Beating a path to the pews

The Edmonton Journal published Liane Faulder’s article “Beating a path to the pews” in their Sunday Reader. We think the article raises several issues for the main line church – things she has learned through her research that we need to be paying attention to. It says that effective congregations:
1. Serve the whole family,
2. Communicate through the culture of the people they want to reach, and
3. Stress a hospitality that makes people feel they are truly welcomed and belong.
What is your take on the article and what it implies for main line congregations. We invite you to share your thoughts with a comment on our blog.

Small Group Ministry

Had a great experience as participant in a small group? We invite you to share what you have found really works for you.

Putting A Blog to Work for You

We have a page about setting up your own blog in our November newsletter. We invite you to share any comments or questions you may have about blogging in general or setting up your own blog.

Funding the Services People want from the Church

We are starting to understand that those in the 20-45 age category are going to have a different kind of connection to the church. They are only going to participate in certain programs, and that for only part of the year. Our traditional way of raising funds by having people contribute weekly through the Sunday offering plate is not going to work for them. On the other hand, they have grown up in a culture that says “there is no free lunch” and they are willing to pay for quality services. How do we fund providing the services they are asking for? We know we need some new and innovative ways. What is your thinking?

The Committee Conundrum

Are church committees disappearing? Should they disappear? Last issue of our Congregational Life newsletter we brought attention to the number of people “playing down if not outright denigrating the role of what was once the quintessential heart of congregational life — the standing committee.” We quoted authors like Edgar Stoesz, whose book we review in the current newsletter: “Committees … kill more ideas by their cautious scrutiny than they generate.” A local pastor, Marv Ziprick, told us: “They are called standing committees because they stand in the way of good ideas.” When they need to look at something, they appoint a task group to research it. When the task group has done their work, they pull together an implementation group to "make it so."
What do you think? Should churches do away with standing committees and rely on task groups? Or is a combination more helpful?

Why do we need God?

Why do we need God? It is a question we have been pondering. Any thoughts as to how we answer this one would be helpful.

Circle Prayer

We would like to share our circle prayer with you. Any comments?
God center me.
Let your light shine through me.
Set my heart, my mind, my soul aflame.
Guide me to a circle
Where there are kindred spirits,
Loving hands to embrace me,
Friendly arms to hold me close,
And set me free.
In the circle with you at the centre
May I find the strength
To give, to receive, to love,
Knowing that in you there is
No beginning and no ending to life,
But only a love that grows.
Congregational Life Centre: Spiritual Circles Seminar
PS: You are welcome to make as many copies of this prayer as you need for use in your congregation.