Democracy is Messy and Scary

Real grassroots democracy is both messy and scary, but is infinitely better than any alternative like bishops or dictators. We have continued to welcome ever more members in, proved our increasing willingness to be generous with our time and money, and initiated many new activities like our speaker's series, the film group and the adopted grandparents program.

It is an exciting time to be part of our community, but it is also likely a bit scary for some of us. I look out on Sunday mornings from the pulpit and sometimes realize that I don't really know 25 to 30 % of the people sitting in the pews. I know that for some of you long term members it must have been a little strange to see folks you hardly know get up and express so passionately their newly vested interest in our church and their level of commitment.

The literature on church growth from the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Alban Institute says the transition from pastoral to program church, where this group has been poised for years, is the hardest on everyone. It is tough on the long time members because they feel like they are losing something and go through what almost feels like a grief process. Even more challenging is the fact that this process is often unconscious and even embarrassing to folks because they of course think intellectually that they want the church to grow so they will have more money and helpers. Still, when it actually happens it can give people kind of a queasy feeling.

However, on the other side of this often scary transition time can be an exciting new church culture with more resources, more money and more support and fun for everyone. Just for the record, it is a tough transition for a minister too. I can no longer expect to have a really personal relationship with everyone. I will need much more help to maintain pastoral care. We will have to strengthen and expand our committee structure or the edifice will topple.

While there is much to be done and much room for improvement on all fronts, I do see many promising signs of folks stepping up to the plate. Let's make the step this time and become the church we were meant to be. The community needs us, and we need us.

In love and struggle, let us move onward and upward.