Tension, Change, and the Possibility for Radical Growth in 2021
By Katurah York Cooper
You are standing at the door of 2021. Your hand is on the handle and ready to fling open the door and boldly step across the threshold. Before you cross over to 2021, let’s reflect. Even though we’d rather not. We’d rather not look back at the shock of the invasion of COVID-19 into our life, the stark reality that worship on Sunday morning became a super-spreader for this virus, the terrible feeling of isolationism inflicted on quarantined humans. We dare not look back at the decimation of our income, the encroachment into our savings, the evaporation of our vision, and the reduction in our mobility. Worse of all is the walk in the shadow of the death of friends, colleagues, and family members because of COVID-19 or brought on by an over-stressed healthcare system.
I describe 2020 in two words: tension and change. Tension is the thread that unites all of our experiences. Tension is the act of stretching or straining. It may be physical, mental, or emotional strain or intense and suppressed suspense or anxiety. Bishops had to assess how much stretch is in the elastic of the tradition of in-person convergence in hotel lobbies to allow for virtual annual conferences. How much of a financial strain is connected to online giving as compared to worshippers marching to the tempo of “giving music” to place their offerings in the basket? How much anxiety is generated when reports must be uploaded on Zoom platforms and presented by the click of a computer mouse?
Local congregations have been the crucible of tension. Sunday worship, the centerpiece of the local church, has taken the greatest hit. Pastors grapple with faith and facts and vacillate between science and the supernatural. We walk the tight rope of optimism, fearful of losing balance and falling into pessimism. We exhibit stoicism even as we privately rail against a God who would not stop the pestilence. Yes, the tension has been real.
Tension can come about naturally as our tradition, comfort zones, familiar practices, and resources are stretched out of shape. Across our denomination, our local churches’ survival during this pandemic has been dependent on the pastor’s courage to lead the congregation to change, adapt, and even remove some traditional practices to accommodate the tension.
It has been amazing to watch many pastors navigate this successfully. Unfortunately, this has been too difficult for some congregations; hence, the tension has resulted in a breakdown of some local churches and emotional burn-out of pastors. This year, the church I pastor evidenced the coronavirus lockdown, a storm that destroyed 30% of our roof, the theft of all our audio-visual media equipment, and gaps in our leadership that exposed limitations in our financial reporting systems. We had to adapt to online worship, virtual giving, pop-in prayers, cell group ministry, teleconferencing, and the restructuring of our financial system. All of this happened in the fifth poorest country in the world with limited resources. During the lockdown, we experienced a 75% reduction in giving but we still had bills to pay. There was tension around how to allocate the limited funds available.
Leaders know that tension is fertile ground for growth. In August, our church launched a loan payment fund. Our monthly giving has now exceeded pre-pandemic levels. On the first Sunday in December, we will install new church officers. We have maintained our on-line ministry though we presently worship in our sanctuary. We are expanding our Empowerment Connectors virtual group to include community outreach. We are poised to establish the Empowerment Entrepreneurs Ministry (EEP) which will focus on training for our members who are small business owners. Financial security is key to our post-pandemic recovery. Our guiding theme is “Growth Beyond the Pandemic: Radical But it Must be Done.”
As our hands are on the door to 2021, the AME Church is called to reflect and face the reality of the tension, strains, pain of the stretch, and the anxiety and stress of 2020. Across the connection, we are asking, “Will the tension cause our denomination to snap or to adjust and reshape?” Can we use this tension to change what must be changed and grow?”
We have virtually worshipped with congregations from Malawi to Baltimore. We know the power of the internet to connect and inform us. There is no going back. Change is the product of our 2020 experience and we must be willing to accept this with a radical thought adjustment.
The Council of Bishops is challenged to take the lead. As plans are being established for the convening of the General Conference in July of 2021, my prayer is that the wisdom of our bishops will pivot in the direction of change, innovation, equity, inclusivity, transparency, fiscal integrity, progress, and growth. The conduct of the General Conference has the potential to create an exciting opportunity for us to partner with God to do great things differently. One thing is sure: the door of 2021 is about to swing open and by God’s grace, we get to enter the new year with the possibility for radical growth. May the Lord grant us a safe and blessed Christmas and New Year.
Dr. Katurah York Cooper is the pastor of The Empowerment Temple AME Church in Monrovia, Liberia in the 14th Episcopal District. Her email is katu.cooper2012@gmail.com.
