I think there are only so many times that you can write that you are living in “unprecedented times” before that phrase loses all meaning. Whether it is the changes in the church, in the broader society and political arena, or the constant barrage of fires, floods, and freezes, at a certain point it becomes unhelpful to observe that these phenomena are happening because we all know they are happening. What matters is what are we doing about them?
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is in the midst of the largest restructuring since the reunion of 1983. The church that is emerging will be different (and hopefully stronger and better) than the one that exists today. With so much technical and structural change in the organization, it is easy to lose sight of the one-to-one ministry that is happening and will continue to happen in this denomination. One example is the work of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance as they work with churches in the Los Angeles area following the wildfires there. They partnered, as they always do, with local congregations as they jointly address the pressing issues of disaster recovery. The vast knowledge and experience of PDA helps local churches and members better address the devastation they are facing. And while Los Angeles is the most recent disaster, PDA and Presbyterian churches have been integral to the recovery in North Carolina, as well.
It should not be shocking to hear that many of the forms and functions of ministry from the past are not working today. Fewer folks are showing up to Sunday School in some churches. We tend to write more checks rather than volunteer our time than we did before. And while that is certainly true for a lot of churches in Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery, there are a growing number of congregations that are demonstrating the opposite. Churches are leaving the four walls of their buildings to volunteer at the Day Center for the Homeless or Iron Gate in Tulsa and their equivalents in other communities across the eastern side of the state. Several churches are offering their version of “What does it mean to be Presbyterian?” because they are receiving visitors from other denominations that wish to join the PCUSA. Still others have revamped the hours before worship on Sunday morning to offer a variety of fellowship and educational opportunities that give space for individuals to connect in an increasingly disconnected world.
Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery has been engaged with our siblings in Indian Nations and Cimarron Presbytery about the possibility of creating a new Oklahoma Presbytery for some time now. There are around a half-dozen of these conversations happening across the geography of the PCUSA at this point. What was once fairly unprecedented is becoming a typical strategy for presbyteries. More than that, it has put front and center the question we should always be asking of presbyteries, “How can the presbyteries best serve and support the local ministry of the church?”
Yes, these are unprecedented times. They are also times for creative and passionate work in the name of Jesus Christ.
Blessings,
Rev. Tim Blodgett
General Presbyter
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