My Journey Of Faith: August 2011

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Why I Do What I Do....

Some people wonder why I refuse to throw in the towel concerning my work with the church. Why do I keep reaching out...why am I so passionate about evangelism and outreach...

There are two links below that I'd like you to take a look at for some more "detail" after reading this post. The church (not just us but THEE church overall) is only one generation away from dying out. Today I would like to talk about "City Methodist Church" in Gary, Indiana. The first link at the bottom of the post has some pictures and information from it's 1967 directory.

These first two pictures are from historical postcards.

The next three are from the '67 directory.

In its heyday, CMC boasted a membership of 3,000 and the church was home to one of the largest Skinner organs in the state of Indiana. It was started in the 1920s and the sanctuary / education buildings that were erected cost $1 Million...IN 1925!!! By 1970 (remember, the first link is its 1967 directory), Sunday attendance had dwindled down to about 100. In 1975, the church closed its doors for good.

The second is a link to what City Methodist Church looks like today (a few pictures are below).

Bamboo and other hardwoods...growing in the narthex.

This Tears At My Soul...the crest is surrounded by the phrase

"To Serve The Present Age."

One of several of their "fellowship halls."

Try to imagine for a minute...how many times did a nervous groom smile at his bride as she walked down this aisle... how many fathers held their daughters and how many mothers hugged their sons during baptisms and confirmations? What did their Christmas Eve services feel like?

This story, and so many others like it, truly hurts my heart. This isn't from some ancient cathedral in Europe somewhere...it's from a church that closed it's doors after only 55 years.

HERE ARE THE LINKS:

http://www.faithfabric.com/tbh/gary/67directory.htm

http://chicagoist.com/2009/09/02/in_the_shadow_of_chicago_city_metho.php#photo-1

Monday, August 15, 2011

This is specifically for a few friends of mine who are going through "tough times" mixed in with some "pain", "hurt" and "quite frankly don't know how I'm gonna do this."

Chin up....I'm praying for you. Below is the ending of one of my favorite pieces of literary work, "Footprints."

"You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?" The Lord replied, "see...the times when you have seen only one set of footprints? Those were the times that I have carried you."

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Great Post By New Spring Church

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Just throw yourself away?

A few years ago, an angry man rushed through the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam until he reached Rembrandt's famous painting "Nightwatch." Then he took out a knife and slashed it repeatedly before he could be stopped. A short time later, a distraught, hostile man slipped into St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome with a hammer and began to smash Michelangelo's beautiful sculpture The Pieta. Two cherished works of art were severely damaged. Did they put a "bandaid" on the works of art? Did the officials throw them out and forget about them?

No! Using the best experts, who worked with the utmost care and precision, they made every effort to restore the treasures to a perfect original condition.

You are God's most precious masterpiece...an original, one-of-a-kind paid for with the price of His Son's life. So what do you do when "life" comes at you with a knife or hammer? Do you throw in the towel and give up or do you go for a little restoration....a revival, of sorts?

The Master-Creator is waiting to "fix" you up with His healing hands. All you have to do is ask.....