and they refused again to join us

I honestly don't understand.

In 2021, Wesley Oak called on Asbury Memorial for financial help... but that's all it wanted.

It's 25, or so, members didn't want to join our congregation, either as members or guests.

All that was wanted was the money, thanks, to buy their way free from the United Methodist Church umbrella, plus to accomplish repairs on the Wesley Oak property.

I fully understood what those 25 to 30 people wanted, so I voted against the so-called merger with them. 

I was in the minority at Asbury Memorial.

The majority at Asbury Memorial voted to grant their request for financial aid, and the wheels were set in motion for the change.

Asbury Memorial paid UMC $147,000 (of monies given to Asbury over the years from former members) to buy Wesley Oak free from UMC.

Then, Asbury Memorial began spending more money from its coffers - to the tune of $256,000, or just over a quarter of a million dollars - to accomplish the extensive repairs needed to the buildings at Wesley Oak.

After a year had passed, with Asbury Memorial continuing to keep up its part of the merger, wheels were again set in motion, this time to find a common ground to try to unite the two congregations under one name, one logo, one brand.

How about a name change, to show true fellowship?

Nope, that never went through.

I duly submitted my suggestions, but never heard another peep about it.

Meanwhile, the buildings at Wesley Oak were found to be in far worse condition than initially known, as the financially-poor congregation there had done years of patch work instead of truly addressing the underlying problems.

Moreover, the younger (and childless) adults at Asbury Memorial began going over to Wesley Oak for their Sunday services, distancing them from the more diverse congregation.

I noticed what was going on, as their absence was visible.

However, when I tried to question that loss, no one at Asbury Memorial wanted to talk about it except to say that they had a choice.

I have watched organizations around town succumb to the graying of their membership, and I was seeing the same thing happen here on Henry Street.

What would be the result of this shift from our future member supply?

Should money donated in good faith to Asbury Memorial continue to go toward this project that was failing?

Is that what Miss Virginia Holliday would have wanted with the money she left to Asbury Memorial in her will? 

Well, tonight a ZOOM meeting was held to address what was to be done.

The Church Council at Asbury Memorial had at last decided that "due diligence" had been done, as agreed to in the merger, but the tap had run dry for the repair funds that were promised in 2021.

It's taken five years, but that money has been exhausted, plus some. 

An assessment has been made and it found that Wesley Oak would need an additional $1,000,000 of work to correct its issues.

Asbury Memorial will not continue pouring money from its congregation into that badly broken, and now condemned, property.

Now, part of the property would be sold to recover funds lost here, by the merger and the repairs.

Kim Malphrus, a construction expert, explained to all that the last ten months have been spent trying to find another option, but the congregation at Wesley Oak was upset at the loss of their church home.

Apparently, their ministers, including J.J. Collins, have not kept them apprised of the dire state of the situation.

Several of them voiced complaints on this ZOOM, acting like petulant children that expected Asbury Memorial to take care of them, even though they were grown and had made their own decisions.

No, they were absolutely not interested in becoming part of our congregation.

Yes, they did seem to blame us for drawing closed the purse strings of the now-depleted pocketbook. 

What the fresh Hell???

Wesley Oak had members who had brought up 1) the problem with air quality, caused by mold in the basement and exacerbated by the broken air conditioning; 2) the problem with the need to make it ADA compliant, as well as up to code; 3) the problem with summer on the way and still no air conditioning, so the church will fall into even more disrepair and endanger health of its attendees; 4) the problem of the ceiling collapse recently.

I thank God for Preston Hodges.

He stated tonight that all of those issues had been known when the merger was first brought up, and that's why he had voted against it.

Amen! 

The end result of this meeting was to officially declare to all 61 people present (from both congregations) that a deadline has been set.

April 12th will mark the final live service at Wesley Oak.

Its congregation will have to find a new place to meet, as that site is condemned and no longer available.

No, they were still not interested in becoming part of Asbury Memorial's congregation, thanks very much.

Sigh.

Tomorrow, I have surgery for my inguinal hernia.

At least I made the effort to be there for this ZOOM.