Healthy Congregation Initiative

Our church has been moving through the North Carolina Annual Conference initiative for Healthy Congregations. This began last year with our DS giving out the initiative packets to us. I gave my packet to our Church Council chair to review. As he reviewed it and mulled over its consequences, the senior pastor began to move toward starting the initiative in January 2008. Over 5 Sundays after the 11 am service 60 to 75 people (young and old) worked through the daily Bible studies, the evaluations and each others' thoughts. So what came out of it--possibilities. The group gave ideas for action plans for the Church Council. The Council established 3 action plans: 1. Hire a youth director. 2. Emphasize local mission opportunities, especially a partnership with Habitat for Humanities. 3. Rededication to the baptismal vows--to support our local congregation with our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our services.

So where do we stand nearly a year after the initiative was given to us? Regarding the action plans: 1. We have raised over 2/3 of the money for a youth director and have begun the selection process. 2. We have hosted a group working on a habitat house earlier this year, we are moving forward to raise $4000 toward sponsorship of a home. 3. We had our Rededication service on May 18Th with a baptismal renewal service.

In talking with the Church Council chair, it appears we are at the end of the beginning. Call it the end of phase 1 and the start of phase 2.

Why Seinfeld Doesn't Work for Me

Having something to say doesn't mean anyone cares to listen. And blogging tends to affirm that notion.
Therefore, this blog is launched with the intention of spurring listening, questioning and discussing God and The United Methodist Church.
Seinfeld, the TV show, announced it was a "show about nothing." Wikipedia says about the characters, "were 'thirty-something singles ... with no roots, vague identities, and conscious indifference to morals'." While that made the show such a hit on television, it makes for a poor role model for the Church. Yet the Church is filled with Seinfeld-like characters--no roots, vague identities, and conscious indifference to morals. In contrast, the Bible tells us that our baptism establishes our roots and identities as children of God. It goes on to establish that morality is not relative and individualistic but guided by standards imposed by the Creator--God. So Church what do our lives look like then?