| Mr. Moderator, Members of
the Leadership Team, Members and Friends of Urbandale United Church
of Christ:
For several years, I have had the same New Years’ resolution:
to live my life with intentionality and reflection. By that I mean
that I live my life with focus, purpose, and directed energy. It
also means that I stop with regularity and reflect on my actions:
what do my actions say about my core values? In what areas do I
need to tweak or change my behavior?
The address and data that I am about to share is the result of
living in intentional and reflective ministry with you for nearly
seven months. It also is the initial harvest of diligent research.
On two occasions last Fall, I had the opportunity to study with
The Rev. Alice Mann, a Senior Consultant with the Alban Institute.
For 30 years, the Alban Institute has been considered the principle
leader in research on congregations. Using empirical methods of
study, they are able to give clear guidance to churches and church
leaders on proven congregational patterns of behavior. In September,
Colleen Borstad, our Vice Moderator, and I went to Madison, WI,
for a two day conference, lead by Alice, titled “Discerning
Your Congregation’s Call.” And in October, I went to a
week-long seminar titled “Raising the Roof,” which is
Alice’s quintessential research area on church growth and churches
in a size transition. That conference, and her book by the same
title, along with several other supplementary resources, became
the primary research guides for the Strategic Study Team launched
in the Fall of 2004.
Today, I am pleased to report to you some of our initial findings.
Further, we need your help and input. In a few moments, I am going
to ask for your participation in the next steps of our strategic
study: an experiment in how we do ministry here at Urbandale UCC.
*******
But first, let’s celebrate. There are many ways in which we
can measure the strength and vitality of a local congregation. Just
three are: membership growth, worship attendance, and financial
health. Let’s look at Urbandale United Church of Christ in
the light of each one.
The last time we invited people to affirm our covenant and join
our membership, eleven new members joined. This is a large group
for a church our size. But, there is more! We have more than 40
family units, representing more than 60 people, that we can identify
who have come to this church in the last several months. A good
number of them have indicated interest in joining this faith community,
and there are several more from whom we do not have contact information.
In the arena of membership growth, we have significant potential!
The research, however, does not look so much at church membership,
but rather church attendance. Our data in this arena is equally
interesting. In 2003, you had an average worship attendance of 172,
which was lower than 2002, but not too far outside an anticipated
range for an interim period. In 2004, the average attendance was
197, nearly returning to a pre-interim average and representing
the largest annual increase in at least 10 years. And there are
“internal numbers” that I think shed light on what might
happen this year. In the first six months of 2004, your average
attendance was 179. In the last six months, the average attendance
was 217. The number I find most significant is the average attendance
during the Fall Program year: 247. Except for the day after Christmas,
we never had less than 200 on a Sunday morning in the Fall of 2004.
Further, on four Sundays, we had more than 280 people and on Christmas
Eve we had well over 400 people in worship. In the arena of worship
attendance, we have significant growth!
Concerning the financial vitality of the church, in 2004, you passed
an unbalanced budget of around $245,000. The projected deficit was
nearly $12,000. Today, because of a 13% increase in pledges, we
are pleased to present to you a balanced budget for 2005 of $255,000—over
a quarter of a million dollars! This budget represents a equitable
3.3% increase in staff salaries, following the Conference Guidelines
for my salary and applying it to all the staff. It increases our
OCWM giving a full percentage point of our operating budget to 20.6%
and it meets most of the requests from most of our ministry areas.
And let us not forget, as a result of extra giving, you were able
to pay the mortgage in full this past summer as I arrived.
Dear hearts, looking at these three areas—membership, worship
attendance, and fiscal health—I am pleased to report to you
that the state of Urbandale United Church of Christ is strong!
But, let’s consider the matter beyond the numbers. The real
tale of strength is in the stories that are emerging. People’s
lives are being transformed; folk are engaging the journey of wholeness.
Every week I get emails, phone calls, and other contacts from people
celebrating the new life they are finding in this worship community.
The history and reputation of this congregation is such that we
have been known as a beacon of light for justice and peace in the
Metro and this Conference. One of our core historical stories relates
how this congregation reached out to the first African American
public school teacher in Urbandale when he and his family were being
harassed. We were a resting place for them in a dangerous wilderness.
It seems clear that we are once again emerging as an oasis of hope,
compassion, refuge, and care to beloved children of God who have
somehow lost their way as a result of all manner of spiritual abuse.
And if you are under the impression that these religious refugees
finding refreshment in our midst are only gay and lesbian folk,
let me correct that ecclesiastical legend in the same way that researchers
attempt to correct urban legends. I am hearing from a diverse array
of people who identify as having a “progressive faith,”
from women who still feel excluded from other faith communities,
from divorced/remarried families, and from every manner of broken
people who just want to be able to tell the truth about their brokenness
and find spiritual companions who will not judge them.
Dear hearts, the personal stories of our members, visitors, and
other friends indicate that not only is the state of Urbandale United
Church of Christ strong, but the presence of the Holy Spirit is
clear! And we are engaged in a faith-full expedition.
*******
I have long been taught, and really believe, that in a democracy,
with increased freedom comes increased responsibility. To put it
another way, Jack (my former head of staff) and I use to frequently
joke: he would say, “Rank has its privilege,” and I would
rejoin, “Yes, and its responsibility” The theological
and ecclesiastical corollary is that with an increased awareness
of the Spirit’s presence comes an increased responsibility
to proclaim God’s good news. It is here that we find ourselves
at a crossroads.
When I assess, with intentionality and reflection, the life and
ministry of this congregation I discover a common myth that produces
most of our other challenges. The myth is that we are a “small
church.” Let’s release ourselves from the destructive
power of this notion today.
Consider this: 80% of U.S. congregations of any Protestant denomination
have less than 200 people in worship. With an average worship attendance
of 217 in the last six months, we are in the top 20% of any
U.S. Protestant church. When assessing us in the light of the United
Church of Christ, our average worship puts us in the top 10%; at
over 500 in membership, we are in the top 7% of UCC congregations.[1]
But how about our own Conference? The Iowa Conference has just fewer
than 200 churches, according to the 2004 Yearbook. When you measure
us on the 2-criteria scale of membership roll and average worship
attendance, we are the third largest church of this Conference.
There are three other churches who claim a larger membership list
than we, but only two others who also have higher worship attendance.
Those two churches are: Plymouth Congregational, the 4th largest
UCC congregation on the planet, and First Congregational of Dubuque,
who have enjoyed the blessings of a successful, well established
pastoral team and are in a “seminary town.” Dear hearts,
we are not a small church! And we cannot conduct ourselves as if
we are!
In the last few months, we have seen a significant number of our
own members returning to church with greater regularity and we have
witnessed an extraordinary level of first time and repeat visitors.
The data we are able to gather from both the pew pads and by simply
asking indicates that many are coming as a result of our message
concerning the extravagant welcome and inclusive love of God that
is making it beyond our parking lot. The publicity we received
with the latest efforts from The Still Speaking campaign was comprehensive.
Let me again be clear, I did not orchestrate our appearance on the
front page of The Des Moines Register, but I did realize
the opportunity when it came. I did accept the two TV interviews
and the radio broadcast. The print ad in The Register was
the result of a targeted gift to make that possible. And it has
had the effect of once again making this congregation highly visible
in the Des Moines metro area. I am, however, pleased to announce
to you today, that pending your approval of the 2005 budget, Gage
and I have successfully negotiated a deal with Plymouth Congregational.
Potentially as many as four times this Spring, twice before the
beginning of March and twice before Easter, our names will appear
in equal typeset in the same ads in Cityview. This is an
unprecedented effort of cooperation, which Plymouth has graciously
extended to us. These ads will capitalize on the energy created
by the release of the first commercial buy.
*******
By every empirical measure that I know, when we look at the hard
numbers, we are in a period of significant growth. But it is the
lives that are being transformed that are important to me. I believe
that this transformation is occurring because the Holy Spirit is
very present with us right now and we are intentionally responding.
It is time for further reflection. And I would like to frame that
reflection around a question: “What will it take for Urbandale
United Church of Christ to be in a position to receive the next
50 people that God needs to send to us?" I say “needs”
because I believe that we are a beacon of light in this city and
the surrounding area. I believe that God needs us to be prepared
to receive hurting partners as our companions in our spiritual journey.
In order to put ourselves in this receptive posture, let us again
look to solid research as a guide and examine our behavior in its
light.
Research from the Alban Institute, and others, reveal clear patterns
of congregational behavior. We know that the average pew-sitter
needs between 30 and 36 inches to feel comfortable. Using the average,
33 inches, you can easily calculate how many pew-sitters a sanctuary
will hold. Our pews will hold between 4 and 5 people comfortably.
Now, we all know that we frequently hold more than that, but the
validity of the research holds. We also know that if the worship
space is too full, that means over 80% for six or more non-holiday
services, or too empty, that means less than 50% full, it depresses
growth. These numbers focus on “the desirable,” not “capable”
seats. Because of the configuration of our sanctuary, it is difficult
to measure our space exactly. I believe, however, that our magic
number is about 150. Any time we have significantly more or less
than 150 in a worship service, it creates an uneasy environment
that harms our welcome and decreases our opportunities for growth.
If that is our goal, we achieve it twice a week! And what is true
inside, is also true outside in the parking lot. Our guests wonder
if there really is a place for them here.
With this data in mind, I ask you to engage in an experiment in
how we use our space on Sunday mornings. From February 13th to May
22nd (the First Sunday in Lent to the last weekend before Memorial
Day), I ask you to configure our mornings in this way:
______________________________________________
Experimental Sunday
Morning Schedule
13 February
(First Sunday in Lent) to 22 May (last Sunday before Memorial Day)
9:00 Worship
9:15-10:15
Early Childhood to 5th grade Sunday School (leaving at Children’s
Time)
10:15
Coffee, Tea and Conversation & Jr./Sr. High Sunday School
Fellowship
Hall: Chatting
Lower Level:
Focused Discussion
11:00 Worship
Children
depart for Just For Fun Room after Children’s Time
12:30
Occasional Additional Adult Education with lunch
New Member
Class: Feb 20, 27, Mar 6, 13 (joining on March 20—Palm Sun);
March 20: special offering with Community Concerns
______________________________________________
I am sure that this might not be a perfect solution and some needs
that are currently being met might not be in the new configuration;
however, it is an experiment and we will be asking for your
feedback. Further, it is our best strategy right now for addressing
our indoor and outdoor spacing needs. By putting the worship times
at 9:00 and 11:00, we hope to have two cycles of people come through
on Sunday mornings. By not putting significant adult education
opportunities at 10:15, but by focusing on fellowship, we hope to
contain our parking challenges.
I firmly believe that a primary path to personal liberation or
salvation comes through a deep awareness that we are beloved children
of God, and drawing from that deep well, to put ourselves in the
service of others. This means we ought to be about two primary functions:
creating communities of wholeness where people can be nurtured in
their understanding of themselves as beloved children of God; and
creating, facilitating, and supporting a diverse array of community
outreach programs. It is here that I submit to you another course
of action.
The staff configurations of churches achieve one of three results:
growth, maintenance, or decline. Roy Oswald, another Senior Consultant
with the Alban Institute, suggests that for churches to be staffed
for growth, they need one full-time program person for every one
hundred in worship. This does not include support staff.
Churches are staffing for maintenance if they are just below that
figure and are staffing for decline if they are substantially below
the ratio[2]. If we desire
to increase our welcoming message, we are currently understaffed
by one full-time position. I put before you the following staffing
goals:
Staffing
Goals: In Place by Fall 2005
FT Head of
Staff Worship, Staff Development, Vision & Pastoral Care
FT Program Staff Small Group Ministries & Outreach
PT Program Staff Church School & Youth Ministries
PT Music Staff Combined efforts leading close to FT
FT Office Support
PT Office Support Volunteers
PT Building Support
The staffing
configuration cannot be firmly stated or explored until after the
completion of a “second mile” giving campaign specifically
targeting new funds for additional staffing needs.
This configuration will allow us to better focus on the spiritual
needs of this community. It will help us to keep the best part of
“the small church” by creating a system of small groups
where people can have meaningful interactions with a focused group
of people. It will also empower us to once again make hands-on outreach
projects a hallmark of our life together.
I am suggesting that we engage in a “second mile” giving
campaign that specifically targets funds for additional staffing
needs. The discernment process that this congregation practices
is to request money and then make a determination on how to disperse
the funds. With that as our practice, I would recommend that SMI
launch, at their earliest convenience, a special fund drive to solicit
gifts and pledges. I would hope that we could consecrate our results
at or around Easter (March 27). At or around the end of the end
of the drive we would appoint a Search and Call Team to work in
concert with the Strategic Study Team to present a staff configuration
and candidates to fill the positions to the Congregation. I would
hope that this process could be completed and in place by the Fall
of 2005. While that may sound like an audacious goal to you, I am
very confident that when Urbandale United Church of Christ lets
the world know that we are looking for another staff person, we
will have our pick of candidates.
Concerning the financing of the new configuration, specifically
the addition of the extra staff, we have done a lot of research.
We know that if we are careful to structure the position in a way
that enhances our current level of ministry and reaches out to new
people, we only need about 50% of their salary for the first year.
If properly implemented, the position should “pay for itself”
in twelve to eighteen months[3].
With this in mind, the position would not need to be fully funded
in our operating budget until the passage of the 2007 budget.
*******
Our witness to the extravagant welcome and inclusive love of God
is transforming lives—not the least of which are our very own!
Yes, I am proposing changes to our basic structures of worship and
staffing; but, I am really asking for your participation in an experiment
of transformation. Do we believe that God is still speaking? If
you do, I invite you to lend your voice to God’s
effort. Beyond these changes, I invite you today to see Joyce
Bixby to sign-up to be an usher-greeter or Kathy Fitch to be a liturgist.
We are going to need entire new sets to support the experiment.
See John L’Estrange or Jennifer Gardner to help with the membership
team or staff the welcome table. I invite you to see Bonita to sign-up
to be a Church School teacher for our children—we still need
more. Each of these people are prepared to take your name for these
efforts today.
Dear hearts, the history of our denomination indicates that we
are a people bold in faith-full actions. In 1620, as the Pilgrims
departed for the “New World,” their pastor, John Robinson
reminded them in the now famous quote: “[God] hath yet more
light and truth to break forth from [God’s] holy word.”
Who could have imagined that our denominational forbearers would
have been the first Protestant church to ordain an African American
pastor, Lemuel Haynes, in 1785? Or, in 1839, who could have dreamed
that we would be the principle advocates for the freedom of the
slaves held captive on the schooner La Amistad? We would
be so bold again, however, in 1853, when we called and ordained
the first woman pastor, Antoinette Brown.
Perhaps it was in this spirit that the forbearers of this
congregation laid the cornerstone of this church in 1921, establishing
the first church in Urbandale. It was courageous actions in 1947
that lead the members of this congregation to farm “God’s
Acres” and add their sweat equity to the voice of a Stillspeaking
God. In 1954, the congregation did add an assistant pastor, George
Crosby; and in 1959, Miriam Cline became the first Director of Christian
Education. In 1963, before Dr. King’s I Have A Dream
speech, this congregation voted to be open to people of all races.
And in 1989 and 1993, this congregation voted to be a Just Peace
and Open & Affirming congregation, both under the leadership
of The Rev. Pat deJong.
We have been bold in the past! And, if ours is a Stillspeaking
God, who more frequently places commas than periods[4],
then God is waiting for us in our future. What will it take for
us to meet God there? I submit to you that the proposals of this
day are not equal to the dramatic actions of our past,
but are steps toward God’s and our future. The history of this
congregation beckons us; the state of this faith community is strong.
Let us reach into the reserve of our faith and step boldly beyond
God’s comma and into our future!
May the Love of God guide our hearts and give us courage!
___________________________________________
1 The UCC Statistical Handbook,
2003. Office of General Ministries, United Church of Christ, Cleveland,
Ohio.
2 The In-Between Church: Navigating
Size Transitions in Congregations, Alice Mann. Roy Oswald’s
article is “Appendix A”.
3 Ibid. We also relied
on Staff Your Church for Growth: Building Team Ministry in the
21st Century, Gary L. McIntosh.
4 “Never place a period
where God has placed a comma, God is still speaking!” This
quote by Gracie Allen is a current slogan by the UCC.
|
