Presented November 15, 2020 by Rev. Jesse Larson
Based on Matthew 25:14-30
In the early 2000s, I served as the Director of Youth and Outreach at First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, New York. It was absolutely formative in my call to ministry. I served this church, affectionately known as “First Church,” for four years prior to even attending seminary. My time at this worshiping community taught me so much about church—its purpose, its strengths and weaknesses, how to approach ministry and stewardship, how to navigate change, etc.
I began at First Church during a very exciting time in the life of this historic church, which had been founded in 1812. Just before I was brought onboard, the Session decided that they were going to actively spend their endowment. For several years, First Church had been in a death spiral. Membership had fallen from 1500 down to 150. The neighborhood had changed, the building was a money pit, and the church was becoming irrelevant. The Session decided that now was the time to invest in the church’s future with radical acts of faith.
They hired a new pastor, an excellent Christian Educator, a seminary intern, and myself. I like to think that we became an A-Team of ministry! We put a lot of energy into rejuvenating the congregation, reaching out to the neighborhood through a lot of creative endeavors, and implementing new ways of being the church. Sudanese refugees were settling in the neighborhood and so we created a literacy program for their community. A martial arts instructor rented out some of our space, and in turn, part of his payment was to offer free classes for neighborhood kids. A local caterer ran his business from our kitchen, while we also hired him to help our aging congregation by providing meals for our events.
I am still in regular contact with this church and I’m happy to report that they are going strong 20 years later! They are not only surviving, but they are thriving. Their basement has been transformed into a satellite campus for an area college. The Buffalo Historical Society has moved into the building and offers tours. Recent immigrants from Liberia are now using the worship space for their own services.
Friends, I believe that Bethany finds itself in a situation remarkably similar to that of First Church. We stand at a crossroads. Will we lock down our resources to enable us to drift along the same path we’ve been on, or are we ready to try something new and to invest in our future? Do we want to drift to the end, shutter all mission, and let the last living person turn the keys over to the Presbytery, or are we ready to use our resources to boldly re-establish ourselves as a beacon of hope in our community?
Much like today’s parable from the Gospel of Matthew, the Session of First Church decided to invest their talents rather than bury them. Jesus shared this parable as a way of teaching us to be good stewards of the gifts he has entrusted to us. If you asked people who give to church, 9 out of 10 would demand that the money be used in furthering God’s work. Sure, investment can be risky, but when we believe that God’s Spirit is working among us, we believe such risks are worth it. There are lean times when we must gather our resources in store houses, but there are also many more times when we need to make investments of faith to respond to the many opportunities God has placed before us.
I was hired to help create a new vision and lead Bethany into a new chapter. Even though we are in a pandemic, it is clear that we are brimming with ideas for ministry and outreach. Within a few short months, we have adapted to virtual worship and have identified it as a permanent tool for connection beyond our church’s walls. At the same time, it has also become clear that Bethany is in need of a variety of updates for our facility, our technology, and even our polity. Indeed, we have no shortage of areas to address, and now is the time to act.
Fortunately, all around us is fertile land for ministry. So many of our congregants have appreciated our care packages. Perhaps it’s time we mail them to folks living in our neighborhood? When the pandemic finally ends, I think a lot of parties are in order! Perhaps concerts and ice cream socials? How about art shows and barbeques? We could host speakers and offer space for art exhibits.
As we begin to experiment, we will find special ways of bringing folks together—from inside of our own circle and from new circles. We’ll have fun doing so, and ultimately, Bethany will offer God’s love and hope to so many in new ways.
Now, please don’t get me wrong—I don’t want to exhaust our members or stir up anxiety about too many meetings and endless fundraisers. We always want our church to remain a place where all feel a sense of wholeness and peace, rather stress and burden. We would be wise to embrace our identity as a small church. Too often we suffer from “big church envy.” We feel we need to constantly be growing, and offering a myriad of classes and ministries. That is a lot of pressure for a small church like ours, especially when we don’t have as much energy or able-bodies as we used to.
How can we do “church” in new ways that leave us feeling joy and fulfillment? It’s time to let go of programs that cause too much stress or aren’t sustainable. We may need to pay staff or partner with other groups to accomplish our goals. Let’s experiment and then focus in on that one ministry that we can do well together, rather than spreading ourselves so thin.
The good news is that Bethany has already begun taking a few steps down this new path. I am so eager to participate in “The Gathering” which is run by Rev. Judy Davis. It is one of these meaningful new ministries that are resonating with members and friends alike. In a time of political polarity, we need to build empathy through hearing one another’s stories. There are now “churches” that meet for walks and brunch weekly, there are “churches” that garden together and distribute free food, there are “churches” that help tutor young people and serve them weekly meals. There is a PCUSA congregation in Los Angeles which has partnered with a local school. They purchase instruments for children, and in turn, these kids offer performances at the church for the entire community. At the church I served in Wisconsin, we created a West African drum ensemble which performed in worship and offered community concerts. There is a church in Albany, NY which is shared by 5 different worshiping communities. As a community center, it sees hundreds of people pass through its doors every week. We can dream really big and find new ways of using our space, as First Church did. We could partner with a developer to create senior housing on our property or plant gardens for SSIP.
As we brainstorm doing ministry in new ways and using our facility in new ways, we inevitably find that we have been richly blessed with all sorts of possibilities.
Now is the time to discern a plan for our future and to consider all we have to bring to the table—time, talent, treasure. What do we want our future and our legacy to look like? As we make our way through the pandemic, we might find that churches see a surge in relevance. Folks may have a renewed sense of faith and a desire to be together and ask meaningful questions.
Will we be ready to welcome them?
Will we have a plan to offer ministry, spirituality, and fellowship programs that are inspiring?
When Christ inquires about how we used the talents that were entrusted to us, how will we answer?
God is most certainly up to something new. This pandemic has been pushing and pulling us in new directions, as well as illuminating growing edges and revealing new ministry possibilities. I am excited for these changes, these new beginnings that God is offering us, and I hope you are, too.
We proclaim the hope of the resurrection—not just for people, but for our churches as well. May we dream, invest, and act boldly, trusting that God is indeed doing a new thing! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? God will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. May we all trust in this promise! Amen.
