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What does it mean to minister to our neighbourhood?

What does it mean to minister to our neighbourhood?. Urban Mission Network February 2009. Defining types of Congregations. Five futures: Large regional Regional Small strong Faith Communities Networks. Types of Congregations – Strategic Map.

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What does it mean to minister to our neighbourhood?

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  1. What does it mean to minister to our neighbourhood? Urban Mission Network February 2009

  2. Defining types of Congregations Five futures: • Large regional • Regional • Small strong • Faith Communities • Networks

  3. Types of Congregations – Strategic Map • Large regional – Multi-worship, multiple programmes, 3 multiple Ministers/leaders in staff team, AWA > 350 • Regional – More than one worship, Multiple programmes, 7 1 or 2 Ministers + paid staff, AWA 200-350 • Potential regional – some characteristics of Regional 16 but AWA 120-200 • Neighbourhood – Weekly worship, 1or 2 foci for ministry 21 & mission, some effective lay leadership, AWA 75-120 • Small Strong – Weekly worship, full - or part-time Minister, 35 but AWA 50- 75 • Small Stable/Declining – Primary aim survival, worship weekly 71 or less often, Minister part-time or shared, AWA <50 •  Faith Community (declining) – Struggling to survive, struggling to afford part-time Minister, little lay leadership, AWA < 20 • New Faith Community – New expression of church, focus may be 4 on one specific ministry/mission, often lay leadership

  4. Defining types of Congregations Regional? - In an age when travel is no obstacle to participation, “regional” defines a congregation with particular characteristics, not the geographic base from which its members come Small? – Anything less than 125 in worship attendance because this is the contemporary minimum to afford and justify a full-time Minister and provide the resources necessary for effective mission (Schaller) Strong? – Preferable to speak of “healthy”

  5. Marks of a Healthy Congregation • Developed, owned, vision which drives ministry and mission • Ministry and mission – worship/preaching, community, spiritual growth, equipping disciples for mission, mission activities • Leadership – ordained and/or lay • Finance & Property • Evident measures of health

  6. Connecting to our neighbourhood Large regional , Regional, Potential regional, Neighbourhood, Small Strong ,Small Stable/Declining, Faith Community .... ... which of these churches are “neighbourhood” churches?

  7. Connecting to our neighbourhood All of the above. Every healthy congregation needs to be connected to its neighbourhood in two ways: • By one (or more) mission activities through which congregation members are in relationship to those beyond the church in ways that give expression to the presence of the reign of God • By providing those qualities and activities which people are looking for when they come to us

  8. So what are people looking for? • Pictorial display of research done by United Church of Canada

  9. So what are people looking for? Achieving personal faith • Builds deep personal relationships • Offers possibility of personal transformation • Engages both emotion and intellect --------------------------------------------------- • New ways of looking at their faith

  10. So what are people looking for? Connecting and Reaching Out • Values all ages • Reaches out to the needy • Translates personal faith into action • Welcoming to everyone ------------------------------------------------------- • Works to improve situation • Emphasis on helping people • Works for justice in the world • Respects all people • Respects earth and the environment

  11. So what are people looking for? Questing and Embracing ------------------------------------------------------- • Encourages questioning • Respects personal freedom and choice • Builds relationships with other traditions • Open to change • Celebrates all, including gays

  12. So how do we connect? Connecting with the people of our neighbourhood begins by understanding who lives there: • ABS data • NCLS Community Social Profile

  13. Finding ABS data

  14. Finding ABS data

  15. Finding ABS data

  16. CommunitySocial Profile

  17. CommunitySocial Profile

  18. CommunitySocial Profile

  19. CommunitySocial Profile

  20. A couple of quotes from wise heads “There is a whole new spiritually hungry yet institutionally alienated public who are the new Gentiles with whom the church must be on mission” (Tom Bandy) “There will be no one simple and universally acceptable way in which we can reshape our churches to face the challenges of the changing culture. There will be different solutions for different circumstances, and in many cases there will even be multiple relevant solutions within the same set of circumstances.” (Drane)

  21. So how do we connect? By a process of spiritual discernment: • For whom does your heart burst? (Tom Bandy) • What is my holy discontent? (Bill Hybels) • What is my prayer burden? (Ann Morisy)

  22. So how do we connect? • As you listen carefully to your community, which “micro-culture” begins to stir your heart? • As you travel around your community, who do you “see”? What are the “flows” around your congregation? • What do you discern is their deepest yearning? • How might you (and others with a similar passion) begin to respond to this yearning in a way that is appropriate for those in the community and as an expression of the gospel?

  23. So how do we connect? Through a Community Development approach: • What are some of the signs of hope in this community? • What are people passionate about? What do they give energy to? • What seems to be draining energy, taking life from the community? • Where are the places of “spiritual connection” for this community? Is the church part of this?

  24. So how do we connect? • What contribution to the community are you attempting to make? • What do you believe that the community would be looking for from you? •  Who might you partner with in engaging this community afresh? The underlying questions are: • What is the distinctive/unique contribution that this congregation makes to this community? • Is this community really any different because this congregation exists in its midst?

  25. So how do we connect? Learnings from “God Next Door” (Simon Carey Holt) • Naming the neighbourhood as spiritual – a place where we notice the imprint of God • Exegetical walk – taking a critical look at neighbourhood – signs of life, hope, despair, community, alienation, beauty, neglect • Neighbourhood parties – street parties, build relationships, celebrate Spirit’s presence, become neighbourhood priest” • Helping communities flourish – nurture a more fully human environment • Pointing the way to Jesus – every encounter with neighbour is an encounter with God’s presence

  26. So how do we connect? For each significant change/ new ministry initiative, the following questions need to be discussed: • Who has the gifts, skills, passion to undertake this ministry? • Are they available, willing, free from other responsibilities? • What other support do they need e.g. building space, financial resources, etc.? • If some/all of these are not yet available, how will they be provided? • What return are you expecting from this “investment”?

  27. Some stories • Semaphore – not the obvious flow • Greenock – from Sunday congregation to mid-week community • Yorketown – Men’s shed; Cafe church • Payneham Road – serendipity and Asian students

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