BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
Where is the BCNE headed in 2023?
We are rejoicing that the pandemic is finally behind us. Though ministry looks different now than it did before the pandemic, at least it is becoming easier to find the new rhythm that will help us be more effective in the year to come. Perhaps one of the greater changes that we must make for effective future ministry is one of attitude.
Bells and whistles
When I was serving as the pastor of a local church, I remember how exciting it was to see a young family come into the church. I recall one family that came to us with a lot of challenges. For two years, we poured into their lives and helped them overcome financial hurdles, marriage struggles, challenges raising their kids, and past trauma. Over time, they gradually shifted from being our perpetual mission project to becoming fully devoted followers of Christ. It was exciting to watch.
What’s wrong with being old?
In today’s youth-obsessed American consumerism culture, no one wants to be considered “old.” It’s regarded as a playful insult (but still an insult) when a younger person says to an older person, “ok, Boomer,” indicating that the older person is a part of the Boomer population. Using Facebook instead of Instagram or Tiktok is considered old. I recently read an article that said responding with a thumbs-up emoji is now a sign of being old. And only “old people” still write checks for things!
Your church may qualify for (more) government refunds because of COVID shutdowns
Is your church leaving money on the table? Did you know that there are more COVID refunds available from IRS beyond the PPP program? Yes, it is true. And the dollars available in the new program are bigger than PPP!!
The importance of saying thank you
When I was a child, my mother taught me the importance of saying thank you. If someone complimented me at church or school, she said I was to express gratitude for their kind words. When someone gave me a gift for Christmas or my birthday, she would have me write a thank-you note. Saying thank you was important to my mother, and I also came to value that in my life.
Reaching the next generation
Many churches are having a difficult time reaching the next generation with the message of Jesus Christ. Not only are churches struggling to connect with young people outside the congregation, but they are also having challenges keeping those who grew up within the church.
Trail blazers
I enjoy walking through the woods. The area I live in has a lot of trails marked with colored “blazes” to keep you from getting lost. I walk almost every morning, so I know the trails well. Many blazes have faded over time and can be challenging to follow, but since I’m familiar with most of the trails, I can find my way even when the blazes are not very clear. But for a hiker new to the area, more clear blazes would be a blessing.
Generosity is about more than money - it’s personal
When I served as pastor of the Washington Baptist Church, Washington, VT, an older couple living on a limited retirement income came to me distraught about the money they were sending to a national non-profit organization to sponsor a child in an impoverished country. They had been sponsoring a girl for some years and always enjoyed the cards, pictures, and notes they received from her.
Time to get out of the well
Recently I was on a Zoom call with a group of Korean pastors and ministers. One of the older leaders warned us about the danger of being a frog in a well. When it was clear that I was not familiar with that particular idiom, one of the mature sisters on the call explained the concept by saying that a frog looks up from the well and sees a small circle of light at the top of the well and thinks that is the whole world. But the frog’s perspective is wrong because that circle of sunlight is really just a very small part of a much larger world.
A tree grows in New England
When I bought my first home in Barre, VT, there was a tree in the backyard that the former owner had planted when his children were young. He was emotional as he shared how his family had watched the tree grow from a seedling to a small tree during the twenty years he owned the house. It was our joy to watch over the next twelve years as the small tree grew. A decade ago, when I sold the home, I shared the story with the new owner so that she would know about the tree’s journey and what it meant to the family who planted it. That tree is now mature and looks great in her backyard.
Leaving a legacy: Lessons from Tychicus
Do you ever skim past verses in the Bible where Paul sends greetings to or from fellow Christians who are all but forgotten in our day and age? Although it’s easy to pass by verses like this in favor of Scriptures that are more easily applicable to our daily lives, all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable. Let’s take a closer look at one such verse.
Rediscover the feeling of Christmas
When we first moved to New England there was already snow on the ground. It was only a few weeks until Christmas and the small village in Vermont that we moved to looked like a Norman Rockwell painting. We were busy revitalizing a historic church that has considered closing just a few weeks before we arrived. During those first few weeks as Christmas approached, we did a lot of “Christmas” things we had never done before.
Marketing Realities
Some years ago, I was consulting with a church that had an unusual problem. They were in an excellent location, had a great looking facility, a well-done Sunday morning experience, and a good marketing plan that they claimed drew as many as 30 first time visitors each week. So, what was the problem? Hardly any of the first-time visitors ever returned for a second visit and the church was in a slow decline. With all the positives they had going for them, the leadership just could not understand why no one came for a second experience at their church and why they had been in this multi-year decline.
Believing our own spin
I recall a number of occasions when politicians were shocked to find that they lost their elections by huge margins. These politicians could not believe they lost because they were so confident of their position on the issues, and in their marketing efforts to communicate those positions. In short, they had begun to believe their own spin, and were shocked to find out that others did not believe it nearly as strongly as they did, and voted for the other candidate.
SBC 2021: This year’s family reunion
Some of my favorite childhood memories involve attending family reunions. It was always fun to visit with cousins and other kin we hadn’t seen in a long time and catch up on what was happening in their lives. There was always lots of good food. We never failed to have a little business session where we elected a secretary who kept everyone’s address current and a president who was responsible for making arrangements for the location and date of the next reunion. There was usually at least one moment during the reunion that involved a little drama about something. We learned to take it in stride because it was just part of being in a family.
Effective leadership in an ineffective culture
“Every time our church starts moving forward, something happens that sets us back. Our leadership just doesn’t seem to know how to get us over the hump to the next level,” lamented a key lay leader in one of our BCNE churches. I wish this was an isolated incident, but sadly, I have some version of this conversation often.
Dishwashers & broomsticks
“I want help you, peas.”
That is what my two-year-old granddaughter says when she sees me unloading the dishwasher.
For some reason she thinks that is the most exciting thing to do, and she always wants to help me. Honestly, I could do it faster without her “help.” But I always let her help for two reasons. First, I enjoy spending time with her and, second, unloading the dishwasher is a life skill she needs to learn, and the best way to learn is by doing.
Welcome, 2021!
Those dreaded New Year’s resolutions, ugh! In a normal year we might make five or six commitments to do better in various areas of our lives in the New Year, only to break most of them by the end of the month. We all know it’s true, even if we don’t want to admit it.
Finding Christmas peace that lasts beyond Christmas
We all have our favorite movies that we have watched so many times that there are no surprises left. We know all the characters, all the plot twists and all the subtle details that make the movie so great. Because such movies are our favorites, we want to keep watching them, but because we know them so well, some of the excitement we used to feel about them has faded. Then, along comes one of those “documentaries” about how our favorite movies were made. They reveal the behind the scenes details about the movie, and we fall in love with it all over again because now we know the background of the movie as well as the movie itself.
The good and bad seasons
Fall is my favorite time of the year. Not only are the leaves ablaze with color, reminding us of God’s creativity, but there is a crispness in the air that seems to make everyone joyful.