Author: Ron Baker

11 of us.  Our group up by almost 100% from last year. 

Four hours travel.  Three vehicles..  

Overnight in sleeping bags.

Great stuff!

1,000 men in one place. 

With God. 

Not a bad combination!!

These last few days have been away from my computer.

I’ve set up for a recording session for this evening.  The recording studio is basically contained in my laptop — which I bought recently to do just that!  My laptop, portable as it is and with wireless capability of the highest quality, does not have a wireless router nearby.  Thus, no connection to the world of the Net.

As well, I have been visiting, doing church administration, along with a myriad of other tasks.

So, I thought to myself, “Self”  — this idea of calling one’s self, “Self”, has been a practice from my youth that has never ceased to amuse me!! — So, I said to my self, “Self, all these other blogs I am reading are constantly linking to articles and amusements they have read on the Net.  How then shall I live?”

To which I replied — “If life is the internet, I am in trouble.”

Now, I know the bloggers I read also have a life — if you read their blogs you soon see this.  And they have RSS feeds to sort out the newest items from other’s blogs, instead of having to go to each one individually each day.  So they aren’t as deeply enmeshed as one might think!!

In my defense, I do enjoy surfing the Web.  My library background prepared me to do research in a labyrinth such as the Web.  In some ways, I am ideally suited to the Web. 

But today, and yesterday, and the day before  —  I slipped right out of the Net!

Our phone rang at 8:00 am.

We had heard our boarder leave at 7:00am.  John is with us for a few days a week, for the next few weeks — awaiting buying a house and moving here with his family.  I guess I would say he is more a house guest.  We have enjoyed a meal together and look forward to just having him around.

So, back to the story!  Our phone rang at 8:00 am. 

One of our parishioners was inviting us over for tea.  3:00 in the afternoon would be fine.

At 3:00 we walked into her apartment.  She is in her 90’s (?).  Certainly keeps going well even though age does tend to wear on people!

After a number of discussions on church, family, weather and other topics we arrived at funerals. 

I’ve determined that funeral preparation is as much a part of life as dying!  Someone nearing the end of life has a decided desire to prepare for the eventual end.  When this preparation is done, then there is a sigh of relief. 

This precious parishioner has been thinking of funeral preparations and as we discussed I was glad to hear some of her thoughts.  She has favourite hymns that have had an effect on her, as have the scriptures.

Next visit we have an agenda already set.  A bit of oral history — just finding out some more of her life.  And a look at how she would like a remembrance service to look! 

To this meeting — I am looking forward!!

There was a day when I thought all people just attended church.  Must have been when I was younger.

Of course, there were the bad kids.  They wouldn’t go to church because they were so bad.

Now I’ve grown up.  It’s not just bad kids who don’t go to church!

For a number of reasons, the institution of the church has hurt and disillusioned a number of Christians.  Not that they don’t recognize a need to be with other like minded people.  But they are afraid of the hurt that comes when they get invovled in a large group of people.

A small group, a house church, even a coffee klatch, is acceptable for Christian fellowship.  In fact, they will get involved with people who are involved in a church at any other time than during the “regular church service” time.  They will eat with, fellowship with, work with, serve with, and even minister with them.  But the church service time seems to hold them back.

OK, for some it is just a matter of stubbornness or laziness.  For others, though, there is a very tangible history that has invaded their reality.  I’ve been looking this over for the last few years.

So, here is where your comments would be helpful (as they have been in the past!).  How can a church change — what does a church need to change — in order to welcome back those who have been dechurched?