Linda's photos featured in United Methodist Reporter

We're still not done with the business of closing down Munger Place United Methodist Church. James still has a couple of final financial transactions to manage in the handing over of assets to Highland Park and Linda spent last week exchanging emails and phone calls with a writer from United Methodist Reporter, who saw her photos of the final services on Flickr. UMR asked permission to use some of her photos in an article about churches like ours in the process of "resurrection and transformation," and the writer interviewed Linda about Munger Place, covering most of the points Linda wrote about in our first blog post.

The article came out Friday on the web, and the hard copy is in the mail this week to subscribers. It's called Passing the mantle: Facing reality is the first step to rebirth for dying churches, and highlights several churches around the country facing hard times and declining membership. Munger Place is mentioned near the end of the article, and includes a nice description of our "passing the mantle" final service.

It's a worthwhile read, both for friends and members of Munger Place, and for those interested in the challenges facing mainstream denominations in our mega-church culture.

UPDATE: We just got our copy of United Methodist Reporter in today's mail; if you're a member of Munger Place and don't subscribe to this paper, beg, borrow, steal (well, maybe not steal), or call United Methodist Reporter for a reprint of this paper; the photos are much more vibrant in the print edition, and there are more--the print edition used 11 of Linda's pics. There are full color photos of Elizabeth & Gail, Louis, the Falcos, Christy, the Alexanders, Donna, Donald--and, of course, the Jesus window. The article "Passing the Mantle" is on the cover, and pics of our church members grace the centerfold! Grab a copy any way you can, or call UMR for reprints via email news@umr.org.