I have been putting some thought into the Community Good Friday Service. It is actually something that the Ministerial Association of our small town of Crothersville does each year, which I think is an excellent thing. I have been very disappointed in the Ministerial Association of Jackson County over the past few years. Several years ago, they held both a Community Good Friday Service and Community Thanksgiving service, but in the past few years, both of these services has been first scaled back and then dropped completely due to “lack of interest.” (which I hope you are asking the question whose lack of interest are we really talking about) This issue is troubling to me on a great many levels.
First of all, Jackson County Indiana is a pretty large county, with more churches than I would like to count, and it seems almost ridiculous to me that if the small community of Crothersville with a population of 1800 can host a Community Good Friday Service, then what possible excuse can a city the size of Seymour, with a population of over 20,000 people have for discontinuing what I always believed to be a wonderful ecumenical service. Don’t forget that I was a lay person in Seymour long before I was a pastor, and personally I think that it is a shame that it is no longer felt to be important for the churches to put aside their doctrinal issues for a couple of services per year and worship together as a combined community of faith.
With that being said, Seymour will have to sort out their issues without me, I will be focusing my attention on Crothersville, who still feels that worshipping together as a community is important. In reality, our churches work very well together. I was reminded recently that when the Crothersville Christian Church burned down, it was one of my predecessors who was the first on the scene to offer help and the use of our sanctuary while the Christian Church was rebuilt. Since that time, our churches have worked together on Vacation Bible School as well as worshiping together at the Easter Sunrise Service, which is followed by a wonderful breakfast. (I can’t wait)
In recent years our Vacation Bible School has been joined by the Crothersville Nazarene Church which has brought tremendous help and enthusiasm to the program, and this year will be their first year to host VBS. Once again, I can’t wait!
When we work together for the Kingdom of God, we all benefit, when we put aside our doctrinal differences to worship together, God is glorified. There isn’t a separate heaven for Methodists, Baptists, and Christians, although I’m not sure that some of my Missouri Senate Lutheran friends would agree with that. (do you get the feeling that I don’t care what others think anymore, I am just telling the truth) I believe that it is though working together that we can best serve God, and it is by sharing our knowledge and resources that we can each best get through these difficult times.
So what do you say, my friends and neighbors to the North? Can we find the time to worship together? Can we put aside whatever the issues have been and come together as members of God’s Kingdom? I know where I will be on Good Friday, how about you?
First of all, Jackson County Indiana is a pretty large county, with more churches than I would like to count, and it seems almost ridiculous to me that if the small community of Crothersville with a population of 1800 can host a Community Good Friday Service, then what possible excuse can a city the size of Seymour, with a population of over 20,000 people have for discontinuing what I always believed to be a wonderful ecumenical service. Don’t forget that I was a lay person in Seymour long before I was a pastor, and personally I think that it is a shame that it is no longer felt to be important for the churches to put aside their doctrinal issues for a couple of services per year and worship together as a combined community of faith.
With that being said, Seymour will have to sort out their issues without me, I will be focusing my attention on Crothersville, who still feels that worshipping together as a community is important. In reality, our churches work very well together. I was reminded recently that when the Crothersville Christian Church burned down, it was one of my predecessors who was the first on the scene to offer help and the use of our sanctuary while the Christian Church was rebuilt. Since that time, our churches have worked together on Vacation Bible School as well as worshiping together at the Easter Sunrise Service, which is followed by a wonderful breakfast. (I can’t wait)
In recent years our Vacation Bible School has been joined by the Crothersville Nazarene Church which has brought tremendous help and enthusiasm to the program, and this year will be their first year to host VBS. Once again, I can’t wait!
When we work together for the Kingdom of God, we all benefit, when we put aside our doctrinal differences to worship together, God is glorified. There isn’t a separate heaven for Methodists, Baptists, and Christians, although I’m not sure that some of my Missouri Senate Lutheran friends would agree with that. (do you get the feeling that I don’t care what others think anymore, I am just telling the truth) I believe that it is though working together that we can best serve God, and it is by sharing our knowledge and resources that we can each best get through these difficult times.
So what do you say, my friends and neighbors to the North? Can we find the time to worship together? Can we put aside whatever the issues have been and come together as members of God’s Kingdom? I know where I will be on Good Friday, how about you?
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