A Volley from the Canon, Number 137--To-Do List

A VOLLEY FROM THE CANON, NUMBER 137 “What Must We Do to Be Saved?” Small Congregations Plead For Their Lives Part V: “More for the To-do List” With the spiritual life of the congregation at the forefront, and the ministry team growing in concept and in practice, only now is the time right for more development to occur, including more active evangelism. Yes, Episcopalians do and must practice evangelism. We can no longer rely, as we did for generations, on our own natural growth, plus the people who have fallen through the cracks of other communions. We have a gospel message to offer, and we must share it. Toward that end, every small congregation ought to do these things, and do them intentionally and well: 1. Plan and expect to grow! Pray for your church. Have an active, creative welcoming ministry that involves the whole congregation. Hospitably receive and incorporate new members. Remember-- Everyone in the congregation is a minister. We all have needs, but none of us is a mere consumer. We all can greet people, introduce ourselves and others, help visitors find a comfortable place, all without overwhelming them • Make, distribute, and wear name tags while at church. Often, that helps more than just the visitors! • Invite people to attend special services, events, and projects. Everyone loves to know they are wanted. 2. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Keep the snail-mail going to those who need it, but use all the modern and growing electronic means as well. Use Facebook, Twitter, You-Tube, and e-lists to keep folks apprised of church interests and activities, including intercessory prayer needs. Never leave anyone out of the loop! • Create and maintain an informative web-site. Don’t rely on a volunteer. This has to be done well, and it is a constant duty, not a spare-time thing, to keep up to date. • Use every means at your disposal to advertise to the community at large. But don’t waste money on out-of-date, expensive venues. Yellow Pages are passé, suddenly. Newspaper ads are headed in that direction. Billboards, well-placed and designed, can get good notice. Yard signs, promotional banners and balloons, flyers well-distributed, posters and notes on public bulletin boards, crawlers on the local cable—all these can be effective. Don’t forget word of mouth, the cheapest and most productive advertising of all! • Place attractive, welcoming signs so that people can find driveway entrances, parking, and locations in the church, including how to get into the building. • Look at your parking area. Is it well-lighted, well-laid-out, well-maintained? Do you have designated spaces for newcomers? Do members greet unfamiliar faces even out in the parking lot, to welcome them and help guide them to nursery or church door? 3. Focus on your mission. Every congregation should have an important, worthwhile ministry for which it is known in the community. Use that, not only to meet the needs of the people, but also to build relationships among members, and to attract new ones interested in that ministry. 4. Engage in cooperative ministries, when practical, with other Episcopal congregations and with other compatible ecumenical ones as well. 5. Avoid internal conflicts and infighting like the Devil. Guess who sponsors and encourages that sort of thing, anyway! One internal brouhaha can undo all the hard work of years of evangelism and congregational development. 6. Enjoy, celebrate, and love the life of your church, as an indispensible part of your own spiritual life. Never let it become a chore or a burden. In the midst of it all, keep an eye on your own well-being, relationship with God and neighbors, and peace of mind.