Best Practice #4:  Pastor the Community

Given the clarity of Christ’s command in Matthew 25, we know why these churches place such a premium on community outreach.

But how do they fit that into the daily demands of ministry? And how do they then inspire their people to make it such a high priority in the midst of their busy lives? Three strategies emerge as the ones that make this work.
 
Set a high bar for serving the church and the community.

Best-practice churches make it clear early and often that they count on congregants to serve the needs of both the church and the community. The clergy set the tone and pace for this commitment because - according to senior pastor Steve Gallimore of Tennessee Valley Community Church - “your people will care no more than you do; go no farther than you will. It’s that simple.”

Build a bridge into your local community.

Most best-practice churches establish strong relationships, and often partnerships, with other churches, non-profits, and community leaders. They do this for two reasons: to stay in touch and involved with the most pressing community needs, and to generate the greatest possible impact by working shoulder-to-shoulder with others to address those needs.

Make serving a platform for the gospel.

​“It’s a no-brainer,” says Barbara Sullivan, who co-pastors Spirit of God Fellowship in South Holland, Illinois, with her husband, John. Her comment acknowledges that best-practice pastors see a natural affinity between sharing the gospel and serving those who are struggling and broken - because people who feel hopeless have hearts that are fertile ground for Christ’s message of grace and redemption.

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Diocesan Resources

Building and extending the love of God into our communities is essential to fulfilling our Baptismal Covenant and leaning into love of God and our neighbor. Congregational Support is partnering with Episcopal Ministries of Long Island in assisting churches in hearing the call to mission that God is preparing for them. EMLI offers a variety of services to support community ministry and outreach: Workshops, Grants for Mission, Grants for Congregational Development.  EMLI also offers instruction and guidance in Asset Based Community Development, working with the best of what is already present and building up the community and the congregation. 

An Asset-Based Approach to Engaging Church and Community is centered around the belief that individuals, groups, and communities have the gifts they need to address the needs they see around them.

The Asset-Based Community Development framework helps individuals discover:
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• How to address social and economic challenges of our time without thinking in terms of problems and deficiencies
• The act of discovering, identifying and connecting people according to assets is at the core of positive social change
• Paths to nurturing a sense of citizenship and possibility in order to build a stronger community
• How a church community can mobilize and engage people based on their personal motivations and longings for positive change

As part of the resources offered by Episcopal Ministries of L.I., ABCD Workshops and Information Sessions can be scheduled on-site, upon request. Classes are customized and tailored for specific content and duration.

For more information or to organize a session at your parish or deanery, please contact Franca Floro, Program Director with Episcopal Ministries at (516) 248-4800 Ext. 149 or FFloro@dioceseli.org

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Holy Currencies
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​Holy Currencies by the Rev. Eric Law is a holistic model for stewardship and congregational vitality, moving beyond “time, talent, and treasure” to create missional and sustainable ministries, a book that is superb at assisting churches in rethinking their assets in alignment with Asset Based Congregational Development through seeing their possibilities anew.

This model includes processes that enable church leaders to recognize, understand, develop, and utilize five other kinds of currencies besides money that are essential for creating sustainable and missional ministries. 

These currencies are: Time & Place, Gracious Leadership, Relationship, Truth, and Wellness.  

These currencies flow and recirculate to form a Cycle of Blessings (see illustration above) which empower congregations to strengthen their internal relationships as well as reach out and connect with the diverse populations in their neighborhoods. 

To learn more go here: https://www.kscopeinstitute.org/holy-currencies-1

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Your Church Community Demographics
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To assist in the discernment of mission we suggest taking a deep dive into the demographics of your church neighborhood.

To explore your own church trends in attendance, membership and giving see the following link on the General Convention of the Episcopal Church Parochial Report website and to explore your basic neighborhood demographic data go here: https://episcopalchurch.org/research-and-statistics 

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Neighborhood Prayer Walk 
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To take a good long look at your church neighborhood we suggest that congregations do a Neighborhood Prayer Walk. 

What Is a Neighborhood Prayer Walk?

​It’s not just walking around. It’s not just praying. It’s walking through your neighborhood or “parish” praying with your eyes and your heart wide open. It’s noticing signs of hope and signs of need, and how God calls you to be present to both.

So get a group. Take a walk. Listen closely. Pay attention. Offer prayer. Take pictures. Maybe even video. Notice what God is up to.

Then re-imagine how your ministry could join God and join your neighbors.

Go here to download the design:  https://www.episcopalchurch.org/files/attached-files/neighborhood_prayer_walks_tec.pdf

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Missional: A Bible Study Series

The goal of this study series is to develop your curiosity around missional communities. We have built it to be flexible and practical. It can be done over 4-6 weeks for groups of various sizes and requires little as far as preparation and materials.

​Available in English (adult and youth versions), Spanish, and Braille (upon request).

DOWNLOAD        DESCARGAR       YOUTH
 
For more information on building missional communities, please click here.

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​More Ideas from RenewalWorks

Matthew 5:14, 16
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hid…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
 
Unite Local Clergy:

The Rector or Senior Pastor can take the lead in working with other local clergy to identify issues of concern to the community, which will change over time, and will vary from community to community. In one community, a string of teenage suicides brought the clergy together for prayer and coordinated response. The clergy hosted an open forum for the community, offering pastoral resources and education, as well as a ministry of presence in a difficult, anxiety producing time. Other communities deal with issues of substance abuse among youth. Needs for hunger and shelter persist in many places. A congregation grows spiritually when its members participate in response to these needs. Furthermore, many people who are seeking a faith community will select one based on how that community responds to needs outside the church. That kind of spirit can prove to be a powerful on-ramp for newcomers and inquirers who seek to identify with the congregation.
 
Interfaith Dialogue:

Become a host for interfaith dialogue. A persistent question among contemporary Christians is how we relate to other faiths. One way to pastor the local community is to develop partnerships and conversations of both an ecumenical and interfaith nature. Leadership can suggest readings and can facilitate discussion, in the confidence that encounter with the “other” provides a way to gain deeper clarity about what one’s own community believes.


Engaging Service:

Make an intentional push to balance grant making from the operating budget and fund-raising sources with hands on opportunities for parishioners to be of service. One of the great learnings of this research is that spiritual growth is ultimately relational. While writing a check is certainly important, it is no substitute for direct encounter with those in need. As Jesus said: the harvest is plentiful, and there is no congregation in our nation that does not live in proximity to both spiritual and physical need. As mentioned earlier, challenge every member of the congregation to be involved in some aspect of service, since service is one of the key indicators of spiritual vitality. If need be, identify members of the congregation who can help to identify opportunities for ministry.
 
Act locally:

Participate in local community organizations that address issues like education, health care, affordable housing, issues reflected in the baptismal covenant that call us to work for justice and peace. This kind of activity draws lay leaders into collaboration with other congregation’s lay leaders and exposes the congregation to community needs about which they might not have been informed. It also identifies the congregation as a place that cares about the needs of the community, a great way to welcome newcomers to your faith community. Find your ministry partners in the wider community who share your values and work with them. Don’ tre-invent the wheel!
 
Go back to school:
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Explore the possibility of partnership with a local public school to provide support for teachers and students. Schools are natural community centers. Tutoring, and other hands-on service are often powerful ways to pastor the community, especially its children. And a great by-product emerges when members of the same faith community work together to support young people, their families and teachers in this way.

QUICK LINKS

> Welcome Page

> The Path

> Get People Moving

> Embed the Bible

> Create Ownership

> Pastor the Community
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> Leaders Heart