Emerging Spirit News - October 2005
Issue 1October 2005WELCOMEWelcome to Emerging Spirit News, a monthly newsletter that offers information, stories, and tools from Emerging Spirit. Emerging Spirit is a new initiative working to build connections, nurture relationships, and welcome people between the ages of 30-45 to The United Church of Canada. Each issue of Emerging Spirit News will feature updates on this exciting new campaign, reflections on the work and its findings, models of best practices, and helpful tools for ministry with people between 30 and 45. Help us build momentum for Emerging Spirit by passing this newsletter on to your friends, family, or anyone else you think may be interested. EMERGING…People ask how I like working with Emerging Spirit. Much excites but, at some level, it is spiritual turf that feels familiar and engaging. I went back into pastoral ministry 14 years ago with a congregation that, only three years previously, had seen every one but two people walk out the door in reaction to the General Council 1988 decision that welcomed people to serve as ministers in the United Church of Canada regardless of their sexual orientation. I felt the excitement of the opportunity but knew that real issues needed to be addressed if the congregation was to grow to be vital and faithful. I was granted enormous permission to rethink accustomed patterns and to test new approaches. Those were heady days. It soon became clear that leadership of a redeveloping church was hard work. THE BUZZWhat is Emerging Spirit?Emerging Spirit is working to nurture the relationship of The United Church of Canada with people in their 30s and early 40s who do not currently attend church and inviting them to join us on the journey of faith. Emerging Spirit Contains Two Parallel Strategies
BEST PRACTICES AND OTHER GOOD IDEASTen Ways to Re-engage UsI'm a little sceptical of anything that puts any generation into a box. But that said, 30 to 45-year-olds are generally absent from United Church-shaped boxes. I am one of the absent, and have been for about five years. In my experience, people my age (the lower end of the 30-45 age range) are focused on five things: marriage, babies, career, aging and dying parents, and money. For the most part, we have left behind our teen-and-mid-20s "search for meaning." We're pretty absorbed in the day-to-day of life, and we are BUSY. Plus, congregations are often flummoxed by how to keep highly-transient 20-somethings involved. Therefore, by the time a UCCer reaches the grand old age of 30, we may not have warmed a pew in years. Think of the following list as an invisible suggestion box, on behalf of a generation, containing tips to lure us back to church, meet our needs, and maximize our contributions. Ten ways to re-engage us ... WELCOMING MINISTRIES TOOL BOXThe following books may be helpful to you as you consider how your congregation can be more welcoming to people in their 30s and early 40s.
Powerful Persuasion: Multi-media Witness in Christian Worship
Always in Rehearsal: The Practice of Worship and the Presence of Children
Becoming a Blessed Church: Forming a Church of Spiritual, Presence, and Power All titles available from UCRD. Do you have suggestions for resources that can help congregations strengthen their welcoming ministries to people between the ages of 30-45? Let us know! |
Sign up to receive Emerging Spirit News each month. It's free! What is Emerging Spirit?Emerging Spirit is a new initiative working to build connections, nurture relationships, and welcome people between the ages of 30-45 to The United Church of Canada. Learn more ... VideosWondering what people between the ages of 30-45 think about spirituality, faith, and The United Church of Canada? See our video interviews with random people in this age range. INTERACTIVEWhat do you feel are the most important issues to people between the ages of 30-45? Talk with people in their 30s and early 40s about why they do or do not participate in a United Church community. A questionnaire is available to help you start these conversations. BY THE NUMBERSDid you know that Vancouver, at 27.9% of that city's population, has the highest concentration of 30-45 year olds of Canada's largest cities? The next highest are: Calgary 26.9%, Toronto 26.0%, Ottawa 25.3%, Montreal 24.9%, Halifax 23.6%, and Winnipeg, 23.3%. 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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