The Diocese of Arizona Celebrate the Past Embrace the Future 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

Remember BACK to the future ? In it, a mad scientist finds a way to time-travel using a specially-equipped DeLorean car. Let’s watch as he gets the car up to 88 mph in order for it to go back in time!

50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

Now let us travel back in time and see what our Diocese was like 50+ years ago. (Thanks to The Rev. Canon Ray Dugan and his film-making team you won’t need a DeLorean!) 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

We have come a long way in 50 years! 23,000 members 65 congregations 200+ clergy eight schools and countless community outreach projects and programs! 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

But “times they are a-changin’” “…about every 500 years the church feels compelled to hold a giant rummage sale.” - Phyllis Tickle “Our churches still function and even grow in places. But unless we can find the courage to snip the bands of modernism so that we can mature to our potential, we will die.” - Brian McLaren 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

But more exciting has been working with congregations that “think outside the box.” 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010 Sometimes my job has been delivering “bad news” when old ways no longer work.

1. Planting new congregations 2. Children and youth programs 3. Immigrant communities 4. Using new technology 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010 You have already heard me talk a lot about:

50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010 What will the church of the future look like?

50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010 Here is what I see when I gaze into my crystal ball….

But this is “through a glass, darkly” Transformation, not revolution Blend old and new approaches to church life Parallel development 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

The future church will be: relational Smaller, “house church” congregations Alternative churches and leaders Mission vs. buildings Outwardly focused 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

The future church will be: “browner” Changing demographics Cultural refuges for new arrivals Spanish-speaking congregations More culturally sensitive 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

“A little child shall lead them.” Church, schools and “hang outs” Key to congregation growth The future church will be: younger

Virtual meetings Social media Multi-media Internet word-of-mouth 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010 The future church will be: wired

Stewardship will be front and center Old funding sources will be gone Staff and clergy will be harder to fund Opportunity for different kinds of congregational life 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010 The future church will be: leaner

Relational Browner Younger Wired Leaner Transformational! 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010 The buzz words for the next 50 years?

Are you Ready? 50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010

The Future belongs to God and to God’s people. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband… And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new!" – Revelation 21:1-5

50 TH DIOCESAN CONVENTION > OCT , 2010