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St. Michael’s Episcopal Church
Third Century Project
April, 2008
Introduction
Nearly 100 members of the congregation of St. Michael’s Church
gathered in small groups over a two month period to discuss issues of
our church and community. The process encompassed a representative
cross section of the congregation. The findings will guide our vision
and plan of action as we move into the future.
This summary reflects not only the dedication of the project organizers
but also the great love and responsibility that our congregation feels
for St. Michael’s. The remarkable consistency among the focus groups
reinforces the value of this project for defining our future direction
as a church.
The primary points include:
• Maintaining our
cherished diversity and unconditional welcome
• Protecting identity as
the community changes
• Inspiring stewardship
in all of its meanings—the 3 Ts of Time, Talent, Treasure
• Engaging generational
diversity (youth ministering with older generations)
Bottom line - We must be relevant to the greater
community as it changes and be robust in our giving and participation as
members of this special place.
Summary of the congregation’s comments
Two common metaphors for our church
1)
A family – St. Michael’s is “like a parent, loving and
supportive,” “a home away from home.”
2)
A solid, stable entity in the midst of change – “a ship moving
through a journey,” or “Noah’s Ark, full of diversity and giving
protection from the storm.”
What people love most about St. Michael’s
1)
Overwhelmingly, people love the robust welcome that we offer to
all who enter. We must remain open and embracing.
2)
People love our music tradition and the beautiful space in which
we create it, particularly in the context of the liturgy.
3)
People prize the diversity of our congregation (economic, racial,
generational, lifestyle). However, many worry that our diversity may
erode as the community becomes more affluent. They wish to preserve
diversity even as we actively welcome newcomers. Some participants spoke
of welcome – openness and acceptance – as the real identity of St.
Michael’s and diversity as the outcome. Quite a few commented that we
are diverse in the sanctuary, but less so elsewhere, such as coffee
hour, children’s choir and Sunday school.
Our two most frequently cited challenges
1)
Fiscal stability…our ability to afford the church we are
accustomed to.
a.
There is much concern about the impact of reducing our clergy
staff due to budget cutbacks.
b.
Many people voiced worry about poor giving patterns
c.
On the other hand, others felt that the need for “financial
growth” must be balanced with “social growth”
2)
Maintaining the commitment and involvement of parishioners
a.
The groups saw a need to involve more lay people in ministry…in
the joyful and imaginative giving of time and talent. They want the
clergy to actively lead the laity into ministry.
Wishes for adult-focused ministries
• Do
more to develop and explore our spiritual lives
• Offer more
stimulating or challenging topics
• Explain more what
it means to be an Episcopalian
• Explore more
topics that bring together faith and life, such as sexuality, faith and
politics, faith in the workplace, social concerns and other applications
of faith.
• Be prophetic
What about youth?
We want our youth to know they are important, needed and safe in the
St. Michael’s community. They must feel stimulated and connected to the
style of worship and to the clergy.
What our 20-30’s parishioners want
• Worship
with enthusiasm, but without heavy doctrinalism
• The experience of
Christian values and the beauty of the worship—people making
an effort to
care about one another
• Social networks and
civil service– look at success of J2A
• A voice in church
• Choir is a real draw
and a great, close community for young people
• Social progressiveness
• Up to date use of
technology
Communication
There was a lot of conversation about information and transparency.
Many expressed a desire for a better understanding of church finances
and vestry planning. They wish to know both what the church is doing
and how it is doing.
All saw a need for more creative use of electronic communication, but
they don’t want to exclude those who don’t use e-mail. Perhaps we could
have computers in the parish house where parishioners and visitors may
access information.
Serving our children
This must be a place where kids know they are valued and welcomed.
Where they form friendships and bonds. Where they experience community
and acquire values that mold them into responsible adults.
The lack of diversity in youth is of great concern. Many want to give
youth a voice and an opportunity to be involved in worship – planning,
presenting, etc. One group discussed how we are equipping children for
the world.
Generosity
• There was much concern
about poor giving habits in the congregation, although
people
acknowledged that the higher cost of living is a strain on everyone.
• Many look forward to
the completion of the corner project with its opportunities to
extend
the church's mission.
• When asked to give,
people want to know more clearly how funds are being spent.
Transparency matters to them.
• Stewardship must be
about more than a financial commitment. It must encompass
the
spiritual aspects of giving.
Worship style
Participants love the liturgy, community worship, music, and space
at St. Michael’s. Other than improving the sound system, most
participants would preserve our present worship experience, although
younger participants might seek more personal relevance.
Three things to work on in our ministries
• Engaging more
parishioners in ministry and the life of this church
• Increasing clergy
engagement with parishioners including acknowledging, inviting,
and
sharing in ministry
• Ministry that
reaches out more in the local community.
What we need from our lay leaders
• More people involved in
the life of our church.
• Courage and ability to
lead without overly relying on clergy
• A visible and diverse
vestry
• Informative community
meetings, transparency and openness
• Leaders who are
flexible, open, listening, and responsive
What we need from clergy
While not technically a “big” church, we are no longer a small
congregation where one pastor can be all things to all people. However,
there is a strong desire for:
• Recognition of our whole
lives…energetic caring and involvement with us as people as
well as with church
affairs
• A pastoral and spiritual focus, a
presence in lay ministries, an intimate partnership
• Inspiration and real-life relevance
from the pulpit
• Making diversity a priority
Poverty and social issues in our community
The Saturday Kitchen is a highly valued ministry and was mentioned
in every focus group. However, many feel we do not do enough to reach
beyond our own walls and touch our community.
1)
Many want to the clergy to take a stand as advocates or even
activists in the community on behalf of our lower-income neighbors.
2)
Many participants want to create partnerships with other faith
institutions to serve the neighborhood.
3)
People generally believe that we must focus our social-justice
efforts and resource here at the local level—where we can make the
biggest and most direct difference—not at a global level. |
