wfn.org | Small churches know that bigger is not always better

[PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org]

Note #6338 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

19-January-2001
01019

Small churches know that bigger is not always better

by Judy Tarjanyi 
The Toledo Blade
Reprinted with permission

LASALLE, Mich. -- When the Rev. E. Jack Lemon came to this southeast
Michigan community 17 years ago to be the pastor of two small Presbyterian
churches, he was told both were just waiting to be closed.

	Today, both churches are open and one of them has spawned a third in nearby
Petersburg. And, although the two congregations Mr. Lemon serves are
growing, neither wants to get too big. In fact, they have decided that if
membership reaches a certain number, it will be time to start another
church.

	For Lemon and the 120 members of First Presbyterian Church here and
Resurrection Presbyterian Church in Petersburg, small is beautiful and
bigger isn’t necessarily better.

	Their mind-set flies in the face of contemporary fascination with
mega-everything in churches, but they are part of a quiet movement that is
rethinking the value of smallness in religious groups.

	"I think a lot of people in our society -- and that spills over into church
-- live under the motto of "bigger is better," said Diana Stephen, who works
with small churches as associate for rural ministry and small church
development for the Presbyterian Church (USA). "And people play the numbers
games and think that unless the numbers are great you couldn't possibly be
doing anything."

	Stephen said small congregations, those with an average worship attendance
of 100 or fewer people, often do effective ministry, but never get into the
spotlight because of their size. "I think in many, many cases they are doing
great things."

	The Presbyterian Church, which categorizes more than 8,000 of its 11,400
congregations as small, has chronicled some small-church success stories in
a 1998 booklet, Rising to the Risk.

	"These are small congregations -- urban, suburban, and rural --– who
through a real faith-directed effort ... realized that they had to respond
to whatever was in their community," Stephen said.

	Some in areas where population wasn't growing expanded the geographical
areas they served and reorganized themselves, abandoning some traditional
committees and responsibilities.

	One church assessed the needs of its community and developed support groups
for single mothers, unemployed people, and the newly divorced.

	Others, like three churches in Maine with 16, 12, and 64 members each,
worked collaboratively with other congregations to offer common programming
and training. Still others changed their music or worship times to attract
younger families.

	"The core is really the willingness of the people and what they're
discerning that God is calling them to do," Stephen said. "The numbers don't
matter. If they have the will to go out and see what's going on in the
community and what needs to be done, they'll do it and they’ll be vital. If
they don't have a will, or they think it's impossible or they have to do
things like they did in the 1950s, then no amount of support is going to
change that."

	In the case of First Presbyterian, Lemon said growth occurred because
people were willing to do something entirely different. When the other
church in Erie with which First Presbyterian had been yoked decided to
separate about four years ago, the LaSalle congregation was asked if it
would like to start a new church.

	Resurrection Presbyterian was born. Though located in a traditional church
building, formerly occupied by Petersburg Presbyterian Church, Resurrection
offers a nontraditional worship service featuring jazz written by church
members and liturgical drama. Once a week, the church also is home to the
Healing Deacons, a group of people from both Resurrection and First
Presbyterian who provide massage therapy, reiki, and other healing
practices.

	Meanwhile, First Presbyterian of LaSalle reassessed its ministry and
decided to add a playground, park, and meditation garden to its grounds in
order to better serve the community. The church also is a host for
Alcoholics Anonymous and scouting group meetings and has a ministry to the
homeless.

	"What has happened has been quite fascinating because the churches work
together," Lemon said. "In fact, their mission is they are one family with
two houses. The makeup of the worship is entirely different, but people go
back and forth."

	Cheryl McKenzie, who was born into the LaSalle congregation and serves as
one of its elders, is among those who attend both churches. She likes
Resurrection for its openness, but said both churches have a homey feeling.

	McKenzie said she tried larger churches after moving away from LaSalle for
several years, but thinks that smaller congregations are more open to
change.

	"A larger church is pretty well set with the same people, the same things.
Smaller churches are always changing and growing. There are new people with
new ideas. I think it's just more exciting."

	At both churches, the average age of those who attend is between 35 and 45,
Lemon said.

	The newer church now attracts about 30 people to its only service, held at
6:30 p.m. Sundays, but Lemon said once that number doubles, plans are to
start another church.

	"The idea is we can handle up to 60 and do some exciting, authentic stuff.
Any higher than that, we're structured and structure inhibits the kind of
movement and creativity that can come from a small group."

	And, if First Presbyterian in LaSalle, which draws about 90 people now,
gets to more than 100, it also will start another church rather than add
another service or build another building. "We have no interest in being
anything but a small church," Lemon said.

	As someone who has been in small churches his whole life, Lemon said he
believes strongly in the kind of energy that can flow in such congregations.
He said he also thinks people today are hungry for the closeness they can
find in the small-church setting.

	At a small church, he said, "It's easier to trust, so you know each other.
It's an easier way to support each other's growth and worship can be real
informal."

	Dick Werth, who attends Resurrection, said he likes the alternative
congregation’s casual worship style and opportunity for involvement in
worship.

	"The size not only allows, but almost 
dictates that level of involvement," he said.

	Stephen said small churches deal with all the joys and concerns people
encounter in life. "I've found that people [in small churches] are for the
most part very authentic, because it's hard to hide in a small church." 
And, she said, "The plain old human  dimension says that we work better in
small units than a huge unit."

	Stephen said another advantage to the small church is the heightened
potential for being active and participating in worship.

	"“There's also an incredible sense of community that people do care for you
and hopefully will respond to your needs. I think that's what happens in
small churches that are really vital. They just really literally love the
people who are there and respect them."”

_______________________________________________
pcusaNews mailing list
pcusaNews@pcusa.org

To unsubscribe, go to this web address:
http://pcusa01.pcusa.org/mailman/listinfo/pcusanews