My denomination, the Unitarian Universalist Association, has this helpful page about starting and growing a spiritual community.
That’s really great.
So then they provide this:
Processes of Growth
New and emerging congregations will grow through engaging in a variety of activities. Feeling excitement along with a little anxiety about this enterprise is both normal and necessary. Generating contagious excitement about the congregation among your core planning group and among new people is vital. A new congregation is, in some ways, like a new business and requires a lot of energy and time in order to come to life. Talk with your congregation’s coach, or someone who has started a new congregation, about the early stages of growth….
Here are some starting points for new and emerging congregations that have reached the stage of wishing to develop ministries . Also, provided along with resources, is contact information of UU program specialists to encourage discussions on implementing these programs. Make use of the specialists’ coaching, in areas the congregation wants to cultivate, in preparation for offering these ministries to members and the public.
- Organizational Development
- Faith Development/Religious Education
- Membership
- Social Justice
- Environmental Concerns
- Worship
- Young Adult Ministries
The words that jump out at me are “activities. new excitement. growth. new business. coach.” The categories for programmatic and organization focus: you can see them for yourself. Organizational development. Faith formation and religious education. Membership (the link provided goes to a page devoted exclusively to welcome and hospitality). Social justice, environmental activism, ministry to youth and young adults.
Oh, and worship is down near the bottom of the list. Organizational development first, worship almost last. And I somehow don’t think this is a coy gospel reference about the last being first.
What’s missing entirely?
Pastoral care.
Ministry to the sick, the frightened, the abused, the suffering, the elderly, the struggling, the human.
SMH. Smack. mah. head.
Continue reading “What’s Missing? Pastoral Ministry Is Primary”
