I get tired of church games.
I don't think there's a church in existence that doesn't "participate" in such frivolity in some way, shape or form.
But still.
The church I am going to now, well.
Over a year ago, I saw a note in the weekly flyer saying anyone that wanted to become a church member can sign up and go through the training course.
Cool, I thought, whatever the course is, even if it's stuff I already know, it should be good.
Well, I was informed shortly before the day of the class that it had been cancelled because of people out with sickness and I would be informed when the next class would take place.

Well that never happened and the there was never any mention of it in the flyer again.  Now, whether that was due to them not wanting certain individuals and not making it public anymore (and yet still having classes that I don't know about ) or whether they stopped altogether - who knows.

But when I went in there this morning, I saw a table set up with 2 books on it.  These books had people's names written in it.  Mine was not in either of them.  It was a listing of all the members and those who could vote for their annual board meeting.  They had to have a quorum of church members present to be able to conduct the business.

I remember this last year as well. It didn't sit so well with me then, but now, after 20 months of going to this church, well, it rubbed me the wrong way.  Not necessarily because I am not on their membership roles, but that the whole situation had been swept under the carpet, nothing was ever said to me again about membership meetings and no-one has, apparently, the intestinal fortitude to come up to me and tell me why  I am not fit for membership in their church.

These are games, IMO.  The type of games that, if not rectified, will lead me to leave permanently.  If I am not eligible for membership in their church and they don't even want to confront me, if such is the case, and tell me why, then they can go blow.  And unlike them, I will have no problem telling them that to their face if it comes to that.  Which I hope it does not, but I certainly went through some mind games this morning after seeing that and not seeing my name in there.  Why is that important to you?  Because, not being able to participate in something like what everyone else in the church or most everyone else in the church can participate in makes me feel like and outsider looking in. No viable input, no nothing.  I could stay if I wanted to, according to today's bulletin, but only members are allowed to vote.

I just want to tell them they can go jump in an icy cold lake.

Instead, I sent them an email and explained the situation (in case someone feigns to not remember) and that I would not be coming back unless they want to have a face-to-face meeting with me (forget the phone calls or the emails, thanks) and tell my why.  That's it.  Just a simple explanation.  Even if it's telling me I am not somehow good enough/disqualified/ whatever, that's what I need to hear.  I can then make a decision as to whether I want to continue on in that church, or, if there is something they prescribe - within reason - that I need to do (and biblically based, thanks), I can deal with that.  But getting the cold shoulder? I've already been through that in churches and I refuse to just play along and act like it doesn't bother me ever again.  Either deal with me and this situation or I will come to the last service I will come to, get up front and explain the situation to everyone in the church whether they want me to or not and let the congregation know the particulars.  The the body of Christ in that church can decide - through hearing from the Lord of course and hopefully - what should occur instead of what's going on now.

That's it.