Discover the Possibilities

Transcription

1 X You are here Discover the Possibilities Discovering the Possibilities Report First UMC 18 Wesley Way, Gilford, NH May 7, 2017 Report prepared by: Rev. Rick McKinley Page 1

2 Ministry Area Assessments Worship The Missional Vital Signs report shows that average worship attendance (AWA) for this congregation has decreased 30% since The trend is demonstrated graphically in the following chart: Average Worship Attendance In the Congregational Interview section of the workshop, there were a few moments highlighted that the participants identified as inspiring/meaningful worship experiences, including but limited to: - a particular Easter service where the Worship Committee set the sanctuary up in a special way - service that included cardboard testimonies - a parade of the church s ministries with signs - a service of forgiveness where worshipers wrote the name of someone they were forgiving and placed it in wastebasket around the altar - a particular communion where a song made it particularly special - an All Saints service where congregants brought photos of loved one What many of the things mentioned have in common is that they are God-centered, sensory and participatory. The issue of keeping services engaging and participatory will be important for those who design worship as the congregation takes the next steps in the area of worship. Experiential faith experiences are particularly important for people in the early stages of faith development. The results of the Real Discipleship Survey reveal an important part of the journey forward. 69% of participants indicate they are in the Exploring, Beginning and Growing stages relative to worship practice. The statements in the Survey emphasize the importance of worship attendance. The statement associated with the Maturing stage corresponds to people whose worshipful attitude is more fully integrated into a person s life. This pattern of response is typical for long-time congregants of traditional churches, which many of the participants are. Worship is primarily associated with attending Sunday services. Certainly attending the Page 2

3 Professions of Faith The Real Discipleship Survey demonstrates a significant need for development when it comes to building relationships outside of the church and sharing personal faith. The group participating in the workshop identified strongly with the dimensions of hospitality reflecting an acceptance of others (69% in the Beginning, and Growing stages.) In other words, if people show up, they are very likely to be welcomed and accepted (though as mentioned above, there is work to be done around initial contact and followup.) However, when it comes to building relationships outside of the church in order to be a witness in someone s life, only 7% indicated this level of commitment. This result is consistent with the results of other United Methodist congregations across the country, where typically less than 5% of congregants are intentionally building relationships outside the church. Naturally, if 9 out of 10 people in the congregation are not sharing their faith, not building relationships beyond the congregation, and not inviting people into a relationship with Jesus, it is very difficult to make connections and experience growth over time. The congregation will benefit from training on how to develop a holistic approach to hospitality, with emphasis on building relationships with unchurched individuals. There are four areas to consider (see the illustration to the right from the book Shift by Phil Maynard.) Another excellent resource is God Unbound by Elaine Heath, a great option for the basis of a sermon series and associated small group study. Interpersonal They will know you are my disciples by the love you have for one another Incarnational You are the light of the world Intentional Welcome the stranger among you Invitational Come and see Discipleship The primary statistical indicator for the effectiveness of discipleship ministries in the local church is the level of participation in small group ministries. FUMC statistics show that a number of people were active in small groups (60 to 70 people each year), but that since 2013, there has been no reported small group participation. It is unclear whether this reflects reality or if it s simply something not tracked in the past few years.. Regardless, it will be important for this congregation to explore how these groups fit within an overall discipleship process, and how many of these groups fit the definition of discipling groups. The question is whether or not small groups spend intentional time focused on helping people grow as followers of Jesus. Based on the Exploring our Missional Vital Signs there is no intentional process for discipling persons and leading them toward a more Christ-centered lifestyle. As with hospitality, there are elements in place, but no overall process. The Real Discipleship Survey did show that a few of the participants indicate they are intentionally helping others grow more open and obedient to Christ. Developing an overall process will be key Page 4

4 corporate gathering is part of a worshipful life. Congregations that reinforce and/or highlight the importance and relevance of regular worship see a greater level of worship participation, which corresponds positively to other spiritual practices. At the same time, research shows that inspiring/meaningful worship in which the person experiences the presence of God is a key factor for spiritual growth in the life of people early in their faith walk. 1 An important shift in moving forward will be helping the congregation see worship not simply as an event but a lifestyle. Moreover, those who design worship must be mindful of the importance of meaningful worship being key to spiritual growth for people in early stages of faith development. A helpful resource may be Building Worship Bridges by Cathy Townley. The Exploring Missional Vital Signs shows that there is not an intentional process in place for welcoming newcomers to worship and following up with those guests, nor is there is not a process for following with regular worship attendees. An intentional process is one that is clearly described, repeated, and training is provided for those responsible. First UMC has many of the elements in place: greeters, welcome packets, gifts, etc. It will be important for FUMC to develop a strong intentional process of welcome and follow up for both guests and regular attendees, a weakness highlighted several times by participants. A helpful resource may be First Impressions by Mark Waltz. A suggestion to improve the practice of following up with guests and regulars would be to use something like Connection Cards, an insert in the bulletin that everyone in the congregation fills out every worship service. (There are many examples online.) By having everyone fill one out every week, a guest is more likely to do so as well since this is what everyone does here. This practice will increase the number of people with whom the congregation can follow up within hours. (This has the greatest impact if done by the pastor for congregations worshiping under 250). A side benefit to the Connection Card is that if they are collected during the offering, it gives people something to put in the plate/basket, often an awkward moment for guests. The Connection Card also gives a way to track the number of guests, track guest retention, and identify whether a regular worshiper has been absent for a few weeks and do follow up. For more ideas on how to be more intentional about welcoming and connecting to newcomers, read Get Their Name: Grow your church by building new relationships by Bob Farr et al. Hospitality The primary statistical indicator for hospitality is the missional vital sign for Professions of Faith. According to the Exploring Missional Vital Signs, FUMC has received 11 people on Profession of Faith (POF) in the last five years. If you go back to 2005, 43 people have been received on POF. [Profession of Faith is the metric related to Hospitality as this helps a congregation see how well it is doing in loving people toward claiming their own relationship and commitment to Jesus.] However, during the same time period, worship attendance has declined 30%. There are a number of factors that impacted worship attendance in today s context. However, it will be important to address the issue and determine how the front door is open, but the back door may be open even wider. Comments by participants make it clear they see this part of the church s ministry as hit or miss, and that things need to drop in our laps before any action is taken. The Interviews also show many participants in the workshop either grew up in the church, or have come primarily on their own initiative as they were looking for a faith community. People mentioned being attracted to a variety of things: welcoming spirit, music program, Bible studies, openness, and inclusiveness. 1 See Move: what 1,000 churches reveal about spiritual growth by Greg Hawkins & Cally Parkinson Page 3

5 to this congregation moving forward and making a shift from membership to discipleship. (See Appendix A for an example on how small groups might fit within an overall process as a person moves from the Exploring stage toward the Maturing stage of discipleship in the area of A Life Open to Jesus.) This is an important shift with which many traditional churches need to wrestle. The difference between the two is highlighted in the table below. Members Goal: Get people to join the congregation Church role: Keep the members satisfied Leadership role: Encourage members to be involved in church activities Responsibility for growth: Church (pastor) assumes primary responsibility for motivating people in their spiritual journey Mature Disciples Goal: Create disciples who are increasing in their love of God and neighbor Church role: Provide opportunities and relationships to foster spiritual growth Leadership role: Encourage disciples to grow in obedience to God and service to others Responsibility for growth: Disciples assume primary responsibility for spiritual growth as the church provides opportunities and encouragement Here s the challenge - to develop a discipleship process. What is the intentional pathway for people to follow in order to help them grow in love of God and love of neighbor? To get started, FUMC might consider: 1. Clarifying its discipling process: Be clear about what a disciple is and does, and then design an environment in which people are most likely to move in that direction. 2. Host regular Congregational Info Meetings: These are for newcomers to learn more about the congregation. These are sometimes called Pizza or Coffee with the Pastor, and help newcomers get a sense of what the congregation stands for. 3. Offer Foundations/Membership Classes: These classes cover the basics of Christianity, and include instructions on how to read Scripture, how to pray, how manage finances biblically, etc. 4. Get people into a discipling relationship: This includes a small group ministry with trained leaders for each small group but also one-to-one mentoring. 5. Provide one on one evaluation every 6 months. 6. Close the back door: Some congregations are great at welcoming initially but over time, those people attend less and less, often because they didn t feel connected or engaged. Other findings based on the Real Discipleship Survey show (see compiled results below): 64% of participants see themselves in the early stages of discipleship, indicated that they are committed themselves to growth, but as noted above, not yet discipling others. (A life obeying to Jesus). 53% of participants indicate they are in the Growing and Maturing stage of A life of service. This is a clear commitment to service on the part of the congregation. (More on this later in the report.) 69% half of participants indicate they giving at less than the level of a tithe. (A life of generosity) Page 5

6 Exploring Beginning Growing Maturing A life of Worship 2% 26% 41% 31% A life of Hospitality A life open to Jesus A life obeying Jesus 24% 24% 45% 7% 22% 14% 26% 38% 14% 50% 26% 10% A life of Service 11% 36% 17% 36% A life of Generosity 17% 52% 5% 26% While reflecting on the Journey Wall created by the participants, a few trends were noted: - aging congregation associated with fewer and fewer youth - increased community support - focus on inclusiveness - greater use of building by larger Gilford/Laconia community Key turning points for the congregation identified were: the move to the new building and associated urban renewal in Laconia, adopting the welcoming statement, and creation of Wesley Woods. In terms of the events, activities and circumstances that best exemplify FUMC, the values identified for this congregation were: respect for all, focus on the spiritual life of persons, and mission directed toward meeting needs. Service There is no tracking available through the Missional Vital Signs or the Conference system. However, this congregation has had and/or continues to support a wide variety of community outreach/service activities including but not limited to: Health Ministries Hands Across the Table Friendly Kitchen Prayer shawl ministry Giving Tree Refugee ministries New Beginnings Habitat for Humanity It should be noted that the things in the list are all good things and to be celebrated. As indicated above, the Real Discipleship Survey indicates that 53% of participants fall in the Growing and Maturing stages of service. There is a clear commitment to the larger community. The question to be considered when it comes to service is whether or not any of these activities meet the standard of missional engagement as opposed to missional gestures. There does not seem to be a wide sense of personal responsibility for faith sharing or building relationships with people in the community. It s the difference between ministry to/for and ministry with. Page 6

7 We encourage all congregations to move beyond missional gestures (which do good and make us feel good) to finding at least one ministry of engagement. In a ministry of engagement, the congregation not only provides resources for those with specific needs but also has direct contact with those being served, with a specific focus on developing relationships. Ministry of engagement changes our lives as well as the lives of others. In other words, service is meant to bring us into contact with others so that we might develop relationships of mutuality rather than staying at the level of service provider/service recipient. This approach fosters the building of relationships with people so that they may come to know the love of Christ, it engages our hands and feet rather than just our pocketbooks, and it helps us grow in our understanding of the needs of our community so that we might address both mercy and justice issues. One way to increase the sensitivity of congregation members to the needs of the community is through the use of prayer walks (see Appendix B.) Congregations across the country are learning to do engage the community through Asset-Based Community Development. This approach recognizes that other individuals and groups in the community have assets - abilities, interests, resources and so on - that can be used to develop relationships and build networks to the benefit of all. There are likely other groups and individuals with the similar interests, with some of them having particular skills and resources that could be used on a project. This would be a key example of building on community assets to build relationships. Another resource is partnering with a program or agency. For example, since food scarcity is an issue in the area, connecting with Cooking Matters ( might be a way to build relationships and address a need. The top needs identified through the Community Leader Interviews were: economic issues: affordable housing, food scarcity, employment, access to resources addiction and mental health issues coordination & communication amongst area organizations/churches The congregation also identified groups that were missing from the congregation relative to the degree that they exist in the community immediately around them. The groups identified as missing from the congregation but are present in the community at large are: young adults with children single parents people from diverse ethnic backgrounds people age (largest group in Laconia but rapidly shifting in Gilford) After reviewing the demographics, community leader interviews, and discussing what are considered to be the key needs of the community, participants noted several missional opportunities: - Our community has a lot of elderly people who don t drive and there is a lack of public transportation. There is the opportunity to connect with organizations needing transportation for clients. - Our community has a large number of families with children. There is a need/opportunity for child care, providing supper for parents, homeless, engaging older adults as volunteers. - Our community is lacking coordination of services/communication related to needs. There is an opportunity for the church to host month/quarterly meetings for groups. - Our community has a number of people struggling with mental illness. There is an opportunity to have the congregation participate in training (i.e. Director of Genesis) in order to better welcome this population to the congregation. Page 7

8 - Our congregation has the asset of people with transportation/vehicles. There is an opportunity to help kids get to healthcare/dental service; help kids get to after-school activities and home after those activities. - Our community has a successful unified program that could benefit from our church providing more or enhanced social opportunities for participants. There is an opportunity to provide the refreshments and personnel to support 1 or more of the program s social events each year in order to provide more inclusion of the developmentally challenged. - Our community has a significant number of hungry people, particularly children. There is an opportunity to work with Gilford and Laconia to create an outreach program to more successfully address the food/nutrition needs of students through the week. Generosity The missional vital signs for generosity are the total giving by the congregation. The chart below indicates the pledged giving since Pledged Giving $170,000 $153,000 $136,000 $119,000 $102,000 $85,000 $68,000 $51,000 $34,000 $17,000 $ This congregation is holding its own financially with a solid base of givers, as well as having significant assets in invested funds and income from Wesley Woods. Pledged giving provided 67% of funds toward the budget in 2014, 71% in 2015, and 68% in The overall trend for giving is on the rise (see chart above). The total number of givers has dropped 21% since 2011 with the largest decline from 2011 to It may be helpful for leadership to investigate this issue as the pledged amount dropped as well. The average pledge per giver has increased 30% since On the one hand, this is a positive trend as people are showing signs of commitment to a life of generosity. At the same time, the number of people pledging has dropped, so it may not simply be related to spiritual growth but a response to increasing financial pressure. In addition, the Real Discipleship Survey shows that only 31% of the participants are tithing. If it doesn t already, the congregation may find it helpful to develop a wholistic, year long stewardship emphasis. The congregation may benefit in working with the UMFNE and/or using other resources throughout the year to strengthen the spirituality of generosity. One important question to ask is: how much money is being directed towards spiritual development? Christian Education is allocated 0.2% of the budget. How is the congregation allocating resources in order to intentionally developing people as followers of Jesus and helping them personally engage with others in the larger community? The need for this aligns with statements earlier in the report indicating a need for an intentional discipleship process. Page 8

9 One additional note, as the congregation engages the process of discipleship, this will change the financial picture of the church. However, a strong word of caution: the focus MUST remain on discipleship. People new to the church will need time and intentional teaching in order to grow in this area of their spiritual life. Also, the number one reason people who are not participating in a church is because they feel religious organizations are too focused on money. 2 Communications The quality of printed communication is average to above average. Bulletins and newsletters are well written and easy to read, and full of information. An important thing to highlight regarding the way the congregation uses the various communication tools is the need to include a good balance of story/testimony. Much of the content falls into announcement or information category. Events are announced. Information is given about ministries. There is an opportunity for those who oversee the communication ministry of the church to tell stories about how lives are being changed as a result of the ministry of FUMC. The website is solid and informative, as well as easy to navigate. A positive thing to note is the ability to listen to sermons online. The website is, however, a bit dated, and very much geared toward the existing congregation. It would be helpful as the pages are updated (also an issue: somewhat dated content) to keep the larger community in mind. The Facebook page has a similar internal focus, and is only sporadically updated. Facebook is another place to tell more of the stories of changed lives in and through FUMC. The congregation may benefit from specific training around story telling and marketing, developing an overall communications plan with a designated budget. Today, websites are an important part of a church s hospitality, particularly in light of a 2012 Online Congregation Survey in which 46% of church attenders said the church website was somewhat to very important in their decision to attend their current church. This was up from 33% in In terms of the website, it might be helpful for the team in charge to consider the following: 1. READABLE CONTENT: Is the content on your website easy-to-read? Is it designed properly for the web, e.g., bullet points, short paragraphs and sentences, appropriate images, etc. 2. UNDERSTANDABLE CONTENT: Can the majority of people who visit your website for the first time understand the meaning of your content? Do ministry names, different campuses, theological statements, etc. make sense to someone unfamiliar with your church or denomination? 3. FINDABLE CONTENT: If users cannot find the content they re looking for, it is not going to be very useful. Content architecture simply means your website navigation is structured in a way that is intuitive, clear, and allows users to quickly find the information they need. 4. ACTIONABLE CONTENT: Once users find the content they need, do they know what the next step is? Is it clear from the content itself? Whether it s signing up to volunteer, attend a service or event, or donate online, all content should contain a simple call to action. Leadership According to the Exploring our Missional Vital Signs, not all participants are clear on how leadership is selected or trained for leadership. Some think the pastor chooses the people. Others think they self-appoint. Only 3 groups identified the Lay Leadership (or Nominations) Committee. The congregation uses the standard leadership structure with the various committees. If this model is working, there is no need to adjust. If there the 2 See the Quadrennium Project Report for the area available on The report shows that for those who are not participating in the life of a local church, 66.4% give the reason they are not active is because they believe religious organizations are too focused on money. Page 9

10 congregation is experiencing challenges regarding leadership, such as burn out, reliance on a small pool of leaders doing the work, etc., then it may be helpful to more intentional in developing a more comprehensive process of leadership development. This is very much related to the work of discipleship. Additional suggestions/resources are: Ultimately Responsible by Sue Nilson Kibbey. Taking advantage of the conference/district events and online denominational training Facility The facility is a modern facility, with a sanctuary in the round that seats over 280 people. There is plenty of onsite parking, and the facility is clearly integral to the ministry of FUMC. Only one Assessing our Facilities sheet was included in the data so it is unclear if this was a summary of several assessments or only one was completed. Also, no comments were added. The assessment was positive with only a few exceptions: - lack of adequate classroom space - inadequate signage on rooms - bathrooms not clean, brightly lit and stocked Because of the lack of comments it s difficult to know more about the issues identified. Page 10

11 Recommendations First UMC of Gilford is a relatively strong congregation, with many things going for it. It has a strong core of leaders and a congregation with many gifted people. There is a willingness to try new things and engage in the deliberative, creative process. These strengths will serve the congregation well as they take the next steps needed to more fully live into the mission of the church. There are natural attendance plateaus for churches, and a host of associated behaviors for each. The leadership would do well to keep those factors in mind as it seeks to reach more people and grow the congregation. Based on what was learned, these are the recommendations: 1. Connect the vision and mission ( The First UMC of Gilford NH is an Evergreen Faith Community. and We, as a caring congregation. ) to the desired outcomes for the congregation and each area of ministry. For example, the vision statement highlights the intent to help people experience spiritual, emotional, and physical vitality in all stages of life. Each year the congregation could establish outcomes in each of these areas. Outcome-based ministry asks the question: What do we want to be different, for our congregation, for people in the church, a year from now? 2. Create a culture of incarnational" hospitality. This congregation needs to grow in its ability to build relationships with non-christians and demonstrate the love of God in tangible ways. This includes the ways guests are welcomed and connected when they walk through the door. A strong, intentional process of hospitality includes activities within the walls of the church building and activities beyond the walls, and are important components of vibrant faith communities. 3. Create a process for intentional discipleship. This is the heart of the matter. Pages 4 & 5 and Appendix A of this report list a few starting points. Churches that are vital and growing have a comprehensive system in place helping people move forward in the stages of faith development, from Exploring to Beginning to Growing and Maturing. This is the glue that hold communities together. It is also the factor that helps churches both reach new people and connect them to the larger faith community, allowing the community to see consistent growth over time, both spiritually and numerically. 4. Engage a coach. Coaching has shown to dramatically increase the effectiveness of leadership and move organizations successfully through the process of change. More and more churches in the New England Conference of the United Methodist Churches are using trained and certified coaches to help them negotiate the challenges of moving toward greater vitality. The cost for a coach is minimal given the benefit to the church. Working with the coach can help the pastor and leadership determine priorities as well as work on developing an overarching vision through which decisions for future ministry are made. There are additional opportunities to join a Shift Network (August 2017) through the Office of Congregational Development (OCD) or Growing with Hope (Fall 2017) in partnership with the OCD and HopeGateWay in Portland, ME that will provide both training and coaching. Page 11

12 Appendix A: Discipleship Process A key part of the process mentioned above is clarifying discipleship. What does a disciple do? The following outline and covenant are possible ways to address the question. The example below illustrates what practices might help a person grow in the area of A life open to Jesus, of which small group participation is only a piece. Below is an example covenant that includes additional areas of growth to which a person might commit. A life open to Jesus Exploring stage 1. Personal relationship (sponsor, mentor, faith guide) 2. Conversation with mentor/sponsor around what life as a disciple might look like 3. Learn the Lord s prayer to join in worship 4. Say grace before meals Beginning stage 1. Foundations class introducing spiritual practices 2. Alpha/Beginnings class introducing basic Christian theology 3. Walk to Emmaus or similar experience Growing stage 1. Provide in-depth training: hospitality, financial mgmt., gifts, spiritual disciplines, scriptural reflection 2. Provide a small group ministry supporting growth as disciples Maturing stage 1. Practice/explore a wide variety of spiritual disciplines 2. Offer spiritual formation opportunities (classes, retreats) 3. Encourage a relationship with a Discipleship coach or Spiritual Director 4. Leadership in classes or small groups Traditional Vows Prayers Presence Gifts Service Witness Dimensions of Discipleship Opening to Jesus/ Obeying Jesus A life of worship A life of generosity A life of service A life of hospitality Membership Covenant Participate regularly in a small discipleship group or other accountable discipling relationship Participate in weekly worship at least 3 weekends each month unless prevented by illness or travel Commit to proportional giving to the ministries of this congregation and to moving toward a tithe Serve in some way in the local community (beyond the walls of the church) each month Invite someone to come with me to church/events at least three times per year and build at least three relationships outside the church to witness to the love of Christ Page 12

13 Appendix B: Prayer Walks This practice of spiritual conditioning invites the congregation to engage the primary mission field face to face. This is the local community, collection of neighborhoods, or region that God calls the church to reach in the name of Christ. The primary mission field is defined by the average distance people in the church and surrounding community drive to work and shop.that is the same distance spiritually yearning people are willing to drive to the destination that meets their spiritual yearnings. This "primary mission field" is extended to adjacent regions as faithful Christians experience an additional "heartburst" to bless emerging publics. Prayer Walking combines personal immersion in the mission field with a simple journaling process. Choose any neighborhood within the primary mission field. This may be a new subdivision, or a neighborhood in cultural or economic transition, or particularly busy street, but encourage people to choose an area within the mission field that they do not usually frequent. The prayer walk group is self-selected and usually not more than 3-6 people. These friends (singles, couples, or families) invest 2-3 hours during the week to walk. You may wish to take notes or verbal comments into a handheld recorder. You may want to stop for coffee and conversation within the group or with perfect strangers, but avoid focusing on yourselves and your friends. Pay attention to others. (For a more robust prayer walk, knock on doors in a particular neighborhood to learn more about that particular area.) Observe Look carefully at people, noting their age, culture, affluence or poverty, conversation and behavior. Note signs, advertising, architecture, technologies, and other things that reveal the nature and mission of the place in which people move. Imagine Observe people again, and imagine whether they are married or single, what occupations they might have, and what life issues and key questions are on their minds. Speculate why people choose to be here, rather than someplace else. Pray Look for signs that the Holy Spirit is here, at this place, and among these people. Pray for strangers, and name the gift of grace you hope God will give the people in this location. After the prayer walk, answer the following questions: What is the agony that I see? One can substitute words like yearning, issues, concerns, and perceived questions. The word agony emphasizes that prayer walkers are trying to discern the deeper anxieties and desperate urgency that surfaces unexpectedly in the behavior, language, art, and habits of people in a particular demographic or lifestyle segment. What is the blessing I long to give? One can substitute words like social service, message, encouragement, and donation. Blessing is a word that leaves maximum room for imagination, and deliberately connect our giving to God s grace. Blessing connotes both outward help and inner renewal. What is the image of hope? Prayer walkers are surrounded by and experience of life, and their two hours of walking are like a snapshot from a larger motion picture that preceded their arrival and will continue when they leave. How would that snapshot change if God worked a miracle? If the agony of the people and the blessing of God intersected, what would that scene look like? The image of hope may connect with the vision of the church or it may disconnect with the vision of the church. Either way, this gives strategic planners food for thought. It is often helpful to conclude the prayer walk reflection by answering the question: If I could rename my church to capture the attention of strangers to grace, what would it be? Prayer walkers can send their completed journals or key insights to the church office where they can be collated (without naming the authors). Preachers and worship leaders may share selected insights with the congregation and with the strategic planners. These insights shape the prayers of the people and provoke conversations among small groups. Page 13