There is a lot of talk in the church today about power. There is even more posturing.
Constitutions are dusted off. It’s easy to find the denomination’s favorite passage that at first glance gives the bishop and synod council powers over individual congregations. Its pages are well-worn. The sections that support the current desire of leaders are easily quoted from memory. All other sections or even sections that further define the powers are ignored.
The constitutions define very specific powers and they are all to be read in the context of the church’s founding document — The Articles of Incorporation. Very few people in the church ever read these foundational documents. This includes bishops and synod councils. Delegates at Synod Assemblies don’t give them a moment’s thought. Does anyone at a Synod Assembly stand up and ask if they have the power to take votes on some issues?
The Articles of Incorporation define the scope of responsibility. They set the rules for the writing of constitutions and the altering of constitutions over the years. If they are never read, there is a danger of writing new church bylaws that conflict with founding documents. This has created the backdrop for church legal issues, including the ones the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (SEPA) faces with Redeemer, that little passionate church in East Falls, Philadelphia.
Bishop Claire Burkat reviews the constitution and finds the powers she seeks. She probably cited them to the other churches she closed with less trouble. No one challenged her.
She declared way back in 2008 (or even earlier). “I have the power to close that church and I intend to close it.”
Maybe she does. Maybe she doesn’t. The courts didn’t rule that she does. They deferred to the church to make that decision. In making that decision the church must follow its rules — which most people in the church have never read.
Five powers vested in the church
Let’s not argue any more about it. Putting all constitutions aside, we know very well that the bishop has significant power — should she decide to use it.
Let’s just look at powers the bishop and church leaders have.
Where would we be today if Bishop Burkat had cited the following powers?
“I have the power to help that church and I intend to help them.”
“I have the power to love Redeemer’s people and I intend to love them.”
“I have the power to forgive the people of this synod who disagree and I intend to forgive them.”
“I have the power to reconcile with the member churches of this synod who are unhappy and I intend to reconcile.”
“I have the power to be a peacemaker, if I value peace over acrimony.”
These are the powers given to Bishop Burkat and all the members of SEPA Synod as defined in our founding documents: the Books of the Bible.
Our busy ambassadors needed somewhere close to visit this week so we returned to Zion, where we had visited two years ago. One ambassador returned on her own for a mid-week service, so technically this was our third visit to Zion.
Things have changed a bit at Zion. They have a new pastor, Rev. Sozinho Alves, from Angola.
As we entered their organist was reviewing hymns with the congregation in preparation for worship. He was teaching the hymns, sharing his vast knowledge of church music as he familiarized the congregation with what was to come.
Robert Camburn knows our Ambassadors because he is a resident of East Falls. He and two of our Ambassadors once worked at the LCA national headquarters in East Falls. He stopped what he was doing and came to greet us, pronouncing my name like a Fallser. From the day I moved into East Falls and the mailman asked me if I was one of the East Falls Gotwals (not Gotwald), I have had to accept my new name—even from my Fallser husband. It always makes me smile.
We saw today a church very like Redeemer.
First. They have a color bulletin similar to Redeemer. Large print format. Smaller churches can do this because they don’t need to print dozens and so the expense is not formidable. Just like Redeemer there was a puzzle on the back for the little ones.
Attendance was up from our last visit—about 27. Similar to Redeemer. The congregation was quite diverse and seemed acclimated to diversity, worshiping as one. There were two rows of young people and at least one baby. Good age representation.
They still operate a school as Redeemer was about to when Synod made this impossible.
We had two native African pastors working with us. They have one.
Our visit to Zion proves the point we have been making in recent posts that small churches are best situated to take on the SEPA’s stated mission goal of diversity. Larger churches tend to take the separate but equal approach. One group meets at 10 am—the second, usually newer group, meets at 1 pm—something like that. Smaller churches can bypass that while larger churches retain that model for years—sometimes never becoming one.
It also proves that Redeemer was not a legitimate target for Synodical Administration. We’ve visited many congregations with statistics the same or lower than Redeemer’s. The ruse of Synodical Administration was about property and assets and never about mission potential.
Olney has two Lutheran churches and at least one other (Mt. Tabor) just across the boulevard.
From Roosevelt Boulevard to the Montgomery County line, East Falls and the largest geographic neighborhood in Philadelphia, Roxborough, has just one small ELCA congregation located on a crowded back street. SEPA has taken the assets of Grace, Epiphany and Redeemer. They have put nothing back into these neighborhoods. SEPA has abandoned this part of Philadelphia — still fairly well to do, working class and professional neighborhoods, making sure they got the resulting wealth — which they squander on a hierarchy that is largely unneeded in the modern world.
Getting back to Zion, the people were all friendly and talked to us. This has become rare. Most of the 54 churches we have visited do little more than say hello and never engage in conversation.
The members of Zion seemed unaware of what is going on just two neighborhoods away from them.
They graciously gave us the altar flowers, which we sent home with the ambassador who SEPA Synod shamelessly is content to allow to personally suffer the consequences of their interference in East Falls to the point that she is threatened with losing her home and retirement income. She will celebrate her 79th birthday this week. Sixty-two of those years were spent in selfless service to her congregation and some to the national church. Being a Lutheran in East Falls is thankless.
Church has long recognized that it has trouble connecting with the young. For several decades it was taken for granted that our youth would disappear in high school and return with their children in their twenties.
The benign neglect of this demographic is now haunting us.
Young people began putting off parenthood until their 30s or 40s. A two-decade absence was insurmountable. Add to that the demands of the modern family, including high divorce rates and intensive community commitments, and you have an entire population missing from church life.
Time has only widened the demographic.
Our Ambassador visits reveal that the problem demographic is now pre-school through 40.
This should alarm congregations.
We won’t pretend to have all the answers, but we had some of them. Redeemer’s membership, though small, had every age group represented with a good representation of families with young children and a small group of active youth. Our cradle roll was showing particular promise when SEPA Synod decided to vote us closed without our knowledge.
Whatever it was we were doing right, we have learned even more in the last few years.
We took our ministry online. 2x2virtualchurch.com is the voice of Redeemer, East Falls. We are about to celebrate the second anniversary of our launch.
We are pioneers in social media ministry and we have attracted attention from church leaders all over the world.
As of this month, we average more than 2000 readers per month. This doesn’t count readers who subscribe by email, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. This adds another 200 daily readers.
These social media channels are valuable in growing our ministry. They help us identify our readers.
Surprise! Most of our readers fit the very demographic missing in bricks and mortar churches. Our subscribers tend to be in their 20s and 30s. They are from any number of ethnic backgrounds. They tend to be adventurous in lifestyle and involved in making spiritual connections online. Many of them blog on spiritual subjects.
They are timid to comment online but tend to write to us by email.
Another demographic is beginning to emerge. From time to time (we wish more often) we publish resources we hope are helpful to other small congregations. Some of them are from our archives of things we used in our own worship.
Our church was unique in that most of our members spoke English as a third language and learned music by ear, not by reading from hymnals. Our early attempt to use published resources flopped. We started writing our own resources that could be performed simply and without expensive professional leadership.
Last year, we posted an Easter/Holy Week play that Redeemer produced and performed for the community in 2008. It sat there all year getting little attention.
At Christmastime 2012, readers started to find it. It has been downloaded 700 times in the last month.
Our Adult Object Lessons, based on the Common Lectionary and published weekly, are also attracting a following and are beginning to engage readers.
Will our ministry ever be seen as worthy to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod who claimed our assets with the unsupported rationale that we were incapable of fulfilling our “missional” purpose?
They are unlikely to budge.
Meanwhile, Redeemer will keep moving! We think the survival of the church in the next 100 years depends on learning the skills we are pioneering today. We’ll be glad to share our adventure.
The Ambassadors were out in unusual force yesterday visiting Trinity, Lansdale, one of the largest congregations in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (SEPA) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It was our 54th visit to a SEPA congregation.
It’s been a rough few days for Redeemer. Yesterday, Saturday, January 5, was particularly difficult.
At least a quarter of the people gathered in the large sanctuary on this cold Saturday afternoon claim Lutheran roots firmly planted in Redeemer, East Falls.
Tragically, the infant we gathered to remember and lay to rest was one of our family. Families at Redeemer have always been intricately interconnected. Remarkably, this has remained true even as we grow to become more diverse. One Redeemer member cannot itch without another scratching.
Indeed, we have a goodly heritage.
Part of the beautiful service was thanksgiving for baptism.
Our Jude was baptized as he was coming into the world. His chances for survival were known to be slim. When his parents learned early on that he was not likely to survive birth, they named him. His name breathed life into him. Jude Michael Boeh belonged.
I am privileged to know the family of both sides of one set of Jude’s grandparents. Many of the names bandied about in the narthex as the family gathered came alive again. Remember Clarence and George, Vicki, Tom, Emma and Jacob?
I wasn’t born into Redeemer, but I remember them well. It was good to hear their names again and to pass their stories on to the younger members of the family. Some belonged to Redeemer and some to the Presbyterian church across the street. But that was a formality. Redeemer members worshiped at Redeemer in the morning and attended services with their Presbyterian neighbors afterwards. Dual citizenship.
Jude’s mother, born Elizabeth Leach, gave a moving tribute to his short life and its powerful force.
Jude was named for the patron saint of lost causes. His life was a tribute to the value of any life-affirming cause, even one that appears to be facing hopeless odds.
We are so proud of his family, especially his mother whom we watched grow up at many Redeemer services and events.
Redeemer, East Falls, and Trinity, Lansdale, are worlds apart. Trinity’s narthex is about the size of Redeemer’s sanctuary. But it doesn’t matter how large a sanctuary is. A lot of good can come out of both large and small churches. As the history we read on the walls of Trinity attest, churches start small. Some grow in size. Some grow in spirit. All have worth.
As I participated in the memorial service for my step great-grandson, I thought of my late husband.
Jude’s great-grandfather, Andrew Leach, was the first baby baptized in Redeemer in 1909. Jude’s grandfather and many of his aunts and uncles of varying generations were also baptized at Redeemer.
He would have been proud of the courage his grandchildren displayed in their compassionate, faithful, heart-wrenching choices. Their willingness to share their heartbreak is a gift.
Jude’s great-grandfather was the heart and soul of Redeemer, devout in practical ways. He managed the church finances and was responsible for protecting and growing the endowment that tempted SEPA from the day of his death. He was universally respected in the church and community and set the tone of what could be called Redeemer’s personality.
He not only managed the church as a business but he had a superb voice, a legacy passed on to many family members. He was never so proud that he wouldn’t clean the sidewalks and scrub floors. His interest in the community made Redeemer the common meeting place for many community groups. When it came to Redeemer, there was no nonsense.
His great granddaughter, Hazel, (Jude’s older sister) was born shortly after Andy’s death. Hazel, at 14, shared with poise a heartfelt testimony of how her journey with her sister, mom, stepdad and baby Jude had awakened her faith. She reminded me of her great-grandmother.
Gertrude Trommer Leach was a member of the Sunday School class I taught at Redeemer. She worked hard with the ladies group, sang in the choir and played the piano. She was a deeply spiritual child of God, a true matriarchal cornerstone. Easy-going and loving, when she occasionally stood her ground, she was a force to be reckoned with.
Andrew’s youngest son, Nathaniel, is still a member of Redeemer. He was seated next to me in the sanctuary, singing with his father’s voice as we remembered Jude. I was reminded of his biblical namesake. Nathaniel in the Bible asks rather flippantly upon learning of Jesus of Nazareth, “Can any good come out of Nazareth?”
Is there any good to be found in trying circumstances, in facing difficult odds?
People of faith must answer yes.
Sometimes you have to dig through a lot of grime. Sometimes you have to wipe away the tears. Sometimes you have to struggle to get up in the morning. Often we have to withstand hurtful gossip and defend against questionable, self-serving advice. But there is value wherever there is life.
Jesus loves us. The Bible tells us so.
The service was beautiful, but as Sunday quickly rolled around, it would have been a comfort to many of the mourners to sit in the pews so familiar to our family, to kneel at the altar where our families knelt together for generations, to pass the font where five generations have been baptized, to shed a tear in our own sacred space—now desecrated with fighting that should have been resolved with love within the Christian family long ago, and to embrace other members of Redeemer who live in fear beyond their control. It would be a comfort to have some sense that in the community of God we have worth beyond the value of our assets.
Redeemer members continue to meet, worship and serve—and grow.
Faith gives us no choice. Affirming life is a part of our legacy.
Jude. The patron saint of lost causes.
Is there really such a thing for people of faith? Sometimes we just don’t know what the real cause is!
The name Jude, by the way, means PRAISE! That’s how I will remember Jude. With praise.
God bless our Jude. God bless Jude’s family. God bless the Christian legacy that brought us all together in the sanctuary in Trinity, Lansdale, on January 5, 2013.
Last night was Christmas Eve and the doors to our church were locked by the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
O Holy Night! Love and Joy Come to You. Let earth receive her King. Noble words were being sung in other SEPA Lutheran sanctuaries.
We gathered around the soup pot as we so often do at Redeemer. (Still)
The ladies of Redeemer once supported our ministry with monthly soup sales. A rich beef vegetable soup was produced in Redeemer’s kitchen which we were renovating so we could cook more soup.
Redeemer lives as long as those soup recipes live. Last night I enjoyed Lutheran soup for 25th Christmas Eve.
On 21 of those Christmas Eves, we also went to church.
God and sinners reconciled.
We’ll gather again this morning for Christmas breakfast. But not in our church.
We’ll be back in church on Christmas Eve when the hymns people sing actually mean something.
Meanwhile, I suggested we change the name of the soup. Lutheran Soup just doesn’t sound good anymore.
The sun was not cooperating with us and we didn’t bother to get both our Ambassadors in the picture this morning.
Congenial, Upbeat Worship Atmosphere
The Ambassadors were just two in number today with last minute cancellations from some of our usual number. We had decided to stall our visits until after the holidays as it is difficult for us to worship standing next to Lutherans who are suing us not only as a congregation but as individuals. But earlier in the week, the Ambassadors changed their mind and wanted a Sunday visit. This was our 53rd visit to a SEPA congregation.
We noticed on their website that the fourth Sunday is designated as “Old Time Gospel” worship. Other weeks of the month include Communion Sunday, a Sunday led by youth and a family Sunday.
We entered the church to find happy people. At least four people greeted us in the narthex and a few more made a point to stop and say hello once we had found seats in the sanctuary.
We don’t know how much “Old Time Gospel” Sunday differs from other weeks, but we noticed a decidedly casual atmosphere that seemed to be accepted by all of the approximately 60 worshipers. We sat in the next to last row. Most of the worshipers in front of us were in our own age group. But behind us was a healthy group of youth and a section of the sanctuary devoted to the trappings of a praise band—a trap set, an organ and a piano.
The casual atmosphere extended to the community wardrobe. Many of the worshipers were wearing Faith Lutheran sweatshirts or T-shirts with Bible messages on them. This included the pastor, the Rev. Joyce Nelson, who cheerfully led worship wearing a Faith sweatshirt.
Pastor Nelson opened worship by reminding the congregation to enjoy Christmas and Advent music on a different plane, looking beyond the familiar tunes to pay close attention to the words. Very good advice for all Lutherans — clergy and laity alike.
The stained glass windows are a tribute to the faithful, depicting the symbols of many of the early apostles, with bold inclusion of a modern-day memorial for more recent saints from their community.
The sanctuary already appeared to be partially decorated for Christmas, but part of today’s worship included transforming the festive trappings from Advent colors to Christmas colors. At each musical interlude, the youth appeared like elves, and added an additional touch to the sanctuary’s holiday decor. During the first hymn, the wreaths were given bows. Later the Advent banners were taken down and replaced with white Christmas banners. I like the one that depicted a Christmas tree as a cross. Poinsettias were carried in and placed along the communion rail. A display, which I couldn’t see was arranged in front of the altar and at last the blue Advent candles were carried out, replaced with white candles.
Some of the music was “old time” and people seemed to be enjoying the opportunity to clap and feel good. Some of the hymns were more standard and parts of the service were from the new “red” book, not to be confused with the Common Service Book and Hymnal which we still find in some of the churches we visit and which we at Redeemer kept around, mostly to reference the hymns. They used the choral benediction which I hadn’t sung since high school choir but they didn’t use the crescendoing Amens that I recall ended our rendition.
A playing of Jesus Loves Me was a cue for the children to leave, but we saw only one or two children in worship. (We often sang Jesus Loves Me in Swahili in our worship and the Swahili chorus still comes to mind now.)
We wonder if the family attendance is better for some of the other theme weeks and how the themes seem to work overall.
The sermon was a dialog between the pastor and a man depicting the prophet Isaiah. It appeared to be part of an Advent series of conversations with Isaiah.
The music team (they didn’t use the word choir) was very nice with good deep voices opening the anthem and strong women’s voices.
We were given a nice visitor gift on our way out. We weren’t clear whether there was fellowship scheduled after worship or not, so we left to enjoy our own Sunday morning fellowship.
We had an impression that there was some affluence in the congregation as they are promoting a trip to the Holy Land for $3500, but their treasurer’s report indicates that they are very similar to Redeemer, with a smaller endowment, similar mortgage debt and running a $4000 deficit, which will likely disappear with Christmas giving. So they really aren’t much different than Redeemer as far as their financial viability. So many congregations no stronger than Redeemer were asked to decide who should own our property and assets.
We enjoyed our worship, but we always wonder if the good people we meet on our visits know that they are part of ongoing harassment of a church which includes equally good Christians in East Falls.
This will be our fourth Christmas locked out of the Lutheran Church with the permission of the Lutherans of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod.
All the prayers, peace-passing, welcome messages and good wishes ring with a very hollow sound when they are backed up by years of apathy to a horrific situation which they contributed to—perhaps innocently at first—but with general avoidance of the consequences since.
Still, we had a great visit, enjoyed our time with Faith, and wish them well.
I’ve had the opportunity to attend many youth concerts in the last few years. I’ve noticed a remarkable difference from my own school experiences.
Today’s young people have the ability to excel in skills beyond what was possible for all but the most motivated among those of us who were schooled 40-50 years ago.
They have constant exposure to the professional talent. We had the Mickey Mouse Club and the Ed Sullivan Show.
They have teaching tools that were unavailable to us as we learned to play our instruments. Online teachers are plentiful. There is a device that can play recorded music slowly without changing the pitch. How I remember replacing the needle on the high-fi, guessing that it was falling at the phrase I wanted to learn and trying to keep up with the pros as I practiced! I’d have died for one of them.
Suffice to say . . . the coming generations are better at many skills at an earlier age than we dreamed of being. The contestant age requirement on some of TVs singing competitions has dropped to 12. Twelve! The 12-year-olds are holding their own. The quality is there. Sometimes their lack of maturity causes them to falter, but several have made it through to the final rounds.
How does this speak to the church?
As much as we like to think of the worship experience as corporate and engaging, it really isn’t — not when measured against the potential.
Those who grew up in the church and have an understanding of what is going on in a worship service may take comfort in knowing the rationale behind the various sections of the liturgy and understand how it intends to engage them.
But these are fewer and fewer. As a result, worship becomes more and more passive. We exist in a world where our ability to express ourselves is exploding with potential. Yet in worship we are asked to behave as spectators. As spectators we have higher expectations!
For the last three years, Redeemer worshipers have been forced into a spectator role, denied access to our own sanctuary. In our own worship, we would all be involved. But that happens only on the first Sundays of the month now. Nevertheless, we take seriously our role as spectators, participating in the limited ways allowed as guests in worship.
We notice that the worshiping body is more and more passive. The larger the congregation, the more passive. Some even pay select choir members!
Congregational singing is generally weak, with many congregations content to be overpowered by an organ. The roles of worshipers are orchestrated. One will read scripture. Another will take the offering. Tradition.
Spontaneous expression is almost non-existent with the occasional exception of prayer, notably in the churches with more of an African or African-American membership.
In 52 visits, we have seen no dance (common in Redeemer worship). Choirs are fairly rare.
I miss Redeemer worship. There was always something interesting and spontaneous happening. I miss playing my wooden flute. I carried it with me and often played during hymns, just sitting in the pew. I haven’t been able to do that for years now. We haven’t seen that type of spontaneity in any worship setting we’ve visited.
A nod from a worship leader was enough to let a worshiper know that they would be leading the next part of worship. I can’t recall anyone balking.
Sometimes it was embarrassing, but human. One week, (has to be five years ago) someone stepped forward to sing a solo. Her choice ended up to be the opening hymn. What are the odds of that! So she sang it. And then we sang it. It was memorable. The hymn was “We Have Come Into His House.” Do you remember what the opening hymn was in your worship last week?
As an observer, I wonder if the structure of the worship service, which was created at a time when one or two educated members of the community directed the illiterate masses, might need an overhaul to allow for the growing talents and expectations of our community members. Their abilities make them much less likely to be content as spectators at worship and many don’t have the tradition of knowing that when they are asked to stand or sit or read the words that are printed in the bulletin in boldface — well, that’s involvement!
We have a tendency to substitute ritual and call it engagement. Are we really engaged when we all file to front of the church and hold hands out for communion?
There is a huge challenge in wondering about all this.
Most of our talented young community members are not in church.
When you attend Christmas Eve worship in your unlocked church next Monday, think what might be possible if the Church didn’t do things the same way week after week.
Until then, once or twice a year, when the Church is putting its best foot forward, might be enough for most people. Click to tweet.
Eighteen months ago some of the remnant of Redeemer, East Falls, began visiting their sister churches that voted in 2009 to confiscate Redeemer property for their own enrichment.
Bishop Claire Burkat decided the way to transform Redeemer is to deny the congregation the services she is pledged to provide member congregations, make sure they have no professional leadership, lock out the loyal members, and sue their lay leaders. It is exactly as it sounds — ridiculous and cruel. Nevertheless it has been tacitly endorsed by the clergy and laity of a synod that is struggling and fearful that any misstep will find themselves undergoing similar “transformation.”
After our third visit, a pastor reported our activities to Bishop Burkat, which didn’t bother us. We saw nothing clandestine about attending church. We have made our reports quite public. As of this writing we have visited 52 SEPA congregations.
Bishop Burkat responded by issuing a warning letter to all pastors including instructions on what to do if we became disruptive—a new slant on the standard All welcome! sign.
Perhaps she thought we would behave the way her representatives behaved when they visited Redeemer.
But we didn’t set out to disrupt. We came to worship, learn and share. Period.
One of things we learned is how many of the congregations exist under the watchful eye of the synod. They are in transition with a synod appointed professional leader or they are in some form of mission development with clergy reporting regularly to synod.
One term cropped up regularly — transformational ministry. It actually is a common term used by church leaders, who have published many books on the subject. It sounds inspiring. It is really quite vague.
It is unclear what the term means.
It is unclear when it is successfully achieved.
It is unclear as to how it happens—if it happens.
Is is unclear if the term addresses a ministry model that is replicable or a fluke.
Generally, transformation seems to happen when a struggling church is by some means able to once again support the hierarchy.
This is a fascinating concept and one which Redeemer had unwittingly stumbled upon entirely ignorant that Harvard thinkers were concurrently developing a new business model that mirrored our experience.
Disruption Can Spur Success
Redeemer didn’t set out to be disruptive. Nevertheless, we had a track record for success in doing ministry in unconventional ways. The Synod and its voting membership never took the time to know or understand our ministry. They were better off without our people. “Hand over your money. Good riddance. We’ll pray for you. See you in court.”
It’s going on four years since East Falls Lutherans were locked out of the ELCA. Our visits reveal that SEPA has not experienced much innovation or transformation in the three years they have worked so tirelessly to exclude us.
We are going to look at the concept of Disruptive Success and see if it might be the catalyst that is missing as the church gropes blindly for “transformation.”
Look for at least four more posts on Disruptive Innovation in the Church.
In our resolve to be more active in our own community, the Ambassadors attended William Penn Charter School’s Upper School Winter Concert.
Many of Redeemer’s young people are alums of Penn Charter so we are very familiar with the school. A few years ago, the concerts would have seemed crowded as they were held in the Quaker Meeting Room. But recently, Penn Charter built a luxurious auditorium — a real asset to East Falls. The venue now has plenty of room for neighborhood people. We hope over time that the neighbors take advantage of the cultural offerings of the school.
They call it the Winter Concert, because that’s what we do these days, but it had a nice selection of Christmas choral music and one upbeat number celebrating Hanukkah. It had a couple of raplike verses but the only word I could understand was the word repeated throughout the chorus, Miracles, which is what Hanukkah is all about. Two Grinch numbers. He is almost replacing Santa in our culture.
We did not join the traditional closing, where all are invited on stage to sing the Hallelujah Chorus along with the youth. Next year!
We firmly believe that if neighborhood churches expect people to come to them, we must go to neighborhood events.
2×2 records banner statistics as 2012 draws to a close
2×2 will soon enter its third year of online ministry. Very few churches are experimenting with content evangelism. This is new territory.
We have been forced into online ministry by the confiscation of our property and the abandonment of traditional leadership. Online numbers are the only thing we can measure. We don’t have property or a pastor to pay. We have few expenses outside of unending law suits.
This was an interesting week statistically. For the last five weeks or so we’ve been inching up to 400 readers per week. We got as high as 397 without breaking 400. We fluctuated a bit, week by week, with our monthly totals steadily climbing for the last six months. Our daily readership also climbed steadily during the latter part of 2012.
This week we broke the 400 mark—and the 500 mark—and the 600 mark. 604 readers visited 2×2 last week.
Keep in mind that Redeemer’s ability to fulfill its mission was the lame excuse offered to justify the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s self-serving land grab. SEPA paraded false statistics before a Synod Assembly that was duped into taking foolish actions. Redeemer was allowed no say at the time (under questionable constitutionality)—by design.
Now we have independent statistics to prove our viability.
And a little church shall lead the way
2×2 is the focus of Redeemer’s mission. We pay daily attention to our blog’s statistics so we can do a better job. It’s not just a numbers game. We are forming real relationships with our readers all over the world. We are sharing freely what we are learning.
We look beyond the numbers to determine what the numbers represent. Online ministry is very measurable.
This week, an Ambassadors post early in the week attracted unusual attention, mostly on Monday but a little on Tuesday morning. By Tuesday afternoon, that interest had died. We expected the numbers to plummet to 20, 30 or 40 visits per day. They didn’t. By the end of the week, all the traffic was from the usual sources (people searching for ministry ideas), only at two or three times the previous week’s numbers.
Redeemer continues its dedication. We have numbers to back up our claims. Along with the statistics is evidence of Redeemer’s growing reach. We have readers all over the world. We may even lay claim to being one of the largest Lutheran churches within SEPA’s geographical area. But we are not limited by geography!
Imagine a different scenario than the one fostered by SEPA leadership
Imagine what we could be doing
if we had a place to meet for worship.
if we had a facility to hold workshops on the things we are learning.
if the pastor who had given us a five-year commitment hadn’t been chased off.
if our property were serving the community and earning income to satisfy existing debt and support even more outreach.
if we were free to monetize our site without interference.
if our members were not burdened or intimidated by lawsuits.
if we had a pastor to work with us and care about us.
And there’s the rub! It’s in that last bulleted item. The lay people of Redeemer now have more experience at this type of ministry than almost all ELCA pastors.
And so we are condemned and excluded. Not because we lack “missional” focus but because professional leaders, steeped in 19th and 20th century ministry models, don’t know how to work with us.
Who knows how long SEPA will keep Redemer’s doors locked until they feel they can totally control a ministry they never understood?
They have looked the other way as Grace, Roxborough, failed and their building and parsonage were sold to benefit SEPA. They allowed Epiphany, Upper Roxborough, to break its covenant with Redeemer and vote to close—assets going to SEPA. Only landlocked Bethany remains to serve several Philadelphia neighborhoods—East Falls, Wissahickon, Roxborough, and Manayunk.
A resurgence of ministry there without new focus is unlikely, but SEPA would rather watch traditional ministries struggle with an arrogant “we told you so” hanging in the air than help them to experiment beyond the experience of available leadership.
SEPA congregations and clergy look on with approval, touting the wisdom of its leaders, and protecting their own endangered territories.
Meanwhile, little, unrecognized Redeemer just keeps growing. Without property, without money, without professional leaders, Redeemer grows!
God is doing something new in East Falls.
When will SEPA and the ELCA perceive it?
Screen shot of Redeemer’s statistics toward the end of the December 2, 2012. We actually closed the day with 604 site visits — two more visited before the Cinderella hour.
Join Bishop Ruby Kinisa as she visits small churches "under cover" to learn what people would never share if they knew they were talking to their bishop.
Undercover Bishop will always be available in PDF form on 2x2virtualchurch.com for FREE.
Print or Kindle copies are available on Amazon.com.
For bulk copies, please contact 2x2: creation@dca.net.
MISSION INSPIRATION OFFER
A visual and biblical guide to help congregations define their missions.
Contact Info
You can reach
Judy Gotwald,
the moderator of 2x2,
at
creation@dca.net
or 215 605 8774
Redeemer’s Prayer
We were all once strangers, the weakest, the outcasts, until someone came to our defense, included us, empowered us, reconciled us (1 Cor. 2; Eph. 2).
Be calm. Wait. Wait. Commit your cause to God. He will make it succeed. Look for Him a little at a time. Wait. Wait. But since this waiting seems long to the flesh and appears like death, the flesh always wavers. But keep faith. Patience will overcome wickedness.
—Martin Luther
