We were swinging on the pendulum of uncertainty. My spiritual wandering caused the church to wander too. Four months into my struggle, a confrontation at one council meeting made me realize that my wandering was harming the church. I had to make a decision soon on whether to burn my green card or use it. We were discussing the problem of absentee members.
Family ties are tight in our rural setting.
Some members had dropped out of church, and their absence was causing tension. Their relatives wanted a plan to bring loved ones back to the church, but they saw nothing coming. That plea cornered me, for there is no quick solution to this problem. It would take months, even years to accomplish. The next day I went to lunch with my wife, Ann.