Queen Street Church - providing New Spaces for New People, and supporting the idea of creating New Places for New People
Time spent away as a minister is like waiting for a bus. Just before you think nothing is coming, two are on the way. Between Ascension and Pentecost (clearly a space where people find time is easier to manage in their diaries) I attended two overnights. I used to call them 'sleepovers' when the children were younger, but that projects the wrong image; of midnight feasts and pillow fights. Whilst the Superintendent's Conference (where approaching 100 superintendent ministers gather in a conference centre) is a time for fellowship, and there are sweets on the tables, I would not want to suggest that our fellowship went that far. However, meeting together for fellowship, and questioning how life is for each of us as we follow God's call, is important. Neither does the term 'retreat' work either. Whilst time in a different context is refreshing, and we were able to take part in a variety of worship, bible study, and reflection, this was hard work. When I read of Jesus retreating (and then being disturbed, I do not think that His kind of retreating had the same feel). The second event that I attended was definitely a working one. My one and only 'national' commitment is as one of two superintendents on what is known as the New Places for New People Guiding Group. Our role is to advise and to guide our leaders as we put our strategy for growth into practice. Since before covid, the Methodist Church opted to invest funding into this new area of work.
In short, whilst local churches are good at providing outreach opportunities in house, not all are as successful as we have been in building their worshipping congregations. Lest we become conceited about this, we should acknowledge that whilst there is much that comes naturally to us in terms of our welcoming people, our belief that Jesus changes lives, and that we believe in 'church', all of this growth comes from God, and the work of the Holy Spirit, who blows wherever he wants to blow, like the wind. Nonetheless, our emphasis as a local church and nationally, has to remain one of being on pressing and pushing hard to reach New People, and being prepared to do this in New Places, rather than expecting everyone to come to us. Places - especially welcoming, neutral spaces are important, and people find the place they need for a host of reasons, not least there being events at a time and a place that work for them. There are examples of when people come to us as a new place - Messy Church is an example of this. There are examples of our engaging in places that are new to us - our work with the Salvation Army whilst Lorraine is on Sabbatical is significant. But we should always be pressing beyond our comfort zones.
One of my reflections from my work with New Places for New People is that post-covid we are seeing a renewed confidence in churches such as ourselves to reach out to new people. Before covid, I think a lot of churches lacked confidence. New Places for New People have been determinedly focused on supporting new work that is beyond the walls of the church - and it has been wonderful to hear from some of our workers. I think that there is some crossover here, there is a place where we can learn lessons from each other, and that is how we need to create New Spaces for New People. This speaks into how we need to be flexible as churches. Even though we are welcoming new people we should be asking continually how we are meeting their needs, rather than inviting them to conform to what we have always done.
Sitting as a minister and listening to those who are committed to this work give an account of their experience, I was mindful of three things. Three lessons for us at Queen Street. First, you cannot fake enthusiasm and a growing confidence. We are not having to persuade ourselves that God is doing amazing things here. It delights us - and people see that in us - in you. Second, whilst we like our ordered way of doing things, following the Holy Spirit requires us to be adaptable, and perhaps to hold lightly to our ideas of how we do church. I heard a wonderful example of a leader who thought he would be speaking to a group of families after a pizza party, only the sun came out, the kids disappeared to the playground outside, which left him with the adults, and the opportunity - as it happened - to share his testimony, his heart for families and the struggles they had. This gave rise to some questions, some deep-seated pastoral questions about what really worried the parents. Had that leader been determinedly anchored to what he had planned, that opportunity would have been lost. Third - and linked to this - when the Holy Spirit comes upon people, there is often a moment where we need to drop what we are doing so that we can listen to someone, and even offer to pray for them, right there, and right then. It is not something we should force on people, but if we believe in the power of prayer, why would we not offer it rather than saying, "I'll be praying for you in the car on my way out' (and I have been guilty of that). To grow as a community is to grow in support of each other. I am minded that our churches are not supposed to be like restaurants with waiters offering something off a spiritual menu; they should be like speed-dating sessions where if the dates go well we seek to engage more with people - and we all learn from each other. I think I will stop there, but I hope you see the analogy. If I care for someone, or like someone, I should tell them there and then - less the moment be lost.
God bless you. I invite your prayers for Tim, our Children, Family, and Community Worker, as we move forward. I would encourage your prayers for the trustees. I would welcome your prayers for our Circuit Leadership Team as we discern how God is calling the churches in our circuit to support each other, and we confront the very real challenge of the costs of ministry and the need to support our congregations.
Every blessing,
Langley