Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. LPW
I appreciate you MOW. I mean that sincerely.
How would you take it, if your local church began to go through a rough time, with families leaving... and spectators looking on said you were only worried about losing your source of income? How would you take that? How would that feel?
I'm not sure if you belong to an organization (I have it in my mind that you don't... but I'm not certain) but if you did, and you appreciated that organization, in spite of it's faults... and someone ridiculed it by calling it's HQ the Vatican? How would that make you feel?
It's one thing for those inside to take issue, and sometimes joke around... I have been known to do it. When we elected our present GS it was around the same time as they had put a new Pope in the Catholic church... and I joked about smoke coming out of headquarters to let us know a new GS had been chosen. It's one thing for someone who is a part and appreciates their org. to joke, or even criticize.
I may someday be proven wrong, but I firmly believe that our current leaders in the UPCI are not hirelings.
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First of all, I have been around long enough to not get offended in the midst of discussions. Secondly, I have faced financial crises and have been criticized for action taken. In leadership, it always happens. I can take the heat. It is no different when independent churches (like the one I pastor) are criticized for some of the wackiness that goes on in independent circles. Not all are like that and not all at the "vatican" are like that either.
I spent 20yrs in the org and still have connections with people in high places in the org as well. MANY of them still refer to HQ as the "vatican." That has been taking place for years. It is a common term that others use. It was not meant to be offensive.
When you've been around as long as I have, you see many organizations do almost anything to preserve themselves. Organizations are not necessary to reach the world. The larger an organization gets the harder it is to hold to its founding principles of simplicity. The UPC was never intended to become what it is today. In my opinion, it is a bloated, top heavy organization that is rarely able to help the "little" guy at the bottom who is doing his best to eek out an existence and keep his family afloat let alone his church. He can't afford to get to many functions, therefore has very little voice in what happens. The "gap" from the top to the bottom has gotten wider and wider with time and it doesn't look like it is likely to close any time soon.
Everyone has a right to disagree with my opinion. Do a study on the life of organizations and you'll see what I mean.
Organizations are to serve US, not the other way around.
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