Creative Disarray Models for Ministry in Changing Times

Assessing the Situation Like all living organisms, congregations have a life cycle: Birth Growth Mature flourishing Plateau Decline Dying What are some of the influences on these life cycles?

The Congregational Life Cycle BIRTH GROWTH STABILITY REDEFINITION REDEVELOPMENT REBIRTH DEATH DECLINE

Intentional transformational work can interrupt decline The plateau stage is when intervention can be helpful

Keys to identifying congregational plateau Stop receiving visitors and/or new members Decline in worship attendance Decline in participation in congregational life Decline in revenue Reliance on reserve or endowment income for operational expenses

It’s time to ask some difficult questions Why are we here – why does the church exist – what does God have in mind for our congregation in this time and place? Are we responding to God’s call to reach out with God’s love, grace and mercy in the world ?

Answer the following with YES, MAYBE, or NO Our congregation conveys, in word and deed, a message that is “good news”. We are known and respected in our community for genuine strengths.. Our community would be at loss without our presence. We are outreach-oriented with a consistent focus on people who are not members – sharing the love of Christ with others. We continue to welcome newcomers, who become actively involved in various congregational activities and leadership roles.

We know who we are and why we are here as a community of faith. We are willing to listen to God, each other, and the surrounding community to discern the direction God is calling us to go. We agree that the desire to know and do God’s will for the church is stronger than the desire to survive as a congregation. We have and are willing to commit the energy and financial resources necessary to bring about a new sense of congregational vitality.

If honest responses resulted in a majority of YES answers – you may be ready to engage in an intentional mission planning and renewal process. A majority of MAYBE or NO responses may mean that your congregation is in steep decline and may need to consider dying and legacy planning regarding using remaining assets to best serve God’s purposes. You do have options….

Shared Ministry Are you willing to….. Share the time of a pastor, deacon or other staff with another congregation? Change your worship time or day to accommodate another congregational partner? Have times when the pastor is not available to you? Cooperate with another congregation to oversee joint administrative matters?

Merger Are you willing to…. Close your congregation, and then… Move your membership and assets into the life of an existing congregation - taking on their name, identity, and practices in a gracious, joyful way?

Consolidation Are you willing to…. Close your congregation(s) and then… Work with others to start something new? Call a new pastor and/or deacon? Choose a whole new name, elect new leaders from each congregation, and find a new location/building that will strengthen the Lutheran witness and Christian mission?

Shared Facilities Are you willing to…. Actively seek another congregation to use your building? Change worship and meeting times to accommodate each congregation? Offer your worship and education materials to another congregation? Share expenses for another congregation to use your building? Invest time each month for meetings to negotiate issues about the use and expenses of the building?

How do we explore options and experiment in creative new ways? If you can not give at least 3 affirmative answers to an option – it’s probably not a good one. Options and plans for a new ministry arrangement takes time and energy as well as relationship building and a willingness to take risks. But more than that – it takes faith in realizing that God is always doing a new thing!

Here’s what we know that these options take Build relationships The more each of the congregations know and understand about the other - including familiarity with the history and traditions of each of the congregations, the better. When each congregation is committed to building up the other, each partner is made stronger and more effective in ministry. Establish a clear sense of common purpose Purpose is ministry with people Survival is legitimate, but it is a means Cooperation is a means to minister What could we do together that we could never do alone?

Perhaps a Multi-Point Parish is the way to go Identity as an Asset Instead of a Liability Achieve unity through diversity rather than unity through similarity. Form complimentary whole that is strengthened by different assets. What are the strengths of each of the congregations? Share a Criteria of Ministry Envision your ministry based on a call from Christ and as an effective, faithful and unified response to community needs.

Strengthening Multi-Point Parishes Be intentional about cooperating Redirection of energy from competition to cooperation can release new potentials for ministry. Barriers are overcome by mutual affirmation of the partners Lead as a team Team building is an essential means. Laity and Pastor and/or deacon working together is key.

Creative Disarray in the Call Process