"Old Friends"

We had brief pause for thought at our last leadership meeting. As a Church, we keep a "tight" membership list. Our requirements for membership are fairly stringent. So we once estimated that we have an 80% active membership, as against the average 20% (USA). Yet how large should our list of adherents be, and "old friends"? The question came up because someone we had removed from our address list gave a generous gift to the Church. In general, I find that there is a great deal of good-will among people who once belonged, yet moved away or drifted, and so on. See also Past Presences.