Where do I stand on repairing the Sanctuary organ?

Last year when our church embarked on the Follow the Vision campaign, we had three goals. First, was to fund the mortgage payments for three years. Secondly, we wanted to replace the caretaker's home at our Teter Retreat Center. And finally, we were to do a major renovation to the sanctuary organ. These projects were to be taken in order as the resources were pledges. The goal was $870,000.00. We had pledges just under that amount. With that support, we felt secure in knowing the debt payments were covered. We also felt confident enough from the pledges to approve the construction of the Teter caretaker home replacement. However, because we fell just short of the full goal, the organ renovation may well wait until later in the three year campaign period. We may received un-pledged giving which may accelerate the plans for the organ. The costs of the Teter build may come in under the amount set aside so that more funds would be available for the organ.

Some have suggested that we take the organ renovation off the table. The thought is, without being certain of traditional, more formal worship should the organ be considered. However, I have no doubt that formal worship will continue in the sanctuary. And, since there has been significant funds pledged toward the organ (upwards of $50K), if we drop that project we would have to think through how to respond to those folk who have already given to the campaign expecting the organ repair. Would we have to offer refunds?

Yet, I suspect any final commitments to the organ renovation would be well into 2012 after the Teter project is completed and we see how giving is tracking against the pledges.

How important is a Sanctuary service?

As we look at alternatives, one possibility has been to move to two services, both in Celebration Hall. However, I seriously doubt that possibility. One of the primary church niche areas we fill is that of a mainline protestant congregation offering traditional worship in a traditional setting. It does not seem wise to abandon one of the things we can do better and offer more effectively than most churches. I think that our commitment to offering a variety of worship  services mandates we use the sanctuary on Sunday morning.

Prayers for Col. Hadley

Jerry Hadley, a member of our congregation, was promoted to Colonel in the United States Army. I was honored to be asked offer a prayer at the beginning and of the promotion ceremony. Please keep him and all officers in command of our nation's military in your prayers.

Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer of all things, we recall the ancient words, “Blessed are the peacemakers…” and so we ask your blessing on this gathering of women and men who are so devoted to the call of peace that they are willing to give of their time, energy and even their very lives for causes of righteousness, justice and freedom. This day we recognize one from their midst whom you have granted special skills of leadership, wisdom and courage. As he is promoted to this new level of authority, may he receive this position with humility and a determination to lead those under his command with fairness and valor in the service of this State, this country, and of you. Together, may he and those under his command overcome those who oppress and cause harm and may each one be constantly under your protection and guidance. These things we pray in the name of the Prince of Peace. Amen.

And now, may the God of Power keep you strong in all of life’s struggles. May the God of Righteousness keep you faithful to the goals of freedom and liberty. May the God of Majesty protect when you confront adversaries and grant you victory. And may the God of All grant you, your families, the State of Indiana and the United States of American peace in our time. This is our prayer offered in the name of the Lord, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Amen.

Adult Sunday Church School

As Noblesville First considers the configuration of future worship times, settings and styles that will best serve our congregation and attract new members, one factor that must not be lost in the discussion is Sunday School. Adult Sunday Church School is at the core of Christian discipleship for our and any congregation. While First Church has a strong program of adult Bible studies throughout the week, I do not think we are quite yet ready to abandon Sunday mornings as a time for adult Christian education and fellowship.

We have several adult classes that meet during our current 9:30 worship hour. Those attending these classes are able to worship at 8:15, 10:45 or 11:00. Some folk attend Sunday School and then sing in the choir at 10:45. Others will attend Sunday School and choose not to participate in any worship opportunity on a particular Sunday. Some of the people who actively attend adult Sunday School are among our members most oriented to traditional worship in the sanctuary. Some older members find it difficult to attend the earlier services limiting their options. Each of the current adult classes is a significant faith group for those involved.

If we were to evolve to the schedule for which I have received the most positive comments, 8:00 - Sanctuary; 9:30 - Celebration Hall w/Choir; and 11:00 - Celebration Hall w/Praise Band, our adult church school classes might well suffer. We sacrifice options for a number of people.

We already have a adult class meeting in the Parlor at 8:15. Perhaps we should have adult study groups running concurrently with all three of the worship services. If interest were present, those added classes might well attract persons not currently in a study. Additionally, it would even be possible to have an intensive two hour class at 8:00 or even at 9:30. With a half hour between the services, Sunday morning might even provide an opportunity for a two and half hour intensive study such as Disciple. Some confirmation classes could occur during that longer period as well. Even with a longer class time, worship during the first or hour of the morning would remain possible.

Changes in Adult Sunday School would most likely mean that we also examine the best time for the children's study hour. Could multiple session work for children as well.

One suggestion that has been floated is to have only two services with Sunday school in between.
However, some members recall the move intentionally away from the two service schedule and are reluctant to return to that format. They recognize that a number of parents attend worship while their children attend Sunday school and think that combined option is important. Still, the move to three services was influenced by seating capacity in the sanctuary. With the increased capacity of Celebration Hall, over crowding may no longer be a major factor.

In a two service schedule, it would even be possible to have both the choral worship and the praise band both in Celebration Hall. The Sunday school hour between the services would allow more than enough opportunity to reset the room for the different styles. Yet, that would leave us without using the sanctuary for worship. Are we ready for that?

I think abandoning the sanctuary would generate protests from a portion of our congregation, some of whom do not even attend worship in the sanctuary, but still want it used.

Is there an arrangement that includes using the fullest capacity of our all structure?

Question about two pastors and four services

Question from E-mail:
I know that having 2 pastors preparing a sermon each week seems unfeasible; however, I think it would be advantageous for some of the lay persons to step up and acquire some of the other responsibilities that may be handled now by clergy.  Although my participation this past year has been somewhat less than normal, I feel a bit of apathy or maybe lethargy among our congregants.  I think we need to be spurred to action once again and maybe this is the opportunity for this to happen.

Response:

. One of the problems with both pastors preaching is not just the Sunday morning schedule, but the yearly preaching schedule. Each pastor has four weeks vacation and an additional four Sunday’s a year that can be taken for family or professional reasons. That would 16 Sundays a year or about a fourth of the time when one pastor would still have the need to cover four services.

Ash Wednesday Sermon notes

SERMON                    Judged, Condemned and Hoping for a Pardon            Pastor Wolfe

The trial had provided all the details. The evidence was clear. The judge was fair. When the verdict was handed down there were no gasps of surprise. The word, “Guilty” stood as a testament to reality of the truth. While some may have disagreed with the harshness of the sentence, the law was clear. It was a capital crime. The penalty for such an act was death.

That is where is Adam and Eve stood on that day in the Garden. God had been very clear. (Genesis 2:15-17 NIV)  The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. {16} And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; {17} but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

The juice of the forbidden fruit was still smeared on their faces. They had tried to hide from God, but God had found them. Now all they can do is wait for the sentence to be carried out.

And if the truth be told, we can each be found standing beside them, each guilty of disobedience to the will of God. We are each under the same sentence of death for our sins.

(Romans 3:23 NIV)  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

(Romans 5:12 NIV)  Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--

We are simply waiting for that moment when the penalty will be exacted. We do not know and cannot know when the day of ending will come. We all hope to live full lives – but even the longest and fullest life will someday conclude.

I did some research. According to the life expectancy listed by the United States Census Bureau, as a white male living in Indiana my average life expectancy at my age is another 1,215 weeks. Each of these marbles represents one of those weeks. Each week will be precious. Somewhere near the bottom is one black marble that marks the week of my death.

But there are only so many marbles until only the black marble remains. Some day the penalty for sin in my life will be carried out and my life on earth will end.

The reality of that sentence is the reason we gather and smear ashes on our foreheads. We gather and remember that we are mortal and this life we so enjoy, this life which is so precious to us, is not without end. We are under a sentence of death. We come to stare that reality in the eye.

The news has reported that there is a billboard campaign coming to Indianapolis. It is paid for by a group consisting of atheists and agnostics who oppose religion. It will read, “You don’t need God – to hope, to care, to love, to live.” I appreciate the freedom of our country that they can post such a message. I would even defend their right to do so. However, the message does not make sense to me.

It is difficult for me to understand where hope exists apart from God.

Is there hope in the randomness of nature?

Is there hope in the goodness of human nature?

Is there hope in power of science? One disease is simply replaced by another as the leading cause of death.

In the end, they believe we will stand with our black marble and die, and that’s all there is.

Certainly, there would no hope in anything beyond this life.

But, we also gather to remember who God is.

God showed mercy to Adam and Eve as they stood before him in the Garden. The sentence was delayed. They were given a stay of execution.

(Genesis 3:17-19)  To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. {18} It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. {19} By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

But then God did something more. Instead just delaying the sentence, Jesus came to show us the love and mercy of God. The sentence was no longer just delayed, he came to commute the sentence.

(John 3:17)  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The victory of Easter’s empty tomb is ours to share. Death does not bring and end, but a transition. What a wonderful joy to have the black marble taken away.

Through two acts of worship tonight we first will recall our mortality and secondly we will recall the grace and mercy of God. The first act is somber and difficult. You will be invited to come forward and confront your mortality. A cross of ashes will placed on your forehead – with the words, “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” I also would invite to pick up a black marble and to carry it with you during this Lenten season. Allow it to serve as a reminder of the hopelessness and futility of life without the grace of God.  On Easter Sunday, You can take that marble and throw away. Death no longer has any power over you.

The second act, is to share the sacrament of communion. Even as we remember our mortality, we should never be without a reminder of the love and sacrifice of our Lord.

Let us prepare for what is to come.

Will NFUMC keep a "contemporary" service?

I hope so and it is part of my vision.

Not having a service a service with a contemporary feel to it has never even been on my radar.  We do still need to sort out what contemporary will mean for us. There is a range in music from harder edge rock to more sedate praise music. I’m not sure where we will be when the dust settles.

Concerning the possibilty of a service using video preaching, the idea of such video is just one idea that has been around a long time. Some churches are using it effectively. When the 11:00 service was in the earliest stages of planning, we set up these services so video could be used if needed. I do not see it as a first choice.

As a pastor, I know how important it is to be in a service with people in front of me. The congregation "bends" the message as they respond. We no longer have an Amen corner, but the expressions tell a good preacher if they are on track or not. Additionally, a great deal of pastoral contact and care occurs as the congregation gathers and departs the worship space.

If the sanctuary was used for contemporary worship, it could work quite well. Chairs and pulpit furniture would be out. The stage on the chancel would be great for a band. The planned update of the organ would give midi capacity far beyond most any keyboard. It would be different but with banners and such it could work.