Emerging Spirit - May 18, 2006
May 18, 2006Welcome"We are called to be the church, the body of Christ. We are called into partnership in a world that yearns to be a part of the story of salvation. If this yearning translates into people walking through the doors of our church, will we be ready? If this yearning translates into people walking out of the doors of our church, will they be ready?" —an Emerging Spirit Impact Team member Emerging ...The indispensable key to the long-term impact of Emerging Spirit will be effective congregational leadership. During the eight months Emerging Spirit has been running, our team has consistently heard that many of our leaders do not feel equipped to assist their congregations to recognize and seize the mission opportunities with which we are faced. In one way, the observation comes as no surprise. Leadership at the congregational level now is a highly sophisticated and nuanced art that requires the ability to see and to utilize many different skills and approaches. Some Sunday mornings I sit and observe leadership in the congregation I attend. I marvel at the many different gears our congregational leaders move through even in that short time. The buzzThe Bible is filled with stories about God showing up in surprising ways, often through strangers, guests, and unexpected events. Emerging Spirit is driven by the reality that God is on the loose helping us learn the value of welcoming newcomers and those who may not be "like us" to our congregations. While pretty much every congregation is eager to welcome newcomers, there are skills, tools, and support available that can make the task easier, more effective, and have a deeper impact for the good of your congregation. At the recent spring meeting the General Council Executive approved Emerging Spirit's plan for a series of regional training events on welcoming ministry to be held through the next three years of Emerging Spirit. ON THE LINESites of Interest along the Information Highway
Meeting Our Potentials
Marketing the Church
Inward / Outward: A Project of Church of the Saviour PulsetakingSee more of what our readers are saying in the PulseTaking section of our website.
from Janet (Farr) Parks, North Bay Ont. |
Sign up to receive Emerging Spirit News. It's free! Send this newsletter to a friend…[forward-Click here to send this to a friend] What is Emerging Spirit?Emerging Spirit is working to build connections, nurture relationships, and welcome people to The United Church of Canada. To learn more about Emerging Spirit, see our website. By The numbersSpiritual, but not religious?
See Statscan's "Who's Religious?" study for a wealth of information on the religious practices of Canadians. INTERACTIVEQ. Which is the most critical issue to examine in your context for developing more effective welcoming ministries?
Watch for the results in a future issue of Emerging Spirit News. Results of the May 2, 2006 poll:Q. What kind of changes would you say would be most needed to help make your congregation become more welcoming? (31 responses)
MAKING CONTACTWho are we? Emerging Spirit is an initiative of the General Council of The United Church of Canada. The staff team for Emerging Spirit is based in several different locations around the country. See our short biographical statements to find out who we are and what we do. We want to hear from you. Please send us your suggestions of best practices, ideas for welcoming ministries, and lists of helpful resources. |
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