I thought it might be helpful to be able to read what I spoke last Sunday about the invitation to the corporate fast this summer. Some missed being in worship, and even those who were there might find it helpful to have more time to read through it.
Here's the link.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Next Steps recommendation
The Next Steps group made an official recommendation to the Elders recently, and it was distributed at the Business meeting on March 9th. We thought it would be good to make it available here as well.
NFC Next Steps
Recommendation to the Elders
2/29/08
The Next Steps task force has been on an interesting journey together as we have leaned into the process of hearing from the Holy Spirit regarding ways the church might be called to change as it relates to our worship gatherings on Sunday mornings. We have shared our personal stories, longings, and experiences. We have studied the roots found in our heritage and named the core values that shape the spiritual understanding of who we are as God’s church.
During this time of discernment we have wrestled with several queries: what does it mean to be a church; what does it mean to be missional—to live out our life in the likeness of Christ; how do we foster community; how do we share in communion with one another in the manner of Friends; how do we reach out to those already connected to NFC and those who are not? These have led us to make recommendations that go a little broader than just our worship gatherings.
The discussions of these themes have not brought conclusive answers, yet they have brought several challenges to our attention. Our church faithfully follows Christ in numerous avenues. As a task force, we feel led to highlight the following potential areas of growth for NFC:
1. More time/flexibility in our Sunday morning schedule
2. Greater opportunities for community and connection
3. Alternative gatherings by which to engage the changing culture
4. Continue to intentionally strive to be a church transformed into the likeness of Christ for the sake of others—one that joins God’s vision for our city and world
In sitting with these opportunities for growth, the task force resonated with these specifics:
1. More time/flexibility in our Sunday morning schedule
• Move from three Sunday morning worship gatherings to two.
This change would allow extended time for gatherings and create flexibility in the flow of Sunday mornings. It would alleviate the sense of urgency to have services end “on time” and allow folks to exit and enter the sanctuary unhurried. This is not based on a decrease in attendance but rather the need to address scheduling issues. This change could begin this summer and tie in with the offering of an extended time for fellowship.
2. Greater opportunities for community and connection on Sunday mornings
• Offer a coffee fellowship time on Sunday mornings between gatherings.
Both the worship discernment team and the Next Steps task force have identified “community” as one of the core values of NFC; our vision is to be “a GROWING community.” Several dynamic Sunday school classes already provide authentic community for their attendees. There remains a need to provide an additional venue for folks to connect, fellowship, and commune together. We would like to propose an implementation group that could address the logistics of this need and how it relates to our facility and space usage.
The Next Steps team has spent time brainstorming the logistical challenges and has come up with ideas that could be further explored:
—Should we remodel the library area to accommodate a larger crowd for fellowship?
—Should we begin a capital campaign to raise funds to construct a social hall addition, modifying the proposed plans adopted in 1992?
—Should we remove the pews from the sanctuary and replace them with cushioned stack chairs that could be rearranged between the two services, allowing the sanctuary to be the space where the congregation could gather for conversation and fellowship?
—Should we explore alternative sites as areas for people to gather? (coffee shops, homes, social hall, Friends Center, etc.)
—Should we serve coffee on the front lawn with a banquet tent, providing shelter during the mild climate seasons of spring, summer, and fall? (This option could begin as early as this summer.)
3. Alternative gatherings to facilitate engaging the changing culture
• Appoint a ministry group to explore new ministry opportunities in the offering of alternative gatherings—one way to fulfill our vision to “LIVE OUT love.”
This group would work with the elders and pastoral team to follow the Spirit’s leading in crafting a gathering that could include sharing a meal together, meeting on site or at different locations, and exploring how we engage our changing culture.
4. Continue to intentionally strive to be a church transformed into the likeness of Christ for the sake of others—one that joins God’s vision for our city and world
• This fits our vision to be “CHANGING in the Spirit.” We suggest inviting the congregation to a six-week corporate fast in June and July of this year, to seek God and evaluate the ministries of NFC and how we are living out our vision.
This fast would include times of actual fasting from food, but also laying aside our regular programming, except for our Sunday morning worship gatherings and nursery, to give concentrated effort to our vision of “LISTENING to Christ.”
Additional recommendations:
5. We ask the elders to review how the recommendations proposed by the worship discernment team in the spring of 2007 have been followed up or acted upon.
6. We also ask the elders to consider the task of the Next Steps group complete, once it has communicated these recommendations to the wider congregation.
• This communication could take place as an optional Sunday school class or in small groups hosted by members of the Next Steps team.
In presenting these recommendations, we are well aware that this is not a “quick fix” or an easy “solution.” We are humbly aware that change can be difficult and comes with logistical hurdles. We are hopeful that the congregation would lean into this opportunity as laid out before them through the instruction and leadership from the elders and pastoral team. We know that this is just the beginning. Exciting opportunities would follow in creating teams that would host the fellowship time between gatherings. Creative action planning would be called upon to foster the alternative gatherings. Laying down the tradition of our most recent years would create a void in routine that the Spirit could fill with new movement.
NFC Next Steps
Recommendation to the Elders
2/29/08
The Next Steps task force has been on an interesting journey together as we have leaned into the process of hearing from the Holy Spirit regarding ways the church might be called to change as it relates to our worship gatherings on Sunday mornings. We have shared our personal stories, longings, and experiences. We have studied the roots found in our heritage and named the core values that shape the spiritual understanding of who we are as God’s church.
During this time of discernment we have wrestled with several queries: what does it mean to be a church; what does it mean to be missional—to live out our life in the likeness of Christ; how do we foster community; how do we share in communion with one another in the manner of Friends; how do we reach out to those already connected to NFC and those who are not? These have led us to make recommendations that go a little broader than just our worship gatherings.
The discussions of these themes have not brought conclusive answers, yet they have brought several challenges to our attention. Our church faithfully follows Christ in numerous avenues. As a task force, we feel led to highlight the following potential areas of growth for NFC:
1. More time/flexibility in our Sunday morning schedule
2. Greater opportunities for community and connection
3. Alternative gatherings by which to engage the changing culture
4. Continue to intentionally strive to be a church transformed into the likeness of Christ for the sake of others—one that joins God’s vision for our city and world
In sitting with these opportunities for growth, the task force resonated with these specifics:
1. More time/flexibility in our Sunday morning schedule
• Move from three Sunday morning worship gatherings to two.
This change would allow extended time for gatherings and create flexibility in the flow of Sunday mornings. It would alleviate the sense of urgency to have services end “on time” and allow folks to exit and enter the sanctuary unhurried. This is not based on a decrease in attendance but rather the need to address scheduling issues. This change could begin this summer and tie in with the offering of an extended time for fellowship.
2. Greater opportunities for community and connection on Sunday mornings
• Offer a coffee fellowship time on Sunday mornings between gatherings.
Both the worship discernment team and the Next Steps task force have identified “community” as one of the core values of NFC; our vision is to be “a GROWING community.” Several dynamic Sunday school classes already provide authentic community for their attendees. There remains a need to provide an additional venue for folks to connect, fellowship, and commune together. We would like to propose an implementation group that could address the logistics of this need and how it relates to our facility and space usage.
The Next Steps team has spent time brainstorming the logistical challenges and has come up with ideas that could be further explored:
—Should we remodel the library area to accommodate a larger crowd for fellowship?
—Should we begin a capital campaign to raise funds to construct a social hall addition, modifying the proposed plans adopted in 1992?
—Should we remove the pews from the sanctuary and replace them with cushioned stack chairs that could be rearranged between the two services, allowing the sanctuary to be the space where the congregation could gather for conversation and fellowship?
—Should we explore alternative sites as areas for people to gather? (coffee shops, homes, social hall, Friends Center, etc.)
—Should we serve coffee on the front lawn with a banquet tent, providing shelter during the mild climate seasons of spring, summer, and fall? (This option could begin as early as this summer.)
3. Alternative gatherings to facilitate engaging the changing culture
• Appoint a ministry group to explore new ministry opportunities in the offering of alternative gatherings—one way to fulfill our vision to “LIVE OUT love.”
This group would work with the elders and pastoral team to follow the Spirit’s leading in crafting a gathering that could include sharing a meal together, meeting on site or at different locations, and exploring how we engage our changing culture.
4. Continue to intentionally strive to be a church transformed into the likeness of Christ for the sake of others—one that joins God’s vision for our city and world
• This fits our vision to be “CHANGING in the Spirit.” We suggest inviting the congregation to a six-week corporate fast in June and July of this year, to seek God and evaluate the ministries of NFC and how we are living out our vision.
This fast would include times of actual fasting from food, but also laying aside our regular programming, except for our Sunday morning worship gatherings and nursery, to give concentrated effort to our vision of “LISTENING to Christ.”
Additional recommendations:
5. We ask the elders to review how the recommendations proposed by the worship discernment team in the spring of 2007 have been followed up or acted upon.
6. We also ask the elders to consider the task of the Next Steps group complete, once it has communicated these recommendations to the wider congregation.
• This communication could take place as an optional Sunday school class or in small groups hosted by members of the Next Steps team.
In presenting these recommendations, we are well aware that this is not a “quick fix” or an easy “solution.” We are humbly aware that change can be difficult and comes with logistical hurdles. We are hopeful that the congregation would lean into this opportunity as laid out before them through the instruction and leadership from the elders and pastoral team. We know that this is just the beginning. Exciting opportunities would follow in creating teams that would host the fellowship time between gatherings. Creative action planning would be called upon to foster the alternative gatherings. Laying down the tradition of our most recent years would create a void in routine that the Spirit could fill with new movement.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Let the Children Come
From Jennifer Perez:
One of the things I really enjoy about the Thanksgiving service, and something I've been thinking about more lately as I've visited a few other churches over the past 5 months, is having the kids with us in the service.
I have loved when my boys were (are) infants and it is “socially acceptable” to bring them into the service with me. I find that even when I'm sitting/standing next to my husband and/or friends in a worship service, I tend to become very "me and God" focused, and the community sort of fades from my consciousness. Which defeats the purpose of worshipping in community, doesn't it? Anyway, when my kids are with me, or even when other kids are in the room making noise and moving around, that becomes impossible. I am forced to become aware of those around me. As distracting as it sometimes is, I'm not so sure that's a bad thing. At the very least, it reminds me that church is community.
The church I grew up in usually used the format of having elementary-age kids in the service up until the sermon was about to start, and then we would exit to children's church. I had kind of forgotten about that, as it's been over 15 years now since I've been in a church that did that, but it seems to be a trend that's coming back, and I am so glad. Not only am I more community-focused when the kids are participating, but I think the kids feel themselves to be a part of the worshipping community when they participate in “big church.” Of lesser ultimate significance but still important to me, being in the worship service exposes kids to church music. I think this would be especially valuable at NFC where church music tradition is honored and valued and a variety of styles is employed.
Last fall my family visited one of the Mars Hill congregations up in Seattle, and one of the things that caught me off guard at the time but that I really appreciate in hindsight was the way they included children in the worship service. It is the only congregation I have ever seen that asked parents to go pick up their kids from their classes immediately after the sermon, during a time of extended musical worship. I liked it from a logistical standpoint, both because I was able to check my kids into their classes and see where they were and who they were with--which was important to me as a visitor--and also because it allowed children of all ages, from the nursery on up, to participate in the service. Also, because the currently popular worship music style tends to particularly lend itself to that "me and God" thing, it was very helpful to me to have the children join us at exactly that point in the service when I would be most tempted to turn my focus inward.
I think every single member of the congregation would benefit from including our children in our worship gatherings on a regular basis. What do you think?
Monday, February 25, 2008
Recommendation: Reboot
From Phil Smith:
Every once in a while I 'restart' or 'reboot' my computer. Computer experts tell me it's a good thing to do, because computers don't fully close applications when we 'quit' them. If I don't reboot my computer, it gradually works slower and slower because of all the shadow programs lurking in the background. When I reboot, all the shadow programs are cleaned away and the main processor can have a fresh start.
The next steps task force at NFC would like to propose something like a 'reboot' for our church. The goals of our church remain the same: we seek to be a growing community, listening to Christ, changing in the Spirit, and living out love. The question is: how do we pursue these goals?
Now, don't get carried away with the 'reboot' metaphor. NFC includes a great variety of ministries; the next steps task force is not suggesting that that we stop sending kids to camp or cancel Sunday School, etc. But we have identified two things that we think need greater attention at our church. First, we think NFC needs to find new ways to reach out with God's love into population around us. Second, we think the church would benefit by finding a time and place to allow greater mixing and fellowship for Sunday morning attenders.
In regard to the first need: we worry that people who might be attracted to God and the message of our church might feel out of place and uncomfortable at NFC. They feel like outsiders when they visit us, and they don't come back. Or they expect to feel like outsiders and never visit in the first place.
In regard to the second need: we are impressed by delight people take in those special Sundays, such as Thanksgiving, we all three of our congregations meet in one place. In particular, people report that they love the fellowship time‹sharing coffee and a donut and conversation with other NFCers. Our physical plant and our practice of three services on Sunday morning greatly limit this kind of interaction most of the year. So the next steps task force recommends that NFC consider carefully ways to enable that sort of fellowship.
What say you?
Every once in a while I 'restart' or 'reboot' my computer. Computer experts tell me it's a good thing to do, because computers don't fully close applications when we 'quit' them. If I don't reboot my computer, it gradually works slower and slower because of all the shadow programs lurking in the background. When I reboot, all the shadow programs are cleaned away and the main processor can have a fresh start.
The next steps task force at NFC would like to propose something like a 'reboot' for our church. The goals of our church remain the same: we seek to be a growing community, listening to Christ, changing in the Spirit, and living out love. The question is: how do we pursue these goals?
Now, don't get carried away with the 'reboot' metaphor. NFC includes a great variety of ministries; the next steps task force is not suggesting that that we stop sending kids to camp or cancel Sunday School, etc. But we have identified two things that we think need greater attention at our church. First, we think NFC needs to find new ways to reach out with God's love into population around us. Second, we think the church would benefit by finding a time and place to allow greater mixing and fellowship for Sunday morning attenders.
In regard to the first need: we worry that people who might be attracted to God and the message of our church might feel out of place and uncomfortable at NFC. They feel like outsiders when they visit us, and they don't come back. Or they expect to feel like outsiders and never visit in the first place.
In regard to the second need: we are impressed by delight people take in those special Sundays, such as Thanksgiving, we all three of our congregations meet in one place. In particular, people report that they love the fellowship time‹sharing coffee and a donut and conversation with other NFCers. Our physical plant and our practice of three services on Sunday morning greatly limit this kind of interaction most of the year. So the next steps task force recommends that NFC consider carefully ways to enable that sort of fellowship.
What say you?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Doing Church & Being Church
It’s been very interesting to think so much about church, and what it means to me and to others I know. I am struck how different each of us are—we come to worship with different church backgrounds (or not), needs, comfort zones, expectations (or not), levels of interest, abilities and desires to socialize (or not), hopes, and dreams. So based on all of these variables, what is it that makes church “work” for people? For some, it is working fine and there is no reason to change anything. For others, it doesn’t work and they either go elsewhere, or they complain each week, or they don’t attend often, or they work to make the changes they want. So how do we meet everyone’s desires and still reach beyond ourselves?
Since our committee was encouraged to attend some other growing churches and read books related to church, I’ve done both. It’s been very helpful to me. I’ve been particularly changed in my thinking by reading the book The Shaping of Things to Come by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch. While I find NFC works for me pretty well, I’m finding myself leaning toward a desire that we be more missional in our intentions. The word “missional” can have lots of meanings and I don’t even know what they all are. But for me, it means that we reach out more to those in our community for whom church does not work. As the authors of this book say, “It’s about living out the gospel within its cultural context instead of perpetuating an institutional commitment apart from its cultural context (p. x).” The culture is changing and we can’t always bring people in to the Kingdom by inviting them to church. For whatever reason, many don’t want to come. But they may be open to us being the church instead of them going to church.
As we discuss various models, structures, and ways of doing church, I keep thinking about something Frost and Hirsch say that makes me uncomfortable. They recommend planting new, culturally diverse, missional communities. But they say few established churches can pull this off. Churches that have been around awhile tend to try and “revitalize” or “reinvent” church, and in the process they just tweak the current mode or change the Sunday morning service, thinking that will help church “work” for more people. Frost and Hirsch say that instead of doing that, we should focus on mission instead of how we want church to look or sound or feel for ourselves. Jesus said “Go into all the world…(that may even include a pub). He didn’t say, invite or wait for people to come to you (p. 16).” Focus on the “outsiders” instead of the “insiders.” It’s about “them” and not about “us.” Note: the authors remind us that even though it is a huge paradigm shift, it is always Biblical.
So what does that look like for NFC? What if the church invited people to start house churches that met 2-3 Sunday mornings in homes and on the 4th Sunday came to the NFC worship service for accountability and community? What if the church blessed efforts to have church at the park or a coffee shop (instead of go to NFC on Sunday mornings)? What if a group of people met regularly on Saturday nights (instead of Sunday morning) to play games and share what was going on in their lives? Could those forms of meeting be missional? Could they be blessed and supported by NFC? Would it be okay if some folks met away from the church building and everyone wasn’t in the worship service every Sunday morning? Could we still all be a part of NFC and its mission? Would it support our vision statement? Would it be Biblical? Would it be what Jesus would do?
Ginny Birky
Monday, February 11, 2008
Creating Space
So it seems folks at NFC like to be together...After each occasion where there is a chance to gather together, be it the November Bauman service, the coffee time on the front lawn to kick start the fall semester, Kaleidoscope meals or the Labor day/ Memorial day picnics, people comment on how much they enjoy being together to eat, socialize, connect and BE. In fact, after these all church occasions, it has been striking the number of brainstorming conversations regarding how we could pull off similar events on a more regular basis. Can we serve coffee on the front lawn every week and when it starts to rain and get chilly, erect a tent and bring in some heaters? Can we go to Bauman more than once a year so we can be together as a body in one worship gathering as well as be together for fellowship in the lobby? We can figure out a way to enlarge the coffee fellowship area so the entrance from the sanctuary into the library feels less like a "cattle chute" (not a term I coined but one that seems descriptively accurate) and more like a space that could host more of the congregation?
These brainstorms on how to create more opportunities for fellowship highlight the value we place on being the community of Christ to one another. It is not just that we enjoy socializing with one another or we crave coffee in a newly improved eco-friendly biodegradable styrofoam cup. But we are actually spiritually wired to connect with one another; to share our lives with one another. Our relationships with friends and neighbors actually feed our relationship with our Savior as we give and receive from one another. This value for community and fellowship was expressed in the surveys that were gathered a year ago and it is a value of our congregation that has shaped the discussions among the next steps task force members.
These brainstorms on how to create more opportunities for fellowship highlight the value we place on being the community of Christ to one another. It is not just that we enjoy socializing with one another or we crave coffee in a newly improved eco-friendly biodegradable styrofoam cup. But we are actually spiritually wired to connect with one another; to share our lives with one another. Our relationships with friends and neighbors actually feed our relationship with our Savior as we give and receive from one another. This value for community and fellowship was expressed in the surveys that were gathered a year ago and it is a value of our congregation that has shaped the discussions among the next steps task force members.
After Gregg's sermon several weeks ago on communion, I was even more convicted on our need for space, both literally and relationally, that can provide opportunities to participate in communion in the manner of Friends. We offer the life of Christ to one another as we connect with one another, share vulnerably and encourage one another. Folks at NFC are good at this. How can we create space and increase the opportunities to allow more and more of this to happen?
A Gelatin Kind of Worship
What comes to your mind when you think of worship?
- Putting on clothes that are fairly uncomfortable
- Yowling at the family to get to church on time because we're going to enjoy service, dang it!
- Paper: bulletins, directories, offering cards that can be turned into airplanes
- The smells of bad coffee
- Songs, some old and some new, meaning at some point somebody has a happy face and somebody has a cranky face
- Sermons, a.k.a. time to stare at the pastor's tie
- Offering plates that feel oh so slippery and wanting to hit the floor
Some variation of the above list is fairly typical images or components of worship.
But you know what I think of? Seven layer Jello salad. Really, that's what first comes to mind. See, I grew up at Boise Friends Church, and we potlucked: oh, how we potlucked. One of my friend's moms often made this jello salad which was so pretty and tasty and fun to take apart, and I was always wondered how she did it (fortunately, the wonders of the internet revealed her kitchen magic).
Now, a salad made out of gelatin may not seem to be a critical element of worship for you. But for me it represents a time of fellowship: my favorite part of worship.
On Sundays my family would drive a ways across town, attend worship in the sanctuary before scuttling off to children's church and then Sunday School. While it was enjoyable sing ingthe songs and having Bible stories told to us on felt boards, the real fun was to be had after service during the fellowship time. People would hang out and talk for what seemed to be forever. The kids would run around crazylike hopped up on sugar cookies and red Kool Aid, and my folks would chat and laugh and really enjoy themselves. If we weren't having a potluck, my friends and I would run back and forth between parents convincing them that we needed to go out to lunch: usually we wore them down pretty fast - anything to let them continue having adult conversation (which, as a parent, I now completely understand the need for).
Hearing the people laughing. Running around with friends. Contributing to the canned food tubs. Bringing in love loaves Enjoying each others' company and hearing each others' stories. To me, that is fellowship, but the deeper connecting bond is worship.
So, what comes to your mind when you hear the word "worship"?
Crossposted.
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