Cottage Grove church to usher out gray-haired members in effort to attract more young parishioners

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/18/cottage-grove-church-united-methodist-young-parishioners/

A prayer for survival rose from the back of the church last Sunday.

“I pray for this church, getting through this age-discrimination thing,” said William Gackstetter, as the gray-haired heads around him nodded in agreement.

Gackstetter and other members of the Grove United Methodist Church in Cottage Grove (Minn.) are upset enough that their church is closing in June. What makes it worse is that their church is reopening in November — pretty much without them.

The church wants to attract more young families. The present members, most of them over 60 years old, will be invited to worship somewhere else. A memo recommends that they stay away for two years, then consult the pastor about reapplying.

[Wounded Bear]

1. If churches want to attract more young people...

Last edited Sun Jan 19, 2020, 11:04 AM - Edit history (1)

maybe they should stop acting like a bunch of assholes and, like, actually follow the teachings they profess to live by.

[DURHAM D]

10. Wow. I don't belong to any faith but

live in a town about the same size as the above. I do a lot of community service volunteer work. Everywhere I go, every board I set on, every free meal I help prepare and deliver, every clothing and furniture donation I pick up and deliver is through organizations that are comprised almost entirely of people over 70. The average age of the Meals on Wheels delivery people is 80. Most of these programs were started in or are still through local churches, mostly Methodist and some Mennonite.

These same people write the checks that keep these organizations going and fund programs in the public schools.

They do not act like assholes. Unlike some others...

[Mariana]

21. The majority of Christian voters cast their ballots for Trump in 2016.

It's impossible to deny that plenty of Christian churches are chock full of assholes. In some of them, the assholes run the show, and trample all over the loyal long-time congregants, as in this case.

This church's actions remind me of the Christian church that threw out a blind man because he had a service dog, and then tried to defend their hateful discriminatory behavior toward the disabled by reminding everyone that churches are exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act, therefore they did nothing wrong.

[DURHAM D]

23. I don't care how they vote -

I know what they do.

In this case it is age discrimination against seniors.

[Mariana]

26. Are churches exempt from anti-discrimination laws

the same way they're exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act?

[Me.]

61. And Yet They Still Want The Elders To Mow The Lawn, Shovel The Snow And Tithe

[Beakybird]

2. God isn't allowed in that church. He's too old.

Correction: She.

[Rorey]

12. +1 NT

[jpak]

39. LOL!!122

[cwydro]

3. Wow.

How Christian of them.

[TheBlackAdder]

63. Wasn't that the church in the Kingsman movie?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Why don't they just put them out on an ice floe?

[Iggo]

15. Jeez, no shit huh.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

36. not enough ice left

[LaurenOlimina]

51. Oh, you could buy ice and slide them past the Walmart.

[Jake Stern]

5. I expect this kind of shit out of one of those "non-denominational" evangelical churches

Not out of the UMC congregation.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. They're already in a schism because some of them are anti-LGBT.

Now they're anti-old, too?

[Blue_true]

29. Is the church part of the Part 1 UMC or the Part 2 UMC?

The church split a few years back over Gay Rights support, the Part 2 is virulently anti LGBTQ rights.

[DURHAM D]

38. The actual separation has not yet happened.

If you read the article this issue is not mentioned.

Further, if you read the post down thread about their mission this church seems to be inclusive.

[Blue_true]

58. The church is "inclusive", but it no longer wants people that have given it years of their lives

Ok, sounds right to me.

[woodsprite]

6. Doesn't sound like a very Christian church to me. nt

[Leghorn21]

7. "We're opening a lovely new church of spiritual and emotional sustenance and glory to Jesus 🎶

AND YOU’RE NOT INVITED”



I’m almost 70, and I think this is hilarious
fuck these Methodist losers

[delisen]

9. Sounds like Satan running the show. nt

[DURHAM D]

11. This will be a disaster. Unbelievably stupid. nt

[Hekate]

13. Those "old people" are likely very long-time parishioners, whose contributions & volunteerism...

...have built and sustained this church. This is an extremely baffling decision.

Reading the whole article now...


I recommend a revolt. A noisy revolt.

[Iggo]

17. Yep, they built that church.

[Hekate]

22. The more I read the rationale for the reboot, the more it sounded like a corporate business plan...

Really, it made me sick. Sounds like somebody wants to build a mega-church and preach prosperity gospel.

Those 30 or so people built that church starting 30 years ago -- they were young when they started. We all get old. Reading what they have to say s just kind of jaw-dropping -- they are supposed to maintain the building and grounds like always until they're thrown out? Really?

Well, the congregation started in a storefront and has been getting along with lay ministers for awhile -- if they can't win this fight, they really should go back to that. Immediately. I suggest taking all the inventory they've bought and paid for over the years to help them set up in their new place. You know, pews, hymnals, the contents of the kitchen, what's needed for the office. I'm sure that shiny new pastor is going to want all shiny new things anyway.

I wish them luck. They sound like really nice people.

[DURHAM D]

28. I think that the personal and real property belongs to the Methodist Conference -

the corporate overlords.

That shiny new pastor will want about $50,000 for a sound system so they can have what they call a Praise Service. It gets the young people in the pews. Oops - no pews just chairs and some bean bags chairs for the little ones.

[Mopar151]

31. But they can't pay the heat, or lights

Happened here, in Claremont, NH. Economy bottomed out, and this time the pastor wasn't popular enough to keep up the heat in their [u/] magnificent, big, old, stone church.

They've reestablished in a newer, smaller church building nearby. Their "Nativity behind the Wire" was quite popular on DU.

[LaurenOlimina]

52. Depends on the dynamic they are creating.

If they are part of the vocal anti-LGBT contingent in the Methodist church, they may get to shut that church down as well.

[VOX]

14. Because Jesus was all about excluding demographic groups.

You know, hookers, gamblers, tax collectors, the Roman occupying force, children, women, etc. Couldn’t stand any of ‘em.

[Iggo]

16. Now's your chance, Oldies. Get out while you can!

[dalton99a]

18. "We strive to reflect God's love to all"

[DURHAM D]

19. Looks like they need to remove this -

"persons of every age"

[Hekate]

25. That sounds lovely & is obviously reflective of the Old Congregation

[appalachiablue]

20. NONA or NENA: No Old Need Apply, No Elderly Need Apply

How ageist! What about 'single, unmarried women,' the disabled, black, brown, LGBT.

Freedom!

[hfojvt]

24. to me that has already happpened everywhere

at least in the mainstream. Perhaps not in the Baptist churches.

I am almost 58. Since about ten years ago, I cannot find any church that sings the songs that I grew up with. We supposedly have to learn new songs - in order to attract young members.

About a month ago I went to church, figuring at least then they would sing some old Christmas hymns - which they did, but the service was still about 50-50 new songs and old.

This was a Presbyterian church, which happens to be the denomination that I grew up in. That day I felt about as at home as I did went I went to church in Germany. The Gloria Patri - gone. They read the Nicene Creed, seeming without changing it, but the Apostles Creed is the one I memorized years ago. I also memorized the Lord's Prayer, but I guess that is dated because when they did it, they changed all the words.

Of course, they are making all of these changes presumably to attract younger members. Funny thing is, when I looked around, I seemed to be younger than about 95% of the congregation.

So basically all of us old people are forced to attend a new church (albeit in the same building) because our old church wants to attract younger members.

[Ms. Toad]

56. That is significantly different than being told

Go away, and don't come back for 2 years - and then you're only welcome if we decide we're ready to see your old, ugly faces again.

[True Blue American]

27. That old Pastor with his gut hanging out wants young people?

[Laffy Kat]

30. I'm not one for organized religion.

However, I sure do hope this blows up in their UMC faces.

[3catwoman3]

32. How very Christian of them.

This is really low.

And as far as contacting the pastor in 2 years to “re-apply”? I would tell that pastor to go fuck himself, now. I wouldn’t wait 2 years.

[TlalocW]

33. Good luck on attracting young people

They're staying away from church like no generation before them, and it's crap like this that drives them to do so.

TlalocW

[GoCubsGo]

45. Yep.

This is like prescribing antibiotics for a cold. It ain't the cure for the illness.

[Midnight Writer]

34. Small town Christian Churches are run by Boards made up of small town Christian people.

They can get pretty crazy.

They get notions and you cannot, absolutely cannot, talk sense to them.

[Captain Zero]

35. And as small congregations get smaller this happens in

small towns and large cities. There can be six month fights over what color to paint a Sunday School room.

[Midnight Writer]

46. Exactly. I grew up in a rural area and was raised a Christian.

I usually ended up going to small country churches, very nice friendly people. Then they would have a Board Meeting, made up of the oldest, most hardcore members, and craziness would emerge.

For example, one Board meeting included an expulsion of a whole family because they let their dog live INSIDE the house. A Pastor was fired because his wife was seen in her own backyard wearing shorts.

I quit going to church when I was nineteen, and while I still love the people, I have no desire to go back.

[safeinOhio]

37. Let the Sectarian war begin....

First Grove United Methodist Church vs Second Grove United Methodist Church.

This trend has been going on forever.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

40. I wonder if the pastor studied the source of donations

My guess - it's the grey hairs who have the most green to give.

And, feeling the inevitability of a possible hereafter, may feel inclined to pay for that Stairway to Heaven.

Of course, maybe the grey hairs don't donate enough, but eat all the pancakes and doughnuts. Turn them out.

[Fyrefox]

41. No one's getting younger...

Ageism is alive and well in many institutions and places of employment, sometimes operating as a hidden agenda, and sometimes more overtly functioning...

[sinkingfeeling]

42. Doesn't this make it obvious that it's just another business?

[JDC]

43. Try holding additional "young people" services

That focus on younger people, music, sermons, etc.

But that would mean thought and work for the good pastor.

Instead, he is going to strictly follow the teachings of Christ and admonish and ignore the elderly.

[GoCubsGo]

44. Pssstttt...It's not the old people who are keeping them away.

Young people are just not into you. And, by "you", I mean "organized religion." The "young and hip" image make-over isn't going to bring in people who don't want to be there at all. Talk about not getting it.

[sarcasmo]

47. The church is clueless, hate is why the youth have left.

[HAB911]

48. TOO FUNNY

reminds me of my dear neighbor who went to her church since the '50s. fell broke her hip was in rehab for close to a year before she simply wore out or gave up and passed. her "preacher" visited her once.

[bluestarone]

49. CHRISTIAN LEADERS of todays church's (the tRUMP church's)

Are made out of the SAME SCUM PIT WATER!!

[lpbk2713]

50. "Only certain people are allowed to worship at our church."

WWJD

[PJMcK]

53. It's all such nonsense!

It's really hard for me to understand these religions that don't follow their own teachings!

Go with Science. You'll never be disappointed.

[peggysue2]

54. Wow!

I'm an absentee, lapsed Roman Catholic but something like this is insane. The vast majority of churches anymore are populated by those over 60. They get rid of their most fervent members, they won't have a congregation at all. If they truly want to attract younger parishioners, then stop pretending we're still living the 1950s, speak to the concerns and genuine angst of the young and help young families, don't simply preach an outdated doctrine.

My husband and I saw this happen at his parents' church. Also a Methodist church in Delaware County, Pa. It was a sad thing to witness and the elderly parishioners were heartbroken, told that they'd have to move on to another congregation, one that was considerably harder to get to driving-wise.

Sign of the times, I guess. A lot of neighborhood Catholic parishes have closed their doors as well.

[SWBTATTReg]

55. It is a shame that this generational gap is happening...what ever happened to reaching out, ...

and helping fellow neighbors, regardless of age, race, gender, anything? I don't recall any forms that the followers of Jesus back in the day had to complete/fill out. Perhaps I overlooked this?

But to be fair, this generational gap is happening everywhere. I see this happening too in my neighborhood association meetings, where you get one or two persons who literally hog the entire meeting (out of perhaps a hundred people, talking about their particular agenda item), and the rest of us don't even get to say a word, because time is up!

I know that the meeting moderators should speak up and take back control of the meeting but these neighborhood association meetings are sponsored by our police dept and alterperson (rep in the city of STLMO), and I guess they don't want to seem unseemly, and interrupt, to get back to the agenda laid out. Sometimes you need to (cut off someone gracefully, in order to keep/stick with the agenda).

[getagrip_already]

57. who would want to be a member of a church where....

Your parents, aunts, uncles, former teachers and doctors, aren't welcome?

In small towns, every one knows your business. Few want to be associated with this kind of open hate against their own family members.

Do these pastors report to anyone? A well placed picket line on Sundays may change their minds once they re-open. Just saying.

[Ms. Toad]

59. Utter idiocy - and anti-Christian.

The church deserves a quick demise.

One of the positives about a church community is that it is one of the few places that still remain where we are not segregated by age - and children regularly interact with the elderly (and all generations in between). Work is a distant second place - since it is primarily populated by people within 1.5 generations (primarily a 30 year age range). Kicking out the elderly destroys that important role for the church.

[defacto7]

60. At the pot luck...

Soilent green and dried onion casserole.

[lindysalsagal]

62. That's what religion is: a total scam. A business.

They don't give a crap about real people: just fake memories of fake gods and false prophets.

[struggle4progress]

64. But they have a really nice welcome message on their webpage!

We honor the sacred worth and dignity of persons of every age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical and mental capacity, education, economic, and marital status

They forgot to add that, if you're in the older set, they'd certainly like to have your money but they'd rather not see you in their church in the near future, although you might be able to drop by a couple of years from now if somehow you're still alive then