For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
~ Romans 12:4-5
You’ve certainly heard the joke: “How many Lutherans does it take to change a lightbulb? None. Because Lutherans don’t do change.” The usual response is to laugh uncomfortably. I have found myself referring to this joke quite often over the last few years – not because it’s so funny, but because it’s so sad. Jesus’ call for us is to follow Him. Following Jesus means making decisions, which means change. Every decision a congregation makes results in some sort of change. So, if “Lutherans don’t do change,” does that mean that Lutherans don’t make decisions?
As we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, we also remember Luther’s teaching on baptism because it refers to death and resurrection. He says that, in baptism, we die to our old way of living (referred to as the Old Adam or the Sinful Self) and rise again to a new way of living. Together, you and I are Christ’s body (1 Cor 12; Rom 12). I challenge our congregation to grab hold of this understanding of who we are as individuals who are members of one another (Rom 12:5) and die to ourselves that we might rise as Christ’s body doing Christ’s work.
You may recall that Bethel adopted a long-range plan in March 2014. Part of that long-range plan was to engage with an architect to address building maintenance, enhancement, and perhaps even expansion. Thus, the Facilities Task Force was formed. This faithful group met with all ministry areas at Bethel to understand the current ministry needs and where we felt God may be leading us in the future. That team did the right thing by dreaming big and not limiting themselves to a price tag early on in the process. They knew there would be time to put the dreams into a financial context. I worked with Council and the Facilities Task Force to host several cottage meetings in the spring of 2016 where we talked about Bethel’s vision and the latest thinking about the building. These cottage meetings were positive, hopeful, forward-looking, and each meeting felt as if it continued to build energy, excitement, and momentum. Many of us are frustrated that we have not been able to move much further toward a solid design concept and breaking ground. I think we’ve been slowed down because we can’t agree whether we renovate, expand in a modest way, or expand in an impressive way. We’ve been slowed down because of the realistic concerns about Bethel’s finances. The general giving trend is down, and the question arises: “Can we legitimately expect to raise significant money to pay for the things we think we need when we have had to reduce our budget, our ministry teams do not receive the full funding they request, and we have had to reduce the amount we give in synod benevolence and support of SERVE, our local food bank and homeless shelter?”
Bethel leaders have been working hard on a number of fronts that I want to share with you. First, our ministry teams have been working much more closely with the Finance Team and Treasurer to understand their ministry team budget allocation and to manage their spending. Beginning in January, we began holding a monthly All Ministry Team Meeting in which all ministry teams come together to conduct their monthly business. This reduces the number of times our people have to come to church for meetings throughout the month and allows ministries to communicate with each other right away because they are all in the same room. Last fall, we began using a narrative budget that helps us see where money is being used and the impact it has on the ministry and community. Last, but not least, Council approved the creation of the Bethel Facilities Condition Assessment Team (BFCAT) (see the president’s article). Their role is to assess the whole building top to bottom to understand the condition of every piece of equipment, every room, and even the electrical system and plumbing. They are asking experts to help us understand how much useful life these items have and what the cost of replacement is. Lest you think this is just another exercise or duplication of effort, it gives us the solid data we need to then make decisions about what we need to do to ensure that we are being good stewards of this building. Council will receive recommendations from the BFCAT and share them with the congregation. Once Council has reviewed these recommendations, we plan to have a congregational meeting in May or June. As plans are finalized, we will share details with the congregation.
I’m proud of the work of all of our leaders. I’m proud of the ministry that this congregation does. We are at one of those critical moments where we are called to die to ourselves and rise together as the body of Christ in mission.
In Christ,
Pastor Jeff
Epicurious Lutheran 