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Channing Memorial Church |
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Note: This church year, Channing has evolved from having a Worship Committee, with a small group meeting monthly to support Rev. Amy Freedman with worship development, to a Worship Associate model, with an open invitation made each quarter to the congregation to participate in planning and coordinating services. Volunteer leaders serve as Worship Associates each quarter.
As expressed in the First Year of Decision Focus Session, many of the reasons people come to Channing are closely tied to worship and spirituality. (see First Focus Session summary)
Amy, the staff, and the congregation, with the support of the former Worship Committee and current Worship Associates, have made excellent strides toward meeting these needs through our commitment to Ministry Together, with worship, music, SGM, Soulful Sundown and other programs developing and expanding our spiritual community as well as feeding individual spiritual needs.
However, Amy, the staff, and many in the congregation are distracted by increasing emphasis on church administration and problem-solving. Our resources are strained and out of balance, and worship and spirituality are not getting the focus they deserve. (Also, we seem to be organized as a program-sized church, while our resources reflect a pastoral sized church, which may be placing additional strain on our resources.) (see Understanding Congregational Growth)
If we do not achieve a healthy balance between our resources and our needs, we risk a continued strain on the spiritual life of our congregation, resulting in reduced maturational growth. (see Channing and Growth) This in turn will make Channing less attractive to members and visitors, and have a negative effect on numerical growth, compounding our existing problems.
What we have now is not sustainable - our buildings, staff, minister, and volunteers are overtaxed. Given our current situation, numerical growth is definitely needed. Numerical growth, both in membership and in financial resources, will enable an increased focus on spirituality and worship, which will improve maturational and incarnational health through:
- the continued presence of a talented and creative minister, who can focus on ministry while providing selective support to other areas of our congregation
- the availability of an intern or assistant minister, to share the responsibilities of ministry as well as church administration, and to provide a different perspective
- additional administrative staff to support the minister, other staff members and volunteers
- providing a welcoming environment, with comfortable, attractive spaces available for social and educational gatherings open to members and visitors, as well as spaces for use by the wider community
- involving a variety of guest speakers and musicians to enrich the worship experience
- expanded programs for adult enrichment
- added focus on offerings for teens and young adults
- strong community outreach and activities involving the community
We believe that once a conscious decision is made to grow, numerical growth can be easily achieved over time. In addition to seeking out guidance from the district, we should also increase the awareness of members, especially new members, about the expectations of membership, which include sharing our resources, both time and money, to support the life and work of our church. Clear communication about what resources are needed, as well as clear communication about how each member can contribute, will go a long way toward achieving balance between our vision and our resources.