I. A personal confession

My first appointment was as the Associate Pastor of Grace UMC in the Graceland area of south Memphis. It was 1975. Racial transition had begun in that part of the city. Overnight young adult Sunday school classes moved east. Older adult classes moved to Mississippi. People of a different race and culture moved in.

Grace Church’s future depended on its reaching out to its new neighbors. The community had changed. Could the church change too?

Things have changed since Belle Meade UMC was birthed going on 60 years ago. The church’s future depends on reaching out to new neighbors, neighbors who are younger, whose culture is different, whose music is different. Can we do that? As your pastor can I help you do that? I sincerely want to, but to be honest, I don’t know. …