Hello all:

Next Sunday in the Portland area, the annual “TLC service” will be held at the Oregon Convention Center. TLC - Together with Love in Christ is a gathering where local churches of Christ all come together to worship and fellowship. After the services, there is usually a songfest with local Christian singing groups.

I’m looking quite forward to it…having been a member of a couple of different congregations in the area, I know alot of people, and many of them I haven’t seen in a long time…I haven’ t been to a TLC service in several years, so it will be like a reunion.

My wife and I were having dinner tonight and talking about the service next Sunday. My wife, who grew up in the Assemblies of God - and hasn’t been to a TLC service before - asked me if all of the churches would be there…. and I had to answer: No.

None of the non-institutional churches will be there. None of the one-cup congregations will be there. The one charismatic church of Christ that I know of won’t be there. The instrumental churches won’t be there. I don’t know of any “no-class” congregations in the area, but if there is one, they won’t be there, either.

All of the “mainline” liberal congregations will be there, but no one else… thats pretty ironic considering the theme this year is “Unity Grounded in Trust.”

Having grown up in both the mainline and non-institutional churches, I know that the differences are really fairly minor. I’m just sad that none of my friends from the non-institutional churches will be there.

I know that if I were to walk into the Forest Grove Church of Christ, I would be greeted with open arms. They wouldn’t blink an eye about me being there because they know me…. but I think they would be suspicous about being invited to an event like TLC. I doubt anyone would come at all…

I’m just frustrated by the divisions in our own church, and I wish I knew what the answer was.

-Clarke