What is a Glorious Church life?

[Hope]

Originally Posted by finallyprettyokay

Don:

I don't mean as an elder, with the brothers and sisters --- I mean, when you sat in meetings with those 8 or 9 men.

Thank you, dear dear patient brother. I know it is a hard question.

fpo

(by the way, if I type my 'name' wrong, it spells fop.

Okay FPO,

I finally understand you simple and clear question. Remember I am an old man now.

In these meetings, there were two clear categories of participants. The senior brother or brothers and the juniors. The juniors, that was me, listened, nodded and maybe took notes and appeared to be impressed and enthralled.

By the early 80s, I had heard the same observations from WL many times over and was no longer impressed. I would cut the meetings but then the next day I would receive a special invitation from WL expressing his desire that I be there. One of the benefits of moving to the forests of North Carolina was the escape from these "critical times of fellowship." And believe me what a mental health move it was to avoid the so called special, urgent elders-co/workers meetings.

By the late mid 70s, I took the Ester approach. "If I perish, I perish." If I had something to say I said it and would not yield to a WL fillabuster until I had released what was in my heart. WL actually respected me very much for this and eventually would listen. I doubt if it really made much of an impact on him.

Is this in line with what you were looking for? In those gatherings I was a small potato. I was not a big enough player to really have a style.

In Christ Jesus there is hope for us all,

Hope, Don Rutledge