tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post3256792289944997272..comments2024-03-21T03:45:48.679-05:00Comments on Enter the Rainbow: Missouri Conference - Special Session Wrap-upAndy B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05944614269873479581noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-46470210250887266952007-04-03T20:42:00.000-05:002007-04-03T20:42:00.000-05:00Andy, the difference is 300 out of 155,000 versus ...Andy, the difference is 300 out of 155,000 versus 177,000 out of 5.5 million.<BR/><BR/>Put in monetary terms (never a good idea) it is $825 spent in churches per member in 2005. The if you divide the $900k budget by the 300 in small groups (per the Bishop) we spent $3000. Anyway you look at it, the system was broke.Pastor Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04375784445517754485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-61724690458558111092007-04-03T15:21:00.000-05:002007-04-03T15:21:00.000-05:00Yikes, Dave! Thanks for those figures, to which I...Yikes, Dave! Thanks for those figures, to which I did not have access before. My "Yikes" is in reaction to the 3% of Missourians are Methodist stat. I don't know why that surprises me, but it does. We've got a lot of work to do, huh?<BR/><BR/>Statistically speaking, there really isn't much difference between 3% and .2%. I remain unconvinced by that reasoning.Andy B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05944614269873479581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-4864565979592564962007-04-03T14:14:00.000-05:002007-04-03T14:14:00.000-05:00Let's see Pathways in another way: a man in power ...Let's see Pathways in another way: a man in power hand picks a few key cronies to be in a tight inner council that makes decisions for a group much, much larger than said council. Hmm...sounds kinda familiar. Hope, for the sake of our church and the sake of those to whom we minister (the world), it works. BBradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07427946383017171929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-68193378471246139592007-04-03T14:13:00.000-05:002007-04-03T14:13:00.000-05:00On the one hand, Methodists in Missouri make up 3%...On the one hand, Methodists in Missouri make up 3% of the population. On the other hand, Wesley foundations make up 2/10 of a percent of the population at their representative schools. As I look at that fact I also recognize that our churches recorded 33000 Sunday school attendance and our camps only recorded 2000 last summer. So that is clearly a concern for the future of our camps as Pathways clears the next path.<BR/>I also agree that the implementation should be the job of conference council. On the other hand I voted for the whole thing so I should shut up and be content.Pastor Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04375784445517754485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-49883561914444219662007-04-03T09:36:00.000-05:002007-04-03T09:36:00.000-05:00On the one hand, people of the UMC in MO want to s...On the one hand, people of the UMC in MO want to see the Vital Ministries to continue being supported by our apportionments. On the other hand, we do not contribute enough to the church to make that possible. It's kind of like people complaining about bad roads and arguing against raising taxes at the same time. How do they think the roads they want will be paid for without higher taxes? How do we think vital ministries will be paid for if we give so little of our abundance back to the work of the church? I, too, think it is a very sad situation. But I think I understand why it needed to be done. If everyone who claims to be a UM in MO would tithe, or even give a little - what would that mean to the work of the church? cbCARYLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07680700410085498628noreply@blogger.com