When asked what they needed to do in order to be faithful to God, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and the Methodist Church, gave the early Methodists three general rules.

They were not long, complex rules, but simple ones that would be easy for people to remember and follow: “Do no harm, do good and stay in love with God.”

These remain a part of “The general rules of the United Methodist Church” today.

By the time you read this, the Lakeville United Methodist Church, having celebrated 160 years last July, will have been closed.

A victim, like so many small membership churches in all denominations across our great nation.

There will be no Christmas Eve candlelight service celebrated this year by people invited to make Lakeville UMC their church, and to their members who have been away for a while, to come home for the holidays and celebrate with them once again.

Lakeville UMC will no longer be here, connecting the story of their congregation’s life to the larger story of Christ’s birth.

In C.J. Carnacchio’s column on Sept. 14, 2016, he writes, “… but I really think the conference leadership should be consulting another book when it comes to what’s being done to the Lakeville congregation and how it’s being treated.”

Perhaps they should remember John Wesley’s three simple rules, as well.

But perhaps this is not the end of the story.

Perhaps, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, a new and vibrant church will emerge in Lakeville. A Lakeville Community Christian Church.

Pastor Tom Sayers

Shelby Township