Trouble & Triumph

Left off a couple weeks ago when you know that message. I talked about the setting of The Last Supper and Talk about the significance of it. You know, how really the last supper symbolize the lot more than Jesus's last meal with his disciples it symbolize the last Passover meal that would ever happen until Jesus return but it also symbolized the first communion that ever happened.

And you know this we continue on in that Passage. We continue to look at what was happening during that dinner.

And you know, I don't think I have to tell any of you that you know, ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden trouble has Define humanity. It has defined our fallen world that we like to cause trouble and really the history of redemption is the story of God triumphing over trouble. What is overcoming sin overcoming the evil in this world? So that his glorious salvation purposes for each and every one of us can be revealed so that we can see what God wants for us in our life. you know, it's so that his purposes can be accomplished so that his glory can be shown to us as he overcomes the evil in this world. That's something we always struggle with as Christians, you know, if he's a good God, then why does evil even exist? There's no simple short answer to that. But what I will say, is that by allowing evil to exist? God is able to show the world the Triumph power of his righteousness in contrast to the deadly consequences of sin. That's probably the shortest answer I can give on why evil exists. Pre-existing it shows us the power that God can truly have. And is the Son of God approached the Triumph for the cross and his resurrection that we will see is Easter approaches. There was a lot of trials and tribulations coming at him from every side and as this dinner unfolds we can see more and more of that. You know, we see that not only as their the trouble that Judas is bringing upon him which we all are familiar with that. leaving during this meal here struggles from each of the Apostles as they struggle with some things that are going on and ultimately as Satan continues to manipulate this whole situation. So if you're following with me and Luke chapter 22 verses 21 through 23, which I just noticed in my bulletin before I came up here. My sermon notes weren't in there. Did they make it into anybody? No, they did not. Oh well so far along on the screen, I guess or in your Bibles Luke chapter 22 verses 21 230 23 says put the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The son of man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him. They began to question among themselves, which of them it might be who would do this. Like I said, the setting is still in the upper room on that Thursday evening of the passion week. We find the disciples reclined around the table. And you know, Jesus had just finished celebrating that final Passover with all of them and that first communion. Penny shocks him by saying but the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.

I kind of look at that scene and imagine how quickly do you think everyone just yanked their hand back if they were anywhere near the table when Jesus said that

That's probably the ultimate form of getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar, isn't it for Jesus to say that and if you're reaching for bread, you aren't any longer, but they were shocked at the idea because in their culture for you to sit down and have a meal with someone to break bread with them was the ultimate symbol of friendship and Trust. So for Jesus to say that one of them gathered around this table who's breaking bread with him is choosing to betray him. That's just Unthinkable. They can't imagine that that one of them had been with him for so long would do that that someone that would break bread. Would do such a thing.

As I think about that in his I think is Jesus made that comment. What do you think Judas was doing during that time? You think it was getting a little warmer in there? He's probably thinking, how am I going to slip out of here? He had to begin to be thinking those things.

And you know all the apostles. I'm sure it's there sitting there gathered around the table as they're eating this meal with each other if they have to be thinking. Will Jesus is safe here? When they knew the precautions they had taken in preparing for this Passover meal that you know, they didn't reveal the location to a lot of people that they were kind of secretive about where it was taking place so that they wouldn't have to worry. But hear Jesus is telling them know it's one of them that's going to betray him that that betrayal in fact had already been set in motion.

that had to be a difficult thing for them to hear something that They didn't expect any no, they didn't know that already met with those who wanted Jesus dead. He had already made a deal with them and it already set a plan in motion of how he was going to turn his Lord over to them.

But they couldn't figure it out.

I'm sure Judas was the only one of the disciples who was sitting there. Questioning it he's the only one who didn't question who it was going to be because he knew the rest of them were so puzzled. They're questioning each other who could this be?

I think they all questioned each other and even themselves because they all knew their weaknesses the understood their human weaknesses and they know their own doubting hearts, and I think they thinking man. I hope it's not me. Surely I'm not the one who's going to end up betraying Jesus and doing something that would. Cause them to be able to capture him.

And you know what? I think about that. I think man Judas must have been really good. He did a great job of playing his hypocritical role and making it seem like he was one of the guys still and still going along with the group because otherwise they would have been able to figure it out pretty easily shouldn't they? I mean as soon as Jesus said it if they suspected him.

He knew what he was doing. He was. the disciples even question themselves and they went around the table saying, you know, surely Lord not I cuz they didn't know who was the one that was going to be responsible.

Then as we continue on in the passage in Luke chapter 22 verses 24 through 30. It says a dispute also a rose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them the kings of the Gentiles Lord it over them and those who exercise authority over them call themselves benefactors. But you are not like that are not to be like that instead the greatest among you should be like the youngest in the one who rules like the one who serves for who is greater. The one who is at the table or the one who serves is it not the one who is that the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials and I confer on you a kingdom just as my father confirmed one on me so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

You know, it appears when we read that passage that. The disciples were oblivious to what Jesus was going through.

Cuz we know as we read some of the different gospel accounts of this that Jesus is kind of beginning at the end of this meal to go through some grief as he's struggling with what he knows is coming. But they're oblivious that obviously cuz they're questioning. Well, okay, who's the betrayer who's not and then somehow that conversation about who's the betrayer spirals into full which one of us is the greatest? Mean isn't that just perfect human nature for it to switch around to wear instead of his talking about old. Well who's going to betray Jesus to well enough about that which one of us is considered the greatest?

I mean if the devil didn't have a hand in that conversation swing and I don't know who did but he obviously in they start to argue about this.

And they're so busy trying to figure out that you know, okay, who's the betrayer who's the greatest all these things that really at this point don't matter is there with Jesus that they don't see the grief that he has.

Can you imagine sitting there witnessing all this is Jesus. You just told him that one of them is going to betray you and now they're arguing about which one of them is greater than the others. He had to be sitting there thinking. Okay. Do I really want to go do this died on the cross thing for these guys? Cuz they just don't get it needs her his Apostles. These are the 12 who were closest to him. So you think if anyone would have gotten it it would have been this group, but they're even struggling.

And you know, I thought about that and I thought you know, it kind of be like as a parent. I think all of us have ran into that. Have any of you who have kids ever had a little bit of bickering between your children. No, never write a kids never bicker with each other. It never happens on the school bus either but you know, I know my response would have been hey if you don't stop arguing right now, you're going to bed without any dinner. I know Jesus had to be thinking a similar thing, but yet he wasn't. Jesus did like Jesus always does and he responded in a way with a lot of Grace and instead of responding out of frustration and anger. Like we probably would have in the midst of that situation. He responds with Grace in a gentle way and he turns this potentially divisive situation that's going on. Is there arguing who's better? Who's not who's the traitor? He turns it into a way for his disciples to grow. Is there a verse 25 we read where he says the kings of the Gentiles Lord it over them. And those who exercise authority over them call themselves benefactors? And he's explaining to his disciples. You know, that's the way the world operates but that is not the way the kingdom of God's going to operate. And you need to understand that. And it goes on and tells them that know the greatest among you should be like the youngest the one who rules like the one who serves. You know what Jesus is saying is that leaders in the kingdom are not to dominate others by force intimidation or fear more boast about their position of influence. That's pretty much the opposite of the way the world sees leadership and how we're supposed to handle it. You know Jesus goes on to basically tell them that those who are truly great in the Kingdom will be humble. They won't be arguing about who's the greatest. As they're sitting there. Jesus also says that they will be the opposite from acting like a worldly dictator a leader in God's kingdom will be a servant.

You know to further illustrate his point Jesus asked the question for who is greater. The one who is at the table or the one who serves.

You know, he's asking this question because the one who's usually seated at the table or reclined and their case is either the host or guest of the host. If the meal is going on so they have great importance cuz like I said, they're either the host or the guest. In the one who serves is usually a slave of the host. Or a slave of one of those at the table, so they aren't just a servant. They're even on the level of slave.

But Jesus offers this pattern of leadership for Christian leaders of being servants to others. When he says but I am among you as one who serves. You know when he said that. He's making a direct reference back to what it happened. Just a little earlier in the evening when he washed his disciples feet.

I can't imagine when he made that reference that I am one who is among you as one who serves there's no way they couldn't have remembered what he had just done for them. Because Jesus was supposed to be their teacher. He was their Rabbi. He was their lord. He was their leader. He was the one of highest importance but yet. Instead of making one of the slave girls who were probably there wash. Everyone's feet. He did it himself. So both through his actions in his words Jesus made it clear that leaders and God's kingdom will serve. Those around them.

Then the last part of this another place where troubles coming at him. Luke chapter 22 verses 31 in the first part of 32

does Simon Simon Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat? But I have prayed for you Simon that your faith may not fail.

you know one interesting fact I learned as I was researching this stuff for my sermon this week was Have you ever noticed when you read through scripture that sometimes Jesus refers to him as Simon other times he refers to him as Peter.

Well, he's referring to him as Simon right here because he's acting under his old nature.

He's not acting as Jesus has called him to act. He's falling back to the way he was before he met Christ and that's how he's acting. And so when you see that in scripture of it goes back and forth between Simon and Peter. The writers implying that the reason Jesus address him as Simon and some situations is because that was his old nature. That he was allowing to control him and drive him and what he was doing and when Jesus addresses him as Peter is when he is truly acting as The Rock. I got it called him to be.

But you know as we go on here, we've come through all these passages and we've seen how you know, Jesus has triumphed over the trouble from his human. Enemy, Judas who's betrayed. He's helped the disciples work through the trouble as they've debated among each other of who's the greatest and here he's talking to Simon. Telling him what the enemy Satan is wanting to do with all of them. He's wanting to sift them like wheat?

You know that we can Tinley assaults Believers the devil can operate only within the parameters and limitations established by God.

So really what the devil was doing is he was asking Jesus for permission. To do these things to the disciples? If you can't do it unless God gives him permission. So he had to ask his permission in order to do this. You've seen this other times in Scripture. When he ask if he can do all the things to jog that happens to Jobe throughout that scripture. He had to have permission cuz he does not have that power to do anything that's outside of it. What the devil intended to do was to sift them like wheat and if you know anything about sifting wheat, it's you know, where they shake it and toss it up in the air and the ideas the wind blows and it blows the lighter Chapel Way in what is left are the grains of wheat?

You know Satan went do the same thing. He wanted to shake the disciples a little possum around a little bit test their faith and see who remained. When the Winds of trouble blew through who was going to stay strong who would still stay a disciple when the trouble hit when the challenging times hit who would stay true to what Jesus have been teaching them?

It's much the same thing he wanted to do with Joe. He wanted to test his faith, you know when everything's taken away from him. Will he still on her you got joke did And we see the same for the disciples. Mine is Judas out of this group who stayed true no matter what would come their way.

In the beauty of it all as we continue on In this passage is that you know, even though when Jesus was crucified on the hill some of the disciples were pretty shaken some of them did flea and run for a little while because they were scared. What was going to happen to them? The praise the Lord their defection wasn't permanent. most of them came back to their face And after the resurrection, you know a lot of them were restored and they returned to meet him and Galilee before the Ascension.

And the restoration came, you know from the Lord's promise that we find there where Jesus said I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.

You know, that's something we all need to remember when we're going through times of testing and we're going through different trials. Is that Jesus our great high priest continually intercedes for believers. And his prayers always get answered cuz his prayers he prays according to God's will. Jesus doesn't pray anything for us that God doesn't want so we know when Jesus is interceding for us that it's going to happen.

you know the saving faith that Peter and the other Apostles had was a genuine gift from God and Jesus is reminding them that things are going to get rough things are going to get difficult, but you can overcome. These trials even though this troubles going to come your way because he knew what was about to happen with his crucifixion.

He was telling them don't worry. I'm here interceding for you. And your faith will keep you strong. You will make it through this. And that's something for all of us as Believers as we all go through different times and trials. We need to understand that God is with us. But no matter what the enemy may try to throw out us to discourage us and to make us fear. We don't have to. Because we know we have a great high priest in Jesus Christ who is interceding for each and everyone of us every day. Every moment of every day, he knows exactly what we need and he know exactly what God wants and his will will be accomplished.

So we just need to trust where God is leading us out of faith and trust that he's going to get us there. Even though we may question the route that he takes to get us there.

God may choose to sift us all as sweet and allow the enemy to do that.

That doesn't sound fun. Probably not going to be something we enjoy or we'd like. But it's part of God accomplishing his purposes for his plant. It's part of the Salvation story. Not only have each of us would have our community and of the entire world. So we need to know when those times come that we can have faith that we will Triumph in the end. Over whatever may come our way. Cuz you know, that's the great hope that we have is Christians. We know that the reality is that once were in a relationship with Christ, if you've read the book, you know who in wins in the end, right? So no matter what happens throughout world history throughout who might be in office who's not in the office what pandemics going around the world it never changes the facts of what scripture tells us. but in the end God wins and we get to spend eternity with him and glory and that is when the next Passover meal will take place. When we meet him again. So we have a good meal to look forward to so that should be something we all Rejoice to as Christians, right? Cuz we love to eat. Please bear with me in prayer.

Heavenly Father we thank you for the blessings. You give us and Lord. I pray that you will be with us and guide us. And Lord Justice be get ready to have a congregational meeting about some of the exciting things that are going on Lord. I pray that you will help all of us to have the courage to step out boldly Ford for what you're calling each of us to do. and Lord help us when we experience trouble to take hope and knowing. That you win in the end. And we pray this all in your most. Holy name. Amen.

Would you please stand with us? Going to be in person or probably virtual it looks like but that's what he's working towards. And as he's working towards that he's like I don't see any problems with it. He goes I in no way see that. When they go to ratify it that it wouldn't get ratified. He does if it doesn't I will eat my hat cuz very British thing to say, but he was just saying that he doesn't see any problems with it and he's been pleased by our patients and willingness to work with him as basically they figure this out. He goes you're the problem was when it got decided that this could be done. He goes we never really worked out the process for how it was going to be done. So they're still doing that. But hopefully by the end of this month, we'll have actual papers that we can get to the point that we can sign and keep that ball rolling. So after having that conversation with him, I went ahead and called Audrey Snyder our legal counsel and said hey, okay, I shared your contact information. You should be getting a phone call. And so she and I talked about that for a little while and one of the things. That she really suggested. She said that you probably need to have done then if they're wanting to have that done by the end of the month is you need to probably go ahead and do the incorporation thing. So that that part's done so that your Incorporated and she said I can just go with your name your Incorporated under when we start working out all of the land deeds and all that stuff.

As we talked about that she said I said, was there any other advice that you have for us Audrey? I said you've helped. several churches through this process What beer biggest piece of advice and she said that her recommendation would be that as we incorporated if there was a denomination that we felt we trusted that we could even be Loosely tied to she would suggest that because she goes right now. She does our church out there and Salem is finding themselves in a bad spot because we're not tied to anybody. So our problem is when Pastor Jim's done most likely our church is done and she cuz you don't want to leave yourself in that spot. She said especially with the issues the United Methodist Church is dealing with she said in this day and age the other problem with that is that she said if you're not you as pastors and you as a church have no protection if you're not. Because like right now if someone came and asked us to do their wedding that may necessarily not be a couple that we are comfortable marrying.

if we're not Incorporated if we're not tied to any one then we become liable if they decide to sue us for that of us not being willing to do that where if we are tied to A denomination in some way which Bryce and I already are from the standpoint of we are ordained by. The Christian Missionary Alliance, so they would protect us from that we can stay. Well. We'll lose our ordination if we did that wedding well. We can't claim that as a building. So if we at least have a loose association with somebody we can say no the group were associated with does not believe that way so that protects us from that happening. And it just gives us that added layer of protection which unfortunately that's the day and age we live in in the world. We live in now that you have to think about those things. So I appreciate it that she shared that with us. And you know as I Was preparing for this meeting. I thought you know for the past two years. I've talked a lot about there's going to come a time. Where? Us leaving the United Methodist Church means we get to a point where a lot of big changes are going to have to happen where we're going to see a shift in a lot of things and you know, a lot of it was going to be in the leadership structure. I said at some point Well, we're kind of at that point now now is that time as we're getting there as we're nearing this time when that ties going to be cut it's time for us to start looking at putting the new leadership structure and place. And as we've talked about it, you know.

The structure I am most familiar with and I actually think works. The best is the structure like the way the Christmas tree Alliance Church sets. There's up and it's different. They have the pastor and an elder board, but we don't have Elders bill they do that's something we'll have to get to is talking about electing elders and who we want to do that and that's just one of the big changes and I'm going to talk through a lot of them but at the last ad council meeting we talked about it a lot and it was a difficult meeting in a lot of ways but a very good meeting in a lot of ways to and I asked the Ad Council to essentially do a very difficult thing. I sent essentially ask them to vote themselves out of a job. By asking them if they would be okay with the idea of us incorporating. Underneath China the banner of the Christian Missionary Alliance and moving forward with that and then putting our new leadership structure in place. And trust me. We talked quite a bit about it. And in the end the vote was 6 to 3 to go ahead and incorporate in that way as a board. so that's what we did. and I think we should thank those on the Ad Council for being willing to take that step.

So can you guys give him a hand clap of Praise that and that's not an easy step to take I mean to move that way. It's a scary step but you not tell what kind of thought it was funny that I love it when God does this and I plan my sermon schedule way out before I thought about this meeting.

But in that kind of funny that the sermon title I had thought of was trouble and Triumph. Then here we are talking about all these changes that were making because of trouble that's going on in our culture and in our world. I don't know. I kind of like how God put that together. and I do really think this is part of our story of overcoming that and I know that a lot of this means As we move forward with this structure as I asked you guys to continue to do some of these things. It means putting a lot of trust in me.

And I hope you can trust me in those things and that's something I talked a lot with the board about if you know, if you can't trust me then really you hired the wrong person. Cuz you should have a pastor you can trust and I pray that you all can. And I pray that as we continue to move forward. It's going to require some more trust as we do things, but

Please trust me that. everything that I'm doing and asking you to do is a church that Bryce is asking we're doing because we really think it's what's best for the church and we think it's going to put us in the best place down the road of where we want to be and who we want to be as a church.

So then of course a couple days after that I go on vacation, so not much happened that week while I was on vacation, but then when I got back I thought something. Just so if by the end of the month the miracle happens in the um does have the paper done that we'll be able to keep moving forward with that. It's fully expecting the process to take a little while. But Audra had sent me a website that I could go on and start to fill it out for our church on incorporation. So I fill it out hit submit and Wasn't expecting much and in less than an hour later, I got the approval back from the Indiana secretary of state that we're Incorporated under the Monroe Lighthouse Incorporated.

So, okay. I was like, I guess that's done then so I did not expect that to happen that quickly from everyone. I talked to minimum they had ever seen it going to wake so ours was less than an hour. But got that printed out the certificate and the letter from the Indiana Secretary of State saying that we are Incorporated now, so there we go. And I think that's another big praise to me. That's just more of God blessing it keeping it rolling as we're going through these things. And actually like I said, you know it's and I know it's hard for people to understand sometimes cuz we're so used to the United Methodist system and how it operated how it functioned and the difference but on the 24th of the month here, I didn't tell you this yet Bryce and I are going to meet with the district superintendent in the assistant district superintendent from the alliance back into the system. So we're getting the communications from the district to know when there's training stuff and all that stuff going on, but also just to talk this whole process through and you know, that's where the Christmas Mary Lyons is very different than the um in the fact that I believe this comes from there being involved in World missions is

yes, there were we will be associated with them. Yes, we'll be tired of them. They'll support us but that's the role they see themselves there for his support. Not telling us what to do. So essentially as a church, we will still govern ourselves and Lead ourselves how we feel God leading us to do because their belief is we know our context in our setting better than they do. So what sense would it make for them to tell us what we need to be doing here? So as we move forward, you know, they will support us in that way. so like I said, that's a lot of big changes going on and I'm going to continue to give you some more updates on that here as we talked about it cuz this leadership structure change thing is a big thing. And like I said part of the biggest change in the leadership structure is the fact that you know, it will be led by a group of Elders. you know those Elders are people that

Men that were going to interview within the church and make sure they meet the standards that you know, you see in Timothy about what an older should be. In our thinking is that we would like to have four men serve in that role of Elders at first here at the church. Bryce and I kind of have four people in mind for that but we are open to suggestions. If you have someone else that you think you would be a good Elder let us know and we will talk that through. with them, but you know, what is this thing of Elders? The one thing with the elders is the pastor who I guess that'd be me is named as the head Elder but there's the other four elders and say any time something comes up to vote with the elders. Those four Elders will vote on it and the only way that I as the pastor would ever vote as if there needs to be a tiebreaker on anything. Other than that, I wouldn't vote would be up to the four of them of what things are going to happen and they will handle a lot of the roles and duties that are at Council would have handled before will be handled by the elders, you know, they'll make a lot of the day-to-day business decisions and those things for the church as the Elders of the church, but more importantly a part of being the elders is that the elders are also responsible for the spiritual leadership of the church. To me that's also almost more important role is that they are there to help lead spiritually. as we go forward you know Bryce will be there as a non-voting Elder but those four are responsible for quite a few things and what I've always like to do at the churches I've been at is. Part of the way that those Elders helped lead the church spiritually is we will take like all the people that we have in the church all the families that we have and divide them by 6. Me and Bryce plus the four elders and families will be assigned an elder and Laura might do like a fantasy draft pick, I guess then they pick families out of the church, but All the elders live a certain number of families that they're responsible for and what I like the elders to be able to do is to stay in communication with those families. You know, maybe have those families over to their house occasionally for dinner things like that and just get to know them better and all of that plays a big part and the family atmosphere that we want to try to Foster as a church. Yeah, it's $0.01 that people usually get when they come and visit our church is. They feel very welcomed. They feel like it's a close-knit family. Well continue building that and fostering that idea we have to continue. To build that idea and I think the way to do that is by having these Elders reach out. It also makes it a lot easier for communication within the church because if we have something happened say a weather event and the elders decide to cancel church. Well, it just got a whole lot simpler because All the elders can simply call the families that are on their list and say hey, we're not having church today or hey, this is changed because of this so it makes that a lot simpler. Now that wouldn't take the place of something like the prayer chain, but it would help with other communication about other events that go on within the church. So you have your Elder board. directly below that is kind of what we would call like a Ministries team and what that is is kind of like what are Ad Council used to be here at the church where people who are the heads of different Ministry areas can come in a difference with that is is that meeting is more for the heads of all the Ministries to be able to get together and support each other. Soon as we come to that meeting and we talk we won't simply be talking about. Money and the things with that it'll be more like will this ministry is wanting to do this in the upcoming months. Say if it's what the house Hospitality team is wanting to do or know a better example would be safe for a food pantry. They want to have a cookout with the people that come to the food pantry. Well, okay, who does that involve? Well, it doesn't just involve the food pantry team. Our Hospitality team can be a part of that because they coordinate stuff like that or the woman's group or the deaconesses can be a part of that and helping provide food for that and serving at it and all of that and like I said Hospitality team can be talking about that stuff at the church service or helping the people feel welcome. But these are all teams that would work together and a lot of what that meeting whenever the ministry's team gets together. It's just how do we work together as the various Ministries to keep accomplishing the mission and purpose of the church and to keep moving it forward. So they It's a coordinated effort not everybody working separately on their own things, but how can we continue to move forward together? so that's how a lot of that structure looks and so like I said, there's a lot of renaming of some of the Committees that we used to have will become different things and all of that will shift and change but as we get it there, I think it'll make us more. Best term to use for as maybe it more mobile as a church to be able to respond and do the things we want to do in our community and Ministry wise that were trying to do going down the road. So As we continue to do that. Like I said a big part of that and all of that is I want us to Foster this family atmosphere and everything and something I want to do in that meeting for the ministry's team. And this is probably going to come as a shock to a lot of people but what we used to do and the first church that I served in and Cody Wyoming is when we got together for those Ministry meetings, we had a meal. It was usually Papa Murphy's Pizza that someone would end up picking up on the way and we'd throw it in the oven at the church and bake it. limited sit down and as we had our meeting set and eat together and have that time of Fellowship together and My wife can attest to this sometimes those meetings went on for four or five hours.

But the beauty of it was we would sit and eat together. We would set and talk together we would talk about what's going on in each other's lives. We talked about what's going on in the Ministries and we can also spend time dreaming with each other a little bit as a church of okay, if we do this, where does this go or if we want to try to do this? Okay, who all do we need to involve if you know what other Ministry teams that are sitting here can help with that so that it's not just this one group doing it and That'll be something I'm not saying. Those meetings are going to last that long just saying, but clear your calendar if you're not know but That's part of fostering that family atmosphere that we want to have as a church and it starts with leadership and we have to continue to do that. And you know, it's like five more and more about that. And what we want to Foster what we want to see these teams become. I thought I saw a beautiful example of that on Thursday night at our trustee meeting. When we had our trustee meeting Thursday night, you know Kent and Arnie and Brian were there and Matt and Zack came as we were sitting there talking, you know, I don't think Zack it ever seen the furnace in here down below. So we took a field trip and we went down there and it was a beautiful thing to watch as Kenton Arnie or talking to the Matt and Zack about that stuff and earlier when we were outside talking about the issues with our parking lot. To see the older generation that scared for this facility for so many years sharing with the younger generation. the uniqueness and quirks of our building in some areas and just watching them the exchange of knowledge there different people knew more about different things. And as I watch that I thought this is exactly what we want. We want to see these teams that get reformed here as we move forward to be multi-generational teams. Because it's Kent said during that time. He's like us old guys got to show you young guys how to do it. Cuz we always won't be here to do it. And that's the reality we have to face that that happens with all of us are Duty for all of us really is to train someone to take our place eventually, right? So we have to think about that as we form these teams and as we move forward, We want that multi-generational makeup cuz if you don't have it. What's going to happen when everybody who's served in these spots aren't here anymore. It gets difficult you have big void. Do you have to fill but if we've at least been working with others from younger generations to fill those spots it helps us to but we have to be very intentional as we put these teams together as we think who's going to be on them about making sure that everyone knows that they're welcome to have a seat at that table. It just doesn't have to be the people who have always been a part of this or that we want new blood and a lot of these areas. We need it to be able to see them continue to move forward and to continue to make sure that things will be done as they need to be done for generations to come.

And you know this I thought about that. I think the best way the best place for us to start with building those teams and it's while all those sheets are back there is to wipe the Slate clean and start over and rebuild them so The first motion that I'm going to ask for somebody to make if they would. Would be to vote for us to go ahead and essentially. Dissolve all the Committees that are there now and to begin rebuilding and refilling these teams and I'll probably meet with the pastor Parish team again. and ask them to help us fill the spots if people don't sign up back there for these things.

I think we spoke a few times on the phone, but okay.

uninformed about what

I'm sorry, if there's been a lack of communication, but does anyone else feel that way on what we've talked about? I feel I've tried to do what I can to keep people informed and Covetous made that a challenge. Is not everyone's been here every week.

but we voted in August for

not for churches. We've been exempt for that the entire time.

No, you didn't. That's why I'm asking.

Yeah, I mean I didn't print material for everyone because well, we just try to limit what we pass around and hand out during this time, but

I can get you whatever you need.

And I've been here and talk to me and John Rich came and you weren't here for that unfortunately.

At this time in voting we're officially not associated with either. So as far as I see it anyone who's sitting in this room can vote?

Well, that's later in here. I'm going to talk about membership and what the district said and remind everybody what Dave Necker's said when he was here about that.

Okay, I will skip ahead to that portion of what I was going to talk about. Dave Necker's when he was here. He said that as far as for membership since we disaffiliated everybody has three choices. You choose to either be a member of the new church. That we are the lighthouse you choose to transfer your membership to another United Methodist Church, or you leave your you transfer your membership to the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.

You have you make one of those three choices? Which way you want to do it?

And that's what the three choices will be for membership. Then that's why I wanted to have this meeting to talk about people can make that choice and we'll come back in a month or so and have another meeting and we'll have a forum for people to indicate what they want to do on that.