Saturday, January 19, 2008

Choosing Fun Over Drudgery

I Refuse To Lead A Dying Church - Chapter 3

The simple yet powerful truth contained in this chapter is this: "When is the last time you had FUN in church?"

Paul Nixon writes in this chapter that it may seem a trivial thing to think about having fun in church and that it might be difficult to believe that a church might indeed choose drudgery. We called it other things like: discipline, tradition, duty, liturgy, order - what have you.

I would not say that we have chosen drudgery over fun, yet I do get the sense that we rather easily get our feathers ruffled and choose to talk and whisper and yes, gossip about what has not gone our way or about the things we disagree with. We have some learning and growing to do in that respect.

I am convinced that every word and action that comes from us both as a church and as an individual have to be ones that are filled with energy, positive comments and faithful service. It's about joy and positive energy! And it is about what will work best to reach the community, not what about will ensure my own fine sense of good taste. It should be fun to go to worship, regardless of the liturgical style.

Paul Nixon gives the following examples that bring fun to any worship service:
  • Gentle humor shared by the preacher
  • Music that the average person can hum on the way home
  • Color and festive decor in the room
  • A mix of predictability and surprise in the order of worship
  • A great music artist whose music is going to be a WOW for most in attendance that day
  • An interview with people who beiefly interact off -script, talking about their lives or mission experience or relevant experience
  • Taking worshio outdoors once or twice a year
  • The experience of "aha!" God talking to me
  • Pleasant interaction with people before, during and after worship
  • A special event outside of worship itself, a way to engage the community.

We have accomplished some of these things and found that they have added to our experience together. There are others I think are important that we could accomplish together.

*Color and festive decor: This year for Advent and Christmas we purchased some new banners for the front of the sanctuary. They were vibrant and added a new dimension to the worship space. We need more of them and more color and festive decor throughout the sanctuary and parlor. Banners and paraments are expensive to buy, but can be made simply and inexpensively by those who have an artistice flair. Is that something you or someone you know could do?

*Pleasant interaction before, during and after worship: A year ago after remodeling and updating the parlor, our interaction increased significantly. It have noticed it has taken a bit of a backstep recently. I have looked at the parlor space recently and think it needs some re-arranging, some new art and color and new ways to invite people.

One of the things we struggle with is our coffee and snacks and how we see that part of what we do. Paul Nixon asserts and I agree that we need to serve our coffee and snacks as people arrive and not as people are rushing to leave. I want to give people a reason to come early and spend time in that space and with other people. In the coming weeks we are going to be changing up the space and asking people to offer to being snacks early and invite people into conversation prior to worship.

I love having fun, laughing and sharing in the wonder of life. If we are willing to have fun, to reach out, to share in joy with others, our numbers will increase and we will grow. It is about evangelism and sharing good news. Our vision to be refreshed, renewed and revived is so compelling that we need to share it with others. We need to share it with anyone who will listen and then invite them to come along on the journey.

The possibilities are unlimited and are only curbed by our lack of courage and vision. Whatever it is we do as a church, we must find ways to have fun in the doing! Drudgery is deadly.

Friday, January 11, 2008

I Refuse To Lead A Dying Church

January 11, 2008
Choosing Community over Isolation - Chapter 2

Every day when I pull into the church parking lot and make my way in to the building, I wonder, sometimes outloud, how we will ever reach the community that is right around us? Within walking distance to our church are many, many children and families of all kinds that are without a church and have needs that we would be able to meet if we had the courage to go out and meet them.

The second chapter of the book talks about Choosing Community Over Isolation. We have a huge, wonderful, old, in need of some repairs and updated building. It has served its purpose extremely well over the last 50 plus years. But I sometimes think, as the chapter says, that our building is a fortress. We keep the doors locked 99 percent of the time, our signs in our building to direct people are non-existent, and often our ministry is for US and not those who are living close to us.

The question before us is: Are we willing to choose our community over the isolation of what we call "The Oasis on West Elm United Church of Christ.

We are taking our first ever Misson Trip this summer to Applachia. The commitment that 17 people made to go on this trip will spur us to think about mission right around our fortress. In mid February we will receive a notebook with study materials, a bible study, and a plan and commitment to reach out around us.

In March we will be hosting our first families from "Family Promise". These families will sleep in our church and use our facility for a week at a time. This will stretch us and challenge us to share our building and our resources to the limit. I am praying we will have the courage to open our building to others.

On Ash Wednesday I will be offering "Drive-By Ashes" from our parking spaces on Elm Street. People can drive by, receive ashes on their forehead and get a cup of coffee. I am going to take the opportunity to show people that our church is alive and well and that we have life to offer. If you would like to join me, let me know.

Choosing Community over Isolation is a key for our life together.

What are you willing to do to reach out to our community around us? Or should we just board up the doors and do something else?

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Happy 2008

Happy New Year! 2007 was a great year at the Oasis on West Elm and ended on a high note with Christmas caroling and the Christmas production of a "Cricket County Christmas Cruise." For me it was the highlght of the year.

2008 holds many new opportunities for us. We will be taking our first ever MISSION TRIP to Appalachia this summer and you are invited to join us. We will be publishing the dates and cost very soon, so be looking for that.

We will also be sponsoring a leadership weekend retreat as we plan out our ministry for the days to come. Look at the blog for more updates and continued writing about "I Refuse to Lead A Dying Church" book study group.

Pastor Jim Oates