Mid-sized churches \u2014 defined as worshipping communities of between 20 and 60 \u2014 have been overlooked by the national church institutions, the secretary-general, William Nye, said this month.<\/p>\n
Speaking before a panel convened earlier this month to discuss the beauty and the challenges associated with the \u201cmiddle third\u201d, Mr Nye described how, \u201cwithout meaning to, a lot of the time, we, the national church institutions, just default to thinking about bigger churches, because a lot of people\u2019s picture of the norm of the church is a vicar and about 100 people on a Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have overlooked this middle third. Lots of staff at Church House, lots of bishops, come up through bigger churches, worship in bigger churches; bishops have led bigger churches.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a need to think more about how national programmes might work in churches of this size, he said. Some did not connect \u201cterribly well\u201d, such as planting and the creation of resource churches. Others, such as digital campaigns, did. \u201cWe are trying to get away from the idea that we are interested only in planting and replicating churches of 300 people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n We are neglecting mid-sized churches, Nye admits: Parish churches needed to be aware that large churches were often drawing from areas the size of dozens of Anglican parishes. https:\/\/t.co\/c239Sn7mDp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Fr Simon Robinson SMMS (@RevSimonR) July 22, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n