Just What is a Vital Church Anyway?

One of the difficulties in bringing our churches into the 21^st century is defining what a successful church is. Is it based on the number of members? Or perhaps more accurate would be a measure of the number of people 'touched' during the course of a year. Maybe we should abandon numbers all together and consider the strength and quality of worship, or whether folks are growing spiritually, or if work and mission are done in small group settings.

Well, I think you get the idea. If there were a succinct or even a convoluted answer to the question, I could send you all out "Jim's Simple Eight Point Plan for Church Growth and Vitality" and in a few months everything would be fine.

If only.

So, what are we left to do? Well, part of the answer comes from the results of two recent studies, the Faith Communities Together (FACT) and the US Congregational Life Surveys (CLS). Over 1200 congregations participated in the 2010 FACT survey, including many from the UCC. You could spend hours as I did perusing the results (if you're a numbers person) or sit back and continue reading. Marjorie Royle, a professional researcher and the UCC's own David Schoen distilled the data down into manageable facts and ideas. Here are some of them:

• The concept of church vitality is difficult to define and probably more difficult to capture in quantitative measures. Like fine art, we may not be able to define it, but we "know it when we see it." (our Conference Ministers can often tell in the first 15 minutes of a visit if a congregation is vital or not)
• Vitality is more than numbers. A vital congregation is one that makes a real difference in the lives of its members and the wider community.
• Congregations which report themselves as vital are more likely to be in good financial health.
• Over a third of self identified vital congregations report an increase in worship attendance of at least 5% in the past 5 years.
• Over 90% of self identified vital congregations report that their worship is good to excellent.
• Working for social justice and being a moral beacon in the community are marks of congregations that describe them selves as vital.
• Vital congregations are willing to change to meet new challenges, including:
  • 66% made significant changes to worship services
  • 23% have become ONA
  • 89% use email, 73% have a website, 41% use Facebook
• Vital congregations take advantage of programs offered by the denomination.

There's more, but you get the idea. It's important to note that vital congregations are found in every Conference, age of congregation, ethnicity, urban, suburban, or rural setting, and size.

Want to know more?

Click here to read or download "How Vital Are We?" - a report on UCC results from the FACT survey.

Click here to read or download "Your Church Better" - 11 facts about Congregational Vitality in UCC Congregations

For 64 pages of data, charts and graphs from the FACT UCC data, click here.

And don't forget the treasure trove of information available on the Congregational Vitality section of the UCC website: www.ucc.org/vitality/

If this is a topic long overdue for dialog in your congregation, don't wait until it's too late. Want help starting the discussion? Be in touch.

Let's see what else we have to share this month.

Peace,

New Keys for an Old Door:

Unlocking a New Idea of Church

This event, coming September 24^th, fits nicely with the Vitality conversation above. Alan Parker, chair of the Church Growth Committee, recently penned  

 

Ten Things You'll Take Away with Your New Keys

 

1. Tools for conversation and communication with people your church REALLY wants to reach out to;
2. Ideas for shaping the way your church governs itself that are consistent with the new realities of church life;
3. A sharpened appreciation for what churches with long history need to conserve about their way of being church, and the things we need to let go of;
4. Specific ideas for 'being church' beyond focusing on Sunday morning worship;
5. Ideas for re-enlivening the Sacraments in ways that speak to a new generation of people who are 'spiritual but not religious;
6. Practical advice on how to create and sustain small groups within and beyond your present church family; for study, mutual support, fellowship, and spiritual practice/exploration;
7. Great fellowship, food, and shared worship;
8. New connections with people from other Vermont churches that are wrestling with the same struggles that your church is experiencing;
9. A renewed sense of hope and inspiration - for the world and for your church;
10. At least a couple of new friends, a brand new key, and a surprise to keep with you!

 If you haven't signed up a group from your church to attend, please don't delay. Registrations are pouring in, and will fill to capacity soon! Registration deadline is September 9th. 

 

Click here for a brochure and registration form.

Stewardship Bible Verses that will Preach!

Looking for a biblical place to begin your Stewardship sermon? Here are 10 possibilities:

# 10: 2 Corinthians 8
"Anything you can do I can do better"

Generosity is not circumstantial and giving is a privilege. In this passage, Paul uses the story of the Macedonians' abundant generosity in the face of trial to encourage the Corinthians to give generously.


# 9: Micah 6:8
"Three steps to the good life"

The focus of stewardship is not our money or our possessions, but rather the attitude of our heart. The attitudes of justice, kindness and humility shape the way we view, use and give our money and possessions.


# 8: Luke 18:18-27, especially 18:25 (Mark 10:17-22)
"Let's hope that camel has been on a diet"

Stewardship is a matter of the heart. Our possessions often interfere with our relationship with God, steering our focus from creator to creation. Although wealth brings many privileges and benefits, Jesus cautions his followers to beware of wealth's power to lure their hearts away from God.


# 7: Genesis 1-2:4, especially 1:26-27, 31
"Who do you see when you look in the mirror?"

Stewardship originates from the creation story. In this story, God impresses God's own image upon humanity and charges humanity to care for all creation. God is the maker of all things and we are called to be responsible stewards of God's creation.


# 6: 2 Corinthians 9
"Reaping, sowing and your pearly whites"

God provides all that we need and we give in response to God's provision. God desires intentional gifts that can be freely given with a smile. As we give we not only meet the needs of others but we also give thanks to God.


# 5: Luke 19:1-10
"So money does grow on trees"

Stewardship is, first and foremost, about relationships. Zacchaeus' relationship with his possessions, and by consequence his relationship with others, is affected by Jesus' initiation of a relationship with him. Through our relationship with Jesus we are changed; our relationship with Jesus ignites within us a desire to use our possessions responsibly to meet the needs of others.


# 4: Luke 21:1-4 (Mark 12:41-44)
"Two coins makes all the difference"

Jesus commends the widow for giving all that she had to live on. As stewards we are called to give our whole life-time, talent and treasure-to God. We are also called to create sustainable systems of giving so that the rich do not prosper at the expense of the poor. Stewardship is for everyone, the rich and the poor.


# 3: Matthew 6:21 (Luke 12:34)
"Burying your treasure in the clouds"

Where you put your money takes your heart with it. "The point isn't that how we spend our money reveals what sort of people we are, but that how we spend money determines what sort of people we become." (Giving to God, Mark Allan Powell, Robert and Phyllis Leatherman professor of New Testament, Trinity Lutheran Seminary)


# 2: Luke 10:25-37
"Yes, your neighbor includes that random naked guy"

The parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that we, as stewards of God's world, are called to care for all creation, including our neighbors. Good stewards recklessly give of themselves to their neighbor and in doing so model God's love for all creation.


# 1: Matthew 25:13-40
"Where have you been hiding your money lately?"

The parable of the ten talents emphasizes that we are all stewards, no matter how little or how much God has entrusted us with. As stewards, how we spend, save and share our money matters to God.

The world asks:  "What do you own?"  God asks, "How do you use what you have been given?"

A "bargain" is something you can't use at a price you can't resist.

A Christian is one who does not have to consult his bank book to see how wealthy she really is.

Money can buy a house, but not a home. Money can buy a bed, but not sleep.  Money can buy a wedding ring, but not love.  Money can buy a clock, but not time.  Money can buy an education, but not wisdom.  Money can buy jewelry, but not beauty.  Money can buy insurance, but not safety.  Money can buy a crucifix, but not a Savior.

A dad is a man who has replaced the money in his wallet with snapshots of his family.

The real measure of our wealth is how much we'd be worth if we lost all our money.

Hard work is the yeast that raises the dough.

The best investment is in the tools of one's own trade.

The poorest people in the world are those who have nothing but money.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps you in touch with the children.

Many people spend most of their life losing their health to try and gain wealth, and then spend the end of their life losing their wealth trying to gain their health.

You are only poor when you want more than you have.