From Your Synod Executive...

One of the greatest joys from serving at the synod is the chance to visit so many churches throughout our bounds.  By the end of November, I will have visited 40 different congregations, preaching at most of them.  Without fail I see God’s Spirit at work in worship and service to the community and fellowship.  Today I want to tell you about two particularly impactful visits here in Detroit Presbytery (where I live):  the Korean Presbyterian Church of Metro Detroit (KPCMD) and Park United Presbyterian Church (PUPC).  They have made me think a lot about the importance of organizational change and flexibility.

I was so grateful for Pastor Kim’s invitation to bring greetings and co-celebrate the Lord’s Supper at one of the Korean language services at the KPCMD.  Even though I almost literally did not understand a single world, it was thrilling.  The sanctuary was completely full, and we almost ran out of communion elements.  A 30-member choir AND a 13-member band both provided musical leadership at the service.  This was the second of two Korean language services of the day.

At the same time that this service was going on, the children’s ministry (mostly in English) had more than 100 participants, with about 100 volunteers as well.  Also, the middle- and high-school ministry (in English) was also going on, with about 90 participants.  There was also an English-language worship service for adults going on.  I did the math and I figure that there were about 650-700 people there the Sunday morning I visited. 

Then a few weeks later, one of the participants in our Cultivating the Gift of Preaching Initiative asked me to celebrate communion when she was preaching at PUPC.  I got there early, and there were almost no cars in the parking areas around the church.  The building was certainly the most dilapidated of all that I have seen in the Synod of the Covenant.  I was feeling pretty discouraged about what worship might be like there.

Then dozens of people started pouring in as the worship time approached.  Most of them were Cameroonians, with the women especially brightly dressed in stunning outfits.  A band of six drummers of all ages and a high-schooler strumming the bass guitar accompanied the exuberant song leader.  The joy of the Lord that was so present in worship accompanied everyone to the “coffee hour,” which was a buffet of eight or ten mouthwatering dishes (the highlight, the beignets!).  The experience was so different from what I had expected when I first arrived at the address.

Both of these churches are very vibrant, though the scale of each is very different.  One thing that is the same, however, is their willingness to change and grow.  The KPCMD celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 2021.  I didn’t get a chance to ask Pastor Kim what the congregation was like back then, but I feel confident that it did not include a band and a choir, and separate ministries in English and Korean. Somewhere along the way their congregation bravely expanded their ministries and impact, rather than staying the way that they had always been.

PUPC began in 1893 as Highland Park Pres, a mission of First Pres of Detroit.  In 1972 (again, about 50 years ago), Highland Park and Palmer Park churches merged to from Highland Park. Like many of our congregations, it was once a large congregation but by the turn of the century was struggling.  Church members told me that there have been conversations about closing for about twenty years.  A core group of African-American members welcomed the Cameroonian community into the church.  They still have severe challenges with their building, but now the church shines with vibrancy.  Again, my suspicion is that it looks almost nothing like it did 50 years ago.

I loved visiting these two congregations, which both fly a little under the radar.  Their willingness to change and grow is a contrast to most of the churches I visit, where Sunday mornings look mostly like I imagine they did 50 years ago, except with fewer people.  If that description fits your church, I wonder what glimpses God might be giving you to explore new directions in order to thrive.  What changes, measured or majestic, could you suggest to your pastor or session?  I’d be glad to talk with you about this, or anything else, that you think might make your church thrive.

Grateful to be your partner in ministry,

Rev. Charles B Hardwick, PhD                                            

Executive                            

chip@synodofthecovenant.org

309-530-4578