God Working in Our Church

This past Wednesday night two notable events took place at the Church. We celebrated the end of a season of Wednesday night suppers with a spectacular buffet which included barbeque chicken, ham, and all the trimmings. After a short time of prayer, we tried to convene our Bi-monthly Congregational meeting. I say tried because we were unable to assemble the required 50 for a quorum and came up 12 short. Consequently, all the new members seeking membership were placed on hold, and the daily business of the Church was also delayed. Not only that, but many of the committees we have voted to serve us gave reports that only a few were there to hear.

Over the years, I have observed that attendance at congregational meetings serves as an interesting barometer of the life and health of a church. When things are peaceful and the congregation is generally satisfied with the direction and future of their church, attendance at these types of meetings tends to suffer. Conversely, if there are urgent matters or controversies that need to be settled, the requirements for a quorum rarely become an issue; the church will be packed. It’s when things are flowing smoothly that quorums become an issue like they did last Wednesday night.

There are a couple of reasons the members of a church should attend congregational meetings. It is a time to celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit through the many ministries of the church. When a church is growing and flourishing like Ivy, it is usually because God is blessing one area of the church with growth, and that blessing spreads over and affects all other areas as well. It is always good to know these things.

Secondly, the ministry of encouragement usually begins with the reports that are given. Many people put in long hours to serve our Lord at Ivy. They work hard between meetings, visioning, scheduling, and ministering. We have an opportunity to encourage and support them not only with our presence but also with a private word of encouragement after the meeting. Often this serves as a cool glass of water to someone who is working hard on our behalf.

These are just two of many reasons why we need to go out of our way to attend these meetings. At the heart of every reason is this, “We are a family of God, and families need to support each other in the good times as well as the hard.”

PJ