So, there was a discussion on Facebook about — in so many words — the Fellowship movement, midcentury Humanism and church development. But with all things Facebook, it’s as hard as Hades to find it once the thread grows cold. And since my long comment was essentially a blog post, I thought I share it… Continue reading (Talk about) the Fellowship movement never dies
Category: Small churches
Singing in church with recorded music
I keep running into sites — Unitarian Universalist but mostly not — with MP3s or other files with hymn tunes ready to use as accompaniment for churches without an instrumentalist. Presumably ones that could be described with one or more of the following adjectives: small, poor, remote, fragile or disorganized. A church for which this… Continue reading Singing in church with recorded music
Once-a-month preaching cycle
Long-time readers may recall my on-and-off interest in churches with less-than-monthly services. Like here. And I write about liturgical calendars and their use. Now I have a (possible) use case: a church with monthly services. I’ll be recording my workplan here, but wondered: do you have a regular plan of monthly themes you use for… Continue reading Once-a-month preaching cycle
Do join the Chalice Lighters program
A word to the Unitarian Universalists out there. It’s no secret I ride Unitarian Universalist evangelism and church planting inadequacies pretty hard, but there seems to be one consistent bright spot that I’d like to promote: district-level Chalice Lighters programs. These are, in brief, individual donation subscription pools to support growth initiatives like building acquisition,… Continue reading Do join the Chalice Lighters program
Blog beg: portable speakers
This is a bleg, or a blog beg. Is there a brand of portable speakers you like and can recommend — the kind connected by an ordinary audio jack and powered with batteries — that would be convincingly clear and loud for a group to listen to. Say, a podcast sermon or — don’t wince… Continue reading Blog beg: portable speakers
Blog posts I’m reading today: our past and future
Unitarian Universalist minister and blogger Elz Curtiss (Politywonk) writes movingly about the hagiographic and political misuse of Unitarian and Universalist history, and it power to misshape the truth about our traditions. Worth reading. Unitarian minister and blogger Stephen Lingwood (Reignite) talks data — the size of congregations in the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free… Continue reading Blog posts I’m reading today: our past and future
Blog posts noting “very small churches”
So I Googled — as one does — for “very small churches” and ran back upon this blog. So here are the posts I wrote with that phrase: A GOOD CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE FOR A SMALL CHURCH A GOOD COFFEE FOR SMALL OFFICES, CHURCHES INFECTION AND THE COMMON CUP FABULOUS CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE FOR A… Continue reading Blog posts noting “very small churches”
Places churches rent to meet
Perhaps not rent. But the following list is of churches in the Unitarian Universalist Association I identified that meet other people’s space. This is temporary-use space; I’m not including rented storefronts. In part, I wanted to know if the old stereotype of Unitarian-era fellowships meeting at the Y hold true — I’ve preached in one!… Continue reading Places churches rent to meet
Two blog posts on mission and ministry
If you don’t keep up with the Quaker blogosphere, you might miss two valuable blog posts about mission, ministry and how these speak to generational change, resources and burnout. “Bridging the Generational Divide in Ministry” (The Lamb’s War, Micah Bales) “Staying loose and open to new energy and God’s direction” (Quaker Ranter, Martin Kelley) Micah,… Continue reading Two blog posts on mission and ministry
Unincorporated churches?
Review this map. (Note that the District of Columbia is colored in.) And now think about church growth. The title is a big hint to where I’m heading. More later.