Wannabefree...guess what I got in the mail today!?!?!?!?

[Wannabefree]

How big is your congregation??

Around 100 folks most Sundays...most of those are members, but we generally have several visitors as well and of course the children. The kids aren't allowed to be members until they are ready for the responsibility that comes with it. I dunno how everyone else does this but we tend to wait until the kids decide rather than assume just because their parents are they should be as well. so, lots of them are regulars, just not members if that makes sense....

 

[BarredBuff]

How big is your congregation??

Around 100 folks most Sundays...most of those are members, but we generally have several visitors as well and of course the children. The kids aren't allowed to be members until they are ready for the responsibility that comes with it. I dunno how everyone else does this but we tend to wait until the kids decide rather than assume just because their parents are they should be as well. so, lots of them are regulars, just not members if that makes sense....

I see. We have 28

 

[Wannabefree]

James we had about that many this time two years ago God has seen fit to grow us immensely and we are about to have to build onto the building again for the second time this decade! I went to church there when I was a young teen and then the fellowship hall and classrooms was the whole church Now when we have a dinner we barely fit in the fellowship hall and several families even have to eat in some of the classrooms We put another parking lot on the other side of the building just last year and now we're on the verge of overgrowing it again...I dunno which direction we can expand anymore God will provide though...He always has

 

[BarredBuff]

I know but we aint growing but thats fine we're more of a family that way......

 

[MorelCabin]

I may be old fashioned, but when a church grows too fast...I always take great caution...NOT that I have anything against church growth, but I really like to know what's causing it...and that it is the right spirit...alot of green and no fruit...or alot of fruit and not so much green?
Just be careful...just sayin'

 

[Wannabefree]

I may be old fashioned, but when a church grows too fast...I always take great caution...NOT that I have anything against church growth, but I really like to know what's causing it...and that it is the right spirit...alot of green and no fruit...or alot of fruit and not so much green?
Just be careful...just sayin'

We have had several area churches all but close their doors. All of the churches that are left are getting an influx of people

 

[MorelCabin]

I may be old fashioned, but when a church grows too fast...I always take great caution...NOT that I have anything against church growth, but I really like to know what's causing it...and that it is the right spirit...alot of green and no fruit...or alot of fruit and not so much green?
Just be careful...just sayin'

We have had several area churches all but close their doors. All of the churches that are left are getting an influx of people

Got'cha!

 

[Denim Deb]

Morel, glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks that way. Personally, I hate the mega churches that spring up. I'd rather see smaller churches in the areas the people are from, rather than have them come for miles to the church.

WBF, glad that's the reason for the growth. I attend a small church, but mine isn't quite as small as BBuffs. It used to be, in fact, it was even smaller. When we got the minister we have now, we had about 12 people that were regular in attendance. Now, we're closer to 50.

 

[Wannabefree]

Morel, glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks that way. Personally, I hate the mega churches that spring up. I'd rather see smaller churches in the areas the people are from, rather than have them come for miles to the church.

WBF, glad that's the reason for the growth. I attend a small church, but mine isn't quite as small as BBuffs. It used to be, in fact, it was even smaller. When we got the minister we have now, we had about 12 people that were regular in attendance. Now, we're closer to 50.

Yeah about 5 years ago there were 8 people in regular attendance at our church. There were several "mega" churches around. I just don't like that environment really. There are too many that seem to make church about the clothes or the cars or whatever when things get that big and there never seems to be enough leadership. Small community churches are easier to become more like home and family. Nothing against the larger churches, but it just seems that way. If there is not enough leadership that is involved it can get out of hand as well thus our new deacons. I like the way our church is managing our growth. Nobody is left out, nobody is left without representation, and we are a single body. IMO that's the way it should be, and that is often difficult to attain in larger churches. I hope we continue to grow, so long as we continue to do it right. I can honestly say I know and love everyone at our church The new ones I am getting to know as we have several newer families that have joined lately, and they all seem to bo terrific people

 

[Wannabefree]

Changing the subject...........

DH and I were just talking about how folks used to play music and sing together at home and wondering why that never happens anymore. It brought back memories for me.

I remember as a kid my uncle and dad playing guitar and piano and singing together. My uncle can play just about anything, piano, guitar, banjo, drums, violin, accordion, harmonica....but it dawned on me...I can't play a thing. I was never taught.

I used to stay with Ma Bertha who wasn't really kin to me, we just sat together at church, but I would go stay the night and sit with her on the front porch and we would sing for hours on end rocking away in the porch swing with a cold glass of Pepsi I miss her tremendously.

Mom's side of the family has a get together with a huge fish fry and live band made up of the next generation of musicians from our family. Darryl Worley who was taught guitar by my great uncle, used to play with some of the younger boys and now those same younger guys make up the entire band. I wonder who is next in line....

I got thinking I am related to all these terrific musicians, and I LOVE music, but I don't have a place for it in my life...and I wonder why I have sang in church since I can remember, and developed a love for the violin when I was about 10...my 5th grade teacher played it in class for us often. I asked for lessons, but we were poor, and at that time Uncle Billy lived in Kentucky so he couldn't teach me

I miss music!!!! I sing when I am in the car going to run errands, I sing at church, I sing to my niece, I sing to my kids...until they tell me I'm awful They just don't like my songs...at least that is what I keep telling myself I even sing to my goats and dogs and chickens!! I just miss music so much and I just realized it. I miss music with purpose. Music has always seemed to create a bond between myself and who it is shared with, always in my life it has been this way, and I just miss that! I miss the closeness to all those folks from my past. Music has had such an impact on me and now....I have a piano in my livingroom that I can't even play

Note to Self: I think I need to do something about this...I just don't know what yet.