Seattle Metro Church

A few weeks ago we decided as a group to discontinue our Sunday gatherings. This was a difficult decision to make, as our Sunday gatherings have been SMC’s primary meeting and identity for the past four years, and there have been a lot of mixed emotions. We will be continuing our other gatherings, which are currently two book study groups (one is How (Not) to Speak of God by Pete Rollins and the other is The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis), Film and Spirituality, and occasional gatherings to discuss our spiritual lives.

In the past two or three months we have had a number of discussions as a group about how to change our Sunday mornings to better reflect our needs as a group, while still remaining sustainable and simple. As a result, we have decided that our Sunday mornings could not fulfill all the needs being expected of it, and there were ways in which it had lost its life for some of us. One way that we felt our church was really succeeding was in the area of community, and we have decided that our midweek gatherings will continue to meet that need. These gatherings have been really successful, challenging, and enjoyable for all of us and we are looking forward to them getting even better with more energy being devoted to them. We have also decided that having Sundays free to attend other churches will allow us to meet needs that our group was missing, including things from greater intellectual challenge to a broader diversity of ages.

We do not yet know if this will be a permanent change or not. We are leaving the door open to continue our Sunday gatherings (or something similar to them) in the future, but for now we have decided to take a break. As always, feel free to drop in at our weekday gatherings and please keep us in your prayers as we take this new direction.

Our last business meeting was a great success; as a church we looked at our mission and reevaluated our hopes, fears, dreams, and mission. Making decisions as a church can be frustrating and difficult when you must reach consensus before moving forward, but it gave everyone a chance to speak out regarding the direction of our group.

As a result, the following decisions were reached (correct if I’m wrong, church, I didn’t take notes!)

• We will continue to meet as one body this fall, at the Baeders.
• As part of our renewed focus on spiritual growth, we will be organizing small groups next Sunday (the 9th).
• Our Sunday morning format will follow the established liturgy, with volunteers signing up for the homily.
• The last Sunday of the month is reserved for service.

Next Sunday, Aaron Ogle will be giving the homily on his last Sunday with the church. Good luck in Pennsylvania, Aaron, Andrea, and Asher!

World Vision is sponsoring a special exhibit on the Seattle waterfront in honor or World Aids Day from November 29 to December 3. From their website:

In the last few months, thousands of people across the nation have been impacted by the World Vision AIDS Experience. Now, this highly acclaimed, 3,000-square-foot exhibit is coming to Seattle in observation of World AIDS Day. Stay tuned for exhibit dates and times.

See AIDS through new eyes. Come visit the World Vision AIDS Experience at Pier 66 on the Seattle waterfront.

…

Come walk in the shoes of a child living in an AIDS-affected community in Africa. The stirring audio tour combined with captivating photography and visuals will transport you to the heart of Africa — where you’ll discover that HIV/AIDS is stalking you at every turn.