A CHALLENGE to Assiniboine Presbytery ...

I was going to begin this posting as a direct and open challenge to the leadership of Assiniboine Presbytery to stop ignoring the blindingly obvious, and take time to hear the voices that are crying out in Minnedosa from pain and grief and who remain ignored by the leadership of both Presbytery AND Minnedosa United Church.

I was planning on citing the twelve wonderful individuals who traveled this morning to Neepawa to hear me preach, and who offered much more than hugs when the service ended. I was planning on comparing that faithful dozen to the twelve who gathered around Jesus way back one ... I was going to say to Presbytery - "LOOK at these 12 individuals who are hurting and who feel alienated from their church ... look THEM in the eye and tell them that their feelings don't matter, tell them to their faces that the hurt they have borne is irrelevant ..."

Then I was going to reflect on what Jesus managed to do with his 12 disciples and a little event called a Resurrection ...

I'm a firm believer in the power of the Resurrection ... I've lived its presence in my life ... I've witnessed its presence in our world ... I've seen what The Resurrection can and does do regularly when have the faith to Believe.

I planned on challenging Presbytery to have the courage to fulfill the OTHER half of the 333/363 review that ended my ministry amongst the people of Minnedosa, and HOLD THE BOARD and ALL of the Committees of the Pastoral Charge accountable to the SAME LEVEL of discipline that you held me accountable. I was going to publicly challenge Presbytery to be a place of leadership to a community in distress before it is too late.

Things are NOT fine in Minnedosa.

Things are not ALL BETTER now.

Things have NOT been resolved.

Nor are they swept under the rug ...

I wanted Assiniboine Presbytery to hear ALL of this, and have the courage to FINALLY do something about it!!

Okay, I didn't actually expect Assiniboine Presbytery to DO something about any of this because I wrote a posting on my blog ... I know the anal-retentativeness that has settled in at Presbytery lately and I KNOW that the only way to get their ear officially is by sending a letter with no less than 10 signatures from members in good standing stating that the Pastoral Charge is in an unsatisfactory state and they want Presbytery to act.

But I wanted to write ALL of this because I know there are fellow Presbyters who visit this blog and who hit print when I write something outrageous, "offensive" (their opinion NOT mine), or something they feel fails to maintain the "peace and welfare of the church." I know they sit and wait for me to cross some ambiguous line they've established so they can pounce with an all-knowing "A-Ha!!" and proclaim with delight and glee - "now we've got him !!!" and they seek to finally rid the United Church of my presence in Ministry ... as though keeping me from any pulpits, and marginalizing me from their midst isn't enough ...

I will openly say that I wanted to ruffled feathers of those who already obsess over my words and mind every 'p' and 'q' and who are concerned about every dash and tiddle - because perhaps as they read what I offer here the seed of truth might finally begin to stir and grow, and as the Advent Journey begins they will embark on a journey to Holiness in our midst that is active rather than passive. Perhaps rather than outrage at me "going too far" or finally "crossing the line" they will instead recognize the folly of thier obsession, and at long last hear the whispered weeping that resonates through Minnedosa ...

I had plans to write a great deal about what lies in my heart tonight after being so warmly greeted by a congregation of the United Church of Canada, and by dear, cherished old friends who ALL encouraged me to keep preaching and ministering the way I have amongst them for 8 years, because it is how they want their church to be ... I had plans that all stopped when I found an anonymous comment posted on my blog ... a comment that is well worth sharing, and that Assiniboine Presbytery ignores at their peril ... It is a voice that speaks a painful truth, and that identifies the heart of what ails Minnedosa ...

So - to the members of Assiniboine Presbytery - read the following comment, and tell the anonymous poster, and the OTHERS in Minnedosa who grieve the nonsense that has transpired that their feelings and their opinions and their presence in The Body that is the Church is simply meaningless ... because my friends - that's the message that has been perpetuated thus far ... and if it continues, the vacant lot on Main Street in Minnedosa will remain vacant for a VERY VERY LONG TIME ...

Thank you to the anonymous poster who wrote so eloquently and offered the following:

Forgive me for not signing my name, it is for reasons you may or may not understand..and I would understand if you chose not to post this as a result.

You do speak a very real truth.. so much so that at times it brings a tear when I think of what has been lost here.. I know Minnedosa has treated you in the worst possible of ways; and although there are a number of us who couldn't change the hands of fate--we wish we could have.

But today, we remain a dying congregation. We drive by daily and see our empty church lot, being parked on, littered on, loitered on, being used for just about anything except what it should be used for. But it's all about bigger and better.. they couldn't have used the insurance and fundraising money they had to build us a new church..no, we had to go big, and now there isn't enough money for the "big" church! So again, we continue to remain homeless, in a sense. I didn't need big and fancy, I just needed my church back. I don't care how expensive the paint and pictures are or how beautiful they think it needs to be, it should be the people in it and the message delivered inside that counts.

We've lost you as our minister, our mentor, our leader and friend; and now with each passing day, it feels as though we've forever lost our place of worship. I know I am not alone in my thinking. Sadly, more than just a few have given up the hope, and are no longer going to service, even in our temporary home. And just as many have said they wouldn't bother going back to the United church even when or if it is rebuilt because they've lost their faith--in all of it.

Continued good luck, and blessings to you and yours.

I am utterly humbled by this ... and I pray tonight, and in the coming days that the "powers that be" will finally have the courage to hear these voices and stop ignoring the REALITY that is playing out in Minnedosa ... there are atleast 12 ... or 20 ... 0r 50 people there who don't like what's become of their church, and they have lost their voice ... and no one other than me seems to care !!!

The United Church of Canada prides itself on being a welcoming and inclusive place ... why is Assiniboine Presbytery a notable exception ????