Some time ago, long before I came to Trinity, our children’s
Sunday school teachers complained that they only had fifteen or twenty minutes
for class. This shortness of time grew
out of a decision made years ago to have the children’s Sunday school during
the second worship service. This
arrangement also caused our adult and children’s Sunday school programs to be
at different times, which in turn, makes it difficult for both worship services to attract young families.
A few months ago, a group of Sunday school teachers met to
discuss the problem and consider various scheduling options. After they had selected one that they thought
to be the best, they took that suggestion to the Church Council. After considerable discussion, the Council
felt that another option would be better, but that option would not allow the
second worship service to meet on Sunday morning.
It is at this point that I stepped in and caused a fair
amount of confusion. The Church Council
voted on, and narrowly passed, a schedule that did not include a second worship
service but did allow all of our Sunday school classes to meet at the same
time. Before we dismissed that meeting I
explained that before we could move forward with such a plan, those who worship
in the second service should be consulted.
It took me a few days to understand what had happened, what should have
happened, and the mistake that I should have prevented.
Regardless of our feelings, our church does indeed have two
worship services. Despite the obvious
fact that one service is significantly larger, more involved, and more affluent
than the other, it would be unfair for any one group to simply vote to take
away the worship time of the other. It
isn’t hard to see how the situation might be reversed in only a few years. Allowing the Council to vote on such a resolution
was a mistake, I regret it, and I apologize.
Despite the fact that there has been a majority vote, I am insisting
that a majority isn’t enough. Fairness,
I think, requires that we reach a consensus, which means, simply, that we need
to find a schedule that works for everyone.
I have had several families confide to me, at one time or
another, that each of the proposals that have been lifted up would cause
someone to feel as if they had to leave the church. This is exactly why a majority is not
enough. If a vote of this kind passes by
two thirds, and one third of the church leaves, we’re finished. This is too important for a majority
vote. What we need is a consensus, an
agreement between all of us. At a
minimum, I would like eighty or ninety percent of us to agree but honestly,
what I want is 100 percent, and I think that we can get there.
I knew from the beginning that I would find myself caught in
the middle because I am the pastor of both worship services. I represent all of you. I had hoped that finding common ground would
be easier. In all of our discussions so
far, there have been strong opinions and some heated discussions. Even so, I have been encouraged. Despite the strong opinions and lengthy
discussion, there has been both give
and take and in the end, we have
made progress. The final proposals being
discussed differed by only ten to fifteen minutes. I believe that we can find common ground.
I think that there is
a solution that will work for everyone.
In light of that, we have decided to meet together,
face-to-face. After church on September
15, at 11:15, we will meet with members of both worship services to find common
ground. I sincerely hope that we can
find a schedule that is acceptable to all
of us. We are already very close and I
believe that we can do it.
This is the most
important part: Between now and September 15th, I am asking
you to pray, even if you are not in the habit of doing so. Find a time, each day, even for just a few
moments, to pray for that meeting. Pray
that everyone would seek the best interests of Trinity Church but also pray
that God would reveal to you, what he
wants us to do instead of what we
want to do. Please pray that God
would lead us all to common
ground.
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