CURATE’S CORNER Sunday August 30, 2026

As I said last Sunday, it is easy to say that COVID contributed to the decline of education and the drop in attendance of people going to church. Many, including myself, believe that COVID really advanced our already pre existing condition of America’s decline in education and the loss of a committed faith that understands what it means to dedicate oneself to your church community by going to church subject to the influences of modern-day society. Such a congregation tends to decline and slowly shutdown because the congregation members have forgotten what it means to be a “whole” church family. Relationships are and church activities. In many ways, what you see today reveals where we really were before COVID. One’s dedication to your church as your extended family is a hallmark of what it means to be church according to the Bible, but also one sign that a congregation is healthy. When we use church just for our close friends, when we church shop, going from one church to another, or not even go to church, shows a congregation that is in “retirement mode” and frequently through electronics such as social media and emails rather than a person-to person relationship and conversations as Christians. I cannot emphasize enough what it means to attend church functions, including our new members’ lunch on September 27th. There was a time that the whole church celebrated different events together like a family, but now it is easily relegated to personal family and friends. Please consider coming to our new member lunch to show that our church is not in “retirement” mode but rather a church-family oriented congregation that cares for the whole body of Christ. – Pastor Dreyer