A Case Study
If you came by St Philip’s MTL West on a Saturday in early June, you would have seen an astonishing sight; more than 100 people; parents, children and friends all playing and having a great time.
They were bouncing away on the bouncy castle, having their faces painted, delighting in the clowns and music. Some were taking tours of the community garden, and most were eating popcorn, cotton candy and Jamaican patties. There was even a craft station where kids were busy making Pentecost wands with doves.
It was all happening in the church yard of St Philips MTL West!! It was our Diocesan Family Day.
Under the leadership of Lee Ann Matthews, who oversaw the planning with a meticulous level of detail, we created a safe place for families and friends to get together and have fun. Then it was all over.
This was a one-off event that did not assume that the participants would automatically start worshipping in Church on Sunday mornings, nor did it demand anything of our guests. Instead, it offered something of value to them: child-friendly fun in a safe environment at a time convenient to them on a Saturday, with food included.
There was a lot of planning and organising to do to bring it all together. This was a Diocesan event with resources behind it. But it is worth noting that Lee Ann put in a lot of time inviting people and advertising the event both throughout the Diocese and, equally important, locally.
Was it a success? Was it impactful? It was a roaring success for the most important reasons of all: because people came and had a great time, all at church.
I think this offers a model for our churches to consider. Many of us continue to struggle with the idea that we should be getting more people to come on Sunday morning, and preferably to take envelopes. But there is another way to build up our communities of faith. It involves learning to love our neighbours first and seeking to serve them.
Ministry is service, not mathematics
Many people think that ministry is like a mathematical equation with a direct result leading straight to Sunday morning attendance. People often, indeed almost always, ask me: but how do we get them to come to Church? I know this is a cry from the heart as we see our Sunday congregations growing smaller over time. The same question arises when discussing children & youth ministry. But how do we get them to come to Sunday school?
The people who come to church on Sunday mornings are those who find value in that discipline. Parents who bring their children to Sunday School tend to be those who find value in what Sunday School has to offer. They are willing to make the effort, usually because they themselves grew up in Church.
We need to realise that in many cases there simply aren’t enough people living in the communities around our churches who have experienced traditional church patterns. Many of those that do live very busy, highly scheduled lives.
Does that mean we should abandon all hope of reaching new people? Certainly not! But we do need to recognise that we must need to start from a different place. A missional place. We need to get to know people and let them get to know us. That begins with embracing the truth that ministry is about serving people without the assumption that they will necessarily start coming to Church on Sunday. It is not a mathematical equation: it is service.
Scattering Seeds
Jesus encourages the ministry of scattering seeds, which I think is an important metaphor for us today. “A farmer went out to sow the seed. Some of it fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop”
For us in the Church now, our task is to re-connect with an entire generation of people who know very little about God or Church and thus do not see value in what we have to offer. We need to think of our mission of scattering seeds in people’s lives by building friendship and positive associations with Church. The Diocesan Family Day did exactly that.
Consider how important it is for the participants to go to church and for the Church to serve them in a way that was appropriate to them. How important it is that families were all playing and having fun in a Church context. Seeds being scattered: church is fun. Others there saw the community garden. That is a great point of contact around a shared purpose. People might be interested in getting involved. These are some of the way ways in which the Church can develop relationships with the people who live around our buildings.
The Environics maps we commissioned tell us a great deal about the kinds of people who live in our neighbourhoods. We can give you specific information about your neighbourhood. With this information we can think more about not attracting them to Church but serving them in ways that are relevant to them and putting on events that offer them something, rather demanding something from them.
• People have social needs, for there is much loneliness and isolation in many communities. Would you think about offering a community meal or dinner church at a time people can make?
• Many have spiritual aspirations. I was checking out a yoga group recently started by someone trying to meet the need for “spiritual fulfilment” in their community. Many are finding ways to meet their spiritual needs in many diverse ways. You could think about offering meditation or reflection groups in your space, even yoga.
• Families are often looking for enrichment opportunities for their children. If you don’t want to do a whole Messy Church, think about putting on a Harvest or Thanksgiving event. If you have pie-makers in your congregations, try an apple pie making event for children. Imagine children going home with the apple pies they made in Church.
The sky is the limit if you have enough imagination. Event-based ministry can be a way to minister to diverse people in a way that is meaningful to them and encouraging for you. Who knows – you might just make some new friends along the way.
Next Steps
1. Ask us for more information about your community MAP. You may be surprised to see how much potential there is around your Church,
2. Come to our special webinar on Saturday September 10th on Event-based gatherings. There will be a free e-book and a panel of very experienced speakers.
3. Then let your imaginations run wild.
