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Holy Week resources and reflections

Waiting

The Psalmist says, wait for the Lord. I have a hard time waiting for my toast to pop up. Seriously. Watching it doesn’t help either. “Hurry up”, I said to the egg, frying in the pan; taking my mind off the bread in the toaster. “Can’t you cook a bit faster?” The Psalmist says, wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. I would like to do that but waiting for the doctor is tough enough. The other day I mentioned to my wife that the tree in our front yard just wasn’t growing. She reminded me that trees take years, ten or more, to mature fully. Just wait and watch. It will grow. Trees take time. Still, I want a tree now.

Churches now and in the future: A 21st century Babylonian exile

In a previous Outlook article, “Winded Thoroughbreds” (published Sept. 11, 2006), I wrote of a disturbing trend that emerged from our annual congregational statistics following the turn of the millennium. Many previously thriving churches began a serious downturn in membership and worship attendance, almost as if on cue. This article seeks to better understand the nature of this trend.

We need a revision of our Form of Government NOW

Copyright ©2008, by Merwyn S. Johnson. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Editor’s Note: This article is the first in a two-part series on the proposals to revise the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Book of Order, Chapter 1, relating to the Form of Government (FOG) provisions. The author says, “Current/1983, PC(USA)  Form of Government (FOG) may not have caused our present polarizations and conflicts, but after 25 years it certainly has channeled and reinforced the worst dynamics at work among us now.

Three rules on seeking opinion

In a congregation getting started on a Church Wellness Project, teams are preparing to gather information from their fellow members. They will interview young adults, newcomers who joined, visitors who didn’t stay, former members, current and former leaders, and people engaged in various ministries, as well as staff.

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