Has your church retired?

I am in a position where I keep getting information on retirement and I am at the age where some people take early retirement.  And yet because of a career change I  am no where near ready for retirement.  But the information I get talks about risk.  Early on you might want to take a greater risk with your investments for maximum profit.  But later in your life when you have less time to recoup any potential losses, you begin to get more conservative.

Churches tend to do this.  They go through life cycles like individuals.  I have heard people in churches say things like, "We really don't want to take care of a house anymore."  Or begin to hold on to their money as if it has to last them until they die, just like retired people do.

It may be a wise thing for individuals to do some of this, although I am still convinced that we continue to be generous and trust in God to provide, but unless you are planning the demise of your congregation, you cannot operate that was as a people of God.  It is not good stewardship.

We all have to step back from where we are individually in life and see the long-term of the church and what will further the mission.  A church that is willing to risk for the sake of the Gospel is young at heart and will grow and spread God's Word.  Churches that incur debt to grow are usually thriving.  Churches that hang on to their money as if there is not going to be an offering next week begin to be in trouble.

At heart are faith and trust issues -- faith that God will continue to provide if we are faithful to what God has called us to.  And a faithfulness to the charge with which we have been entrusted, to share the good news.  Jesus faced a certain cross for us.  Can we not face a little risk to share that love?

Lord,  Give us the vision to see our churches as living and ever young as we are renewed in your love.  Give us the courage to see the next challenge put before us and to face it bravely.  Amen
 

Copyright © 2006, The Rev. Dana Reardon. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Email her at mspastor@aol.com.



The Rev. Dana Reardon is pastor at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Warwick, RI.  A lifelong Lutheran, she came to ordained ministry after 21 years in nursing, mostly in pediatric intensive care.  She graduated from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1998 and served 4 ½ years in Upstate New York before becoming a New Englander.  She is still trying to understand the accent.  While in the Upstate New York Synod she chaired the Stewardship Team.  That began her fascination with what makes stewards -- and more, what makes for generosity. She has three amazing daughters: Pastor Reardon says much of what she knows of life she learned from them.