Meeting Your Neighbors David Schoen Congregational Vitality and Discipleship United Church of Christ.
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Meeting Your Neighbors David Schoen Congregational Vitality and Discipleship United Church of Christ Meeting your neighbors Reclaiming the Biblical focus on neighbors Missional in purpose Relational in outreach Get the church outside of itself It’s all about relationships Conversational in witness Talking about faith and life Change or Opportunity Meeting your neighbor will mean changing your program but just program change is not answer Meeting your neighbor will call for change of mindset and understanding of church Making the missional shift from focusing on church itself to asking what God is up to in the neighborhood Change = Opportunity Missional Church “The Church exists to serve God’s Mission” Mission as Missio Dei, UCC Committee on Structure, 1992 The church of Jesus Christ is an instrument and sign of God’s mission and realm. God’s mission is calling and sending us, the church of Jesus Christ, to be a missionary church in our own societies, in the cultures in which we find ourselves. Missional in Purpose Missional congregations Missional congregations are sent churches Missional congregations clear sense of purpose reach out beyond themselves Missional congregations birth new ministries and congregations Vital congregations discern God’s call and mission The greatest characteristic of a vital congregation is the ability to articulate and live God’s purpose. What is God calling this church to be and do at this time, in this place, with the gifts we have on this corner of God’s realm that we are placed? Does your church love your neighbor (as it loves itself) ? Missional in Purpose Relational in Outreach Ministry in 21st Century is Relational Build community with those outside the church Get to know your neighbors and neighborhood This means Get out of the church! Relational in Outreach Bridge the gap by building relationships The days of waiting for people to come to church to welcome them are over. Instead of waiting inside, we go outside Meeting your Neighbors Walk or Drive your neighborhood Watch for where God is at work Take notes, make a map, collect contact data Who lives where What are community needs Who are allies and good neighbors Do this again and again Talk to your neighbors What are the hopes and challenges of neighbors How can the church be a good neighbor? Getting to know your neighbors and neighborhood Invite Neighbors to focus group discussion Invite civic leaders, neighborhood planners What is happening in neighborhood? What are future trends and plans? What are physical/spiritual needs? How can church be good neighbor? Study Demographics MissionInsite http://missioninsite.com/ MissionInsite Reports MissionInsite Reports Ministry Applications for Mosaic Lifestyle Portraits Getting MissionInsite Info UCC has national contract with MissionInsite Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Penn Southeast, Ohio, Michigan, Southeast, Wisconsin, Southwest and Southern California Nevada Conf ’s Participants in this Webinar in another Conf. Go to http://www.ucc.org/newchurch/gallup/MIHow-to-Register-UCC-National-8-09.pdf Meeting your Neighbors ‘Hang out’ with your neighbors Meet neighbors where they gather Spend Sunday morning with your neighbors Pastors ‘office’ in a coffee shop, fast food, bookstore. Have meetings outside the church. Soccer matches, Lowes, Coffee Shop, Exercise Bible/book studies in coffee shop, book store Council meetings in neighborhood context Engage in conversation, build relationships, Collect data of names/addresses/e-mails Meeting Your Neighbors Random Acts of Kindness Clean the streets in neighborhood Block or neighborhood parties, picnics Free car washes, free ‘bake sales’ Charity or Accompaniment? Frazzled parent dinners College student dinners Senior Dance evenings Not ‘we are here to serve you because you need us’ We are here to accompany, walk with you and this neighborhood seeking to as good of neighbors and community as we can be. Culture doesn’t care about your growth needs. Going where Your Neighbors Are Go to the unlikely places Tattoo parlors Bars and Taverns “I stopped wondering about how to draw younger folks into my church and started focusing on how to draw my congregation out of its building and into relationship with the world outside its doors.” Relational in Outreach Conversational in Witness Conversational ministry is central to the future of the church in 21st Century Count conversations, not conversions Brian McLaren, More Ready than You Think Conversational Ministry The postmodern world calls for disciples who reach out to a world that is hungering for good conversation about faith, values, hope, meaning, purpose, goodness, beauty, truth, life after death, life before death and God. Engaging in everyday faith conversations will not only help others become disciples, it will help us become disciples, who know and love the still speaking God more than ever. Conversational about Faith and Life Spiritual Seekers want to talk. We are the ones not talking. Reverence for God – silence and service. Holy Conversations – Richard Peace Tell it Like it is: Reclaiming the Practice of Testimony - Lillian Daniel Your neighbor doesn’t know you do what you do. why Conversational in Witness Buzz Marketing Evangelism One beggar telling another where there is food Come and See! Belonging and Believing Christianity is more caught than taught! As Professor Robin Gill observes, belonging comes before believing. Today, evangelism is helping people belong so that they can believe. No Matter Who You Are or Where You Are on Life’s Journey, You Are Welcome Here! Love Your God and Neighbor The Evangelistic Love of God and Neighbor: A Theology of Witness and Discipleship, Scott. J. Jones, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2003 If we love our neighbor and our God We will share our still speaking faith and community with them. We will find appropriate ways and time to do so. Are You Ready to Talk? Why do you love your church? What impact has believing in God and following Jesus made in your life? What spiritual experience has made a difference in your life? Still Speaking Conversation and Invitation with Neighbors Informal moments at work, shopping or…. Be attentive for moments for a still speaking word Become a Still Speaking Voice Wear your still speaking witness Home dinners with neighbors First Welcomers New Neighbors Public Worship Ashes to Go E. Word = Elbow “The e.word today is elbow.” Jim Griffith Still today the way most folks find a community of faith is when they are invited to come and brought by a friend or neighbor. Friend–Raising Weekend 315 Congregations 4,200 visiting guests 6.2% increase in worship St. Stephen’s UCC Journey UCC 35 guests from 79 invitations 33 members - 36 guests New Vision UCC Guest still coming God is still speaking, Through you and me! Go Forth…. Into the Virtual World. In Asia, Europe and North America—an entire generation has experienced the Internet as a means for maintaining relationships with family and friends. The Internet is a lifeline for users whose mobility is limited by disability, chronic illness or advanced age. The Internet is where we can find and engage our neighbors (and the world). Costs are nominal or FREE! Meeting your Neighbor on-line Connecting with neighbors on-line Church Website Invitational Interactive Messaging E.newsletter Links Facebook Church fanpage Your own Links Advertising Meeting your Neighbors with new Technology E-mail Blasts Daily Devotional Twitter You Tube Webinars Go To Meetings Apps Meeting your neighbors Reclaiming the Biblical focus on neighbors Missional in purpose Relational in outreach Get the church outside of itself It’s all about relationships Conversational in witness Talking about faith and life Meeting Your Neighbors Get started Pray, Pray for your neighbors and congregation This takes time, strategy and work. Get a team of ‘bright-eyed’ people together Study and conversation with congregation Takes support of congregational leaders Just get started. Do one thing. Start with strength Meeting Your Neighbors Thank you for your vital Leadership Blessings as you meet your neighbors and discover what God is up to in your neighborhood!