Welcome to the Smores Wiki for the St James Episcopal Church in Mount Airy, MD
Mission: Relight the Fire through Re-Energizing our Congregation and Attracting and Keeping New Members
some thoughts are expressed http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=8160
Please feel free to add to this wiki
I am making every effort to allow anyone on the parish emailing list to get listed as a user so that they are able to add to this wiki. So edit away, add pages and links. If you would like to contribute, but you can't seem to get anything to work, email me at scstowell@gmail.com, and I'll do my best to help you out.
Meeting minutes
Ideas
Renergizing
1. How do we sustain older youngsters (teens)
a project that can involve youth
2. Hands on Outreach Projects (i.e Habitat for Humanity) which allow many to participate.
relatively easy project that can involve youth
3. "Training" on how to share our stories of grace and our theology of compassion with each other
a project that involves some training
Attracting
1. "Marketing the church" with advertising, getting the word out -design flyer to alert community of our worship times, education events, etc, and/or design pamphlet to give to those wondering what we are all about
a project where we need to track results
2. Bring community groups in
a project
3. Knock on doors and invite to come to St James
a project that involves some training
4. "Realtor contact list" send mailing (see #1) to new residents (measure expense versus result)
a project where we need to track results
5. How do we attract older yoursters and teens?
a project that can involve youth
6. "Training" on how to share our stories of grace and our theology of compassion with each other
a project that involves some training
Relighting and Attracting
1. Invite whole neighborhoods in for dinner or to an event and talk about St James
a project that we need to track that can involve youth
2. Talent Show - especially encourage young people and community folks to participate
a project that can involve youth
3. Offer other forms of worship - Prayers & Praise, Contemporary - on a monthly basis for those who might be unfamiliar with our liturgy
a project needing some training that can involve youth
4. Be aware of new people who might be struggling with liturgy and offer to assist them
a relatively easy task that can involve youth
a project needing some training that can involve youth where we need to track results
6. Community service focus - make St James a place where "they can do it here'
a project that can involve youth
7. Have lay person 'contacts' for those expressing an interest in St James and who would be 'shepherds' for the new.
a relatively easy task where training is needed and we need to track results
8. Offer parenting support with coffee and conversation for parents with busy schedules while their children attend Sunday School
a project that can involve youth where we need to track results
9. FEED THEM - communaity meal with outreach (we are allowed 10 events per year, and must obtain a public health permit for each
a project that can involve youth where we need to track results
10 "Bring a friend" Sunday - guest-oriented Sunday with food, yard signs (sale?), etc
a project that can involve youth
11. Contact prior members - church friends calling to invite them to return to a service
a relatively easy task where training is needed
12. Wellness activities at St James for adults and children
a project
13. New Member Committee - to ensure lay contact with visitors and follow-up: bread (or is it a pie)
a project that can involve youth where we need to track results
14. Greeters at front (and rear?) doors on Sunday to welcome
a relatively easy task that can involve youth
15. Use PowerPoint to project the service program on the wall - eliminates shuffling papers.
Comments (7)
Jane Barger said
at 5:37 pm on Aug 12, 2009
This looks really great, Steve! I just found The PB Manual a minute ago....my project for tomorrow....Jane
jplp5@yahoo.com said
at 8:31 am on Aug 13, 2009
HI
I am leery of # 3 under relighting and attracting - doing something for "those uncomfortable with our liturgy"? Not sure what that means. I have, of course, missed the first two meetings...
Liz
Jane Barger said
at 10:43 am on Aug 13, 2009
Good comment....better word would probably be unfamiliar?
Jane
Steven Stowell said
at 3:13 pm on Aug 14, 2009
I don't know. Try an edit (hit the edit tab at the top of the page) and reword. This version is never lost, and I have to admit the verbage is clumsy.
Jane Barger said
at 1:28 pm on Aug 26, 2009
I edited uncomfortable to unfamiliar...........look better?
Steven Stowell said
at 9:56 pm on Aug 26, 2009
Jane, congrats on your first successful edit! You are now a wiki expert!
I think the tact should change, to something along the lines of simply a less liturgical approach, to have a more relaxed and less scripted approach, to be used in addition to regular service. I understand that some sort of less formal worship was used in the distant past by some personality mentioned at the first regular meeting, and maybe some reference to that experience ("yeah, like what _________ used to do" ) might help. I'm not sure that adding this form of worship is in service to helping people less familiar with the liturgy, but more in service of those who would like to worship in a different way. I think this has the potential to be a little touchy, because I think that the liturgy is integral to what the Episcopalians are.
Charlotte Oswald said
at 9:13 am on Sep 8, 2009
Attracting and relighting.......What about a group to welcome new people moving into the area (example ...welcome wagon) getting this info and names and making up welcome packs to deliver to them with info about the area and our church.Adding something home made into the packet.
Paul and I just moved to Fred. Md... a new community. Very nice people. I am holding an open house in Oct and will invite my new neighbors..... and since they are all new to the area as well... will invite them to our lovely church.
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