On Sunday September 20, church members arrived at Los Altos UCC early to set up for our 60th anniversary luncheon. They discovered that the church had been broken into. Four doors had been kicked in and the office area ransacked, though losses were modest. So we set up our party, prayed for the thief in worship, reminded ourselves that nobody can steal what we really value at church, and had a fabulous celebration. In the aftermath of the break-in, our church leaders are reflecting on how best to protect the church property for the future. I have been reflecting on how we all can protect the “unseen assets” of our churches– what we really value. Here are 5 ways to protect the church.
Remember our purpose and act upon it. Our purpose is what makes us church. I like to express our purpose this way: experiencing and sharing the love and presence and power of God. Or the short form: Jesus Christ is our center. Follow him. Doing what we do for the right reasons will go far to protecting what we value at our church.
Act respectfully toward each other, guests, and facility users. This doesn’t mean perfect behavior. It does mean making amends when we have acted in ways that may have hurt. It also means working through resentments and fears, as it is nearly impossible to act respectfully toward those you resent or fear. Fortunately our faith gives us plenty of tools for that!
Trust church leaders. The church runs on trust. We are your elected, appointed and called leaders, doing the best we know how. Yes, we may make mistakes; so would you in our position. Second-guessing, blaming or bad-mouthing cause far more damage than an honest mistake. If you are having trouble trusting, see #4.
Handle worries and concerns responsibly. That means getting accurate information, expressing your concerns directly and respectfully to the people who can respond, and dealing with your anxiety through prayer. It means NOT talking to just anybody about worrying things you have heard at church. Unintentional, uninformed talk can cause much damage. When enough of the church is in fear or blame, it is almost impossible to practice protections #1-3. I recently heard from a member that we were “in financial trouble again.” We’re not. I understand how the confusion happened (an honest mistake), but I am grateful that she checked it out with me before scaring more people with inaccurate information.
This also means not ignoring situations at the church that leave you feeling uneasy. Respectfully bringing them to the appropriate person’s attention will help keep us accountable. If you don’t know who the right person is, ask someone who can keep a confidence: your pastor, a member of the Pastoral Relations Committee, or a trusted leader.
Show up and participate, and look for ways to have fun doing it! You are the church. Without you, the church is diminished. Shut-ins can phone and write letters to the church and other members. The rest of us can find ways to serve, learn, and celebrate with love and joy, responding to Jesus who promises us abundant life!
Article by:
Rev. Terry LePage, Interim Pastor, Los Altos UCC, Long Beach
