Many Established Churches Are On Life Support

This church owned property in Richmond is just one of 
many that are up for sale, this one for a mere $3,800,000.

I attended a memorial service in Staunton Friday for someone who had moved there to teach at Mary Baldwin University and who had a lifelong career working in the criminal justice system. The service for her, held in one of the city's thirteen United Methodist congregations, was attended by fewer than 30 people, but in spite of the small crowd was conducted in the same traditional style as if the auditorium had been filled to capacity. In some ways little has changed, but in other ways everything has.

One of the members I spoke with afterwards lamented the fact that when he joined the church in 1972 it had some 400 members, but that today, on a good Sunday, attendance is down to around 30 or 40 congregants. A two-page directory available in the foyer listed 61 households, but fewer than half consisted of more than a single individual, and only 8 included one or more child or young adult member.

This drastic decline is concerning. Unless congregations have large endowments, they will simply not be able to continue to support a pastor and maintain what has become an oversized facility.

On the following day I attended an all day winter delegate session of our Virginia Mennonite Conference (VMC) held at the Waynesboro Mennonite Church. VMC is a part of Mennonite Church USA, a small denomination which like the much larger United Methodist Church is experiencing a major divide over the issue of accepting and affirming people in same-sex marriage and which has lost over half its membership in the past two decades. VMC has already lost numerous congregations on each side of this divide, and is almost certain to lose even more in the next few years. 

Attendance and membership are also in decline in most MCUSA congregations, including the congregation that hosted the delegate session. According to an old Mennonite Yearbook I have, it had 179 members in 1979, and while I do not know what its attendance numbers were in that year, on the Sunday prior to our meeting it was 61. 

I don't have any easy answers here, but the churches that are growing, unfortunately, tend to be doing so mostly from the numbers of dissatisfied people leaving other congregations rather than those becoming believers for the first time.

Maybe its time for ministers of churches to spend less time preaching from elevated pulpits and more time gathering their flock in holy huddles to do some serious soul searching about whether simply going about business as usual is really meeting their spiritual and belonging needs and those of the people in their communities. 

Maybe we need to gather more frequently in circles rather than in orderly rows, and spend more time in table fellowship and less in formal gatherings where people leave the service week after week without the opportunity to disclose their deepest needs and their daily struggles. 

Maybe we need sell off more of our real estate and/or to convert some of our holdings into places for feeding and housing those who need food and shelter, and for families who need day care and other services. 

Maybe we need to have our weekly meetings be not just about inspirational worship but about the intensive training of the "laos" (laity, the people, including the clergy) for the life-calling and mission of Jesus, that of bringing "good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, the recovery of sight to those who are blind (literally and figuratively), release for the oppressed and of proclaiming the year of God's favor." 

Maybe we should focus less on meeting budgets to maintain our staff and facilities and for outsourcing our help through organizations and agencies, but to be engaged in freely and personally offering more of help to our neighbors across the street and around the world.

If I had my life to live over again, I believe this is where I would start. Surely people everywhere are still drawn to chosen family-like communities where they experience lots of faith, hope and love. And people still need to be empowered and blessed to love others in everyday ways that offer good news to others around them.

More like this:

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.     

-Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47 (New Living Translation)

U.S. Airstrikes: "Proportionate and Necessary?"

President Biden: "The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world.”

According to an Associated Press report, US forces carried out 85 airstrikes in Yemen today after attacking sites in Iraq and Syria yesterday in response to a drone attack that killed three US soldiers. 

Is this kind of retaliation really "proportionate and necessary?" The attack on our military base this week, in protest of our support of Israel's revenge strikes against Gazan citizens, killed three U.S. troops. U.S.counterstrikes have claimed the lives of at least 40, plus doing an untold amount of additional "collateral damage."

This brings up the question of whether the lives and property of US citizens have infinitely greater value than those of other nationalities, thus justifying our dropping megatons of explosives as a form of "defense."

Do starving refugees and bombing victims everywhere not have equal value? Do people suffering and dying as a result of millions of our taxpayer dollars spent in inflicting harm not equally deserve our mercy and compassion?

And if we really don't want to escalate conflict in the Middle East, why are we in fact escalating it by engaging in massive bombing campaigns?

Chris Hedges, an ordained Presbyterian minister and Pulitzer-prize-winning reporter, writes in his book, The Greatest Evil is War:

"In an instant, industrial warfare can kill dozens, even hundreds of people, who never see their attackers. The power of these industrial weapons is indiscriminate and staggering. They can take down apartment blocks in seconds, burying and crushing everyone inside. They can demolish villages and send tanks, planes, and ships up in fiery blasts. The wounds, for those who survive, leave terrible burns, blindness, amputation, and life­long pain and trauma."

Employing ever more evil means of this kind is far more likely to set off an unimaginably horrific World War III than to bring about any lasting peace.

Arm Chair Debates Over The Bombing Of Gaza: 'Collateral Damage,' A War Crime, Or Genocide?

Rafah, in southern Gaza. Fatima Shbair/Associated Press
New York Times 1/29/24

"When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must—at that moment—become the center of the universe.”    

 - Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel

At this moment the world is experiencing almost unimaginable horrors triggered by the barbaric October 7 assaults by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The massive revenge attacks by Israel have resulted in the deaths of over 25,000 men, women and children living in Gaza, an area of land much smaller than Rockingham County and which is home to over two million people, many of them now homeless. Some of these have already been living in refugee camps for decades, and now have been stripped of all but the barest of necessities.

Not only homes but most hospitals have been destroyed, and those that still exist are despearately short  of the staff, supplies and space necessary to provide care for the thousands in urgent need. Scores of children have had their limbs amputated without anesthesia, and many have suffered severe burns and other injuries that will result in their being maimed for life. According to UNICEF spokesman James Elder, child deaths due to disease and malnutrition may well surpass deaths by bombardment. 

All of this requires a focus on this kind of suffering of innocent people as representing, for us, "the center of the universe." 

I'm tired of hearing debates over which side is most at fault, or whether the destruction of human habitat and whole human communities can sometimes be justified as "defense." There is no defense for inflicting carnage and causing needless suffering of God's children. What is at "fault" is human beings anywhere and for whatever reason resorting to violent and evil means to achieve their ends. 

So whether we call it genocide, or Gaza-cide, domicide, a form of holocaust or just some regrettable "collateral damage," it all represents an affront to God Almighty for which we are complicit by our silence.

Hundreds Pay Tribute To A Beloved Cousin

Barbara Yoder Hershberger, 1939-2024

The Bustle in a House

The Morning after Death

Is solemnest of industries
Enacted upon Earth –

The Sweeping up the Heart
And putting Love away
We shall not want to use again
Until Eternity --

- Emily Dickenson

We attended the memorial service for one of my favorite cousins Sunday, a lifelong friend who passed away unexpectedly last week from an apparent heart failure. 

Our family and hers were especially close growing up. Barbara was the cousin nearest to my age and was like a very special sister and confidante during my teen years. 

Over 150 people were at the 3-5 pm viewing at her church Saturday, with an equal number at a second 4-6 family visitation time. We had to wait a full hour to get through the line. Then some 400 people attended her funeral service Sunday morning, well over triple the usual attendance at her church's morning service.

Why would so many turn out for this extraordinary woman, one whose life by some measures may have seemed very ordinary?

I believe it was primarily because she so devoted her life to nurturing strong bonds with her family and her church family. And also because she was such a genuinely gracious, kind and good woman, a caring, Christ-like servant who blessed all whose lives she touched.

I truly want to be more like Barbara, whose primary aim was to be faithful follower of Jesus.

Here is a tribute that was read in Sunday's service, written by daughters Anita and Rosetta:

Mom was a fun-loving, social, and adventurous person. She loved her husband and eight children well and was dedicated to teaching and bringing up us children in the way of the Lord. She, along with Dad, fostered in us the love of singing which passed on to her grandchildren. She always cared about our lives and spent much time listening to and reassuring those of us with more sensitive consciences. She enjoyed reaching out to neighbors and offered a listening ear to those who needed to talk. She loved social activities and hated to miss out on anything.

Serving hot, tasty food to her family was one way she loved them. She enjoyed gardening and often canned and froze extra food during the summer so there was plenty when the family came home. Quality time was high on her list of priorities. Activities with the grandchildren such as walks, building dams in the creek, and playing games gave her joy. A good game of Scrabble or spending time around a campfire also meant a lot to her.

She and dad prayed for the children and grandchildren daily. Reading her Bible was important to her and when her eyesight was getting worse, she read Scripture on her Samsung tablet or listened on audio. She was concerned that we followed the Lord with our whole heart and followed biblical principles.

Mom and Dad had a heart for service which also transferred to their children. She unselfishly bid her children farewell many times as they boarded yet another plane for mission work. She invested many hours to bring the Fresh Air children from New York City to the country and interviewed numerous local families to find placements for them. Occasionally, dad and mom rode the bus from NYC to VA with the rowdy children; she loved it.
     

The annual widows’ luncheon sponsored each year by the church was a highlight. She found joy in taking the calls when widows phoned to sign up and interacting with them at the event.
     

We will always remember her loving smile, laughter, care, and servant attitude. Even in her last hours she displayed patience. May we carry on her legacy of living life to the fullest and blessing others for Christ.

     

Mom, you will be greatly missed, but we know that you are in the presence and care of our Loving Heavenly Father.

Can We Trust Anything Considered 'Mainstream'?

This left to right AllSides Media Bias chart represents their analysis of U.S. news sources.

A growing number of Americans mistrust the so-called "mainstream media" as channels of fake news used to promote the interests of power-hungry politicians and profit-hungry corporations. 

While generalizations like these may contain some truth, they may also serve to confuse, conceal or distort truth. With so many diverse voices form everywhere, how do we determine what is true and what are half truths or outright lies?

A friend of mine recently posted a statement by an eminent physicist in which he questioned most of the conclusions of scientists studying climate change. As someone deeply concerned about the wellbeing of the planet and about a livable future for our grandchildren, I read what he had to say with interest. Are we being misled and overly alarmed by the overwhelming majority of mainstream climatologists who are expressing concerns about our future?

One "truth" we all need to remember is that climate science, like medical science or any other field of study, is never fully "settled" and above being questioned. What scientists do best is test a hypothesis, show their findings, and have later studies either verify or disprove them with better data.

Speaking of medical science, when I tested positive for Covid last year and was treated with a recommended prescription of Paxlovid, I, like most Americans, was putting considerable trust in the latest and best medical science could offer at the time. This in spite of a lot of doubters and naysayers when it came to trusting Covid vaccines or treatments, and in spite of those who believed the whole Covid scare was overblown by a headline-seeking media and a profit-driven pharmaceutical industry.

When it comes to healthcare, I respect those who choose alternative forms of herbal or "natural" medicine, and who question modern medical science, in spite of advancement in inoculations and treatments having contributed to a longer life span and a marked decrease in human suffering and death in the past century. But that doesn't necessarily mean that mainstream medical science, climate science, or any other kind of industry is involved in a malicious conspiracy to defraud and deceive us.

Local Citizens Group Supports 'Second Look' Bill

Serving Harrisonburg, Rockingham County and Surrounding Communities
P. O. Box 434, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
https://www.vjcharrisonburg.org/

THE PROBLEM: Our Prisons are filled with people over sentenced  and costing the State of Virginia as much as $50K per person per year—10x what we spend per pupil in our schools. Many have aged out of the time when they are most likely to commit another crime. One in seven people in Virginia prisons, 4,193 individuals, is serving a life sentence or a virtual life sentence (at least 50 years). Since the 1970s, this number has increased by more than 90 percent. Currently, Virginia is ranked 20th in the nation for the number of people serving a life or virtual life sentence and 13th for the number of people serving a life sentence.

THE SOLUTION: IF PASSED, THE BILL WOULD allow certain people to petition the court to review and adjust their sentences if the person meets certain eligibility criteria and the court finds good cause to change the sentence. It is NOT a “get out of jail free” card.

A FACE FOR THE BILL: Jonathan Daryl White is serving multiple life sentences at Augusta Correctional Center. onathan was a 22-year-old Army veteran, a husband, father of two and fully employed with no prior criminal history when he was convicted. He has remained infraction free for his more than 42 years of incarceration.

I have had the opportunity to visit and correspond with 
Jonathan for well over a decade, and consider him and others
behind bars as valued friends. 

Jonathan graduated with honors from Indian River HS in Chesapeake VA and completed his Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Psychology from

Liberty University in 1996 while incarcerated. He has completed Advanced HVAC Technician Training, has a Universal 609 Automotive MVAC
Refrigerant Handling License, and has completed Advanced Training and Certification in Air Conditioning, Heat Pump and Electric Climate Control Installation for residential and commercial buildings.

While incarcerated, he earned apprenticeship journeyman trades in custom shoe manufacturing & as an industrial sewing mechanic. He also worked as a Chemical Technician in the Silk Screen & Sign Shop. He developed administrative office skills as Foodservice Director and Administrative Clerk and completed an apprenticeship as a journeyman Cook. His clerical computer skills helped the Foodservice Dept to incorporate a balanced computerized inventory control program.

He has developed a relationship with God as a disciple of Jesus Christ and as a Bible Study Coordinator. He has led Bible study classes, assisted in baptism, communion, and has delivered messages of faith to outside volunteers and inmates.

Jonathan has completed all available treatment and reentry programs and would be an asset to his community. He is not the 22-year-old man who came to VADOC 42 years ago, but the mature 65-year-old who has demonstrated that he deserves a Second Chance and a Second Look.

POST SCRIPT: Of the thousands in VADOC custody who are already eligible for parole or for geriatric release, the Virginia Parole Board granted parole to only two people in December. 

We Need To Raise Leaders, Not Just Followers

The word discipline comes from the word
disciple, suggesting a teacher/learner
relationship, not a dictator/subject one.

"As long as you're in my house, you do as I say. Period."

Have you ever heard words like that from a parent or even spoken them to your own children? 

If we parents, teachers and other leaders focus primarily on keeping our charges in line and under control we are likely to create followers instead of leaders, mere subjects rather than engaged citizens. Compliance to rules is a good thing, of course, but the task of parents and caregivers is also to "raise" their children, and to "bring them up" to take their place along side other responsible adults in their families, work places and communities.

In other words, our goal, in the words of authors Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, is not just to "talk so our children will listen," but also to "listen so our children will talk."

Children need to know that any opinions and suggestions they offer in respectful and reasonable way will always be taken seriously. One way to  encourage this is by having regular family meetings in which children take an active part. This is not so children have more of their own way, but simply to encourage them to have their say as valued members of the family. This is important preparation for their becoming effective and positive leaders as adults.

Not all issues are negotiable, of course, but with those that are, like decisions about chores, updating and reinforcing family rules, or planning family vacations and fun times, are great ways to teach cooperation and collaboration. And by deciding things by consensus (e.g. with all needing to be in agreement) parents can respectfully veto any unsafe, unreasonable, or unaffordable changes in the family's rules or policies. 

Children and teens who are denied opportunities to express themselves and be heard tend to grow up feeling powerless and resentful, and are all too likely to become followers of strong armed despots who promise to take on their perceived enemies. 

Congregational families also need to encourage members young and old to participate fully in the ministry and mission of their faith community, and not just elevate clergy and other selected individuals to special levels of status and responsibility. In addition, schools need to encourage and affirm all students for their achievements and leadership, and not offer affirmations and awards primarily to those on the academic honor rolls and on varsity athletic teams. Work places also benefit from actively eliciting ideas from employees for improved safety, productivity and morale.

And what could our detention centers, jails and prisons do to help encourage good citizenship?

The Virginia Department of Corrections has as its mission statement, "We are in the business of helping people to be better by safely providing effective incarceration, supervision, and evidence-based re-entry services to inmates and supervisees." Its vision statement is about being "A premier correctional organization where all individuals achieve their full potential." Then there are eight words that represent the DOC's values statement, the first of which is citizenship, followed by commitment, communication, ethics, honesty, learning, safety and support.

Having "citizenship" as its first value seems ironic in light of prisons being places where men and women are rendered powerless in almost every aspect of their lives. Even after supposedly having been "corrected" and released, felons do not automatically have their voting and other citizenship rights restored, in spite of their having served their time and "paid their debt to society."

Starting at home, we all need to do whatever possible to empower people to be leaders, not just followers.