Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Healthy Congregations, March 15, 2015
Healthy Congregation Meeting
March 15, 2015
Pastor Jane opened the meeting by re-stating what are the
definitions and differences between a vision statement, mission statement, description,
and motto. Everyone broke into groups to
come up with various definitions or beginnings of ideas for the following:
Vision – A church welcoming people home, a church
welcoming others without pressure, greater outreach to the community
Mission – Spread the word of God, demonstrating the
love of Christ through our actions and witness
Description – A family in Christ, sharing God's love
with all
Motto – A worshiping, nurturing community
Pastor Jane mentioned that two families have spoken with her
about joining the church, inferring that we are welcoming people who visit with
us.
We were asked to consider why it is that we attend this church.
It was mentioned that our church has an advantage of blending
the traditional with the modern.
Judy T said this is a “thinking person's” church, where we
are a teaching church.
Pastor Jane agreed to print out the mission statement of the
Presbyterian Church.
Healthy Congregations Meeting, March 8, 2015
Notes from Vision meeting 8 March 2015
Pastor Jane led a review of points of prior agreement:
·
We want to stay together as a church family;
·
The window of opportunity for economically
feasible sale of building/move to new location is past;
·
We have a desire to grow;
It was noted that we did not have the notes from last week’s
meeting and Pastor Jane indicated that she will make them available during the
week.
The group again discussed what would be involved in
selling/moving.
Next we explored several question posed by Pastor Jane:
What did Christ teach
that is vital to our life as a Christian community? Love and acceptance for all was highlighted
as the guiding principle. Pastor Jane
asked, “How do others outside know this.
The consensus was that “they do not.”
Was there a time in
history when COTC acted out of impatience?
The general reaction was that we take too long, not act too
quickly. One person recalled a “time
long ago” when there was a push to buy an organ.
What about decisions
that have taken too long? In 1990 a
deficit budget was put together instead of looking at the hard issues that
would have needed to be addressed to close the $20,000 gap.
There was a split in the congregation in 1983 involving
factions that on one side believed a change in pastor was needed and on the
other that supported the pastor very strongly.
The pastor was removed, the congregation divided into two distinct
groups, with one withdrawing and starting a new congregation. The membership of COTC went from over 800 to
about 350 as a result.
The general feeling of the group was that we do not have
cliques much anymore.
Several members of the group recalled a history that had
been prepared for the church’s 50th anniversary and interest was
expressed in locating the material that had been prepared/gathered at that
time. Our history is important.
The anomaly of the large gym and relatively small sanctuary
was discussed. Many people recalled the
time when there were two services with an “8:30 crowd and an 11:00 crowd.” The process of combining the two into one was
also shared.
The presentation of the Visioning Process included the idea
that it is beneficial to “go out the door and look around” when discussing the
vision and direction for a congregation.
When we do this, what do we see and how do we serve in
response? In the immediate vicinity
there are low income and minority families, but there are also many “middle
class” areas nearby and we need to consider how to reach both.
We talked about the preconception by many that churches are
always asking for money and if this might prevent some people from
visiting/participating.
How do we expand our radius?
Need help in working this out.
Two ideas that have already been suggested are (1) having a
“homecoming” event to reconnect with past members and encourage involvement of present
membership and (2) some kind of revival meeting as an outreach opportunity.
The need for better advertising was again raised. It was suggested that we think about
maximizing existing opportunities, such as the rummage sale to share our story
with the community. Signage was again
mentioned.
We were asked to think about (1) historical impact of our
ministry, (2) define our mission to stay together and (3) What are you willing
to do?
The vision for COTC must come from the members, not from one
person. Once a need or activity is defined,
who will take the lead or help?
Monday, March 16, 2015
Healthy Congregation Meeting, March 1, 2015
Healthy Congregations have a Vision March 1, 2015
Healthy Congregation Meeting
March 1, 2015
Pastor Jane mentioned that the notes from the Healthy
Congregation meetings will be posted on the COTC blog.
Thoughts about how we can become the congregation that we
want to be:
•
Send a letter to past members who have left the
church not because they were unhappy at COTC, but for various other reasons and
see what they like about their new church.
•
Send a letter to current members to find out
what “excites” them about what we're doing and what more we can do that would
cause them to be even more excited.
•
Hold a reunion and invite members who have left
to get back together and catch up with those still here, and even consider
returning. It would give us a forum to
share our excitement about God and each other.
•
Can we be a “bridge” through other organizations
that we individually belong to in order to carry the message about what we're
excited about at COTC?
•
Having events and programs to share helps us to
do a better job of bridging.
•
Organize activities that we can do together as a
congregation to have fellowship and fun with one another.
◦
Dinners for 8
◦
Progressive dinners
◦
Bowling
◦
Movie night
◦
Dances – Valentine's Day, square dance, 50s and
60s theme dance
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Healthy Congregations have Vision!
February 15, 2015 gathering
The point everyone agreed on was that we want to stay
together as a church family. The
question now becomes: How do we
accomplish this?
What did we offer in the past that attracted people to COTC?
-
People felt that we were a welcoming
congregation that offered warmth and acceptance.
What are some suggestions for inviting people to visit or
return to COTC?
-
Improve visibility with a sign that can be seen
-
Ads in newspapers and community newsletters
Personal contact i.e. calling
visitors and those who do not attend frequently
What are some ways we might
motivate ourselves and also new members/visitors?
Glow sticks
handed our during service as symbol of lighting our way to a new beginning
A revival meeting
to which community members could be invited
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please come to these gatherings! We meet during Sunday School time which is
11:15am.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Bible Thought of the Day - 1 Peter 4: 1-6
Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of of: who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead. For unto this end was the gospel preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
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