tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10838182.post8287178669913248308..comments2023-10-31T05:56:45.788-07:00Comments on LutheranChik's "L" Word Diary: Notes From SlackervilleUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10838182.post-39933493535053775672014-07-29T11:23:21.841-07:002014-07-29T11:23:21.841-07:00I am right there with you. After over 30 years of...I am right there with you. After over 30 years of very active participation in my small church, serving in just about every leadership role, I resigned as moderator about 1/2 through my 3 year term. I just couldn't do it anymore. I actually took a year's break from attending worship at my church (due mostly to a total lack of confidence/respect in pastoral leadership, but in part because the minute you step into church, you're asked to do something). I have returned to almost weekly worship, but I have made it very clear that I am there for worship and fellowship only. I expect that I will eventually be moved to active service again, but right now, I need to be a receiver, not a giver.<br />Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06420035725875000489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10838182.post-42128675167405943642014-06-26T04:37:56.465-07:002014-06-26T04:37:56.465-07:00for everything there is a season--a time to run th...for everything there is a season--a time to run the place, and a time to rest; a time to volunteer and a time to refrain from volunteering; a time to stand up and a time to sit in the pew. :-) <br /><br />It's like observing the sabbath even for the land, right? the field of your soul needs some rest. And that's okay. I hope you find the care and compassion you need in order to fulfill whatever form your call may take next.Terihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10838436991138846332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10838182.post-10067042431365581122014-06-25T21:29:42.933-07:002014-06-25T21:29:42.933-07:00Besides the obvious drop off of numbers, every whe...Besides the obvious drop off of numbers, every where it seems ***, there is also the trend that you write about: The "active" members may be in the pews only once/month rather than nearly every Sunday. And yes, I haven't seen this discussed. Although I'm usually in church, and currently on the council, I'm almost always in attendance. But that could change due to a time change of the service.<br /><br />For those of us who are retirement age and/or grandparents, we may be taking more Sundays away from home. That make a difference in attendance. <br /><br />But we were the ones who were always there before our hair got its color out of a bottle. Now we aren't seeing the middle aged families at all. They aren't there for reasons that are different than my speculation. <br /><br />I do agree, we can't just start sticking jobs on people in the pews. <br /><br />I went through a time quite some years back where it was all I could do to drag myself into the pew. I needed what I was getting and giving by just sitting there. I came to realize that we need to give people space to exist in whatever season of their life they happen to be in. <br /><br />OK, the ***: The exception may be the mega used-to-be-ELCA church that my friends' adult offspring attends. They sat through confirmation last year. 500 youth were confirmed on one Saturday. LoieJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01977264499770654307noreply@blogger.com