Bryan Newman
Researchers tell us the majority of Christians who leave their church do so in response to changes in their life situation, such as marriage, divorce, death, job change, and relocation… like retiring from your life-long career and moving across the country to flee the snow and take up residence in a well-known Arizona retirement community.
Our experience tells us that many retirees didn’t plan to leave church. It just happened. It is understandable that in many cases, the priorities of moving, along with getting settled and re-established in an unfamiliar region of the country, can take precedence over finding the next church.
In today’s society, it seems to be fashionable to report upon the number of Christians who have left their churches. What we never seem to hear about, but know to be the truth, is that a lot of those Christians who had left the church have since returned.
Here at Risen Savior, we believe it is time to open a dialogue with area Christians to focus on the rationale for coming back to church during retirement… not just back to Risen Savior, but to the church of your choice. Our ministry for more than 25 years has been to serve God by bringing Christians closer to Him during retirement, while also contributing to the growth of an even more robust community of churches.
To this end, we are hosting a FREE, Back to Church Forum and Luncheon for up to 100 attendees on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event will be held in the Fellowship Hall of Risen Savior, located at 23914 S. Alma School Road. The doors will open at 11:15 a.m., and the catered luncheon, prepared by a leading area caterer, will be served at 11:30 a.m. During the luncheon, we will be entertained with the piano styling of Bill Bade, one of Arizona’s most accomplished musicians.
The Back To Church Forum, which will led by Risen Savior Senior Pastor Rev. Ron Burcham, will begin immediately after lunch. In addition to his duties leading Risen Savior, Pastor Ron mentors other pastors across the U.S. as a Director of the Pastoral Leadership Institute. He is also known to the thousands of Sun Lakes residents who have attended the Community Christmas Concert where he has served as the Master of Ceremonies for the past five years.
Getting a confirmed reservation: The catered luncheon and the Back To Church Forum are free. However, a confirmed reservation is required. Simply call 480-895-6782 and ask for Forum Reservations, or visit rslcs.org and follow the prompts to the Forum. Reservations will be confirmed in the order received. We will contact you with your confirmed table number. However, we are expecting a full house and recommend getting your reservation ASAP. For further information and a photo of a prior catered luncheon, please refer to our ad on page ___.