tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post7285060831120374824..comments2023-12-25T23:40:17.701-05:00Comments on Confessions of a Carioca: Looking Ahead by Looking BackDaniel Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980949721733826978noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-29104567140750614442012-10-01T13:06:41.221-04:002012-10-01T13:06:41.221-04:00As you note, Tom, churches with that little energy...As you note, Tom, churches with that little energy or vision will likely continue down the road of decline. <br /><br />In times of change, those who cannot or will not adapt are put in a very difficult position. A glance at the historical record shows this to be the norm, not the exception. It can--and will--happen to us.<br /><br />The spiritual environment is not what it was. Continuing to see "church" as pretty much a Sunday morning gig misses out on the missional reality around us. It is also a caricature of both the best of Anglicanism and the Gospel's claim on the lives and priorities of disciples. <br /><br />Those who are truly excited about the Gospel, will respond to its mission. Those who see being "Episcopal" as a lifestyle statement and not a total conversion of life will continue to dumb-down worship, teaching, and practice to the lowest achievable level for their aging congregations. <br /><br />B.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-68446732756027305832012-10-01T00:20:15.011-04:002012-10-01T00:20:15.011-04:00There are two problems with the challenge of NOT t...There are two problems with the challenge of NOT thinking of our Sunday Eucharist as "a potential new member's first point of contact with the Christian community". First, when most people think of going to church, Sunday mornings are when they think we're "open for business." Second, some churches don't have folks with enough time or energy to do more than Sunday morning. That pretty much then guarantees that those churches will die.<br /><br />I'm not saying that you are wrong, just that under this reality, many churches are doomed.Tom Sramek, Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17891982131922786298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-62310143874891034222012-09-27T10:16:29.529-04:002012-09-27T10:16:29.529-04:00"We need to stop thinking of the Sunday Eucha..."We need to stop thinking of the Sunday Eucharist as a potential new member's first point of contact with the Christian community."<br /><br />I don't think I've heard anyone put it quite that baldly, but what a great way to describe the reversal of direction we need. Wisdom. Let us attend.Bethhttp://untiltranslucent.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-40756427651163563782012-09-27T09:02:38.022-04:002012-09-27T09:02:38.022-04:00He gets it. He gets it. Undergroundpewsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10182191422663119484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-7501446469930276282012-09-27T07:36:09.027-04:002012-09-27T07:36:09.027-04:00Amen! It's what I've been trying to articu...Amen! It's what I've been trying to articulate for years.St Michael's Episcopal Churchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10622056104708014205noreply@blogger.com