State of the Church

A year ago I wrote my first “State of the Church” for Salem. What a difference a year makes. I have come to understand much more clearly Salem’s heart for mission. How amazing! During a difficult year as we moved forward following the flood, our congregation continued to give regularly to mission. Our Mission Committee does a wonderful job of being a “town crier” in our village, keeping before us the needs of others locally and globally. In December, we delivered a check for $1,200 to Matthew 25 to support their Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for people in need in Cedar Rapids. It looks like we will give about that much to our Advent offering for local shelters. What a way to celebrate “Christmas is not your birthday!” Way to go, Salem!

During the first part of 2009 we instituted a new organizational structure, the Leadership Board. The Leadership Board members have given a great deal of time this year. I have appreciated their work and leadership. This streamlined structure has been very helpful. As we move forward we will create a three-year rotation for the Leadership Board. Then our next step is to expand our structure a little by including an entire team for Nominations and Leadership Development. This group will work year-round not only to develop leaders but also to help assimilate all people into the life of the congregation.

Worship attendance has decreased this last year. When I arrived we averaged close to 180 people in worship in two services. When we moved to the Kenwood Park UMC in May, attendance dropped to 150 in one service. When we began meeting at 11:45 am in September attendance dropped again to about 125. Attendance increased a little during Advent to 135.

We started 2009 with $29,000 in the checking account. This amount was carry-over from previous years. We met all of our 2009 financial responsibilities, including paying our apportionments in full. In doing so, however, we also used up the extra $29,000 entirely.

As the angels proclaimed to the shepherds after Jesus’ birth, “Do not be afraid!” God will continue to see us through. Though our pledges for 2010 decreased some from last year, we will continue to stay afloat and move forward. We are decreasing the budget as much as we can. The one thing that could happen, perhaps for the first time in Salem history, is that we might not be able to pay our apportionments in full in 2010. We will certainly do our best. Salem’s heart for mission is magnificent. We all know, however, that it is not business as usual right now.

We are also changing how we handle our finances. For ten years, Mike Weaverling has taken responsibility for keeping the books as our treasurer. Mike is stepping back so this year we will begin keeping the books in the church office. We have a great finance team with responsibility spread around. I want to offer a huge thank-you to Mike Weaverling for his many years of service and to Chuck Scott for helping to implement the new process in the church office.

The big question for Salem is, where are we going to land as a congregation? Many are frustrated. Like the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for forty years before entering the Promised Land, it feels like we have not been home for a long time. It is a journey and the journey changes us. When the Israelites finally entered the Promised Land they were not the same people as when they left Egypt.

We know we will not return downtown. We voted to accept the voluntary buyout. The buildings downtown will probably be demolished in 2010. Now we are looking at two potential places in the city for our location: the southwest side (the area where New Creation UMC has been located) and the land we already own on Blairs Ferry Road in the Cedar Rapids-Hiawatha area. These are both very good possibilities. The flood thrust us into a difficult situation. It has been painful and stressful. But God is able to bring good out of destruction. We have an incredible opportunity. We have options and possibilities that few congregations have. God is good!

This year, then, we expect to make our decision about where we want to locate based on where we will reach out to the community. We will figure out a base of operations, that is, where we will gather. This will not be our final church building, as we need to reach out and grow the church (the people!) before we build the house. We need to let the foot grow, so to speak, before we buy the shoe.

We have lost some people. Others have stepped back, waiting to see what happens. This is all normal. But many of the Salem people have stayed. This is a great congregation! It makes me think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said, "The ultimate question for a responsible man to ask is not how he is to extricate himself heroically from the affair, but how the coming generation shall continue to live."

Bonhoeffer was a young Lutheran theologian and pastor from Germany. There was chaos in his country. War was imminent. He had been hounded and silenced by the Nazis for his vocal opposition to the persecution of Jews. American friends offered him safety but he struggled with his decision to leave Germany. “I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America,” he wrote. “I shall have no right to take part in the restoration of Christian life in Germany after the war unless I share the trials of this time with my people.”

Back in Germany, the Gestapo arrested Bonhoeffer. He spent two years in prison. Then, just days before being liberated by allied troops, Bonhoeffer was hanged. He was 39 years old. His last act was to lead and share in a liturgy of communion with his fellow prisoners. His last words were: This is the end, but for me the beginning of life.

Thank you, Salem, for sharing in this time of trial. The restoration is coming and it will be wonderful!