The End of an Era

I suppose it was bound to happen.  This little building was one of the few remaining businesses in the rural community where I was raised.  The State Bank of Bay was chartered in 1911 and was the only bank in Gasconade County to remain open through the Great Depression.  That was the legendary story our grandparents taught us.  It was a story of perseverance in adversity, prudent management, and fiscal conservatism.  Our bank was strong and stable, and so were we.  Our community had wealth and resources.  We were resourceful folks!

Earlier this week, I read that the bank, which is now a branch of The Missouri Bank, will be closed on November 2.  It saddens me to think about the changes that have occurred in the  little community that nurtured my identity: The closings of the Bay Feed Mill, the Bay Mercantile Company, Ollie's Repair Shop, and now the Bay Bank.  Bethel Presbyterian Church has been closed for some time.  Ridder's Store at "Little Bay" is also long gone.  One center of activity still remains in Bay: Zion-St. Paul United Church of Christ. 

Yes, I suppose it was bound to happen.  The village of my childhood has been passing away for a long time.  The world has shifted away from those small, out-of-the-way villages to technology and social media that connect us virtually with whole world.  Banking can be done from almost anywhere with a smartphone.   We are more connected, and yet, more isolated than ever.  On November 2, when the Bay Bank closes its doors, something important will be gone forever.

Well, I could wax nostalgic.  And, a protest now would do little good to extend the life of the bank.  These changes are not the outcome of malicious outside influences that have attacked the little community of Bay.  As families moved and died away, the cultural centers in the community did so as well.  It was easy to become insular, retelling the traditional stories while the community was dying around us.

So, I wonder:  Does this closing serve as a metaphor for the church?  Churches are resilient.  They tell stories about grand times in the past when they had lots of children and young families, when it was fun to be a church, when our mission was clear, when the buildings were new, and when there was a great spirit of cooperation rather than endless conflict.  We look back to the founding families, admiring their commitment to be the church and their enduring faith in the face of great peril  and adversity. 

Perhaps there is still time for us to learn a new story, to find our own purpose and identity in this day, to stop living in the past, and to be clear again about our identity and our purpose..  May God grant us vision, love, and courage for the living of these days!