Today, of course, is Pentecost, it is also Heritage Sunday in the United Methodist denomination. A time we remember those across the generations that kept the fire of Pentecost alive. Here is a quick story about one of them.
This week a local UMC closed its doors. According to reports membership is down across the denomination. Some are predicting doom and gloom. This is not the first time. In 1881 a speaker at the Freethinkers’ Convention declared, “The churches are dying out all over the land. They are struck with death. They will soon be dead." When C. C. McCabe, head of Methodist Board of Church Extension, heard this report he stepped into a telegraph office and sent the following dispatch: ‘To the President of the Freethinkers' Convention, Watkins, N.Y.: 'All hail the power of Jesus' name!' We are building more than one Methodist church for every day in the year, and propose to make it two a day!’" "Two a day" became a rallying cry for Methodists in the late 1800's. 130 years later, we are still here. 130 years from now what stories what will be told about our generation? The theme for Heritage Sunday 2010 is “New Places for New People and Renewing Existing Congregations"
http://www.gcah.org/site/c.ghKJI0PHIoE/b.3521055/
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5723441&ct=8397721¬oc=1
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