the mug collection grows

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$tarbuck$ corner

the more things change...

the more they stay the same.


i was a 20+ year member of a once large church. you know the kind. the one that was the church in town back in the 70's. the one that had the lines around the block of prople signing up for sunday school (now i realize how rediculous a name that was. who would wanna go to school on sunday?) the church that was made up of a bunch of 50-80 year olds...who remember the "good old days". when the church was the 9th largest in the denomination in the country. not bad for a suburban church in a city of 46,000. but i digress.

after 20 years of membership and ministry, i caught the new "pastor" in a lie inadvertently. having done that, i had to go. 20 years of ministry...down the drain. no good by, no 'thank you for 20 years of faithful service'. just 'you need to pray about whether to be involved'. that took alot of prayer. be involved in a church where the new "pastor" (who is worshipped by people remembering the 'good old days') is an arrogant, lying ass? no prayer necessary. no thanks.

more fun! i was notified by someone (after a month's absence from that church) that according to minutes of an upcoming session meeting (governing body of the church) i was being 'put on the inactive roll due to the fact that i was working and attending church in another city'. of course, that was in direct violation of 'the book of order' (the constitution of that denomination.) you have to be gone for a year, and they have to contact you and meet with you before they do that. i guess an arrogant lying ass tries to do that, hoping you never find out. so much for that. i'll bet he was pissed i found out. that order was rescinded, i still am an "active member", although my birthday (which just passed) was strangely absent from the list of birthdays in the bulletin. (kinda obvious the denomination by a few details in the above paragraph)

of course, i got the obligatory fundraising calls...you know, the "free" dinner where they want you to make a "pledge"...or the invitation to an "ice cream social"(with the same goal)....an "ice cream social"...WTF is that? i guess you might know..if you're a few years older than i.

one of the best times was when i got a phone call from someone inviting me to one of those activities. HAHAHA. i let that person have it (OK, not that bad, but you shoulda heard the silence on the other end of the line when i told her i hadnt attended in months. she had no idea.) i stopped by there after lending them some equipment for a childrens daycamp this last week. there were a few familiar faces. people i'd known for 20 years ignored me. i guess the aarogant ass has made sure i have no reputation to speak of any longer. 'don't talk to him, he left'. (can you say booted?) oh well.

i got an email from someone high up in leadership at the church that talked about all the wonderful things that were going on there. how they were "doing what jesus wants" (note the small "J" signifying my question about which Jesus they're talking about) and how the new pastor was doing a wonderful job giving direction and guidance.

strange. the childrens daycamp has gone from 300 kids in attendance to 80 under the direction and guidance of the new "pastor".

the services aren't growing in number under the direction and guidance of the new "pastor".

faithful long term staff are leaving under the direction and guidance of the new "pastor".

the young families that the church claims it wants are nowhere to be seen under the direction and guidance of the new "pastor".

but they're "doing what jesus wants" (note the small "J", once again)

and the new "pastor" is doing a wonderful job giving direction and guidance.

and that church continues to die.





the more things change..............

Send a note....

Of encouragement to Patti's son , Tim. who has some strange undiagnosed thing going on.

thanks.