At it's most basic, the story is familiar - a small UCC congregation experienced, some 30 or 40 years ago, a golden age - strong membership and leaders, a vital UCC congregation acting as an outpost of mainstream Christianity in a theologically conservative area.  They have a great building, a parsonage, fantastic location on prime real estate.  The future looks bright.  But, of course, the culture changes. The right wing comes into its own - angry, strident, ruthless.

Over the years, the congregation goes into a sad decline.  They fail in their duty to be active Christians and instead quietly and consistently defer to their leaders, giving power to their leadership rather than take their duty seriously as congregants.  Membership goes into decline and rather than invest time and energy into asking "What do we need to do to attract new members?" they remain locked into their fortress - safe and secure and dying.

Of course, they become dysfunctional.  Decisions are increasingly made by smaller numbers of members.  Membership drops by more than 50%.  The average age of members increases.  Pastoral leadership is sidelined - at times outright ignored.

In the end, the congregation wakes up and realizes they're facing dire times - the church is teetering on the edge of closing.

Then they show up - their saviors.  A small, dedicated group with lots of energy.  They promise to instill the congregation with enthusiasm, energy, direction.  And they'll do it once they leave the UCC.

The pastor - by all accounts a good man - is increasingly unable to reach the members.  He becomes symbolic of everything that is "wrong" with the UCC.  Facing a vote to leave the denomination, many of the congregants who might prefer to stay instead stay silent preferring the public appearance of peace to fighting for their values.  

It's all too real and yet to be resolved.  

From my perspective, what makes the situation so sad is not the takeover itself, but the knowledge that it could have been prevented.  God doesn't give you an out when you turn 65.  God calls us to stand up for what we are and what we believe no matter our age.  Ten years ago, the members coudl have said, "We haven't received a single new member in this congregation in 5 years, let's change our ways.  Let's reach out to the community," but they didn't.  Give years ago, they could have said, "We are going to die if we don't do something, let's figure out a way to reach new members."  Instead, they stayed comfortably ensconced within their own four walls, despairing at the community around them that was deaf to their message - a message they never spoke.  Ratehr than seek a new, vigorous worship, they embraced a passionless, familiar worship.  A few small things done a few years ago would have made all the difference.  

Christians are not called to be comfortable, or safe, or tired.  We are called to stand up for ourselves, to be strong.  If we know our UCC heritage, if we are strong in our identity, takeovers, even of small congregations, become impossible because we know what and why we stand for what we stand for.