(note--on November 17 a group of parishioners, including some Vestry members, met with Canon Neysa Ellgren to talk about dreams and challenges of a renewed Saints Peter and Paul. Below are Neysa's notes from that conversation)
NOTES FROM OUR DIALOG ON RENEWAL
with Neysa Ellgren
11/17/2011
Who we are today:
Our identity includes our past and our present, with all the memories and stories, people and places, joys and sorrows, blessings and difficulties of our common life. All informs who we are now.
Some of the things included in our identity:
• Great people
• We were very fast growing in the 1980’s – with lots of kids and colorful spaces
• We are a small church
• The shape of our liturgy
• Things get started here
• Celtic renewal
• Strong outreach
• Interdenominational
• Spiritual
• Loving and welcoming
• Became a part of things right away and now have been here 56 years
• There are fewer kids here now but lots of babies
• We are welcoming to children with special needs
• Great rector and great preacher
• Modified Anglo-catholic worship style
• Musical tradition of men and boys choirs
• Music – includes chant
• Choir thin at the moment
• Great LEV relationship
• Wednesday worship is important to me
• Spiritual depth here
• It can be hard to come and enter in here
• Pastoral care is shared
• People are worn out right now
• It is difficult when core members die
• There are young people here
• There are fewer pledges now
• We have a deficit budget
• Less volunteers and those we do have are stretched thin
• We have a Spanish language service
• We are a Believe Outloud congregation
In his address at diocesan convention this year, Bishop Michael talked about the three areas most important for congregational renewal sited by Margaret Wheatly. They are identity, communication and relationship. We have talked about our identity. How about the other two?
Communication
• Can be frustrating
• Our website: we have one but it is amateurish (this was before new site was posted!)
• It can be hard to grab on to what we need to know
• Not enough verbal communication
Relationships
• Are prime in everything
• Retired clergy are part of things here and are interested in change
The culture is changing rapidly around us. Our communities are changing and our congregations reflect that. Fewer people formally join our churches. We have fewer resources at the moment – both financial and human. And yet – people are very spiritually hungry. They find spiritual identity in eclectic and inter-faith ways. Where is the Spirit of God moving us as a community right now? Where do we find spiritual nurture within this community? What is God inspiring us to be and do now for the people of God? We can count on God beside us.
Where now does God call us to follow, invest, trust and renew?
Small group Talking, Dreaming, Visioning results:
• Be homey - be who we are
• Rahab’s Sisters connections – we are all the same with the same worries, joys and etc.
• Ministry Booklet so all know what we do and how to get involved
• One of our young adults will be leading our vestry retreat using mission and ministry model from World Vision
• Increase our finances creatively
• Reserves
• Church windows computer program
• We do family stuff – be together – intergenerational
• Family-child-youth outreach: giving tree, playgroups, school supplies, food, goosehollow
• Alternative worship
• Children and youth worship
• Small groups
• Attention to space – Redo Jenkins Hall to make it beautiful and comfy
• The congregation as a stable place in the chaos of change in the world
• A thurible – prayers ascending – sweet perfume in the midst of stench
• Boiler ministry – keeping heat and warmth – boiler is fragile right now
• Bigger, Louder, Prouder
• Joyful spiritual connection – choir first
• Pubs can be spiritual places – evangelism to where people ARE
• Outside – air and light
• Joyful noise – sit up front
• Attention to the babies
• Spiritual activities, labyrinth
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