DISCLAIMER:

IF SOMETHING YOU READ DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT, I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO PLEAD INSANITY! Or I've already taken my Ambien.







Friday, November 6, 2009

It's not as bad as it sounds...

Let me preface this by saying that y'all know Ouiser Boudreaux is my alter-ego. I'm like an old Southern woman very stuck in my ways, especially when it comes to church. And I ain't afraid to speak my mind. (well that's obvious if you've been reading my blog a while.)

You also know that I live in a small town. I have attended the same church since DAY 1. I was baptized there, (as a infant, we are Methodists) married there & unless sometimes major happens, my funeral will be there. All of my children were baptized there & if I have my way, will also be married there.

With that being said, I am well aware of the fact that my small town is growing (sometimes much to my discern). And my church is growing right along with it.

But the problem I have is not the church itself, but some of the "new" people that come in & try to take over.

For instance, contemporary churches are all the rage now, so we have one. The youth attend.

When I was a youth I didn't have my own personal worship service. They also have couches in the youth building. Must be nice. We have a full-time youth director who makes a nice salary & granted we do have a large number of youth, only about 1/4 of them have other family members active in the church. And our youth don't do fundraisers, they just beg the church for the money. When I was a youth, I can't tell you how many cars I washed!

However, the children's director is treated like a red-headed stepchild. She is pay hourly & limited to 10 hours a week. And our summer program had twice as many kids as the youth group. As for the regular Sunday service, the children can't get there without their parents.

Let me also say that the 20-25 age group is pretty much non-existent at our church. So they come as youth & don't come back.

Not that I'm focusing all my frustrations on the youth program, we also had a position (Outreach Director) that was a paid position. What? That should be totally VOLUNTEER. My mother is the church treasurer, you can't run a church without a treasurer, and she doesn't even take a check. The Outreach Director was a former preacher & was being paid more than the children's director. I'm saying this in past tense because he resigned Sunday. Guilt must have gotten to him.

So my outburst toward the preacher was not really blasting him; however now I will probably have a permanent place on the prayer list because he thinks I am CRAZY, but really simply standing up for the children's director.

That is one thing you can definitely say about me, I am loyal. Almost to a fault. And I WILL stand up for what I believe it. You can take that to the bank.

12 comments:

Tracie Nall said...

Amen sister, Amen!!

I have been there.....and done that.....sadly, no one cared and that church lost one of the best children's directors I have ever seen-to a church that actually appreciated her!

Let me just add that I did more fundraisers than I can count when I was in youth group....and although I know that some youth go away to college, but not all of them, so if they are all disappearing, I would tend to believe it shows that you probably have a youth group more oriented on fun and games than church-therefore when they become too old for the fun youth group, they don't see any reason to go to the church. This is an indictment against the youth minister....of course, having never been to your church I couldn't say this for sure, and I don't want to judge without all the facts-but based on my church experiences, I would guess this is a strong possibility!

My personal rant is now finished....have a nice weekend :)

Sam said...

I am right there with you. We left our last church because the children's group was sad, and the youth non-existent. But they had a child's director with a huge salary. Yet she continued to suck the volunteerism out of every parent. It was an incestuous little church. the same people did everything, they didn't welcome new comers at all or change! (Shudder)
Glad you stand up for what you believe in, be proud. ANd preachers are trained to hear the truth so, don't sweat it!

Bamawhitney said...

I hear ya!!

Helene said...

Yeah, something didn't seem right there in that situation.

Tales From My Empty Nest said...

I was born into the Methodist church and went there all my life, plus was married there too. It broke my heart to leave around 6 1/2 years ago when our Youth Minister was having an affair with one of the parents who volunteered with the youth. Both of these "adults" denied it, but later divorced and married each other. DUH??? The youth minister who replaced this guy was a lady and she embezzled I don't know how much money from the youth fund. Since she was a minister's daughter, they did not press charges. What is up with that? Anyway, Adelaide and I became disheartened and we left. I have a wonderful church now that I love and Adelaide goes to church at an amazing church where she is in college. I am so thrilled to visit her church when I am with her and see all the college-aged youth who so love the Lord and get up on Sunday and come to church. Her minister is the chaplain for the football team and the kids adore him. He is an awesome speaker!! Hang in there, but I really admire you for speaking up. Have a great weekend. Love & blessings from NC!

Margaret said...

It is always good to stand up for what you believe in.

Sandra said...

Now I know you are mine. I too am loyal to a fault. When I love someone I will support them unconditionally, and you can't get me to talk about them even if you held a gun to my head. Now I might say something to them one on one, but never behind their backs. Good for you for defending one of the most important programs in the church. xoxoxo

Tracie said...

It's great that you are so loyal. I left my church 1 1/2 yrs. ago due to the crazy shenanigans of many of the "Good Christians" members there. I'm in a new church now that seems to have no church politics issues, money disputes, or in-fighting. It's either the best church around or some kind of cult and I just don't know it yet.

Anonymous said...

you go girl!!

My church must really be backwoods or something cause no one gets paid for anything except the preacher and we don't have a children's church or a youth group or anything like that. But we only have about 100 members too, so that probably has something to do with it. haha

Hope your having a great weekend!

Suzy said...

I'm like you, loyal to a fault. But Now I'm more cautious with the people I choose to hang with. And I don't go to church.

wife.mom.nurse said...

I admire that character trait! You are awesome.

How things have changed over the years.

kanishk said...

like you, loyal to a fault. But Now I'm more cautious with the people I choose to hang with. And I don't go to church. Work from home India

Related Posts with Thumbnails