a sad, strange story.

most of you know that i am a preacher's kid. i am a mission developer's kid.

for you not in the know...the back story.

the evangelical lutheran church in america is a pretty white church. lutherans aren't exactly the pantheon of multiculturalism. sigh. in northern minnesota it is particularly nordic. in my hometown the native american folks have struggled to feel safe in any of the churches (lutheran or otherwise). so, my parents about 10 years ago decided to open a church that would be culturally friendly to native people. and all sorts of other people on the margins.

now, i was about 16 when this started. i didn't really think it would happen. who starts their own church? i have since learned better. i no longer doubt. i learned to trust God from my parents.

you see, my parents mortgaged our house and bought a building. my dad continued to roof houses to pay the bills. my mom continued to be the public health nurse paying bills. they both worked unpaid at peoples church for a few years. then the ELCA decided that they would give dad a call as a mission developer. very cool.

okay. things are good. there is an official status in the church. right? things are rough for the community of peoples church. racial profiling is common. it is a struggle for the folks at my little church to get the authorities in Bemidji to see them as humans. yet, peoples church sticks it out. it is good.

about 6 months ago the big fancy Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA started courting the church. they said that a grant was sure thing if the paperwork was just filled out. great. we thought, "wonderful! we can get started on building the shelter and clinic for people!"

a few days ago the Mission Investment Fund said "No." they said that peoples church could not have the money because we do not have a constitution. we do not have a constitution, because we are a Mission Development Congregation.

so. there is a mission investment fund. they court a mission development congregation. promise money. yet, do not feel the need to invest money in mission.

i wonder. i wonder what the church thinks when they see declining numbers in churches doing the same things over and over again. yet, a church that is community oriented and creative does not merit the support of the hierarchy.

as my dad said, "the philistines down at the credit union were happy to lend me the money."

read the parable of the good samaritan, luke 10.