Things

 

At some time in the past or in the future, each of us has had or will have the task of dealing with things of a lifetime.  When a life ends or a loved one moves from their home, all of those things have to go somewhere.  How many things belonging to your mother, your grandfather, your sister, or a best friend have found a place in your bookcase, basement or garage?  Who gets mom’s picture albums?  Who are those people, anyway?  Who gets the family Bible when dad passes away? 

Concordia is in the process of dealing with 160 years of things.  What do we have here?  Who gets the records?  Do we keep the blueprints?  Who donated that table?  What about the books?  They may seem like just things but many are pieces of a past that someone will want to look at again, that someone will want to use to attach to their memories.

Committees have been established by Concordia’s Parish Planning Council to decide about these things.  One committee will decide on contents.  Another committee will deal with the records, legal contracts, budgetary and financial considerations. 

Another committee will work to lease or sell the property, or prepare to pass it on to the Ohio District. 

A fourth committee is planning the celebration service and dinner on August 23, 2009.

The records committee has determined that church records of official acts will be archived at the Concordia Historical Institute in St. Louis after January, 2010.  Copies of records might be able to be made and kept in Cincinnati at a yet to be determined site.  Records will be available for review at Concordia through December, 2009.  Any requests for records to Concordia staff must be made in writing, and a letter of each record will be sent, for a fee of $3.00 each.  Families can come and review record books by making an appointment with the office staff.

The contents committee is meeting weekly to sort through the rooms and closets.  Some things will be donated, some things will be sold, and some things will be thrown away.  All requests for items must be made in writing, and will be considered by the committee.  Send requests to Concordia Lutheran Church, 1133 Clifton Hills Ave, Cincinnati  OH  45233 or by email to church@concordia-cincy.org.

In the end our reward will be in heaven.  For now, we’ll deal with the things, but we know that people matter, things don’t.