Don’t Settle for Reopening: Relaunch!
Thanks to the UM News for sharing their article, Churches Urged to Relaunch, not Just Reopen, which is the backbone of this Great Idea!
The article’s “Key Points [include:]
- Churches were forced into changes by the pandemic.
- Receptivity to change continues as restrictions lift.
- Pastors found silver linings in the pandemic, including chances to revisit ministry practices.”
If any of these key points resonate with you, read on:
What changes have you or your congregation made in how you engage with one another and/or with your broader community, as a result of the pandemic? Has it been a bumpy ride?
For tips and resources on leading through conflict and change see our Leading through Change/Conflict lib guide.
Have you noticed folx being more receptive to change, right now? If not, what do you think is preventing that openness?
Thom Rainer, leader of the Church Answers consulting group led a recent webinar on the post-pandemic church in which he predicted that the pandemic will hasten membership and attendance declines already evident in most denominations. BUT, he also said, “There’s more openness to change than there was, but it’s a window that will close.”
You can seize the moment for congregational and communal change – including discussions about what to keep and what to get rid of as you emerge from pandemic restrictions – with resources from our Post-Covid Church lib guide.
Congregations that are thriving are focusing not so much on themselves and their own recovery, post-pandemic, but on the needs of the communities they serve.
Discerning those needs and adapting ministries – and whole modes of being – can be both costly and rewarding (for individuals and communities). Mark Elsdon’s Church Anew post, We Aren’t Broke illustrates this beautifully.
Find guides and other assistance in both our Congregational Life: Vision, Mission, & Identity lib guides and our Restructuring the Church lib guide.
For a glimpse of how hybrid worship might be transformational for your congregation and your broader community, please take advantage of our Summer Worship Series: Liberation. These resources are an excellent way for highly homogenous congregations to experience diverse leadership, art forms, and perspectives. They are examples of how new lyrics to familiar tunes and brand-new songs from regional artists can help us sing relevant music that transforms worship from a passive “have-to” activity to active involvement in the progress of creating God’s Beloved Community.
Request your links to the Summer Worship Series: Liberation, here.
Read the whole Relaunch article here.
Member congregations get free consultations with The Ministry Lab’s Executive Director, Rev. Emily Meyer. Zoom technology means we can consult “in-person” from anywhere! Send Emily an email to set up a consult any time!!
