Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada

Issue 6

March 2006

Welcome

"Welcoming is far more than just the physical expression such as greeters at the door, name tags, etc.—more than anything it is about the church being relevant and understanding."

—Report from TerraNova Discovery Workshop

Inside Out

The Passion

by Graeme Burk

The way to the cross has lasted my whole lifetime. It began well before my lifetime in fact, and will last long after. The way to the cross has changed for me many times in my life, and it will change many times before I die.

When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with story of the crucifixion. That makes a great deal of sense when you think about it—all teenaged males are, in their own way, homicidal maniacs who are obsessed with death. As a teenaged comic book reader, the big event was always the issue where a superhero died. (X-Men #137—Phoenix dies; Alpha Flight #12—Guardian Dies; Batman #428—Robin dies). The coolest thing about horror movies—any movie really, though—were the scenes laden with blood and gore (Carrie, Reservoir Dogs, the list goes on... ). And we don't need to talk about video games.

[read the full article]

The Buzz

by Aaron McCarroll Gallegos

As part of our research into the potential audience for an invitation from The United Church of Canada, Emerging Spirit worked with TerraNova Marketing Strategies to host a "Discovery Workshop." Discovery Workshops are community-based gatherings that bring together 18-30 participants for an active three-hour working session. During our session, participants were led through a series of questions, exercises, and discussions to determine what they thought about spirituality, religion, and The United Church of Canada.

Read the full report from TerraNova's Discovery Workshop, as well the reports from the other Emerging Spirit research initiatives:

• Environics
• Emerging Spirit Questionnaire

Welcoming Ministries Tool Box

The following review may be helpful to you as you consider the current context of the church and how your congregation can be more welcoming to people in their 30s and early 40s.

U2: Surprising Partners in Spiritual Journey

Reviewed by Bill Gillis

Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2
by Steve Stockman (Relevant Books: Orlando, 2005)

I have come across Bono a lot lately. I have just read the book; Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2. It is a good read for anyone wondering about the role of the church in contemporary society. Author Steve Stockman recounts the faith journey of Bono and his fellow band members. He lifts up the spiritual themes in much of their music and traces Bono's troubled path of trying to make sense out of the difference between belief and organized religion. Bono has more than once made a comment that the church often gets in God's way.

[read the full article]

Tell us what you think! Post your own comments about this resource.

Do you have suggestions for resources that can help congregations strengthen their welcoming ministries? Let us know!

Pulsetaking

Below are samples of some of the e-mails Emerging Spirit has received. Go to the PulseTaking section of our website to see more of what readers are saying.

from Christina Davis, Holly United Church Mission, Barrie, ON
I was left with an empty feeling after reading the article on welcoming and including children. How many churches actually devote staff and resources to children's ministry? The days of endless volunteers to teach Sunday school and lead youth groups are long gone—if in fact they ever existed.

As a minister in a United Church mission (a new church development), I am faced with trying to attract newcomers to a faith community where there is no youth minister or Sunday school person. This is a commuting community and prospective attendees are already stretched for time. As for seekers and lapsed alumni, they do not have the understanding of the gospel and the United Church or the training to lead youth. Teaching by rote from a curriculum will not keep the kids coming. They have serious questions and they want serious answers.

Perhaps changes to staffing models could be placed in front of the research/focus teams. Would you bring your children to a church where no programs existed for their Christian nurture?

The issue of staffing is reaching crisis levels across our church, not just in the area of new church development or redevelopment.

Many in United Church leadership talk about a new paradigm but leadership models and funding approaches are still firmly entrenched in the 50s and 60s. Seeker and child friendly facilities are great IF you have qualified persons to staff the programs. Music ministry budgets must also reflect the new paradigm. One person, one hour a week for worship on Sunday morning and a choir practice—all for $100 honorarium—this won't work with music requiring three musicians and a lead singer.

The more often these topics are raised the better.

from Janet Duval, Georgetown, ON
The web site is interesting and fun. It's useful as my own church looks at a "Vision for 2020." However Lesley Harrison's February piece stopped me short. What is "a praxis model?" Please speak in lay language!