A message from the pastor

Dear Friends,

If you’re over 50 (hey, aren’t most of us?), active in church life, and wondering what the future

holds for our congregation, I want you to know: I see your love. I see how you show up—

tending the budget, praying for the sick, bringing food to potlucks and funerals. And I know your

heart aches when you look around the sanctuary and see no young adults, young families, and

children.

Many of you have asked: “How do we bring in the next generation—Millennials and Gen

Z?” You’re open to ideas: hiring a youth director, updating the website, posting on social media.

Those steps aren’t wrong—they’re faithful. But if we’re honest, they’re also safe. They don’t

require anything to die. Resurrection only comes after death.

What Resurrection Really Takes

The Apostle Paul writes “We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that…

we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4) If we want new life in the church, we may need to let

go—not just of outdated programs, but of our assumptions about what church should look like.

I think of First Presbyterian Church in Franklin, NC. A few years ago, their children’s Sunday

school had dwindled to one child—the pastor’s granddaughter. Instead of pushing to revive the

program, they invited children to stay in worship. It was awkward at first. Crayons in pews.

Goldfish crackers on the carpet. But over time, kids began reading scripture and helping serve

communion. Adults stopped expecting silence—and started expecting participation. That, my

friends, is resurrection.

Honesty, Not Perfection

Marissa Duffield, a young adult leader in our denomination, wrote this in her Letter to the Church I Love. “We need you to tell the truth about yourselves—not just the good parts… I won’t give up on you. But I need you to stop confusing comfort with faithfulness.” Young people aren’t looking for a church that gets everything right. They’re looking for a church that’s real, honest, and brave enough to let go of what’s no longer life-giving. Jesus said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24)

A Season of Growth

Maybe that’s why May is the right time for this conversation. Spring is blooming. Students are graduating. Pentecost is on the horizon. This season reminds us—visibly and powerfully—that life is always breaking through. So, if you’re anxious about the future of the church you love, take heart. Resurrection isn’t just what happened to Jesus. It’s what can happen to us. I’m here because the gospel is bigger than me—and bigger than our fear.

Pastor Peter J. Blank