May newsletter

May 2011 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

We are often told ‘small is beautiful’, but is it?

As many of you know I went on a course during Lent called ‘Leading your Church into Growth’ (or LYCIG for short).  It sounded like just the course for me, and for our church. Even so, I have to admit I went off with some trepidation.  Thankfully, the course was excellent.  Over one hundred clergy and lay leaders from the diocese took part. We enjoyed some very stimulating and thought-provoking input from those leading the course, a variety of different worship, and time to chat with each other and share ideas.

Since coming back I have been reading a booklet called ‘Small but growing’ by Robin Gamble, one of the course leaders.  Robin is the Diocesan Missioner in Bradford diocese, as well as being a parish priest in Bradford.  As the title implies, his booklet is aimed at helping smaller churches to grow.  However, he begins by considering some of the positive aspects of being a smaller church.  According to Robin Gamble:

• Members of smaller churches are usually highly motivated, giving generously of their time, love, energy and money
• Smaller churches are more aware of and more welcoming towards new people. There is also less risk of individuals ‘getting lost’ or disappearing in the way they can in larger congregations.
• Leaders of smaller churches have more time, and their ‘minds and hearts are less cluttered and stressful’(!!)
• Individual members tend to be closer to the leader or leaders, and so can be more influenced by their vision, ideas and ways of doing things.
• Smaller churches tend to have a much richer sense of community where individuals seem to matter more. Communication can be less complicated.  It is easier for newcomers to get to know people, become involved and find their place in the life of the church.
• Members of smaller churches are more aware of the need to grow, willing to change and have a stronger sense of urgency and hunger.

What do you think?

So often we can focus on the ‘problems’ of being a smaller church, particularly the lack of resources both financial and people for the things we would love to do.  Yet, let’s not lose sight of the good things about being a smaller church.  It is the sense of community I particularly value – sharing times of joy and celebration, supporting each other through difficult or sad times.  They are all part of being God’s family here. Of course we want and need to grow as a church! But as we work and pray for that growth, let’s not lose sight of the way God is blessing us now.

O God we thank you for small things, small congregations

with wide open arms,

small churches with wide open doors…

O God we thank you for vulnerable things,

Vulnerable people showing us how to depend on you,

vulnerable places still beautiful to you,

vulnerable communities speaking the truth about you.

O God we thank you for fragile things, the

grass between the paving stones giving us

a glimpse of green, the smile beneath the

sadness giving us a glimpse of hope, the

faith behind the action giving us a glimpse

of your love.  Amen

 (The Revd  Mandy Ford  –  Church Urban Fund)

May we always be a congregation with wide open arms and a church with wide open doors.

Joan