Suggested activities for a small church congregation
- Plan a summer picnic to celebrate your
ministry. Talk about your community and congregation — past, present and
future. Share stories about the fun times and challenging times that you
remember. Share your thoughts about an exciting future for your church.
- Take time during a session meeting to
assess the thoughts and stories shared during your summer picnic (see activity
1 above). Talk about what’s happening in your community. Is it possible that
you, along with other congregations, might work together to address a
particular issue?
- Organize some members of your church to
read and discuss Carl Dudley’s book Effective Small Churches in the
Twenty-First Century (Abingdon, 2003).
Vital small church characteristics
A vital small church is one that:
- Studies scripture and prays intentionally
that it may be an instrument of Christ’s justice and peace.
- Knows that its witness goes far beyond the
four walls of the church building.
- Is engaged with its community — both local
and global.
- Recognizes that its communities — local
and global — are changing and that the church of Jesus Christ is always
transforming to respond to these new God given opportunities.
- Is willing to step out in faith to try to
new and different things.
- Reaches out to welcome new people, even
when the newcomers are different from the congregation.
- Knows it cannot do everything and focuses
on a couple of mission projects.
- Engages everyone in the mission and
ministry of the church — from the oldest to the youngest, from the person
who’s been there the longest to the newest person.
- Knows that the pastor and congregation
work together as a team in ministry and mission.
- Takes time out of its hectic pace to
discern where God is leading. It acknowledges God’s blessings and knows that
God continues to sustain it every step of the way.
- Sees being small as a blessing. Resources
may be scarce according to human measure, but are recognized as abundant
blessings from God.
- Knows who it is and whose it is. Knows
that if this faith community is to continue, it is up to the members to engage
in ministry and mission.
- Knows that the vitality of its ministry
and mission will insure a legacy for future generations. No one wants to be
the “last person who turns out the light.”
Prepared by the General Assembly’s Rural and Small Church
Ministries Office, Louisville, Ky.
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