In May of 2019 we finished a major effort to gain a sense of Grace and the dreams of those associated with Grace. We had an extraordinarily high level of participation.

The overall priority for people in terms of where our energy should go was to “Make necessary changes to attract families with children and youth to our church.”

This was the prior of the participants as a whole, but even when organized by various groups, it was the top priority of those under 35 years old, of those 35 to 64, of both frequent and infrequent attenders.

Only those older than 65 had it as its second highest priority, but their first priority was to “Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to reach new people and incorporate them into the life of the church.”

That sounds to me like it is the same driving interest pitched in a more strategic framework.

I am trusting that because we are committed to the “reach” and “attract” part of these priorities, we are all ready for the hard work that is demanded by “make necessary changes” and “develop and implement a comprehensive strategy” parts of the proposal.

In order to assess what might give us a shot at reaching our goal, the Congregational Council and several of our ministries have committed to reading and discussing the best book available to school us in the direction this would need to take.

The book is called Growing Young: 6 essential strategies to help young people discover and love your church. Pastor Phil has extra copies ($15/each) or you can order them on Amazon.

Everyone who has these goals as their real priority, and not simply something they want someone else to do, should read the book and find a way to discuss it with at least one other person. Pastor Phil will be happy to help you to find a partner if you cannot locate someone on your own.

We will read a chapter a month, beginning with February’s reading of “1. Growing Young: What Congregations Are Doing Right.”

For those who don’t have this as a priority and so won’t be reading the book, I will provide monthly summaries so you understand the changes and the reasons behind them that this realignment of our ministries requires.

Starting today, may every thought you and I have of the congregation and its ministry include at least one insistent question: what does that have to do with people younger than I am?

About Philip Ruge-Jones

After I served for eighteen years as a professor of theology at Texas Lutheran University, my family decided to return to the Midwest where my wife and I grew up, attended college and seminary. Read more...