We have beautiful and deeply meaningful worship services people hunger so deeply for. Our services are very well attended for that reason. One walks away feeling they have been touched by God. The members of our church then leave and are often unfailingly noticeable as they go forth within the community both in service as well as example. We are a joyous Church.
Just one? Our men’s hikes and men’s ministries are excellently done… music is powerful without being sappy… talks are real, nitty gritty, and challenging… and men are not afraid of living life together. Holy Cross is a great church!
The fact that we have been able to distance ourselves from the controversies in the national church and some dioceses, allowing us to have the time and energy to focus on what’s traditionally important – ministries in the Name of Jesus Christ.
We’re attracting some young people who have discovered the BCP 1979 Daily Office and then discovered that we pray it twice a day in church. I am not making this up!
We’re into our second year of a Sunday evening, guitar-oriented, casual worship service and weekly attendance continues to grow. It is attracting old and new, which is great to see. And yes, the Gospel continues to be preached by our new rector and clergy (so that helps, obviously). NB–this is not a contemporary worship service, it is a combination of old and new liturgy and use of hymns set often to new arrangements.
Exciting? Ok it’s not my parish but it is one of the most venerable in U.S. Episcopaldom and you would recognize the name. I was visiting recently and at the offertory adorable middleschoolers in cassocks and surplices came up around the altar, ducked under the clergy to gather the collection plates and emerged in the same way to take the offering. Their informality was striking and even cute. But what really excited me in an unhappy way was what followed. A middle-school boy all of 11 years stood alone behind the Lord’s Table, set up the chalice and begin to pour wine in the chalice and mix water and the other rituals without the prayers that go with that. Understandably, perhaps, he seemed confused. So a helpful girl leaning over the table stage-whispered directions to him as he got everything ready for the woman who actually officiated. I gathered that this Eucharistic youth ritual went on every week and may have been meant as an extension of the idea of Communion as a family meal. To me it really degraded the sacredness of the sacrifice commemorated, as well as the priesthood itself. To me it was sort of as if “Our Gang” decided to play church. The way trends go, though, it could be coming to a parish near you.
A full plate of activities for children this summer, including a beautifully planned trip to Washington for youth with fund raisers well supported by the parish; and a home grown Vacation Church School based on the legend of King Arthur and the Holy Grail (a symbol of the presence of Christ in Medieval literature — not the nonsense that hit the best-seller list and the movies a little while ago).
Introducing Crossways International as a second Bible study offering for adults on Sunday morning — emphasizing Biblical literacy both as an inreach to adult converts already in the church and a basis for outreach. Plus, some demographic work to target opportunities for growth in our community.
Five Inquirer’s Groups in the last three years.
BTW, we’re a pastoral parish in Fort Smith, Arkansas (basically, a factory town; but a stable economy and steady growth).
[i]We urge commenters to disregard the example of #6. Kendall is not looking for this thread to become a gripe session or an attack on what other parishes are doing (wrong) or even a praise for what other parishes are doing (right).
Please stick to the question about your own parish church.[/i]
We have a 12 month youth ministry program that is partnered between our congregations (3 of them in Sioux County) and YoungLife. We provide Clubs, Camps and Discipleship/Campaigner Groups. What used to be the size of our active youth group (15) has become the size of our Senior High Leaders and our group has grown to be reaching over 200 Native Kids throughout the school year. This ministry with young people has provided a discernment process through which two former youth group members have become ordained as Deacons and continue to serve there and in a wider capacity. We continue to be able to be involved in discernment with others about their call (lay or ordained) to ministry. This takes place on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation south of Bismarck in North Dakota.
…and a home grown Vacation Church School based on the legend of King Arthur and the Holy Grail (a symbol of the presence of Christ in Medieval literature—not the nonsense that hit the best-seller list and the movies a little while ago).
I wrote a ten-part drama series based on the medieval Grail romances for our Children’s Chapel a few years back. T19ers may find it too liberal for your taste, but if you can glean any acceptable kernels from the corners you’re welcome to:
Our church family is small, about 20 on a good Sunday. At present we have a “rent-a-priest” (as he calls himself) who is very dynamic, Spirit filled, and Spirit led. He preaches for a good half hour, emphasis on “good”, and no one complains. We get a few “walk ins” every Sunday and it is very moving to see the way they are caught up in the service and afterward during the meal in the fellowship hall because the family is so welcoming. Will we grow? Maybe. Will the “walk ins” grow from having been with us for a morning? Most likely!
Instead of doing VBS ourselves, we have joined the AME church across the street for a whole family VBS. So we get to bring the two churches closer together while at the same time providing VBS for the kids and a meal every night. And all this in the context of a historically African-American church and a traditionally anglo church working and fellowshipping together in Georgia no less.
In our small town of 435 souls, our church is hosting a VBS in partnership with the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, and this year, for the first time, The Baptist (SBC) Church. This is the third year, and we have about as many adults signed up to “help” as we have kids coming. It is a wonderful time.
We have beautiful and deeply meaningful worship services people hunger so deeply for. Our services are very well attended for that reason. One walks away feeling they have been touched by God. The members of our church then leave and are often unfailingly noticeable as they go forth within the community both in service as well as example. We are a joyous Church.
Just one? Our men’s hikes and men’s ministries are excellently done… music is powerful without being sappy… talks are real, nitty gritty, and challenging… and men are not afraid of living life together. Holy Cross is a great church!
The fact that we have been able to distance ourselves from the controversies in the national church and some dioceses, allowing us to have the time and energy to focus on what’s traditionally important – ministries in the Name of Jesus Christ.
We’re attracting some young people who have discovered the BCP 1979 Daily Office and then discovered that we pray it twice a day in church. I am not making this up!
We’re into our second year of a Sunday evening, guitar-oriented, casual worship service and weekly attendance continues to grow. It is attracting old and new, which is great to see. And yes, the Gospel continues to be preached by our new rector and clergy (so that helps, obviously). NB–this is not a contemporary worship service, it is a combination of old and new liturgy and use of hymns set often to new arrangements.
Exciting? Ok it’s not my parish but it is one of the most venerable in U.S. Episcopaldom and you would recognize the name. I was visiting recently and at the offertory adorable middleschoolers in cassocks and surplices came up around the altar, ducked under the clergy to gather the collection plates and emerged in the same way to take the offering. Their informality was striking and even cute. But what really excited me in an unhappy way was what followed. A middle-school boy all of 11 years stood alone behind the Lord’s Table, set up the chalice and begin to pour wine in the chalice and mix water and the other rituals without the prayers that go with that. Understandably, perhaps, he seemed confused. So a helpful girl leaning over the table stage-whispered directions to him as he got everything ready for the woman who actually officiated. I gathered that this Eucharistic youth ritual went on every week and may have been meant as an extension of the idea of Communion as a family meal. To me it really degraded the sacredness of the sacrifice commemorated, as well as the priesthood itself. To me it was sort of as if “Our Gang” decided to play church. The way trends go, though, it could be coming to a parish near you.
We just closed on the property for our new parish home.
What are we doing? GROWING!
A full plate of activities for children this summer, including a beautifully planned trip to Washington for youth with fund raisers well supported by the parish; and a home grown Vacation Church School based on the legend of King Arthur and the Holy Grail (a symbol of the presence of Christ in Medieval literature — not the nonsense that hit the best-seller list and the movies a little while ago).
Introducing Crossways International as a second Bible study offering for adults on Sunday morning — emphasizing Biblical literacy both as an inreach to adult converts already in the church and a basis for outreach. Plus, some demographic work to target opportunities for growth in our community.
Five Inquirer’s Groups in the last three years.
BTW, we’re a pastoral parish in Fort Smith, Arkansas (basically, a factory town; but a stable economy and steady growth).
[i]We urge commenters to disregard the example of #6. Kendall is not looking for this thread to become a gripe session or an attack on what other parishes are doing (wrong) or even a praise for what other parishes are doing (right).
Please stick to the question about your own parish church.[/i]
We are growing at the rate of 2 or 3 families per week. I wonder if it would be permissable to give web sites for further inquiry.
We have a 12 month youth ministry program that is partnered between our congregations (3 of them in Sioux County) and YoungLife. We provide Clubs, Camps and Discipleship/Campaigner Groups. What used to be the size of our active youth group (15) has become the size of our Senior High Leaders and our group has grown to be reaching over 200 Native Kids throughout the school year. This ministry with young people has provided a discernment process through which two former youth group members have become ordained as Deacons and continue to serve there and in a wider capacity. We continue to be able to be involved in discernment with others about their call (lay or ordained) to ministry. This takes place on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation south of Bismarck in North Dakota.
#9 J. Champlin says:
I wrote a ten-part drama series based on the medieval Grail romances for our Children’s Chapel a few years back. T19ers may find it too liberal for your taste, but if you can glean any acceptable kernels from the corners you’re welcome to:
http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~teneyck/liturgy/index.html, under “Quest for the Holy Grail.”
Our church family is small, about 20 on a good Sunday. At present we have a “rent-a-priest” (as he calls himself) who is very dynamic, Spirit filled, and Spirit led. He preaches for a good half hour, emphasis on “good”, and no one complains. We get a few “walk ins” every Sunday and it is very moving to see the way they are caught up in the service and afterward during the meal in the fellowship hall because the family is so welcoming. Will we grow? Maybe. Will the “walk ins” grow from having been with us for a morning? Most likely!
Instead of doing VBS ourselves, we have joined the AME church across the street for a whole family VBS. So we get to bring the two churches closer together while at the same time providing VBS for the kids and a meal every night. And all this in the context of a historically African-American church and a traditionally anglo church working and fellowshipping together in Georgia no less.
In our small town of 435 souls, our church is hosting a VBS in partnership with the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, and this year, for the first time, The Baptist (SBC) Church. This is the third year, and we have about as many adults signed up to “help” as we have kids coming. It is a wonderful time.