving has put all churches in a difficult place. My hope is that, though we may close buildings, every church will grow in our love for God and neighbor.
I am the Pastor of the Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church, a church that has (sadly) not yet shared in the Elmwood Village's re-vitalization. Hopefully, this will soon change, but sometimes I wonder if Lafayette's building will one day join the growing list of former-church buildings.
We have just over 50 people attend most Sundays. In a sanctuary that seats 1200, that means that we have about 1150 empty seats.
In addition to the common Christian value of following Jesus, Presbyterians also value stewardship.
Other Christians value stewardship, too, but we focus on it particularly.
This old-fashioned word reflects a timeless responsibility. God has given people resources to manage on God's behalf. We have a responsibility to care for creation, to be efficient, and to be generous.
Every day I ask myself if we are being good stewards of the God's resources. Honestly, I don't know. Some days it seems to be such a waste, heating and maintaining a giant structure when others have great need. Other days I see the glory of God reflected in the building's architecture and the ways it serves the neighborhood. I remember that our building represents the commitment of thousands of people, to God and to their neighborhood.
I share these thoughts because all churches must face the hard questions of stewardship. My Roman Catholic brothers and sisters are practicing this discipline now, and they have my prayers. Many have attacked them, but we owe a debt of gratitude. In addition to faithful worship, they provide quality, affordable education, services for immigrants and care for the disabled. Their ministry, like ours, is not perfect, but it deserves continued support.
Even so, I know that many Catholics are frustrated with their church. To you I say, please do not lose hope. We believe in a God who raises the dead, and this same God cannot be stopped by closed buildings, a priest shortage, or anything else. God can reconcile you and your church--and you ought to pursue that goal.
Again, If you have given up on the Roman Catholic Church, please re-consider. I suspect that you miss Christian community in worship and service, and you can find that in your Parish, even if it has merged. However, if you cannot achieve reconciliation with the Roman Catholic church, you may want to prayerfully consider a Christian community where you have a say in its stewardship. You are welcome in our community and in other churches--if only for a time--until we can all be reconciled.
Finally, I know that there are plenty of people who have given up on any sort of Christianity, in part because we have done such a bad job of stewardship. I confess: we fall far short of our ideal. We may not reach this ideal soon, but the church needs these prophetic voices of criticism to push us toward it. Would you consider working with us? Criticism is easy. Will you help us be faithful?
Stewardship is hard, but together, we can make best use of all that we've been given to love God and neighbor.
