First heard about you in Fresh From The Word. I feel our church is at a crossroad. We are an ageing church in a town centre. We have a daily coffee bar whose modest income covers the cost of a caretaker and little else. We have contact with a few homeless people and minister free drinks and toast. There is little prospect of any young people coming through to take over from older people (I am 70 – one of the younger members!) Our church building is 200 years old and eats money for maintenance. Have you any words of wisdom for a church consisting of 50 elderly members?
Martyn, it is worth talking to regional leaders in your denomination and see what advice they have or what their strategy is for churches like yours – and you are not alone. In the meantime have a look at this story on our website. It’s about a fresh expression which started in a church with just a few (under 10) older members. http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/playhouse
Martyn, this is quite a common situation nowadays. But your town centre building can be a great mission asset. Fresh Expressions of Church definitely offers some of the best hope for the future. Two opportunities occur to us immediately.
1) To extend the reach of your existing demographic among the elderly…there are a number of fresh expressions aimed at the retired, and retired people have more time available. One exciting initiative we know of is “Natta Church” pioneered by John Marsh at St Thomas in Sheffield. Contact: member@conduit1.freeserve.co.uk John is hoping to resource others who catch this vision.
2) Messy Church is multiplying all over the country and draws in whole families – including the grans and grandads. And the thing is that retired folk are well able to lead and facilitate it. We recommend you visit the Messy Church website: http://www.messychurch.org.uk/ and contact your regional facilitators for Messy Church who should be able to visit you and help you decide if it’s for you and how to take first steps.
We do hope this helps.
First heard about you in Fresh From The Word. I feel our church is at a crossroad. We are an ageing church in a town centre. We have a daily coffee bar whose modest income covers the cost of a caretaker and little else. We have contact with a few homeless people and minister free drinks and toast. There is little prospect of any young people coming through to take over from older people (I am 70 – one of the younger members!) Our church building is 200 years old and eats money for maintenance. Have you any words of wisdom for a church consisting of 50 elderly members?
Martyn, it is worth talking to regional leaders in your denomination and see what advice they have or what their strategy is for churches like yours – and you are not alone. In the meantime have a look at this story on our website. It’s about a fresh expression which started in a church with just a few (under 10) older members. http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/playhouse
Martyn, this is quite a common situation nowadays. But your town centre building can be a great mission asset. Fresh Expressions of Church definitely offers some of the best hope for the future. Two opportunities occur to us immediately.
1) To extend the reach of your existing demographic among the elderly…there are a number of fresh expressions aimed at the retired, and retired people have more time available. One exciting initiative we know of is “Natta Church” pioneered by John Marsh at St Thomas in Sheffield. Contact: member@conduit1.freeserve.co.uk John is hoping to resource others who catch this vision.
2) Messy Church is multiplying all over the country and draws in whole families – including the grans and grandads. And the thing is that retired folk are well able to lead and facilitate it. We recommend you visit the Messy Church website: http://www.messychurch.org.uk/ and contact your regional facilitators for Messy Church who should be able to visit you and help you decide if it’s for you and how to take first steps.
We do hope this helps.