Some church business venting …<\/p>\n
I don’t know if it’s pent-up anger about the General Convention, worries about the cost of the building expansion, or angst about the rector departing (or other combinations of those emotions with those events), but, jeez, I’ve never met such a group of Gloomy Gusses, Cynical Cindies, and Pessimistic Pauls as on our Stewardship Committee (the folks who organize fund-raisers and pledge giving), at least tonight. It’s enough to make me want to bail on the group.<\/p>\n
I like to think of myself as relatively level-headed, and Margie confirms that I am not a giddy optimist who lets myself get swept away by waves of irrational exuberence. (I think she meant that as a complement.) But I felt like I was the most gung-ho guy at the meeting, apologizing for the parish continuing to move forward with confidence and, well, faith<\/i>.<\/p>\n
I mean, when it comes to financial matters, you have to be realistic. But there’s a difference between being realistic, and fearfully catastrophizing about massive defections from the congregation, massive cost overruns on the building, and utter disaster at every turn. There’s a difference between good stewardship and trying to turn the clock back, pulling back from growth opportunites, and trying to pretend that if only we were in the Good Old Days of several years ago (and a much smaller congregation) then all would be well.<\/p>\n
Stagnation is death. And we are, after all, in the faith business. It seems to me that there’s a parable about burying your wealth to keep it safe, vs. investing it — wisely — to increase it. I’ll have to look that one up.<\/p>\n
Okay. I feel better now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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