Month: March 2014

Think new thoughts, dream new dreams (Dan Carlton)

Dan Carlton thinks new thoughts and dreams new dreams.

My sense is that most churches started as fresh expressions of church. At least that is what they want to believe. They started a church in order to reach people for the gospel who have not yet been reached. Over time that initial burst of missionary attitude gives way to a more formal, institutional expression of the church. No church makes a decision to do that – it just happens in the life of the institution. Then we realize one day that our church conversations get stuck on 'organisation' and very rarely move to the mission we believe we are supposed to do.

Fresh expressions helps me rethink about the mission. It is an opportunity to go back to our 'birth stories' and in some cases re-write our birth stories. It is an opportunity for the 'organised, institutionalised' church to think new thoughts, dream new dreams and rekindle our love for people who do not have a relationship with Jesus.

Fresh expressions of church are also accessible. I don't mean this as a criticism but when I am in other church conversations I see preachers, musicians, children's ministries, youth ministries, buildings and technology that are unattainable for me and the church that I serve. No matter how much we paint, how much we practice, how much we do we are not going to rise to that level. The simple truth of where I serve there is just a large segment of our population that are never going to come through the doors of the church no matter how much 'better' we get. Fresh expressions gives us a framework for getting back on mission. It helps us to take away the excuses of our limitations and moves us back in the mission field with Jesus.

I see fresh expressions of church happening all over my culture and context. People who are gathering folks together in non-traditional ways, sharing in community with one another and bringing transformation to people’s lives. The really humbling part of this is that some of these groups do not have any sense of the work of Jesus' kingdom. So it is exciting to me to realise in some cases I don't have to do the 'heavy lifting' of a fresh expression – I just need to show up where it is already taking place and be a kingdom person.

Our Fresh Expressions US national gathering has just taken place in the city where I serve. My prayer from that is that I will see God's fresh work around us and my church will move to mission.

Church of the Good Shepherd

Trish Calvert explores the story of the Church of the Good Shepherd in the Shrewsbury Methodist Circuit and their desire to serve the mission and ministry needs of housebound older people, ‘congregating in a new way’.

In 2006 the Shrewsbury Methodist Circuit birthed a new network church called the Church of the Good Shepherd, aimed at older people. The vision centred on addressing the needs of a growing number of elderly and housebound people. I was employed as the Circuit Pastoral Worker to housebound people for two days a week. The aim of this ministry was to offer prayer, comfort and spiritual support in addition to that given by pastoral leaders, and to take the church into the homes of members who were no longer able to attend church. Opportunity to receive 'extended holy communion' was to be an important part of this ministry.

Several months were spent, simply visiting and getting to know new people. Listening to them and discerning their needs was a vital part of this process, together with letting them get to know me. The giving of prayerful support and encouragement was all part of building relationships within the network of the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Within the first year a quarterly service of extended holy communion was offered to everyone who wanted it, in their own home (most people who live in residential accommodation already have the opportunity to receive communion from local ministers). I make a point of giving special attention to the detail of extended communion. We produced specially printed service booklets containing a message from the Superintendent Minister, a starched lace cloth, a cross and a proper communion set. All serve to make this a special occasion.

Church of the Good Shepherd

The introduction of hymns and carols (using CDs and a portable player) to begin and end the service has also been enthusiastically received. On these occasions, I can often bring together small groups of friends, family, neighbours and pastoral visitors who all add to the fellowship of the occasion.

During the first year, special prayer cards were made and circulated to all the housebound members. These contained topics for prayer as well as a specially written prayer based on words from John 10. This prayer is often incorporated into our extended communion services.

During the second year, I introduced a quarterly newsletter to help keep the members in touch and informed. It is called 'the Flock' and members contribute short articles and testimonies about themselves and their experiences on a regular basis. We also share special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries.

Through the information contained in the newsletters we have enabled many of the housebound to participate in other Methodist circuit events such as a 'Pray without Ceasing' event and a week of prayer. I am always looking for ways we can include the housebound in the life of the local church.

The housebound members are also encouraged by me to use the Methodist Prayer Handbook which they can order through me. This is also one of my most used resources when visiting.

For the future, we are planning a special one-day event during the summer, to which we shall invite the more able and mobile of our elderly members. It will be a day of fun, fellowship and entertainment, in a lovely venue with all meals provided, and an opportunity for church fellowships to be involved in supporting this day.