Unity Center of Vero Beach
950 43rd Avenue
Vero Beach, FL 32960
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Unity Center of Vero Beach
950 43rd Avenue |
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Minister's Message
"BIRTHING A NEW CHURCH "
Reverend Linda Machesic, Interim Minister
I believe the Unity Center of Vero Beach is in labor. Something wonderful is about to be birthed. Whether it is under my leadership or ultimately someone else’s is irrelevant; the Universe will have its’ way with us as we birth a new church. Before we give birth or allow birth, however, we must acknowledge the pain, learn how to be with it, and then reach a consensus about the new life we’re birthing. Therein lays the rub, so to speak, because few want to acknowledge the pain and stop to heal it.
As for the pain, consider for a moment the history of this church. There was some resistance to its being built. Many members felt real pain over leaving the old church building on 27th Avenue. Some resented the amount of money spent on the new structure. In spite of the increased size and magnificence of this new building, people did not fill its’ sanctuary on Sunday mornings because there was unattended pain.
The ministers whose consciousness created this new building, Richard and Marilyn Reiger, left us shortly after we settled in. First Marilyn died. Her illness and subsequent death created pain for many. Shortly after, Richard resigned and was replaced. Richard’s departure created even more pain. Shortly after Robin arrived as the new minister, the Board Treasurer admitted taking thousands of dollars. His admission and subsequent departure from the church created more pain.
Rev. Robin assumed her role as Senior Pastor and worked hard to build both the consciousness of the church and to build revenue again. Her success in this regard took years and a great deal of energy. 2007 would have been a turn-around year for this church. Then, allegations of misspending arose, accusations, rumors, suspicions developed and more pain was created. Rev. Robin left and more pain arose. Pain persists. Needless to say, I think, is the fact that anger, resentment, suspicion, grief all point to pain.
In spite of this history, combined with decisions made years around which little or consensus was built, there is widespread disagreement about whether we’re in pain at all, whether we should speak about it, and then take the time to heal it.
“Let’s get over it,” some say. “I’m tired of hearing about it,” say others. “Why don’t those who are angry or suspicious just go away,” I’ve heard said angrily. “Why are there so many negative people around here?” Some have asked. Others have said, “This isn’t Unity – to be in this kind of conflict!” Finally, one very astute observer said recently, “Those who are angry/hurt/suspicious are not speaking to those who want to put all this aside and move on.”
There is widespread disagreement. The disagreement, I believe, is the Universe’s way of saying, “Pay attention! Heal and evolve!” If we don’t stop and create venues for healthy dialogue among disagreeing factions, bring in facilitators to heal the past, and bring in facilitators to lead us through our forgiveness work, we’re going to perpetuate this history of unhealthy transitions.
As I stand aside from the chaos and look to God for a different perspective, I find myself returning again and again to this idea of birthing. I believe God is working in us, through us, and as us to create a new Garden of Eden as our church. Interestingly, while I was a Ministerial Candidate, I learned of a new construct for doing church. I was intrigued, even subconsciously committed to being part of such a structure. Here then I was placed by the Universe and there are no accidents and there is no coincidence.
I believe a new kind of church is trying to be birthed. We’ve had unhealthy dynamics where people’s voices weren’t heard, where disagreement was shunned, where pain went unhealed, unacknowledged, unattended. We’ve had the kind of church where decisions were made based on the vision of one or a few rather than the whole. We’ve had the kind of church where people willingly gave their power away to leadership rather than assume responsibility for growth. And, even more interestingly, isn’t that the state of the planet? Can it be then, that we are a microcosm of the whole earth? Yes, it can and it is so. As for us as a church, consider the following.
This church has been in transition since it moved into this building. Churches generally do not hold transition sacred. Yet, transitions are the most sacred moments on our journey – individually and collectively. Transitions historically illicit anxiety, grief, fear, and all the other human emotions we carry with us. It is sometimes difficult to remember, during such times, that order is born out of chaos and transitions are chaotic!! When we’re in transition and feeling insecure, angry, pained, suspicious, fearful, we reside all too often in our personalities where old tapes prevail and we act out of old patterns.
You may find hope and solace in considering the possibility that a new kind of church, a new way of Being is trying to be birthed. It is my prayer that you do.
The old church is top down in management style. The new church is bottom up.
The old church resists disagreement. The new church recognizes disagreement as an invitation to go deeper – become more authentic. It holds authenticity sacred. The new church teaches people how to disagree in a healthy way and stops in its tracks as community to discern what is spiritual and sacred in the process.
The old church is run by fewer than 20% of the membership. The new church is full of small group ministries where ownership and responsibility resides with more than 20% of the membership.
The old church is about surviving. It’s about making it month to month. The new church is about thriving. It’s about having more than enough of everything.
The old church is about incoherence. It’s about confusion, competing agendas, and lack of shared purpose. The new church is all about clarity of purpose and single mindedness of intent, where everyone knows what the church stands for and where it is going.
The old church is out of integrity where anyone can become a member and there is no real process where members are held accountable to competency standards. The new church is integral. It’s a church where members possess the capacity to hold the leadership accountable, where membership is only available to those who are in ownership of the organization, and where leaders embody exemplary membership qualifications.
Creating a thriving, coherent, integral church is what I believe is ours to do. I believe the evidence summarized above points to this conclusion. I believe it so strongly that I have pressed our Association Regional Representative to bring Dr. Gary Simmons here in September to teach all of us how to create such a church. Dr. Simmons created the integral church model and some of his ideas are embodied in this article.
Before we engage in this process, however, it is imperative that we heal that which has been revealed. To that end, I am recommending to the Board that we immediately engage several professional facilitators to offer a forum for each of us to do our forgiveness work and another forum to heal the past. You’ll be hearing more about that. Some of you who have attended the first Town Hall Meeting already have. There will be more – from the platform if necessary.
Whatever healing venues we provide and whatever visioning venues we create, all must participate. Those who are at peace with what is happening and have no ill feelings or any agenda must participate and help create a sacred space for the healing process. Those who feel violated by the anger of others need to look at the judgment that implies.
The moment we can listen and observe another’s pain without withdrawing is the moment we may call ourselves true healers. The moment we say yes to disagreeing respectfully and kindly is the moment we can say we have true integrity.
I love you.
Rev. Linda Machesic
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Copyright © 2007 Unity of Vero Beach
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