At right you'll see a screen shot example of what we put up to spur discussion in the fellowship hall after worship a couple of Sundays in October. As you'll see in the ideas shared below, using the fellowship hall for these conversations isn't universally accepted. Though it's true that hardly anything is agreed to by everyone, I'd like to say I am thankful for the participation and patience of those whose fellowship was interrupted on those Sundays.In any case, quite a few members of our church to share ideas for our work at church, our church's work out in the world, and what is necessary to equip and support that work. Council members and staff took notes as people shared freely. Some are ideas to expand current ministries, some are complaints, some are ideas for new mission and ministry.
Here are unedited ideas shared in the conversations after worship. They are pretty much listed as they were turned in after the Sunday discussions.
"At Church" - Alpha, Sunday School & other education, Fellowship, Men's & Women's Programs, Worship & Music, Youth Ministry (etc.)
- There a desire among adult couples and singles for more consistent friendship and fellowship with others.
- There's a desire for people to get together as Christians, especially among adults with children.
- Singles group (2)
- Couples group
- Women's prayer group Saturday a.m.
- More signs - lobby & outside (should be under equip and support with property, I think...)
- Host/hostess a.m. - looking for new people
- Not just the clean & saved
- Consider participation from all different people
- Alternate worship
- Learning for adults between worship hours
- Stay with existing programs and strengthen/continue those we offer - such as a focus on PoWeR SuRGe
- Men's club (such as the Catholic have with Knights of Columbus)
- Truth Project
- Maintenance projects - bikes, car seats, oil changes
- Bible studies - for all levels/ages, for all schedules [evenings, day w/daycare, for 20/30 year olds - singles]
- Name tags - some way to keep at church
- Holiday options for college kids (include high school seniors), for new marrieds, for those new to community with food - make it a tradition - advertise well in advance
- For those alone during holidays - something in place for them to be in community
- Holiday meals at church for elderly/alone
- Financial Seminars - Crown Financial - Al Sorenson
- Youth service projects
- Help with quilting
- Worship for handicapped worship with lunch - bring them to church once a year
- Expand mentor program with youth beyond Lent, beyond Wednesday evenings
- Consistency in youth mentors - continue through the years with same partners
- Truth Project
- Widows Club
- Over age [insert number] club
- Fall Festival (already doing this but we discussed is a good idea!!)
- Apprenticeship program where an older member will pass on habits, methods, ideas to younger member
- Spiritual gift testing
- Gather former choir members to sing parts (informal, not up front but fun)
- Bells
- Greeters at doors - more welcoming
- More opportunities for elder folks to get together
- Coffee hour - birthday party scheduled - something else going on - coffee hour remain coffee hour/fellowship extra meetings in library, etc.
- Morning coffee not the time or place for a forum, there is a time or place for certain things
- Hard that things change so much
- The liturgy doesn't flow like it used to
- Filling out forms in church, especially at 8:30 - blank times on radio, maybe have choir sing
- Kneeling at communion, altar railing
- Church attendance is going down, why?
- There's a division between the young & old people in our church. Has contemporary worship have something to do with this?
- Attendance is down. How do we increase same? Reasons??
- Why is church attendance down? Times too good? Should 11:00 be 10:30?
- Small group ministries
- Activities that bring people together
- Do we need some kind of rally to increase attendance?
- Are we helping new people fit in?
- Adult teaching during Sunday School - will fellowship hour die?
- Youth Ministry - Do others have responsibilities not just Nate? Past confirmation age do we have anything for this age kids to keep them coming to church?
- Greeters at the door not at top of step
- Thanksgiving meal
- Short term befriender for those in hospital/recovery
- What is in place for those that are ill & single
- Ride program - drive to apartments
- Visit with nursing home folks
- Off-site worship
- Pickup/delivery service with van
- Neighborhood groups - activities, Bible studies, football games, etc. etc. etc...
- Rough year financially - pay attention to the food shelf
- Video of worship - bring to nursing homes, homebound, befrienders
- Maintenance projects - bikes, car seats, oil changes
- Casseroles - in freezer - delivered where needed - death in family, illness, recovery
- Go-for ministries - helper to get mail, get groceries, drivers for apartments
- Handy helpers - people to do fix-it jobs
- Manor visiting
- Driving for appointments, etc.
- Couples Club - baseball game, play (Chanhassen or Old Log)
- Ministry teams that go out to see inactives & visitors
- More intentional with visitors & inactives
- Prayer ministry for people not homebound, in nursing home, etc, - come to home, etc, between hours of worship on Sundays
- Those ill from chemo - have meals provided
- Taking care of local needs and people in our church is a priority over national or global needs
- When people stop coming, do we follow up?
- Faithful Hands serving the community
- Church is intimidating for peopel to come to that need help
- Befriending is a positive
- More prayer
- More signs - lobby & outside
- List of all options for new members with names and faces - Sunday school, choirs, etc.
- Reformat the PULSE - user friendly
- Stay with existing programs and key in those we offer
- Focus on power surge
- Church "elders" - advisors for long term work of church
- "Networking" to help support community organizations (C. Chest, others)
- New choir Room
- Purchasing homes adjacent to church property
- Church decorate
- More prayer ministry
- Personal prayer ministry
- Silent Auction to gather more funds/income
- Bookstore (christian books)
- Larger prayer focus (including in regard to finances)
- Budget set up according to pledges?
- Make a place to post ride sharing “Carpools”
- Publish a "Classified" or "Services" list where people can trade what they need with one another
- As needs change in the church - can there be noted that donations go to greatest need
- Benevolence to synod? percentage? where to: Christian charities? our church? (Can we study/learn about this?)
- Why do we borrow $ to pay our bills (for current expenses) - if we can't make our budget why do we increase it from year to year
- Borrow operating funds from our own endowment fund, pay it back but at either no interest or a lesser rate
- Too many designated funds of smaller amounts
- Is it wise to pay 8% interest?
- We need to feel it's important to give
- Automated giving - auto withdraw
- Keep people accountable in a way to come to the church and give
- Parish Pulse - include laborers (phone number & specialties), babysitters, housesit, mowing, snow removal
As far as the "complaints" go, what ideas do we have to address them? How many are unavoidable? How many can be addressed by the ideas that were shared by others?
Please be in prayer and continue to share your ideas! A meeting is being held today at 1:00 to talk about an idea that came forth this week. The Lord is stirring our hearts! It's wonderful to see.
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