1. Long Island East District Day Apart
A “How-To” for Revitalization

2. Scriptural Basis – Acts 2
Story of Pentecost
Jesus has ascended with a “Promise”
The “Promise” arrives
The “Promise”
Equips
Empowers
Energizes
The “Promise” delivers or TRANSFORMS!

3. What is Jesus’ Expectation?
Matthew 28:19 – 20 (New Living Translation)
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new {emphasis mine} disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

4. What is the Expectation of the UM Church
What is the Expectation of the UM Church? (from the 2010 UM Call to Action)
average worship attendance
has it increased by at least 5% over a 5-year period?
more than half of total membership attending/engaged in weekly worship
is it at least 56% of the total membership?
professions of faith/memberships restored/confirmands
has it increased by 82% over a 5-year period?
numbers involved in small group study
is it at least 106% of worship attendance?
numbers of young adults engaged in study groups
is it at least 9% of worship attendance?
representation of young adults/youth in church leadership
is it at least 1/3 of the committee/ministry?

5. What is the Expectation of the UM Church
What is the Expectation of the UM Church? (from the 2010 UM Call to Action)
engagement in evangelistic/missional initiatives
is it at least 20% of the worship attendance?
100% giving towards apportionments
grow mission giving over 5-year period
grow by 12% over a 5-year period
grow non-capital spending over 5-year period
grow by 22% over a 5-year period
identifying, nurturing, leading candidates into ministry
one candidate per year for 5 years
willingness to engage in entrepreneurial (read: partnerships) enterprises without community agencies
fully invested in supporting appointed ministerial staff in their medical and pension plans
100% on time…every time

6. serve lived into these expectations?
What is the Expectation of the UM Church? (from the 2010 UM Call to Action)
How have
YOU
and
the community
serve lived into these expectations?

7. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
2 Scriptures that guide me
Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!“ (Mark 1:17 NLT)
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. (Acts 2:41 NLT)

8. THE MISSION FIELD Population Forecasts
2,443,631 (2010) ,479,781 (2023)
Racial/Ethnic (2023)
White 1,685,375 (0.89% decrease)
Hispanic/Latino 409,348 (0.55% increase)
Black/African American 205,791 (no change)
Asian 134,205 (0.26% increase)
Pac Is/Am In/Other 45,062 (no change)

9. THE MISSION FIELD Phase of Life Forecast
% % % %
Before Formal Schooling: (0-4) , , , , % % % %
Required Formal Schooling: (5-17) , , , , % 15.1% % %
College/Career Starts: (18-24) , , , , % 10.5% % %
Singles and Young Families: (25-34) , , , , % 11.7% % %
Families and Empty Nesters: (35-54) , , , , % 25.4% % %
Enrichment Years Singles/Couples: (55-64) , , , , % % % %
Retirement Opportunities: (65+) , , , , % % % %

10. Where are WE as a Conference? (metrics)
Worship Attendance % % % % % % % %
Total %

11. Where are WE in LIE? (metrics)
Membership 1996 – 2016
29,528 – 18,722
22,900 (2010)
2,443,631 total population
52% Roman Catholic
Professions of Faith
576 – 221
356 (2010)
Worship Attendance* for 71 churches
401 (High)/7 (Low)
11 > 100/60 < 100

12. DISCERNMENT TOOLS Neighborhood Prayer Walking
Community Leader Interviews
Mystery Worship Auditors
Church Assessment Tool (CAT)
Congregational Gifts Assessment
Audit of Financial Initiatives

13. Scriptural Basis – Acts 2
Story of Pentecost
Jesus has ascended with a “Promise” (1:8)
The “Promise” arrives (2:1 – 4)
**The “Promise” (2:14 – 40)
Equips
Empowers
Energizes
The “Promise” delivers or TRANSFORMS! (2:41)

14. The “Promise” Equips, Empowers & Energizes
“Evangelical” is NOT a dirty word!
“Evangelical” is neither progressive or conservative. An “Evangelical” is
someone who is in “agreement with the Christian gospel esp. as presented in the four Gospels”.
someone who “emphasizes salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion & the authority of Scripture”

15. The “Promise” Equips, Empowers & Energizes
“Evangelism” is NOT a dirty word!
“Evangelism” is
“the winning or revival of personal commitments to Christ”
The “cause” of an “evangelist” is winning souls for Christ & reviving personal allegiances to Christ! There is no “left” or “right”…there is “…Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2)
Evangelism is a 4-letter word…L-O-V-E! And, our world is in dire need of a LOVE CONNECTION!

16. What does a L-O-V-E Connection look like?
We will be:
EARNEST enough to believe that if there are 5 “don’t-churched” or “won’t-churched (read: “wounded”) “saints” in a room, at least three will know we see and care for THEM!
LOVING enough to love folks, when they are at their worst, believing eventually we will see their best.
HUMBLE enough to recognize that it is NOT us that brings folks to Christ; but rather Christ alive in us.
STUBBORN enough to believe that NO ONE is outside of God’s grace, and that EVERYONE has worth! The world’s “trash” is Christ’s “TREASURE”, and we need to be “treasure hunters”!
“WOUNDED” enough to realize that everyone does not grieve (or heal) in the same manner we do, and that, we will be the most effective when we learn to sit back and let God be God!
REALISTIC enough to know that NO ONE is greater than the ministry and mission of the church! It takes ALL OF US to “make disciples” of Jesus Christ, and transform our communities!