 My dear family in Christ,
In my last newsletter column, I wrote about patterns of decline that churches sometimes experience, and I shared with you what some researchers have identified as possible warning signs of decline. The good news was that many of those warning signs did not apply to All Saints. Unfortunately, though, some of them do. So we need to begin exploring what we can (and should!) do to revitalize this parish that we love so much. There’s already been a great response to that column ~ some of y’all have already reached out to share your ideas, and that’s really exciting! Please keep those calls and texts coming! The Holy Spirit is definitely moving amongst us, stirring things up (as she’s wont to do). One thing to bear in mind, however, is that whenever and wherever the Holy Spirit gets active, there will surely be changes coming. And change can be uncomfortable, unsettling, even scary. But it can also be wonderful and invigorating. Think of it like this: do we want our parish to grow? Phrase it that way, and the vast majority of us would say “yes, of course.” Growth itself, though, is a change. So we need to be exploring what things we would like to have change about our beloved parish ~ really lean into the possibilities that the Spirit presents to us ~ even if/when the process of change itself makes us a little uneasy. To help get a handle on this prospect of possible change so that it can be something inviting and exciting, rather than something vague and scary, I want to suggest seven specific areas in which we as a parish might want to try some new things. Please understand, these are not areas where we are bad or deficient. Rather, these are aspects of our parish that I believe would be the best, most effective areas we can put new energy into, if we want to revitalize All Saints and see it grow. So here they are:
Now, we don’t want to lose or replace what we already have. No, the idea is to see what we can add, do differently, reimagine, etc., as a way of breathing new life into our shared community … and as a way of showing folks who have not yet joined our community what we have to offer. Each of these categories represents a key piece of the ministry that God has entrusted to us. The most important thing to remember, therefore, is that, in everything we do here, we are first and foremost ministers of God. As it says in our Catechism (BCP p. 855): Q. Who are the ministers of the Church? A. The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons. Q. What is the ministry of the laity? A. The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ's work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church. And so, whether we are singing in the choir, or putting together text and images for advertisements, or leading a book study in a local coffee shop, or serving a meal, or collecting donated items for shelters or food banks, or tending the lawn, or decorating the walls, or marching downtown, or cooking for college students, or any of a hundred other things, what we’re really doing is proclaiming the Good News of Jesus and helping people find their way to his grace and love and redemption. The more serious we get about making that our mission, in everything that we do, the more vital, vibrant, and alive this parish will be ~ and the more people will want to come check us out and make this their church home. We already do a lot. But given the faith and passion of the people in this congregation, I believe we can do even more. If any of the seven categories I listed above strike your interest, raise your curiosity, or just feel like the kinds of things you’d like to be more directly involved in, please let me know asap! Call, text, email, or stop by, and let’s talk about what lights you up and gives you energy, and how your interests and passions can help people connect more deeply with Jesus. I look forward to hearing from y’all soon! Peace & blessings, Christopher+ 920.266.9262 [email protected] Comments are closed.
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