The Door Darkeners

The mysterious condition under which church membership grows or fades has lots of descriptive variety. Most churches struggle with how to define the topic of active membership. They struggle because they do not want to sound critical of inactive members. Each church I have served has wrestled with the question of whether we should keep so-and-so on the rolls because they never give of their time, energy, or financial resources. Yet someone usually points out who the so-and-so is related to, “You know?” And that person is related to some other in a long line of ancient members, who, by the way, are still inactive.

This observation on dysfunctional churches lures a pastor in to either wanting responsible action, or falling back on cynicism and sharing their burdens with other clergy who are frustrated with the same kinds of congregational behavior. But for clergy to fall prey to the same old, same old route of cynicism would be giving into the devil. And the devil is having a ball with congregations who have fallen away from the discipline of loving Christ. Satan thrives in the fields of apathy.

This could have a negative impact on the wider family who in turn, is friends with someone else on the church membership rolls. And so, on and on it goes.

At a recent meeting between Ephraim Joint Board Members with Gary Marsch, Northern Provincial Stewardship representative, Niles Weborg expressed with some passion that he is keenly interested in those who are coming back to worship and those who need to step back into the stride of full membership once again. He referred to those who do come as the ones that have “darkened our doorway” with their presence and interest i n the church. The procession of prayerful and powerful attendees to worship is an intriguing thought.

Hopefully, what begins with door darkening, leads to enlightening and walking into God’s enthusiasm. The choices for the Joint Boards however, become more difficult as we look for ways to be clear about our financial predicament. It’s really all about attitudes. Keeping up with church support is not like joining a local club, the Loyal Order of Moose, or the Elks. The Lions and the Rotary are all worthy causes, but The Church, is the Hope of the Future. In hard times and in good times. Help us to darken the doors with more. – Pastor Bill

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Rev. William Hosking – “Pastor Bill”

Rev. Hosking came to Ephraim Moravian in April 2008 with an extensive track record in the secular world including two years as a U.S. Army Chaplain's Assistant, 11 years in the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, and 15 years of service in other denominations, primarily in the United Methodist Church. Rev. Hosking also sang 16 consecutive years in a Jewish Synagogue in Allentown, PA. His most recent service was to the Lancaster Moravian Church in Lancaster, PA, from April 2002 to April 2008.

Raised in Lower Bucks County in the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania, "Pastor Bill" - as he prefers to be called - was graduated from the University of Kansas in 1975 and received a Masters of Divinity Degree from Moravian Theological Seminary in 1987 and a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1989. He has also studied at New York Theological Seminary. Through the Doctor of Ministry program of Graduate Theological Foundation in South Bend, IN, he was able to complete his coursework at Oxford University and at the Roman Catholic-affiliated Center for Unity in Rome in the summer of 2000. In May 2003, Rev. Hosking was awarded the Doctor of Ministry Degree at the Chapel of Ancilla Domini College in Indiana.  Pastor Bill's Doctoral Project was to make a CD recording called "Hymns of the Heart Partners: The Wesleys and Zinzendorf."

Rev. Hosking brings a wealth of variety to his preaching by virtue of his extensive travels through Europe, Africa, China, and Israel.