Communion Team Controversy

I, William Schnautz am writing this letter to inform the Church Administration of my resignation of my office of overseer and deacon, due to reason chancges in personal matters I am unable to preform my duties in a manner that is pleasing to God. To safeguard my membership in the Church of Christ it would be best to remove myself from the offices that I hold, so that I can reevaluate myself and to properly manage my family in a way that follows the will of God.

First, we thank God for our Pastor’s inspiration and leadership. She has truly taught us what Christian fellowship is all about.

God loves his Church and Jesus is the one who builds the Church. Then, it goes without saying that God loves the local church and Jesus builds the local church. Unfortunately, there are many factors that come into play, causing churches to become complacent or stagnate before entering into a season of decline. Yet this can be avoided through the process of revitalization.

While walking out of the building, I found myself walking the same path as a classmate who was also leaving. “What did you think of that, Taryn?” With a smile upon her face, she looked up and said, “I just love how great it is to have that time to fellowship and have with God during a stressful week.” Her answer summed up my feelings perfectly. “Have you joined?” Not

May 1, 2016, the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, located in Greenwood (S.C.) County will celebrate its 142nd church anniversary. Many years Mt. Olive have been a church that loved people, gave without limits and took great care of its members. The last five of those one hundred and forty-two years, I have been honored to serve as pastor of this great church. Although this is a great church, Mt. Olive and many churches like it are plagued with a disease that has slowly, but surely, causing the church to drift further away from God and fall deeper into the ways of the world. This epidemic is known as “tradition”. Churches that are bound by tradition and not led by the Holy Spirit will find themselves missing the mark of what God has called us to do. The bible is filled with instructions for the church, but as Christians and Disciples of Christ, Matthew 28 is the foundation upon which we should be operating on in the church as well as in our lives. The Great Commission challenges us to “go, teach and preach to all nations.” Traditional churches will allow church tradition to dictate biblical doctrine. It will allow the church to argue about who’s right instead of what’s right. Sadly, church success has been based on structure and finances rather than saving lost souls.

As I entered adulthood, I had a natural instinct for organization and leadership and I had a strong interest in using those talents to serve the church. I worked with youth groups, participated in WELCA, served on the church council and it seemed there wasn’t a task I would not take on. Many people, myself included, anticipated the next logical stop on my journey would be seminary.

The sacred partnership between a congregation and pastor is not happenstance but rather a holy arrangement orchestrated by an omniscient God. Thus, I invite you to joyfully and lovingly enter into this covenant with your new pastor, realizing that this moment in time was actually predestined in eternity, even before the

SPC Johnson, over the month of February we, as a Company, and you, individually, have been quite busy again. You have been doing what you can to work through what you are. Your cooperation during this time has not been overlooked and I commend you for doing what needs to be done when asked of you.

In January 2015 I was saddened at how things had transpired yet in an ironic twist knew that there was no clearer calling out, than being told your services are no longer needed. Whether I was deemed to no longer fit, or at the hands of flawed man, or the Lord’s doing, or some combination of the three…I knew that I was called out.

It is during a time of great trepidation that I am writing this letter to our Salt River Valley General Baptist Fellowship churches. As we observe the condition of our churches, and the moral corruption of the world we live in, it is apparent this conference is well overdue. We are doing ministry in a time when the world no longer wants to hear our message let alone believe in our God. In this day people attend church but no longer see the need to make a commitment to the church.

I am emailing you because I am disappointed with the turnout of today's meeting. As president of the club, it is my job to make sure all board members are pushing their own weight.

Throughout my time with the Methodist church, I have experienced great opportunities and also many challenges. My family and I have been taught by a man who I think to be one of the most godly men I have ever met. Reverend Felder has always had a positive outlook on St. Luke UMC future even through trials and adversity. In fact, I truly think the Lord used him to save St. Luke because when he became pastor the city of Augusta had the land the church occupied labeled a future parking lot. However Felder had a vision for the church and the vision included having the sanctuary packed with families from the neighborhood of Harrisburg. The church is now an entity in the neighborhood that it was not before Reverend Felder came, and while is has a

It was the first time that I felt God’s presence at an annual conference. As odd as it may sound, it is true. Bishop Chow tipped off the conference with an open dialogue about the state of the church. Of course I debated with the young man next to me that it was our inability to attract and keep youth. I argued that our traditional structure has built a fence too high for millennials and screenagers (Generation Z) to climb; making them feel boxed in and unwelcomed. But Bishop Chow quickly proved us wrong. His diagnosis was that the Holy Spirit had left the church. Because we’ve become so entangled with who we are, the Holy Spirit cannot move within the church. He asserted that new programs and initiatives cannot fix a dead church; that we must loosen the chains that we’ve given ourselves so that we can fully praise God. Only then, will his people draw near. I could feel God move amidst the hearts of the conference.

Mr. Johnson and I process the conflict that he is having with his daughter and he came to a decision that he may need to address the conflict with his daughter, if the time is right. He stated he would talk to his daughter, explain his mental health illness, and how it affects him as well as the people he love. I informed Mr. Johnson that is a great start and I would like for him to contact me when he return from the trip, so we can process the

The Communion Christians have always regarded the Holy Communion as being one very important element towards achieving discipleship since the very beginning. However, the question in every Christian’s mind is “what are we doing?” it is, therefore, important to discuss what the holy communion means about theology. The Holy Communion has several names given to it. Among them are: the Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, Divine Liturgy, and the Mass. Inside the New Testament, there are also varying details given there concerning what entails the Holy Communion on accounts given by Christ himself.[1] The Holy Communion does not compare to Baptism which is another sacrament that is non-repeatable. It is repeatable to some certain degrees as it can be done on a daily basis such as those performed by the Catholic Church. In other instances, it can be conducted on a much infrequent celebration such as the ones that happen in Reformed Churches. Referring to Baptism, there are differences in the practice and its significance, and sometimes the understanding of what it means to be baptized. This has gone ahead to become e a hindrance to churches having a common celebration, but at the same time, there is some spiritual benefit that accrues to the people that partake in it. In the same way, the Eucharist possess the same characteristics. Nature of the Union of Christ and Church The Holy Communion is not just a matter of people ingathering in unity. The purpose of having the communion is so