Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors...

And not many people. That's right. Not many people. Our church is not growing. I look around on Sundays and see only two families with children. The rest of us are old. Some very old. And now our pastor and his family are leaving. Long story but not a happy one. I can understand why young people don't like organized religion and the hierarchy that goes with it. So they don't attend church. Sad but true.

I remember when Keith and I got married. I was 21 when we were engaged and 22 when married. My parents and I attended the Catholic church in Wauconda. The old Irish priest said Keith would have to go through hoops in order to marry me in our church. He handed me a sealed envelope to give to Keith to take to his minister and go over the documents. I just didn't like this priest's attitude. I took the envelope, went home and tore it open in front of my parents. One question was, "Does this person have mental issues" along with other derogatory questions. I looked at my parents and said, no way was I getting married in that church. I was very surprised when they said they would support me but I had to get married in a church. We transferred to the Episcopalian church next door to us. I loved that church. And it was a beautiful wedding and we were married by two priests, one who was my mom's boss at Kemper. His two daughters were our flower girls. Afterwards we were given advice by one of them to find a church with sound, biblical principals.

So about a year after we were married, we started attending the Methodist church in Bloomington, Indiana. That church was a great beginning for us. After a so many years life got busy and we quit attending. In 2004 when my mom moved to Ellettsville we decided we needed a church. We went to Easter vigil at the Catholic church but old memories returned and I told my mom we should try the Ellettsville First United Methodist church. In October 2005 all three of us became members. I told other members when I joined that I felt that I had come home. And I loved that my mom went each Sunday with us.

Now this Sunday was a sad day. We were told the pastor was leaving and a new pastor will start in January. No idea who he is. But my church family, all of us, our hearts are heavy. We are grieving because our church is slowly dying. Some members are leaving because of the uproar that has occurred (just like other Methodist congregations across the US). We have no idea where we will be in the six to twelve months.

But God has a plan...