It’s easy for a church to get in a rut. A pastor may reuse sermons he wrote 20 years ago. Congregation members may reach a level of contentment with their spiritual lives.

But slowly, the Rev. J. Randy Hall, pastor of Fairmont Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Lexington, NC believes the community church has faded a bit into the background…

However, Hall and Fairmont’s members refuse to sit by idly and have a plan to reintroduce themselves to the community.

On Sept. 12, the church will host its “Fresh Start” event. Church members want to invite members of the community…to a gathering at the church from 3 to 6 p.m…Hall said he’s especially hoping to pique the interest of young families.

“In the last 10 years, we’ve had an aging congregation,” Hall said. “Honestly, we’ve just missed having the sounds of children in the church.”

This new energy hasn’t been spearheaded by the pastor, though. The congregation members, feeling moved by Hall’s messages, have been inspired to repaint and replaster walls, put up new curtains and lay down new carpet…

Hall, who has led the church for the past 17 years, said any shepherd leading a flock that long has “its rewards and challenges,” one of the latter being keeping himself “fresh” and full of energy.

One of the new things the church will also introduce the week after the Fresh Start event is a throwback to a classic TV show. The adult Bible study class will watch episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show,”…and analyze the biblical messages in the show.

Read More: http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20100827/ARTICLES/8274019/1003/SPORTS?p=all&tc=pgal
l