Every year every ELCA congregation is asked to complete a parochial report. It is a report filled with numbers and percentages that is intended (I think) to adjudicate the health of the ELCA.How many new members?
How many baptized? adult? children?
How many confirmed?
How many died?
What is your average worship attendance?
How is your membership defined by racial/ethnic group?
Along with people numbers, we submit $ numbers as well. Assets, income, benevolence, expenses.
Every year in every congregation I have served we have submitted our parochial report, and on time as well, so please don't read the following as the complaint of a disgruntled and uncooperative member of the clergy.
Numbers have nothing to do with faith, faithfulness, spiritual growth and ethical living. Numbers have nothing to do with trusting in God when all indications are that God is not paying attention. Numbers are easy to count and to report, that's all. (Still many congregations don't even do that little bit).
Choosing to live in the footsteps of Jesus, serving food at the Samaritan Center, giving to disaster victims in NY area, building a pre-school in Zambia, expanding the opportunity for our young people to attend camp, visiting the sick and shut-in, praying for people we do not know, figuring out how to live and die faithfully.....that is the hard stuff.
And there is no place for that on the form.
Let's keep doing it just the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment