Some of you will remember "Promotion Day" in Sunday School. It isn't much of a deal any more like it used to be. As a Minister of Education I dreaded Promotion Day! With the kids it was a great day when they would "move up" to a new class or department. Adults didn't care as much about moving. Adults were in departments and classes based on their age. Ex: Adult II, ages 35-49. When you reached 50 you were to go to another department and class. Lot of adults didn't like that plan. Women "balked" more than men. First of all, it revealed their ages when they moved. They also became close-knit groups in those classes. Some simply refused and stayed with the class. That would eventually be the undoing of promotion. The final class for women was always TEL. It stood for Timothy, Eunice, and Lois from the Bible. I still have scars from dealing with TEL.
The purpose of promotion was growth. We had smaller classes back then. Classes had officers and team leaders so each member would be contacted when absent from the classes. Classes also sought to grow. When they reached certain sizes they were to make like an amoeba and split. With growth came the need for space so churches were always building or looking for places to put new Sunday School classes. I have seen classes in choir lofts, funeral homes, and even baptistry rooms. As Charles Fake wrote yesterday.."time changes everything." The ways taught me at seminary are now antiquated. They did work when worked. There are new ways for the new times we live in. Meeting times and places are not sacred. Many large, growing churches no longer have Sunday evening services. Some leave the business of a church to qualified elected leaders. Ways of worship have changed. Some even have Sunday services on Saturday evening. As an old guy who did all these things a certain way, I really don't have a problem with change. It has come at me from all directions in recent years. I don't care for the praise songs being my music because I believe the hymns and gospel songs have lasting, important messages. That probably won't change in me. Music is too much a part of my life.
So change is everywhere. From the capitol to the church building. From the pulpit to the pew. Promotion Day? I still have ONE MORE coming. I am not overly eager to move, but certainly will when that day comes.
