Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)
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I write
regular undershepherd
scripts for our family of faith at First in Belvidere, Illinois.
If you're
interested, you can go to www.belvpresbyterian.org
and click on the tab for 'em.
Essentially, I
use 'em to keep folks informed about what's happening in our life and ministry.
Every once in a
while, I go a little deeper; and the next section is an example.
It's a
parable/puzzle/whatever inspired/indigested today while walking Kopper at
4:10 a.m. and then sending it to the congregation at 5:57 a.m.
You decide.
All I know is it
has gone kinda viral; causing one person to ask to be removed from our mailing
lists (guilt) and prompting another to praise God for how it
encouraged her to get back to Him (gratitude).
Again, you
decide.
Feel free to
delete, forward, or...
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Beloved,
Irregularity.
Do you suffer from it/it?
Psst.
Think/pray about the 2nd it.
An irregular attendee said to me not
too long ago, "I feel out of the flow at First these days. There are
more new faces and things are happening and people are saying they're feeling
something and I'm losing control and..."
Aaaaaaaah, there it/it is.
Anyway, she/he is irregular; and still
expects to be in the flow of what He's (hint to the identities in it/it) up to
on the corner of Lincoln and Main in Belvidere, Illinois.
We're broke ($) but increasingly
filled with His Spirit (+).
Such is life/life.
Attendance is up at both services,
more and more and more children are coming to worship and Midweek and Sunday
School, adult classes on Sunday are increasingly well-attended, the Chancel
Choir and Praise Team are growing with a refreshed spirit/Spirit, and...
Anyone who does not
feel/experience/express it/Him is
out of the flow, uh, because she/he is irregular and suffering from it/it.
The day of nitpickers, naysayers,
negativities, and speck-inspectors has come to an end in our family of faith at
First.
It's/it's over.
The train is at the station and it's
about to...
Your choice.
BTW, it's also our choice to invite,
welcome, include, and love others to the ride.
Psst.
If you have no clue about the
preceding, you could be, uh, irregular.
Blessings and Love!
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Some people get
on the train and some don't.
Choices.
Consequences.
Regularly.
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Blessings and Love!
3 comments:
You would have to search high and low to find people more ecclesiastically/liturgically/spiritually constipated than Presbyterians.
I've known way too many regular attenders who were seriously irregular with respect to their relationships to Him/His.
Well, brother, you are right on; but not, uh, inclusive enough.
While, statistically, Presbyterians may be leading the losers these days as they shrink to cultural irrelevance, all mainliners and even many sideliners suffer from the same disease - longing for the way things never were or maybe were but are no more.
Here's a great/awful example.
When I arrived at First about 8 years ago, I had two interesting conversations.
Two actual geezers said I had to do something to bring more young people into the church. I did; rather I encouraged those who did. They left.
Two mental geezers who wanted me to be their best friend and carry their agenda with one maybe...were stunned when I made it clear that my best friend is Jesus and I take Paul seriously about showing no favorites and wouldn't carry their extreme right agenda. They left.
And so it goes as constipated churches longing for the way things never were or maybe were but are no more continue their slide to...
Blessings and Love!
Bob,
This is wonderful! Now if only the rest of the Churches can get in on this! The Joshua Generation!!! Yes!
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