As many of you already know, I was down in Gettysburg a few weeks ago.
Flying there was no problem. Flying back was a nightmare.
What should have taken two 1.5 hour flights took me two days. Air Canada is ranked 40th in the world. I understand why. I tried to speak to customer service. That was a joke.
It reminded me of trying to talk to someone at Facebook when my account was hacked.
And both of these reminded me of trying to help make the church a better place for people.
I plan on writing more about it in the future.
But for now, I just wanted to share with you the very real problem of systemic evil. Systems usually start out with good intentions. But over time they erode into a clumsy machine of bureaucratic inefficiency.
You really do get the impression that the company’s LAST concern is the actual customer. Their first concern is survival. Their second concern is rewarding the leadership. The third concern is the stockholder who actually hold the keys of power and progress.
But, like Air Canada, Facebook, and the church, there are nice people who are working within these systems who are trying to serve the customer in spite of the lack of support from the company itself. There were a few Air Canada agents I could tell were at the end of their ropes, exhibiting the patience of Job and the compassion of good mothers. But there was nothing they could do about a cancelled flight or a delay that spoiled a connection.
There are good Air Canada people, good Facebook people, and good church people. But they, just like us regular folk, are at the mercy of the systems they serve.
Yes, I met some good Christian folk and leaders and pastors and experienced some positive Christian gatherings this summer… in North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
I felt for them because I served the church officially for 30 years and finally left to continue my work outside officialdom.
They stay to still try to make a change, work for renewal, and strive for reformation.
And I’m glad they are staying, because I was served several portions of genuine community that’s rare and delicious.
I do wish them well.
