Speckhard: FL June The Church After Covid-19

[Dave Benke]

This song is dedicated to 50 yr old Pastor Speckhard & 74 yr old Pastor Benke

Don't be ashamed of your age
Don't let the years get you down
Your parish still thinks of you
As the best pastor in town

Don't mind the gray in your hair
Just think of the fun putting it there
In the chapters of life don't skip a page
So don't be ashamed of your age

Thanks for this, Dave.  Not having had a haircut in three months, I actually have some gray hair - it's at the back of the head on the bottom.  Very distinguished.

Dave Benke

Ditto. My gray is in my beard, which I’ve worn for less than a year now. I figured I’m 50 so what the heck. But with three teenage daughters and a 10 year old son still at home, plus two foster kids here for who knows how long, I’m not even close to retirement on any vocational front.

But your point, beyond age, is that things have changed.  And I think in some measure permanently.  Failure to have an online presence is going to be failure going forward.  Failure to improvise that presence adeptly can cause spiritual wreckage.  And failure to promote in person reception of the Eucharist remains failure to be the communion of saints offering the forgiveness of sins - as so many of the Eucharistically formed have fled from the centrality of the Meal through the last decades, the next decade is our shot at retaking that ground within the dynamics of vibrant Christian community as well as orthodox theology.

Dave Benke

[Weedon]

Or even stumbling and bumbling in non-vibrant Christian community, still alive with the very life of God Himself, despite the earthen vessel...

[Dave Benke]

Or even stumbling and bumbling in non-vibrant Christian community, still alive with the very life of God Himself, despite the earthen vessel...

This is most certainly true.  Putting on my old ecclesiastical supervisor's hat for a minute, this would be of deep concern to me right now.  The congregation that was in the middle of a squabble or open conflict prior to the virus; the congregation that was at odds with its pastor prior; the congregation in a deep hole financially prior; the congregation on a downturn in membership and whose school was hanging on by a shoestring; the congregation with that pre-shrunk membership driving in for worship but not interested in continuing that practice going forward. 

Let's say the average across the board is that churches will take a 20% haircut this year financially and in terms of sort of making the normal headway with classes, ministries, etc.  Those on the margin or below it don't have enough hair left to take that haircut - you're biting into the scalp.  Hence the question from headquarters about whether we're afraid of our congregation closing after this is over.  And with the fear of a lengthy scenario in terms of return to anything like old normal, there will be more pent-up big decisions not getting made in a timely way, or relationships fraying even more.  Two years of 20% shave and a haircuts is not workable.  What about pastors considering Calls, or in need of a Call?  Lots going on. 

All that said, this is also a great time to rethink what Christian community is all about and rededicate to the beauty and effectiveness of the Means of Grace against all hostile outside forces.  So there's that.    Which is in the ultimate way sufficient.

Dave Benke

[Matt Staneck]

Got it this week and read the article yesterday. Nice job, Pr. Speckhard!

M. Staneck