"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven (v.1)
— Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
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The RevWriter Resource (ISSN 1545-939X) A publication of RevWriter Resources, LLC June 2010 Volume 9, Number 6 Susan M. Lang, Editor and Publisher <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Dear Friends: As we're well aware, there is a plethora of church leadership materials, resources, and programs that offer ideas for church growth and transformation. Often leaders decide to follow a plan or approach that worked well in another congregation but then are frustrated when they don't have the same experience the original church had. They may wonder, if it worked for them, why doesn't it work for us? What are we doing wrong? Often it all comes down to the congregational context, which probably differs from that of the original church. All of ministry takes place within a context of time and space. How easy it is for us to forget that. I often hear church leadership teams lament that attendance is down from the figures of the glory days in the fifties and sixties or that it has taken a bit of a nosedive in recent years. They forget that the social context we are in now is very different than it was in those earlier days. During the 1950s and 1960s, church was the only place to go on Sunday and, for many people, it was really the center of family life. Not anymore. Families have sports and other events that demand their time, even on Sundays. This month's author, Pastor Nicole Reilly, invites us to use our senses to make a detailed evaluation of the context in which we serve, both inside and outside the church building. She offers a list of questions that we can use as a template for our reflections. Consider using this as an exercise with one or more committees in your congregation. It would also be a good assignment for an evangelism team to engage in during a day-long leadership retreat. So take time to examine your context and then reflect upon how you can more effectively engage it through your ministry efforts. Blessings for your journey, RevWriter Sue Lang sue@revwriter.com If you need a leadership or other retreat facilitator, contact Pastor Sue Lang at sue@revwriter.com or call 215-453-8128. While Sue does have a list of previous workshop topics, she can create a retreat or workshop to meet the needs of your congregational leadership. Sue can also develop group leadership/learning events for a cluster of congregations that would like to increase their learning capacity by interacting with others and discovering what they are doing in their ministries. Contact her to learn more about congregational cluster workshops! Additional information on Sue's consulting work is also located at: http://www.revwriter.com/congregational/churchconsultant/index.shtml <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17) <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Theme: Examining Your Ministry Context Who would benefit from this issue? Pastors, church staff, congregational boards, all disciples of Christ, and your community. Table of Contents 1 - Devotion: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 by Susan M. Lang 2 - Leadership: Examining Your Context by Nicole Reilley 3 - Questions for Reflection 4 - Resources 5 - RevWriter News 6 - Announcements 7 - Publications Still Available 8 - Subscribe/Unsubscribe Info <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 1 - Devotion by Susan M. Lang Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven (v.1) Nearly twenty-three years ago, a plaque in a Hallmark store caught my eye. It pictured a mother in a rocking chair with a baby on her lap and was engraved with the simple words: "Cherish the rewards that come with each new stage of life." At the time I purchased the plaque because I had just become a mother. Yet even then I knew that while my baby was still an infant she would grow and change and through the years the life as parents which Tom and I were just beginning to get used to would inevitably morph. Ever since I bought the plaque I've had it hanging in the family room surrounded by each year's school photographs of each of our daughters. Today it is positioned just above their graduation photos--high school for youngest and college for the oldest. As I reflect back over the years I realize the many changes that occurred not just in my daughters as they grew, but also in me and my ministry as I adapted to our changing family situations, serving as a part-time interim pastor when they were young and gradually switching to working full-time as an author and church consultant when they began their secondary education. The focuses of my life and ministry have definitely been entwined, each affecting the other, often in fascinating ways. Our reading from Ecclesiastes reminds us that both life and ministry have seasons and contexts that we need to be aware of because they will affect decisions that we make in how we live and engage in ministry. For everything there is indeed a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. O God, help me be aware of the context of my life and ministry so that I might more effectively serve you. Amen. Copyright © 2010 Susan M. Lang <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 2 - Leadership: Examining Your Context by Nicole Reilley One of the basic questions of leadership is, what is my ministry context? In ministry our context impacts programming, outreach, worship, and many other aspects of the local church. Context matters and while one context is not better than another, we may find one context more challenging than another. Keeping that in mind can really help as we seek to build ministry. The importance of my ministry context has been "front and center" the last couple years. When I changed appointments four years ago, my family and I had moved to be in the neighborhood of my new church. But soon after arriving, I realized that not only was the church on the verge of closing, but my son was seriously unhappy. The church's context grew to be heavier than I could handle as I worried about my son. While I ended up staying as the church's pastor, my family and I relocated to our previous neighborhood and I commute an hour each way. Having a happy and healthy child enabled me to deal with the ministry context in a more positive way. Context includes everything from the social economic climate of the congregation, age and history of the church, neighborhood stability, and leadership and health of the congregation. Additional issues such as any trauma that the congregation or previous clergy have experienced, as well as long-term debt or congregational identity confusion, can further complicate understanding a church's context. Let's look at a tried and true way we can explore our ministry context. Using the Five Senses to Gather Information on Our Ministry Context What do you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste in the neighborhood and ministry? Keep a notebook where you can record your growing understanding of your ministry's context. Record what you experience under each sense. See Are things clean in the church? What do the Sunday school rooms look like? Are they warm and welcoming? Do you see young families or retired folks in the community? What is the ethnic mix in the church and community? Many times a church's context is different from the community in which it is located. Take some time to look around the church building and the community, recording what you see. Additional information can be found in the past. Are there photo albums from the church? Look at those for clues about what has mattered to the church. What changes have taken place in the community over the years? Historical books at the local library or Chamber of Commerce should help you discern how the look of the community has changed. Hear What do you hear? What is the tone of people's conversation in the neighborhood--positive and upbeat or negative and downbeat? Go to a local park and "listen in" on conversations. What are people concerned about? Make a list of what you hear people discuss. Do the same thing on Sunday morning. What is talked about at coffee after church or before meetings begin? Is the conversation hopeful about the future? What are the stories people tell? Music can sometimes be an issue in a church. What is the music of the community and what is the music of the church? How are they similar? How do they differ? Smell Look around the church and just smell. When inside do you smell musty classrooms and mothballs? Walk around the neigborhood and smell. Do you detect local factories, the freeway, or grass from homes and parks? At dinnertime what can you smell more: home cooking or fast food? Smell is often overlooked when we talk about our cultural context, but it can be a very helpful tool here. Musty rooms in a church and fast food smells over home-cooking can tell you a lot about a community's past and possible future. Touch What can you touch in the worship center and in the church nursery? Dust and dirt? Worn out toys and nursery furniture? What about in the homes of people with whom you visit? What is available in local stores to touch--fresh produce or packaged snacks? Taste What restaurants are in the community? What is the food at the church potluck? Who might find it appealing and who might not? Visit every local restaurant and make friends with the owners. They can help you understand the various local communities in a neighborhood. Keeping track of what you learn from your five senses can uncover a large variety of cultural issues in a local church and neighborhood. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to listen and ask for clarification. Two more things about context: First, who we are (e.g., our age, gender, life stage, etc.) is important to understand. You and I come to ministry with our own past and worldview. This can both help and hurt our ministry. The fact that I dyed a strip of my hair to match the liturgical season (so my hair can have a green, blue, purple, red or white strip depending on the time of year) was greeted by concern by parents of youth in my suburban congregation. Several came to me concerned about the kind of role model I was being. I explained I did it so people in the community would ask me about it and I could invite them to church. I then expressed my sensitivity to their concern so we could all move forward. Be aware of what you bring to your ministry context--both the good and the bad--and be willing to reflect on it throughout your ministry. In addition to our ministry context and personal context we have a missional context. God calls each person and church into mission in the world. Helping a congregation become sensitive to God's leading here can be the most exciting part of ministry! This--like understanding our ministry context--takes exploration and reflection. It also takes a willingness to risk. Understanding one's ministry context comes first so that missional risks will be entered into with sensitivity to context. Learning about our ministry and personal and missional context enables pastors and congregations to move forward together. Copyright © 2010 Nicole Reilley Rev. Nicole Reilley is a United Methodist pastor specializing in turning around local churches. She currently serves at Santa Margarita United Methodist Church (SMUMC.com) in Southern California. She spends her free time reading books on her Kindle and growing roses. Reach her at RevNicole@aol.com. <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 3 - Questions for Reflection 1. What is your current ministry context? Which of the five senses could you use to gain a greater understanding? 2. What is your personal context? How is that a positive in your current ministry context? How is it a possible negative? 3. What is your missional context? Has there been a need in your community that keeps coming to your attention? 4. How does the social media context of the twenty-first century affect your congregation and its ministry? 5. What are the population demographics of your community? Does your congregation mirror these demographics? Why or why not? <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 4 - Resources Organic Leadership: Leading Naturally Right Where You Are by Neil Cole The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West...Again by George G. Hunter III Our Context: Exploring Our Congregation and Community by Mark D. Johns Transforming Congregational Culture by Anthony B. Robinson Extraordinary Leaders in Extraordinary Times: Unadorned Clay Pot Messengers by H. Stanley Wood Embodying Our Faith: Becoming a Living, Sharing, Practicing Church by Tim Morey, Eddie Gibbs The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World by Alan Roxburgh, Fred Romanuk, Eddie Gibb The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21st Century by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch 5 - RevWriter News Recent RevWriter Sightings: +In June 2010: +Sue is working on a project titled: Networks and the Book of Faith. Stay tuned! +Sue will facilitate a gathering of the Philadelphia Area Ecumencial Resource Network (PAERN) of coaches, consultants, and spiritual directors on June 22 at the United Church of Christ Church House in Collegeville, PA. +Sue is serving as a coach in the ELCA Board of Pensions Journey of Renewal wellness program and will head to Wisconsin to begin work with another synod. +Sue will finish her part in writing a leader guide for "The Greatest Story," an overview of both the Old and New Testaments. <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 6 - Announcements Financial Contributions Welcomed Costs to produce and manage The RevWriter Resource will increase for me this year as the subscriber base continues to grow. Writers of devotions and main articles have always been, and will continue to be, paid. In the past, this has come out of my personal writing income, but as this ministry continues to grow, the cost to me will also continue to increase. In the effort to maintain the ministry provided through the publication of The RevWriter Resource without requiring a subscriber's fee, I am now welcoming contributions from subscribers. Contributions may be sent to: RevWriter Resources, LLC Or through Paypal to sue@revwriter.com Most importantly, I appreciate your prayers as this ministry continues to grow during its seventh year in publication. Blessings, Sue <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 7 - Publications Still Available: +John (Learner Guide and Leader Guide) by Susan M. Lang (Augsburg +Our Community: Dealing with Conflict in Our Congregation by Susan M. +Welcome Forward: A Field Guide for Global Travelers by Susan M. Lang 6-0002-0186-9) A CD of original music by composer Tim Hansen accompanies the book. Visit http://www.revwriter.com for a complete list of publications that Sue has authored. 8- Subscribe/Unsubscribe Info I maintain a strict privacy policy and will not sell or share my subscription list. The RevWriter Resource is sent to you at no cost. If you know of someone who might be interested in receiving The RevWriter Resource, you are welcome to forward it. Please do so only in its entirety, including my copyright information. If someone has forwarded The RevWriter Resource to you, I invite you to subscribe. To do so, visit my website at: http://www.revwriter.com/congregational/resource.shtml#signup Copyright 2002-2010 RevWriter Susan M. Lang. All rights reserved. For permission to quote or reprint, please contact me for written consent at sue@revwriter.com or The Rev. Sue Lang www.revwriter.com
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