Since the time I moved here in September of 2012, I have been going to my parent’s church in the mornings. They helped plant it. I have helped, have seen it grow and change. I love hearing my dad preach. At the moment, we only have services on Sunday mornings. Starting in February of 2013, I started also going to a different church on Sunday nights because there were way more people my age (my parents’ church is mainly mid-age to older people). I have made some great friends there. I also went to a Thursday night young adult study that the church had, and earlier this winter I was part of a female study/outreach project. It worked out well, that I could go to my parent’s church in the morning and go to my other church Sunday nights as well as the different studies.
Now, my Sunday night church’s pastor has decided to cancel Sunday night services and have only Sunday morning services, as well as dissolved the ladies group, young adult group (as well as two other groups, the married one and the men’s study). We now have an all-church study on Thursday night and Sunday morning services. This means that I now have to choose where to go on Sundays. I hate that I will either have to choose one or the other, or split them.
I have no idea why he’s doing this. There are MANY young adults who went to their parents church in the morning and came to his church on Sunday night. There were people who drove from an hour away in order to come to the Sunday night service. We had a large crowd (well, large for us and large for the space) of about 70 people or so. It’s not like we were hurting. I wonder if he’s trying to force commitment for those who attended a different church on Sunday mornings. It just seems like we’re moving backwards instead of forward, taking away small groups and making Sunday only one service when he 100% knows how many that negatively affects.
I know there are many others who are not happy about it. I’m considering talking with him on Thursday, though what I’ll say I’m not sure. I will have to ask my dad (a pastor) how he would want to be approached if someone had an issue with a decision he made. I don’t want to seem argumentative, because the reasons I’ve heard behind the decision are weak. He told me in person about the changes, but he didn’t really say the why. I said I understood, but at that time it hadn’t registered with me/sunk in.
I’m just so frustrated right now. This is why, I suppose, you’re supposed to only commit to one church, but honestly there had never been problems for anyone up until he changed everything. I suppose I can’t be too mad at him, I would hope he only has the best for the church in mind, but something seems off.
So, prayer for my attitude and for when I talk to him would be appreciated.