Well, today is the day our Church will begin a new journey.

Our minister of many years is retiring and for many, myself included, it is a sad time, for this is the departure of a much loved, gentle soul whose compassion was the greatest teacher.

Today we will hear the JNAC's decision.  The policies and procedures will be described.  A name will be given.  But the question will remain, for a while, whether we begin to walk a new road.

http://www.abisource.com.

So every year the anglican/grace united church in our town does a send-off service for the grads where a representative from each church comes to doa  reading and suprise of suprises, I've been asked to do it for our church (the anglican/grace united one haha).

Originally I thought I would respectfully decline.  But then I thought:

In a recent church news letter I saw this in the financial report."Our finances have been deeply affected by the recent downfall in the markets"

Do you think that congregations should be investing church money in the markets?

Is this a faithful use of offering and fundraising dollars?

 Is this not gambling with the congregant's money?

How much money is too much money to be invested or  could this money be put to better use in doing ministry and outreach in the church?

All I'm saying is............

Hi everyone.. recently I had a discussion with an ex believer.  He was a catholic since he was a child.  He stopped going to church approximatley 10 years ago.  For the purpose of simplicity I would like to summarize his questions like this:

1)  Why do priest/churches spend millions of dollars to build a church.

2)  Why do Churches spend another large sum of money in upgrades after the church is bulit. 

3)  Would  money spent in churches not be better used in helping our needy brothers and sisters of the third world.

In the last few years, I have seen schools, libraries, etc. threatening to close and I have seen people step up to the plate to face Govenments and say "no". With petitions, money and sheer determination, they have reversed decisions and made these institutions stronger.

I know some don't like wonder questions but in Wondercafe we wonder a lot.

If there was a new bus ad posted tomorrow "UNITED CHURCH TO CLOSE IN  5 YEARS", what do you suppose would happen.?

I used this word in a thread recently, and now, ( cart before the horse), I want to know who posters think the Grass Roots are in society and in the church.

Do you think Grass roots are lay people?

or/and  , in the church do you think Clergy are also Grass Roots?

Like any seed that is sown, it has to be watered, and nurtured by something - sun, rain, soil).

So, in the church, are the congrgations nurtured by Clergy ( watered and fed)

The Wondie Award Thread has made me look at the assumptions that I had about WonderCafe that I now believe are wrong.