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"It's hard to dance with the devil on your back"
A church in need of prayer
musicThis is a true story about a church in need of prayer. Years ago it was a thriving place in a nice neighborhood on the side of a ridge. As the congregation aged the neighborhood changed and the church stopped growing, but was still attended well. Then members passed away, and children married and moved to the 'burbs. Others left for personal reasons. Pastor after pastor could not reverse the spindown.
Finally a new pastor was appointed. His first sunday saw a pair of octogenarian women awaiting him at service time. One was there, as she later put it, "Just to be nice."
The pastor held the service for them and promised to be back. He began using the church as a base for ministry to a growing hispanic community that now has their own service attended by 25 to 40 each Sunday. He has plans for other uses for the stately old building with the vaulted ceilings.
Since that pastor's first Sunday, a few former members have returned. An 85 year old man plays the piano for singing when he's in town but that's not often. The "choir" consists of 3 musicians, all on loan from other churches and a former choir member of the church, itself. On a good Sunday, the congregation outnumbers the musicians. On a really really good day, the congregation can be counted in double digits.
The average age of those in the pews tops 80. All but one are women.
Recently, during announcements, one of the ladies read a news piece about children living in Mexico in a trash dump needing shoes. They like flip-flops and the local mission church (at the dump) was asking for help. The women all want to help and are working on details of getting a box of shoes to send to the mission. Understand that most of these gals don't drive much. Some don't at all and count on those who do for a ride. They don't have a missions committee, they just love God.
So please pray for the little church on the ridgeside, and the children needing flip-flops, and the pastor who brings God's light to this corner of the kingdom.
Finally a new pastor was appointed. His first sunday saw a pair of octogenarian women awaiting him at service time. One was there, as she later put it, "Just to be nice."
The pastor held the service for them and promised to be back. He began using the church as a base for ministry to a growing hispanic community that now has their own service attended by 25 to 40 each Sunday. He has plans for other uses for the stately old building with the vaulted ceilings.
Since that pastor's first Sunday, a few former members have returned. An 85 year old man plays the piano for singing when he's in town but that's not often. The "choir" consists of 3 musicians, all on loan from other churches and a former choir member of the church, itself. On a good Sunday, the congregation outnumbers the musicians. On a really really good day, the congregation can be counted in double digits.
The average age of those in the pews tops 80. All but one are women.
Recently, during announcements, one of the ladies read a news piece about children living in Mexico in a trash dump needing shoes. They like flip-flops and the local mission church (at the dump) was asking for help. The women all want to help and are working on details of getting a box of shoes to send to the mission. Understand that most of these gals don't drive much. Some don't at all and count on those who do for a ride. They don't have a missions committee, they just love God.
So please pray for the little church on the ridgeside, and the children needing flip-flops, and the pastor who brings God's light to this corner of the kingdom.
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