A Great Time to be the Church! |
It's all about Relationship.
You do not start a new small group ministry (or run a Capital Campaign, or organize a Care Team) by putting something in the newsletter. You invite people individually, you talk with people one-on-one, get to know their dreams, their hurts, their loves, their passions, their hopes. It's all about Relationship. You do not preach doctrinal theology in sermons. Instead of serving the cookbook, you serve the food. You serve stories of transformation, stories to teach discipleship, stories of the Gospel, stories about the relationship of Love. It's all about Relationship. You do not grow a church with programs and new signs and expensive websites. You lead in faith and discipleship and hope and transformation and outreach and mission, and if the Holy Spirit catches then word of mouth will spread the news of a community on fire with a new way of relationship. It's all about Relationship. Jesus is not a distant person, an icon on the wall to be worshiped. Jesus is how God relates with us, with compassion for the hurting, with healing for the wounded, with justice for the oppressed, with good news for the poor, with love. Jesus is how God says, Relationship. Jesus is how God says, Love. I am extremely hopeful about congregations today. Unlike those who fear the church is declining, I am excited about what I see happening. I see people being welcomed, I see hearts being healed, I see lives being transformed. I witness churches coming alive in new ways, in sharing the Good News, in mission to all of God’s children, in making a difference in the world. In November 2011 I was called into a congregation greatly wounded upon the exit of my predecessor. Many in the congregation stayed away, and giving had stopped. The Council prepared plans to reduce hours for the staff, depending upon the upcoming stewardship pledging. The youth group refused even to meet with me. By the end of my first complete year, the youth group revived, and I led 30+ on a mission trip. Worship attendance stabilized. For the first time in the living memory of the congregation, pledging not only met but exceeded stewardship goals for the next year. Partnering with an outstanding senior interim minister and a re-enthused laity, we turned the congregation around. Eric came to our church in a time of extreme turmoil having to replace a pastor who was beloved by the entire church, but most especially the youth. I must admit that in the beginning, I had doubts as to whether or not anyone would be able to heal the youth after such a devastating loss. Eric quickly proved me wrong. Through caring, patient listening and gentle guidance he was able to help the congregation, most especially the youth, heal. He was effective in preaching forgiveness, acceptance and unity. He took over the responsibilities associated with Minister of Congregational Life and the youth with energy and enthusiasm. The youth quickly responded to Eric’s genuine loving nature. The youth group remained intact and flourished. Lyn Tozeski
Youth Ministry and Outreach Committees |
My Plan for Community
Within the community of First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury,
I sought to bring a vision that countered the despair and sadness I found when I arrived.
1) A vision of HEALING. Our brilliant senior interim minister, the Rev. Dr. Karin Case, brought in the MACUCC program, "Walking in the Way," working to create space for people to express their hurting in safe and nonthreatening ways. Together, we preached healing stories and created healing services, led groups for expressing and listening to pain, and taught people how to pray for each other.
2) A vision of JOY. I deliberately used humor in my sermons, emphasizing the refreshing and live-giving gladness a community gathered in Christ can share. I brought holy humor into my leadership style, encouraging laughter in small groups and joy in learning discipleship.
3) A vision of HOPE. Through newsletter articles, sermons, a new FaceBook presence for the congregation, and more, I highlighted the health and faith of our community. I trumpeted how the youth or Outreach or Care Teams were serving our neighbors in need. I showed how our community of Christ was not only resilient, but vibrant and alive and doing great ministry beyond even what happened in the golden years of long ago.
Within the community of First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury,
I sought to bring a vision that countered the despair and sadness I found when I arrived.
1) A vision of HEALING. Our brilliant senior interim minister, the Rev. Dr. Karin Case, brought in the MACUCC program, "Walking in the Way," working to create space for people to express their hurting in safe and nonthreatening ways. Together, we preached healing stories and created healing services, led groups for expressing and listening to pain, and taught people how to pray for each other.
2) A vision of JOY. I deliberately used humor in my sermons, emphasizing the refreshing and live-giving gladness a community gathered in Christ can share. I brought holy humor into my leadership style, encouraging laughter in small groups and joy in learning discipleship.
3) A vision of HOPE. Through newsletter articles, sermons, a new FaceBook presence for the congregation, and more, I highlighted the health and faith of our community. I trumpeted how the youth or Outreach or Care Teams were serving our neighbors in need. I showed how our community of Christ was not only resilient, but vibrant and alive and doing great ministry beyond even what happened in the golden years of long ago.
Loving God, Loving Neighbor – a sign of Hope
My hope is renewed within faith communities that walk in the way Jesus summed up the Law and the Prophets;
Love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul, and
Love your neighbor as yourself.
In Shrewsbury, both youth and adults would return fired up from mission weeks or weekends with CityReach. On trips such as these bringing everyone outside their comfort zone, both youth and adults would eagerly learn to express and articulate their faith. In CityReach in Boston, our youth and adults walked with people who were homeless, heard their testimonies of faith, and became their friends.
By practicing to love their neighbor in distant places, the eyes of our adults and youth would be open to their neighbors in need nearby. Returning home, they would gladly dedicate themselves to working in local soup kitchens, repairing the homes of local needy neighbors, joining walks to advocate for the homeless.
A congregation rooted in serving our neighbor, out of walking in the way of Jesus, is a congregation rooted in the power of love and tapped into incredible possibilities of new hope.
My hope is renewed within faith communities that walk in the way Jesus summed up the Law and the Prophets;
Love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul, and
Love your neighbor as yourself.
In Shrewsbury, both youth and adults would return fired up from mission weeks or weekends with CityReach. On trips such as these bringing everyone outside their comfort zone, both youth and adults would eagerly learn to express and articulate their faith. In CityReach in Boston, our youth and adults walked with people who were homeless, heard their testimonies of faith, and became their friends.
By practicing to love their neighbor in distant places, the eyes of our adults and youth would be open to their neighbors in need nearby. Returning home, they would gladly dedicate themselves to working in local soup kitchens, repairing the homes of local needy neighbors, joining walks to advocate for the homeless.
A congregation rooted in serving our neighbor, out of walking in the way of Jesus, is a congregation rooted in the power of love and tapped into incredible possibilities of new hope.
Loving Neighbor, Loving the Other - a sign of Hope
In our angry and uncertain times, we need even more to practice love of The Other.
In my years with the Shrewsbury congregation, I brought our confirmation classes to observe worship services at Jewish and Islamic centers, and to engage in conversation afterwards with our Jewish and Muslim neighbors. Especially in the current atmosphere of fear and distrust of Islam, the conversations our teens had with Muslim teens were fruitful and enlightening for all.
Our Jewish and Muslim neighbors said we were the only Christian group coming to talk with them. I am heartened we could provide this experience for our teens, learning who the other is, which I believe is a fundamental step as we learn to practice love of the other.
In our angry and uncertain times, we need even more to practice love of The Other.
In my years with the Shrewsbury congregation, I brought our confirmation classes to observe worship services at Jewish and Islamic centers, and to engage in conversation afterwards with our Jewish and Muslim neighbors. Especially in the current atmosphere of fear and distrust of Islam, the conversations our teens had with Muslim teens were fruitful and enlightening for all.
Our Jewish and Muslim neighbors said we were the only Christian group coming to talk with them. I am heartened we could provide this experience for our teens, learning who the other is, which I believe is a fundamental step as we learn to practice love of the other.
The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends. The type of love that I stress here is not eros, a sort of esthetic or romantic love; not philia, a sort of reciprocal love between personal friends; but it is agape which is understanding goodwill for all [people]. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. It is the love of God working in the lives of all [people]. This is the love that may well be the salvation of our civilization.
Martin Luther King Jr.