Evolving Attitudes About Church and Religion Presents a Challenge for Minister and Young Congregation
One of Maineville’s youngest mainline congregations - under 30 years old - installed its third permanent pastor at a special service on Valentine’s Day. Rev. Jennifer Bannerman was elected to pastor Lakeview United Church of Christ in July of last year.
Bannerman was formerly Senior Pastor of Birmingham UCC in Pittsburgh, PA. She received her Master of Divinity at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA and is expected to receive her Doctorate in Ministry this May, through
Luther Seminary of St. Paul, MN.
Pastor Jennifer, as she is often referred to by church members, says that her last four years of ministry and her study for her doctorate have given her the opportunity to learn in-depth how current trends and shifting paradigms are shaping congregations. She admits that no one yet has discovered the solution to declining attendance in mainline churches, but said her studies and experience offer insight to the process of how to adapt to modern times.
She sees the struggles of church members and their fear of change directly relating to the struggles and hard times experienced by Moses in the dessert with the Israelites. “Many church folk I have talked to feel as if they are lost in the wilderness, not knowing anymore what to do to bring people to church or to God.” says Bannerman. “We in the church can long for the good old days as much as we want, but if we do not start making changes, we will not last for long.” She adds, “We need to somehow help our people understand that being open to the changing world can be a way to go deeper into our core convictions. If we never let anything challenge our beliefs, then how do we really know what we believe?”
The United Church of Christ itself models Bannerman’s attitudes about adapting to the times. It is a denomination that establishes its mission statements based on lay leadership for the most part, in contrast to other church denominations that rely on a
pastoral hierarchy to instruct and dictate to the congregation. Lakeview United Church of Christ has as part of its statement of faith: “We are a people that continue to discern and be inspired by a still speaking God. We are a church that takes the Bible seriously, but not literally - and invites all to the communion table.”
In early 2009, after much conversation, consternation and prayer , Lakeview became an “Open and Affirming” church following the UCC Synod recommendations made back in 1985. The term “Open and Affirming” means that a church does not
discriminate, and in fact welcomes into the full life of the church, those for whom sexual orientation and gender identity have meant exile from a spiritual community.
The process of discussion for this decision was not without the agony of losing some members and the pain associated with loss of years-long relationships. Donna Wyatt, who was Council Moderator for 2008 and 2009, says that “The leaders of Lakeview
at that time felt we needed to handle this conflict within our congregation prior to hiring a new minister. We felt that we had no chance of hiring a minister to a church still tottering on the edge of the fence on this issue.”
Council 2010 Moderator, Bob Sandman, says of the future of Lakeview UCC with Pastor Jennifer, “Our goal as a church is to involve people into a commuity of love and hope, serve others and learn where God is leading us.”
Lakeview UCC is located at 8639 Columbia Road.
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