Changing needs, changing ministry

Dear friends,

Times are a changing.  That is even truer now than when Bob Dylan uttered those words in such a memorable way.  As the Church it is quite a challenge to interpret the Bible, an ancient inspired book against the backdrop of rapid changes in facts and opinions and realities. Let me name some examples. Just in the last few months we learned about the Higgs Boson or “god” particle that was found as result of the experiments in the underground accelerator.  We are bombarded with poll trackers that keep in constant touch with people’s fickle opinions. This summer we were reminded of the unmistakable proof of global warming (or global weirding) as the Midwest suffers under a nearly interminable drought and Britain is inundated with rain far more than usually. Recently one well-respected professor who was highly skeptical of human induced climate change concluded his own research that caused him to make a complete u-turn in his thinking.  We all know the economy is being reset and it won’t go back to the way it was no matter what politicians promise us.  In the midst of this we must proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, for as the Church this is what we are called to do and this is what you come for on Sunday.

As new facts emerge, opinions fluctuate and realities change all around us, our Parkview community is also changing.  By this I mean that people move along in the life cycle.  Some of you may think of me as that young guy who came to Parkview around his fortieth birthday. Well, that fellow is 56 now and climbing. We think of some of our really young people who came to the table for the children’s message not too long ago. Well, a number of those are now teachers or graduate school students or have desirable jobs people my age stand in line for.  In other words, things don’t stay the same. Often I tell shut-ins who belong to Parkview that they should not think of our Parkview family as static while they themselves become more frail just because they don’t see them. No, change, aging comes to all. Many of the Mariners group who were “empty-nesters” when I came are now grandparents. The cycle continues on.

Friends, our responsibility is to adjust. The average age of a Presbyterian Church USA member is 63, a similar number to that in other denominations.  That is not far off from where we are.  But that is the reality.  In today’s Church the 18 to 35 demographic is missing and that span will soon grow wider. The generation in between is under stress in their supposed “high earning” years and are often referred to as the “sandwich” generation. We can wish it were not so but it is the trend everywhere.  We must adjust. In a year or so our youth group will graduate and it is time to start thinking of the youngest students in the social hall as a (pre-) youth group. The Wrights have just started a new “generation” of Parkview kids. May many join them.  At the same time a number of our seniors are finding themselves alone as they approach or pass ninety. They have to deal with lack of mobility and feelings of loneliness. I and other in the church are keenly aware that we must offer more in terms of togetherness for that challenged group.  Then there is a whole group of people contemplating what retirement is and should be like.

I welcome you suggestions as we all move to a next phase, as we all must make adjustments. For some those adjustments are financial, or emotional, for others they are more physical and involve leaving a familiar place. But none of us are static.  We are all on a journey. May we accompany each other well and welcome the new among us. May God bless our ministry. Aart