Anna wrote to reponse to my quandry about a church in California that has changed status. I’m still not convinced that they are (or are becoming) something other than a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association. The “Friends of . . . ” piece is a bit jarring.
But that’s not why I’m writing. I want to support tiny churches.
Anna has experience with two: one Unitarian Universalist and another Episcopalian. Rightly I think, she thinks a tiny church needs to focus on what one or two things it can do well, and not try what she calls vividly “the shotgun approach.”
I winced when she referred to “r.e. classes of 1-2 folks” because I’ve been there too. (Jim, you were in one of those, right?)
So, Anna, what can we do to help?
My little church had 2 kids a couple years ago and now has more like 8-10 on any given week. The RE has reached a critical mass where there is a real curriculum with a real message every week. (It doesn’t hurt that the congregation is half teachers and has one professional daycare provider member). RIght now we are using: Everyone a Butterfly.
I think it has been a big help to think in terms of families as well as individuals. If we come as families, we are not just going to a lecture to hear an interesting speaker.
On the Coronado front, I noticed on the BRAC list that the base there was losing several hundred more jobs, military and civilian. I believe that has been going on for a while, while housing prices has been incresing dramatically. Coronado used to be a good place for military folks and retirees on fixed incomes but I think many people have been priced out of the neighborhood. (I’ve never lived there or gone to church there, but my brother ‘s wedding reception was at the Hotel Del Coronado and I have visited a couple times).