Some 10 years ago the members of an Ohio branch found themselves in a deteriorating community that had a rapidly rising crime rate. The membership, in deciding to reverse the trend, set about proving that rededication to Church was synonymous with renewal for the community.
As each member's concept of Church was spiritualized, decline, self-interest, and limitation were replaced with freshness, a strong love for the community, and trust in God's infinite substance.
Reaffirming that it was their job to uphold a Christlike standard, they tackled the fear that came with uncertainty and a changing neighborhood by initiating an earnest and selfless campaign to invite their neighbors to a lecture. The warm welcome the first volunteers received encouraged other members to heal their timidity. One near neighbor said she'd lived there eight years and had not been in the church; then she added with a smile, "But no one ever invited me before." Similar invitations were extended for other lectures, and as the members expected better attendance, the numbers of those attending increased.
