From the Pastor's Desk
March 2026
And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: "I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God." - Revelation 3:1-2 (NRSV)
A few years ago, Rev. Molly Baskette wrote a reflection entitled "Mostly Dead" that appeared in the UCC daily devotionals The Coordinating Council discussed this reflection as part of our recent leadership retreat. Rev. Baskette appropriates that term, "mostly dead," from the movie The PrincessBride where Miracle Max says "they are only 'mostly dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive." She nots that "some of our churches, as Revelation puts it, have a name of being alive, but they are dead."
She believes the pandemic and the adaptive challenges churches continue to face in its aftermath, laid bare the proximity to death of a lot of our churches. Some churches look to the future and may not see one at all. I don't believe we are in that place. They simply cannot make the changes needed to survive. They don't have the know-how, or the money, or perhaps even the will.
Some of our churches are dying despite having done everything "right." She invites us to look deeply at ourselves and see where our lack of attention to important aspects of church life or social justice issues has exacerbated this sensibility. "Some of our churches are dying because of imperfect works in the eyes of God: neglecting hospitality or holding on to homophobia and other heresies. Some are afraid of innovation, afraid to confront bullies and old conflicts, or afraid to be truly vulnerable and real with the people next to them in the pews."
She admits, "God sometimes corners us so that we have to change, our institutions and ourselves. Along our slow path toward self-destruction, God takes us by the ankles and dangles us over the cliff upside down to remind us how desperately we actually want to live. God activates our immune systems so that we will get our fight back."
She offers two questions to consider: Where are you feeling almost dead? Where are you coming alive for the first time in years?
As we consider where God is leading us through this Lenten wilderness these are two fundamental questions we might also consider. I confess that I consider such questions often. I love Jesus and his church, I have dedicated my life to its service, therefore this is what I think and pray about all the time. I can imagine this is true for many of you as well.
Who is God calling us to be? The discernment process to become an Open and Affirming congregation is part of this work. However, our discernment goes beyond this. Through this process we are learning how to listen to God's still small voice offering us the wisdom that wil l help us to consider the questions that will lead us to envision a future together. We will critically examine our various capacities to engage in ministry (not only financial but people as well.) Together we may discover where we are coming alive and how that rebirth can empower us forward into a resurrected future.
As we experience Easter this year, I invite you to embrace the promise it offers; to completely make things new, and to bring to life that which we thought was dead. God promises to do this in our lives and in our church. Trust and believe. Then go and share what this means for you. May God continue to bless our journey and the gifts that we receive day by day by day.
Peace,
Rev. Lynne
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