show (without saying much at all) that our ministry was quite different from your average Grace Lutheran Church on Main Street. On the other hand, it was dif-
ficult to appropriate these public spaces for worship. I lusted after the worship spaces of some sister mis- sion developments: old abandoned church buildings in urban locations that could be redesigned (subtract pews, add hip artwork) in a way that was both reverent and informal. • Social media rocks. Other pas- tors would ask: “How do you get the word out?” Early on I regularly sent out weekly electronic newslet- ters, updated our Facebook page, posted blog entries on the website and tweeted. I never viewed this as a brilliant communication strategy. Most young adults live and breathe social media.
When a pastor asked me: “How many people ‘like’ the Facebook page?” I realized how we differed from traditional ministry. He contin- ued: “How many of their snail mail addresses do you know?” None. Social media rocks. • Relationships: flat, not hierar- chical. The young adults I worked with were not looking for “a pastor,” pastoral care or pastoral advice. If I had referred to myself primarily as a pastor I likely wouldn’t have devel- oped such strong relationships. People drawn to our ministry sought deep friendships and safe spaces to encounter spiritual ques- tions, but they didn’t want to be told top-down what to believe. For many, I eventually served
as their pastor, walking with them in hardships, praying with them, leading worship. But that was only because I was first their friend, peer and neighbor. • Multiple entry points. Our min- istry launched new and rather dif- ferent events fairly regularly. In our
community, young adults were more likely to join us when an activity was novel or at the beginning of a cycle. • The beauty of sideline support- ers. At first I was annoyed by young adults who told friends about our events, or highlighted our posts on Facebook, but never participated themselves. Eventually I realized that the support they offered was their way of saying “yes” to a new and different ministry—and it led others to our ministry. • The established church “gets it,” but isn’t quite sure how to help. When I spoke about The Project F-M at congregations, synod events and pastor roundtables, I received nods and smiles of approval. People asked for my card, planning to give it to their daughter or grandson for whom our ministry sounded perfect.
We developed a positive buzz in the community, but found that nods and smiles rarely led to checks. Also, hearing about us rarely moved others to experiment with new ministries. Rather, some told me they were glad we were on the right track because their congrega- tion was not. I fear that our ministry became an excuse for some to say, “We don’t need to have a thriving young adult ministry; The Project F-M will take care of it.” • Failing is great. My tenure with The Project F-M was rife with fail- ures: events flopped, people were occasionally offended, and some- times we pushed a point too far (or not far enough). But we learned from these failures. We rejoiced in the freedom to fail, to experiment and to try again.
Travel with other Lutherans to the Incredible Northeast this Fall! 15 Days
Northeast Cruise & Tour $1998*
from Departs: September 16, 2013
Discover the picturesque Northeast this Fall from your luxury cruise ship and comfortable motorcoach. Arrive in historic Boston and enjoy a city tour en route to Rutland, Vermont. Along the way you will visit the intriguing “Shaker Villages,” a living history museum providing insight to its centuries’ old community and religion. Witness the beautiful fall foliage as you drive through the Green Mountains to the fascinating city of Montreal. Continue along the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City, one of the fi rst settlements in North America.
Unwind on board the Norwegian Dawn for your seven-night cruise and sail to ports in: Corner Brook, Newfoundland; Sydney, Nova Scotia; the beautifully preserved port city of Halifax; Saint John, New Brunswick; and Bar Harbor, ME; with world-famous Acadia National Park. Disembark in Boston and relax as your journey continues to Cape Cod, Newport, Rhode Island, where you will tour one of the city’s famous mansions; and New York City with a tour including the Empire State Building and Central Park.
*
Per person, based on double occupancy. Price based on inside cabin, upgrades available. Airfare is extra.
For reservations & details call 7 days a week: 1-800-736-7300 March 2013 33
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52