This morning I worshipped for the fourth time this year and eighth time in the last two years in Oklahoma. My prior experiences include: About Quail Springs United Methodist Quail Springs United Methodist Church is "an inclusive, diverse, and faithful community, that shares the love of God, beginning with our neighborhood and extending to a needy world" that seeks to "make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." The congregation is part of the Reconciling Read More …
United Methodist Church
Happy New Year! Celebrating Visits to 12 Churches (#2093)
Happy New Year! Or, more precisely happy new church year. For those in liturgical traditions, Advent starts a new year in the life of the church. Advent is about preparing for what's to come. And, in many traditions, today started with an emphasis on hope. In the year that just ended, I found much to be hopeful for in my experiences with many local communities of faith, especially the 12 congregations located in the greater Dallas Fort Worth metropolitan area that are profiled below. Read More …
Learning from 9 Congregations & 10 Denominations – Update #11 (#2067)
In this series on my journey to ordination in the United Church of Christ, I've been sharing some of the specifics of what my life has been like in recent months as a Member in Discernment. In this post, I explore how my current theology has been informed by lessons I've learned from 10 denominations or traditions. As I engage in this reflection I'm mindful of the nine congregations I've served, which are shown below: (1) First Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) - Duncanville, TX; (2) Central Read More …
Mainline Decline: 1990 to 2020 (#1989)
I've been hearing about Mainline decline for my entire life. As a lifelong participant in multiple denominations within this tradition, I don't remember a time when I was not a part of conversation about what's been happening and why. And, as someone who has served 9 congregations affiliated with denominations in the Mainline Protestant world, I know the practical challenges this trend presents to the local church and to denominations. Decline - The Last 30 Years I was confirmed in Read More …
Giving Up Mainline Protestantism (#1917)
For Lent, I'm giving up something big: the church I always knew. And, unlike past Lenten disciples that ended on Easter, this change is one I expect to be permanent. My Christian Identity For all of my life, I've self-identified as a Mainline Protestant. Despite this unchanging identification, I've spent significant time outside my own tradition. My experiences beyond the Mainline include Worship. I've visited and worshipped in dozens of congregations affiliated with a variety Read More …
Our Search for a Church is Over! (#1669)
In March 2015, my wife, Susan, relocated to Denton, Texas from Naples, Florida. Six months later I finished an interim ministry position in Southwest Florida and joined her. 70 Weeks of Searching From late September 2015 through early February 2017 (17 months!) we embarked on a one of a kind journey I termed our "search for a church." Despite our often conflicting professional travel schedules, we managed to worship 61 times in 36 different Mainline Protestant congregations Read More …
Leaving Your Denomination (#1312)
Recently, the United Methodist Church has been in the media spotlight over the departure of clergy. Most such publicity has focused on those who have chosen to perform same-sex weddings despite the denominations official position prohibiting such. While such acts are likely to continue to attract attention and may ultimately help lead to reform, the denomination's position on who clergy may marry is not the only reason clergy are leaving the denomination. Jack Kale, pastor of the Read More …
Online Communion? (#1234)
As online worship grows in popularity, churches are increasingly tasked with struggling with significant theological issues relating to this new way of being present (virtual presence) in worship. One obvious area in need of consideration is communion. More specifically, can Holy Communion / Eucharist / Lord's Supper be a part of an online worship experience? While independent congregations are free to decide the matter for themselves, most congregations who are affiliated with a Read More …
From 5 Million to 4 Million (#1026)
From 2001 to 2011, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America lost just over 1 million members. More specifically: 2001 Membership: 5,099,877 2011 Membership: 4,059,785 Membership Loss: 1,040,092 or 20.39% So What? The decline of the mainline is a popular topic, yet few are familiar with the dramatic nature of the numeric decline in membership and denominational funding. While the numbers presented here reflect the change in the ELCA, similar decline is happening across Read More …
Membership & Worship Attendance (#0748)
Len Wilson just started a new job yesterday in "an executive creative and communication position" at Peachtree Presbyterian Church (Atlanta, GA), one of the largest Presbyterian congregations in America with an average worship attendance of around 7,000. Recently, he blogged about attendance and membership patterns in the United Methodist Church. In a rather comprehensive piece, he compared the ranks of the top twenty-five conferences by both membership and worship attendance. Read More …