Doing more: But with less Study guide
T
he numbers are in, and across the board our church is becoming a leaner organization. Most of our congre- gations are working with fewer people and resources
than 15 years ago. While a challenge, the new reality is providing incentive to reimagine what it means to be the church, to renew ties to the community, to form new col- laborations and partnerships, to repurpose old assets, and revisit mission and purpose.
Exercise 1: No blame Is your congregation playing a blame and shame game
over membership loss? Well, given that 82 percent of ELCA congregations have declined in membership since 2000, the first thing to realize is that the problem is well beyond you, your church or your leaders. What is the mood of your con- gregation? Can blame and shame—or guilt, despair, grief, frustration and anger—help your congregation find a way forward? How can you help your congregation and leaders put them aside?
Exercise 2: What’s up? Here’s a hypothesis: “ELCA congregations are declining
because the church model that served us for generations is no longer as effective in attracting new people, especially younger folks.” • Do you agree or disagree, and why? • What elements might be true for your congregation? • What has changed in our culture that has put our churches out of sync?
• Why have our churches been slow to adapt? • What can we do?
Exercise 3: Mission minded Some congregations have lost their sense of mission—
that is, a purpose or vision. Has your congregation? Discuss this hard question: “Why in God’s name is your congrega- tion here?” Seriously. All we do, or should do, is in the name of God, right? Here’s another toughie: “If your congregation were to close tomorrow, who in the community would care?” Don’t be discouraged if these questions generate discom-
fort. Recognizing where you are is the first step in figuring out where you need to be.
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Exercise 4: ‘Great listenings’ To help determine new mission possibilities, the ELCA
advises congregations to begin with three “great listen- ings”—listening to God (through prayer, worship and Scripture study), listening to our neighbors (as we reach out to engage our surrounding community), and listening to each other (as we express our fears and doubts, our hopes and dreams). • Does your congregation listen well? • Why is listening a good way to start? • Why do we start with listening to God? Then our neigh- bors? And, finally, ourselves?
• How would the listenings help your congregation find its mission? (For advanced work, see the “Manual for Congregational
Mission Planning” and other resources at
www.elca.org/ Resources/Mission-Planning.)
Exercise 5: Assets Looking afresh at your congregation’s assets can help
you find new possibilities for outreach and service. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Mulberry, Ind., hosts a community garden. St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Arvada, Colo., repur- posed its disused education wing as a health center. List all the physical assets your congregation has to work with, and then the intangible, such as members’ talents or special gifts the congregation offers. Brainstorm how these might be repurposed for service or outreach.
Exercise 6: Community service Jesus spread the good news, but he did so much more. He
also talked to everybody he met, gave hungry people food, provided education, cared for the sick and prayed for them. • What did these works teach people about Jesus and God’s love for them?
• How well does your con g regat ion model this kind of service to your community?
• What opportuni- ties exist for your church to serve in new ways? How might it help your congregation?
Author bio: Blezard is an assistant to the bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod. He has a master of divinity degree from Boston University and did subsequent study at the
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
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