Pastoring God's People

For all those who have been commissioned to pastoral roles of all kinds.

At the center of the crisis

by Terry Diener

In late summer 2008, the recession came with full force into Elkhart County. Many people were laid off their jobs and unemployment reached more than 18 percent. The economic stress was felt more broadly than those who had lost jobs; many became under-employed (working only two-three days a week) and businesses were doing all they could to survive the difficult economic times.

Clinton Frame Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana, has both blue collar workers and business owners and the recession impacted the lives of many of our people. Many who were laid off were people who never imagined being without work. People had been employed at one business for many years, and they were good, hard-working, loyal employees.

I saw many "holy moments" in our congregation. I sat at a dining room table and delivered cash from a member of the congregation to a family without work. I sat with young couple and a financial planner from our congregation to try to devise a plan to prevent foreclosure on their home. Both families, in shock in finding themselves in a financial situation they would never have expected, humbly and gratefully received the assistance and longed for the day when they would be able to help someone else.

I learned truths that I knew intellectually that I now learned as reality:

1 I learned that in a crisis God’s people are generous.
There was a deep sense within the congregation of being in this together and getting through it together. People would ask me if I knew someone in the church who needed assistance. Many times people would approach me to make sure I knew that someone else had lost his job and asking if there was any way they could help. Cash was often left in church mailboxes anonymously. Sunday school classes took up collections for individuals. Bags of groceries were left in people’s cars during church. The Sunday offerings for our annual spending plan reflected the economic downturn, but the giving to the Brotherhood Fund (our sharing fund) grew dramatically.

2 I learned to preach a sermon entitled "living generously" when many in the congregation are financially stressed.
I focused on the blessing of giving and the blessing of receiving. I illustrated that point by receiving a second offering for the Brotherhood Fund. I said if people were under financial pressure, they should take whatever amount they needed and be blessed. I noted that we are all in this together and that this is not a time for judging or for asking questions but to trust each other and support each other. I don’t know if anyone took money from the plate as it was passed, but I was approached after the service by some who said they had to make payments that week. After some of the offering money was distributed, there was still a large amount left for the Brotherhood Fund. The biblical reference for that Sunday was Acts 2 where the early church shared what they had in common so that no one among them had need.

3 I learned that it is difficult for many of us to receive.
As a congregation, we learned what it is like to receive when one of our neighboring churches contributed to our Brotherhood Fund. It is a wonderful example of congregations sharing the load together.

4 I learned in a new way that financial loss leads to other difficult losses.
Many people struggled with the loss of identity and purpose, and stress within families and on marriages was high. The Brotherhood Fund was used often to provide family and marriage counseling.

The Sunday offerings for our annual spending plan reflected the economic downturn, but the giving to our sharing fund grew dramatically.

5 I learned the importance of support groups to give people the opportunity to share with others in similar situations.
Although each individual’s situation was different, the one thing they had in common was they did not know what the future held.

6 I learned that people need hope and that God is present in all of life’s circumstances.
I was repeatedly blessed by those affected most deeply as they shared stories of how they had experienced God in the midst of their personal crises.

---

Terry Diener is lead pastor at Clinton Frame Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana.