Few in the Pew

We have found the church and it is US! or Who are We?

What's most important to your church? If we ask that of a large church the answer might be the Sermon or the Music or the Education program. But when it comes to our Small Membership Churches none these three may not be the priority. When your Pastor Nominating committee (PNC) filled out a formal Church Information Form they listed your church's priorities. This meant answering the big question: WHO ARE WE?

More questions may have entered into their discussion: Does attendance remain mostly the same when the Preacher is away or there isn't a preacher? Does the giving go up when the building needs work, but it's hard to raise the budget for a pastor's compensation? Do people make a special effort to be present for communion? Is our Sunday School bigger than our worship attendance? Do we have more non-members than members in the pew? Is it hard to find enough members to elect Elders and rotate the Session? Do our out of town relatives come with us to church. Do they look forward to visiting with the "home" folks? Does our praying and sharing time take as long as a sermon? When there is a family in the community in need, do our church folks respond - as a group or individually? How do we handle money matters? What are our congregations roots?

When I visit a small church I feel needed. And that's not because I'm preaching. Often I'm in the pew. In our Small Churches, people and family come first, the building second and the preacher third (if he or she is lucky.)

We may tell others that we most want our Pastor using her/his time to prepare our Worship and to preach. We may list as our next priorities: the Music program , second and Youth program, third. But that may not be what we live out.

In reality, our church may be lucky to have preaching once a month, music may be without benefit of accompaniment and youth are the young retirees who get here now and then when they're not motor-homing. Or our church may defy the odds.

I preached at a tiny Welsh congregation that has preaching once or twice a month . There were 11 of us and in true Welsh style there was both piano and organ. Worship was inspirational, all of our voices mattered and folks were glad to include me in all the activities. After all I increased the voices by
10 per cent.

What is a church? The church is the people who believe in God and in Jesus Christ. I would add, the church is the place where people believe in one another. It's nice to go somewhere knowing that ahead of time. We are the church when we gather, whether we have a pastor , a piano or a program or not. The church is our collective past, too.

What are the roots of our church? Where are the tender spots?

Two congregations in the Ohio hills that were 30 minutes drive apart, so close to one another, yer so far apart.

The history of the Presbyterians who settled in Ohio shows the roots of their unique differences. One congregation, founded by French Presbyterian Virginians (Huguenots?) crossed the Ohio River and planted towns and congregations. The other congregation came 30 years later led by Northeast (Scottish) Presbyterian ministers who were professors at a nearby college. 150 years later and their heritage continues to define who they are, and defy the seeming likeness attributed to them by their close geographical proximity. Roots make a difference.