Anyone have a crystal ball?

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Waterfall said:
Extinction possibly.
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Thanks for clarifying. I wasn't sure if you meant we were disappearing or if you thought we had something figured out for the future.

I don't think we are facing extinction any time soon but I foresee further decline in numbers.

Wouldn't it be nice if we are rightsizing rather than downsizing??!!
 
Mystic said:
Both versions are inseparable. Accurate exegesis requires a knowledge of the historical and cultural setting. For example, a proper grasp of 1-2 Corinthians and Galatians requires a knowledge of the nature and beliefs of Paul's opponents in these churches. Modern application of Scripture is misguided apart from accurate exegesis that takes into account original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek nuance, which must confront traditional interpretation, but need not end there.
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A foot into the strange sole??? Like wearing nothing but san dahls to Succoth and completely drawn in ... allows for the ancient symbols for the sky hook like Hebrew Lambda and Arabic ڶ (warning: an individual must be really up on diacritical meanings) Those against critical nature lost out. The things gone past are in the darkness of the subtleties; understood?

History is best introduced as mysterious myth or the rites will debate ..
 
I try to hear what the text is saying to me in the moment. For example, I am preaching on March 26 and will preach on the valley of dry bones. In the past I would explain how the vision was to give hope and courage to the Jewish people in exile and how it is a source of hope to us. When I checked our rhe readings a week or more ago was that the bodies were still dead until the Spirit infused them. It struck me that our projects, plans, snd goals are essentially dead if the Spirit is not in thrm, in our acting on them, even on our creation of them. If what we seek to do is not in response to the leading of the Spirit, then failure is probable. If spiritual practices are not part of our actions, our path is more difficult.

It is easy to interpret our goals and visions as bring offered by the Holy Mystery. We need to frequently ask how what we seek to do serves the Holy Mystery. This is not easy.
 
Waterfall said:
It's a nice word, hopefully.
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We must do something to get beyond where we're at because the present state is a disaster ... evolution is a word and God is it ... some say that's all its about and we have trouble with what's out there alien ... source of para noia ... a philosophical term allowing for chiral connections ... opposing parts for greater prehensile grip? From within we don't understand well as too subjective ... thus the objective is out! Yet it looks back ... fecund on the wing like the Day of the Jackal! Tis a mysterious and dark myth ...
 
paradox3 said:
Could you please say something more about this idea?
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The congregations that are thriving will continue to exist and individuals or groups with UCC roots will continue creating new communities of faith when called to do so. If the national structure collapses, the strong faith communities will continue to exist and are likely to form or become part of other collectives.

A friend who was a member of a congregation that broke away in 1989 described how their congregation and others found another church organization to join. She also regretted the decision to leave.
 
jimkenney12 said:
The congregations that are thriving will continue to exist and individuals or groups with UCC roots will continue creating new communities of faith when called to do so. If the national structure collapses, the strong faith communities will continue to exist and are likely to form or become part of other collectives.

A friend who was a member of a congregation that broke away in 1989 described how their congregation and others found another church organization to join. She also regretted the decision to leave.
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Love is like that just departs because of the hate ... the song of Lucille ...
 
paradox3 said:
We have a few beacons of hope :)
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Oh! Based on great political leaders that generally hate socializing other than to put themselves on pedestals that collapse because of the friction created? It is a physical thing that is against essence ... but creates it ... mainly because of the idolizing of conflict vs co opts!
 
Do you foresee the national structure collapsing @jimkenney12 ?

As a large national organization I think we have been surprisingly nimble over the past few years.
 
Let's keep in mind there are religious organizations much smaller than ourselves still holding their own:

Quakers
Mennonites
Unitarian Universalists
Baha'is
 
paradox3 said:
much smaller than ourselves
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This may be part of it, though. A large organization like the UCCan is inherently less nimble than a smaller one. Also, some of those (UUs and, I think, Bahais) are the model I discussed a few posts back: highly localized with the central body just for coordination of effort and standards. I am not sure if the UCCan is prepared to let that happen, but it may be the only option eventually. As the organization shrinks more, there just won't be the material or financial support for the kind of hierarchical national organization (GC, Region, Congregation is already compressing two levels of the old hierarchy down to one) that has been the denomination's historical structure.
 
Mendalla said:
This may be part of it, though. A large organization like the UCCan is inherently less nimble than a smaller one. Also, some of those (UUs and, I think, Bahais) are the model I discussed a few posts back: highly localized with the central body just for coordination of effort and standards. I am not sure if the UCCan is prepared to let that happen, but it may be the only option eventually. As the organization shrinks more, there just won't be the material or financial support for the kind of hierarchical national organization (GC, Region, Congregation is already compressing two levels of the old hierarchy down to one) that has been the denomination's historical structure.
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The model you refer to would have huge implications for matters of finance and property, I would think. Among other things.
 
@Mystic
Upthread you.mentioned the need to differentiate between Jesus's intentions and the intentions of the gospel writers.

Would you be able to provide an example or two?
 
In the spiritual essence of the church is wealth and property top of the concerns ... or being aware of how wealth detracts from sentient matter? Just a passing thought as it goes over to the alternate side ... real people do not affiliate with comprehension of fluid conceptions ... an exception to physical protocol? Just more word piled on the previous ...

Yet there is a hint that god is word and word is god as an evolving essence ... cosmological chaos? Thus stirred ... it may be a dark psychopathic incident ... like a good nights layout ... Joan???? Maybe Joe An is the thing ... do not squeeze ...
 
paradox3 said:
The model you refer to would have huge implications for matters of finance and property, I would think. Among other things.
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It would. UU churches are non-profit corporations registered as religious charities that own their own property, period. None of the "held in trust" thing you see in the UCCan. Many in Ontario rent, in fact, since they are too small to raise the funds to own. Even London has looked at this option a couple times (I was on the committee the first time). For finance, there's a per member payment to support CUC and that's it. Everything else stays and is managed and disbursed locally.

For ministry, the UUA (CUC has a deal with UUA to use them for ministry) sets standards and will support congregations that follow those standards, but there is nothing preventing a congregation from going outside the UUA process to hire a minister. However, if stuff hits the fan, the UUA won't help.
 
UUs have two statements of principles and sources which seem to serve as their foundation..

We have four statements of doctrine plus the Bible. All open to interpretation.

We have plenty of bureaucracy too. A manual of policies and procedures and probably more I don't even know about.
 
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