wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Small churches urged to 'grow in spirit'

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Note #8381 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Small churches urged to 'grow in spirit'
GA04087
July 1, 2004

Small churches urged to 'grow in spirit'

by Bill Lancaster

RICHMOND, July 1 - "Going from Good to Great" was the theme of the Small
Church Ministry Breakfast Thursday morning.

The featured speakers were Diana Stephen, the PC(USA)'s associate for network
support of small and rural churches, and Phil Tom, associate for urban
ministry.

"Are you willing to engage in vital ministry? Do you want to get well?"
Stephen asked her listeners, mostly pastors and members of small churches.
"Vitality doesn't simply happen."

Stephen said she was impressed recently when a pastor told her his small
church was involved in a building program when a member asked, "Wouldn't it
be wonderful to put this much energy into mission?"

"And they did," she said - while continuing with the building project.

Unlike some other churches in areas of declining population, she said, they
weren't satisfied with just trying to survive.

"One good thing about small churches," Tom said. "We're good at loving each
other. So when you look out at the congregation on Sunday, you know who is
not there."

Tom told the story of a rural congregation in a declining community of about
2,000 people, and had only 16 coming for worship.

"They went from farm house to farm house and found there was a need for a
community center, because the gas station had closed where everybody could
hang out," he said. "And over the next three years (the congregation) built a
coalition and involved the state and built a community center in a nearby
state park.

"They engaged their members in mission," he said. "They grew in spirit. They
became known as a church who cared. Being old and small doesn't mean we can't
do great works."

In fact, Stephen said, small churches are the "backbone" of the denomination.
She noted that 73 percent of PC(USA) congregations have fewer than 100 people
in worship.

This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that can be
found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216/.

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