From those meetings, we focused on ways to “draw in” new members and enhance our relationships with each other.
Neighborhood Nights, Meet and Greet (and eat), and special interest groups such as scrapbooking and card-making emerged. In addition, we continued to have the ladies’ Bible study, Breakfast with Roy, and a weekly a quilting group…. AND… provide space for the FWB Community Chorus, AARP tax services, peer counseling groups, and the “drop off and delivery” food ministry with Taking It To The Streets Ministry.
Such “community ministries” help us answer an important question, “Would we be missed if we were not here?” I am very pleased to pastor a congregation which understands that our faith compels us to be involved with meeting needs where we live and work! However, the perplexing issue remains, “How do we increase our worship attendance and giving… and how do we grow (numerically)?”
There is a larger question to answer, though: “Why?” As one person mentioned during a recent worship committee meeting, “Why… it’s really a big word for just 3 letters!” Why do we do what we do?
It is time to think again about “the big WHY” for our congregation. This coming Saturday evening, April 6th, our elders will be guiding us in sharing and discussing ideas about “the big WHY”.
Honestly, we have been a congregation that people would miss in our community if we were not here, but God may have other aspects of “abundant life” to pursue.
Romans 15:13,
Pastor Roger