This morning, at In the Meantime - Where Faith Meets Everyday Life (www.davidlose.com) there was an interesting comment from a woman who was complaining that her pastor resisted using having a blog and using the internet to connect to her congregation. The complaining about the pastor part just sorta made me sigh. Relationships between pastors and congregations have a large component of complaining, it seems to me. But the part about wanting to have more dialogue . . . and thinking that it might happen on line seemed plausible to me.
I am old. I remember the day, long ago, when face to face friendly relationships were sort of . . . normal. I actually had coffee with neighbors on a pretty regular basis. My kids and I were welcome in the home of the woman down the street. We talked about current events and exchanged household hints. We encouraged each other to go back to school, or take a vacation or get marriage counseling. You know. I sound like something out of Mayberry RFD.
Now I keep up with people on line. I hear their plans there. I congratulate them on accomplishments there. I "like" their New Year's resolutions there. (Leonard Pitts article in the News-Gazette is about this, too.)
And maybe I need to do ministry there. Not all of it, for heaven's sake. Not for everybody, by a long shot. But maybe I should give it a sustained try during Lent, and see if it seems to be a relationship building, discipleship sharing venue. Just see.
What form could it take? I think I'd need a rhythm, a weekly rhythm that would fit with the rest of my routine. Monday. Reflection on worship. Tuesday. Prayer prompts. Wednesday. Children and God. Thursday. Larger church. Friday. Cross talk. Saturday. Share something good from the internet. Sunday - Nothing.
I'll think on that. I'm reluctant to commit until I've looked at a calendar. If you have thoughts . . .
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