By Carol Lukowski 
Cantonment Congregation pastor, Florida, USA 

Our numbers were dwindling, people were aging, our church building was suffering, and offerings, though enough to meet operating expenses, were not sufficient for major building repairs. I saw the handwriting on the proverbial wall. 

We needed to sell our building in Cantonment, Florida, USA, before little was left to sell. I knew it would be difficult for our congregation to give up the place where we met as family, cultivated good relationships with neighbors, and had many wonderful experiences and memories deeply rooted within our church building. The difficulties, however, did not dampen the excitement of possibilities. 

Moving away from brick-and-mortar congregational life was not difficult for me. In my life, I had experienced a variety of meeting places. I attended church in traditional church buildings, homes, and for a time in a civic center. Attending a new meeting place was always a bit strange until familiarity set in, but settling in always happened. 

I learned the Spirit was not diminished by the place of worship or type of service held when we, as followers of Jesus, remained humble and kept a deep love for God and God’s people. Sharing my experiences with the congregation and assuring members we would move forward together, we began the slow transition from seeing the congregation as the building to seeing congregational life as the human connection of family that includes God as its mind and heart. A new vision of the congregation’s purpose and direction needed to be understood and accepted before we could step into the unknown. 

I learned the Spirit was not diminished by the place of worship or type of service held when we, as followers of Jesus, remained humble and kept a deep love for God and God’s people.

Change can be overwhelming. As pastor, my job was to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

The congregation has always been willing to try new things, willing to accept new people, willing to extend a helping hand. A few years ago, we extended our outreach by becoming a support group for the Alfred Washburn Center, a help center for the homeless. 

We bought needed items and turned plastic bags into sleeping mats. We also supported a firehouse by making meals for the firefighters and distributing fire-safety information to the community. We invited the community and fire department to our fall festivals and cookouts, where people could sign up for free smoke detectors. 

Meeting in a new environment would not diminish our sense of mission and purpose. The vision I presented was one of moving from the worries of fundraising for a crumbling building to one that freed our resources for further outreach. We discussed options and developed a plan to help the Bridge of Hope by dividing funds received from the sale of the building with World Church. 

We planned to better support our church campgrounds, aid other congregations, and maintain a nursing-home visiting program. We also planned to expand our support for other organizations, putting Jesus’s words into action. Committing to stay intact as a congregation comforted all involved, and the vision of being better equipped to be the hands and feet of Jesus was exciting. 

We sold our church building in 2022. Our congregation is still small, but alive and well. Our journey has been humbling. We felt a little awkward at first but settled into a relaxed atmosphere of celebration with the Lord in our Sunday worship. We expanded our outreach. We team with other congregations to provide sack lunches once a week for the homeless. We make fun hats, pillowcases, and quilts for children going through cancer treatment. 

We visit with those who are unable to attend services. We work on fundraisers for our campgrounds and have financially supported individuals needing help to attend camps, retreats, and reunions. We also are developing partnerships with neighboring congregations and exploring additional ways to provide ministry and service. 

The Holy Spirit follows us no matter where we hang our hat. The Holy Spirit stands ready whenever there is a desire to serve the Lord. We still are the Cantonment Congregation, but these days we call ourselves, “On the road with Jesus.” 

The Holy Spirit follows us no matter where we hang our hat.

The world outside the traditional brick-and-mortar walls has many opportunities when we open ourselves to them. We are finding it an awesome and exciting place!