St Ambrose  Parish Pulse    
    A Newsletter for Parish Leaders

      Diocese of the Midwest, Orthodox Church in America 
April 2012
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Parish Development Ministry Resources
Parish Finance Articles 

1. Parish Financial Audit Guidelines 

2. Best Practices & Principles for Parish Financial Accountability 

3. Clergy Compensation Policy 

4. Your Parish Budget What does it convey?  

5. Replacement Reserve Accounts 

6. Endowment Pros & Cons  

7. How to wake up a sleeping church 

 

Growth and Vision Articles 

1. Toolbox for Vision Casting 

2. Attitudes that Enable parishes to grow 

3. Growth and decline in our parish   

4. Diversity among growing parishes 

5.Commonality among growing parishes  

6.Parish Membership description 

 

Parish Ministry & Educ, Articles 

1.Reorganizing Parish Ministries 

2.Parish Development Grants 

3. Establishing a Parish Youth Effort 

4.Souls in Transition - Insight into Youth Min.  

5.Bible Studies  

6.Love Thy Neighbor 

 

Evangelization Articles 

1. Survey of Orthodox Converts 

2. How Visitors Experience Your Parish -Mystery Worshipper Reports 

3. Q/A from Orthodox Inquirers 

4. "Sharing the Hope" Course 

5. How to Evangelize Actions before Words 

6. Evangelization by Allurement 

7.Evangelization Principles 

 

Communicating Your Parish

1. Website Webinar 

2. Taking Parish Photographs 

3. Toward Better Parish Websites (I) 

4. Toward Better Parish Websites (II) 

5. Improving Parish Bulletin Content 

6. Improving Parish Bulletin Format 

 

Stewardship Articles 

1. Good Parish Stewardship Practices 

2. Intro to Pledging & All Member Canvass 

3. Miscellaneous Stewardship Q&A 

4. How Much Should I Give? 

Relevant Scriptural Verses  

 

Videos & Powerpoint Presentations
5.Archbishop JOB Memorial Project Mexico Trip Video

Parish Ministries Conference
Materials from Parish Ministry Conference 2010

Webinar Archive

Parish Pulse Newsletter Archive 

Parish Health Inventory

Background

Summit logo2
Christ is Risen!
Indeed He is Risen!
We greet you in the Joy of the Risen Lord. Welcome to the April 2012 issue of Parish Pulse.

This issue contains articles on:
  • Parish Development Grants
  • Parish Development Ministry concludes 
  • Video's of interest
  • Suburban Parish Outreach
  • Mission Community Needs
  • Qualities of Mission Communities
  • Waking up a Sleeping Church
  • "All is well at St Xxxx." The status quo is a powerful force
  • Stewardship Corner
  • Membership Description
  • Website Outline  
  • Meetings: Clarifying Interests vs. Positions 
  • "Clothing Matters"   

Joseph Kormos
Parish Development Ministry
Diocese of the Midwest, Orthodox Church in America

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Parish Development Grants 
August 1 is Deadline for Proposals   
Diocesan Parish Development Grants will continue in 2012. Now in it's fifth year, the grant initiative is
Warren Mall Stand
Past grants have funded efforts to offer Orthodox materials in a local mall, liturgical arts programs, adult ed. materials used by multiple parishes -- and more.
being adopted by other OCA Dioceses. Midwest Diocese grant funding has increased each year from $8,600 in the inaugural year (2008) to almost $18,000 in 2011.In 2008 grants were funded by private donors and two generous parishes. In subsequent years the funding has been part of the Diocesan budget. Over $50,000 in grant funds have been awarded to 25 parishes and missions.

Parish Development Grants are lump sum cash grants available to any diocesan community. They provide "seed money" to initiate and develop new ministries or to expand existing ministries in specific ways. Grants are commonly offered in amounts of $2,000 to $3,000, although larger grants may be considered.

Background info: here. Applications: here.  Deadline: 8/1/ 2012.

Questions? Need assistance? Contact Joe Kormos at 513-683-1911 or via email at [email protected] or [email protected].
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Parish Development Ministry to Conclude
Parish Pulse, In-Parish Workshops, Direct Parish Assistance to Continue Through Year End 

Parish Health logoAs previously announced the Diocesan Parish Development Ministry will conclude at the end of 2012. We will continue to offer useful (at least we hope they're useful!) suggestions and insights via Parish Pulse through year end. Hopefully we can also schedule a few webinars on timely topics. We will be available to Diocesan parishes for in-parish workshops, assistance with projects, training and direct consulting. We're aware of a number of parishes that have been "waiting for the right time" to schedule a retreat or workshop. The right time is now. We'll work hard to accommodate any requests. Also, if you have a parish issue or need with which we can assist via phone or email feel free to contact us. We want to be as productive as possible for you this year. 

 

Many of you have shared with us ways in which your parishes have been enlivened with new ideas, new efforts and new energy in recent years. To the extent we have been a part of that we thank God for the opportunity to be of service.

 

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Videos of Interest
Moscow  Exhibition, Beirut Flash Mob; Moscow Paschal Matins   
Moscow exhibitionThanks to all 63 of the alert readers (only a slight exaggeration) who have forwarded this video  to us as worthy of being 'video of the month'. (Actually of the 'quarter'). The video artfully chronicles the creation of a Moscow exhibit honoring the 20th anniversary of reopening of Orthodox Churches.  If you, dear reader, have not yet seen this video --you surely have the distinction of being the last Orthodox person in America to see it.(Consider getting on more "Orthodox e-lists"!)

Likewise we found these videos, one of a Paschal Flash mob singing "Christ is Risen" in Arabic and Greek in Beirut, Lebanon and the Paschal Midnight Matins from Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, to be of interest. (No doubt the procession in the video is similar to your parish's Paschal procession!)
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Love Thy Neighbor
Suburban Parish Matures Local Ministry from Tutoring to Food     

 When we visit suburban parishes to lead Parish Health Inventory workshops a common theme often arises. A participant often expresses a desire to undertake a local service project for the needy. Others agree. However, as the group wraps their mind around 

Parish volunteer packs for needy children. A long standing relationship with a nearby school helped a parish to expand its ministry beyond tutorin

'what to do and how to do it' someone inevitably  notes: "We don't get that many requests here. We're not like an urban parish."(See video of St Gregory of Nyssa lunch ministry here.) And the conversation wanes. 

 

Last summer's Urban Parish Summit was attended by a contingent of persons from suburban parishes. In a breakout session to explore parish projects we paired the suburban parish attendees into one group. Focusing on their common situation they shared successes as well as efforts that had proven previously unworkable. One suburban parish already had some experience finding needy among the seemingly affluent members of their parish neighborhood. We asked Matushka Ruth Yavornitzky to summarize  the story of how an effort to tutor elementary students had morphed into a much broader effort to help feed local needy families --many of whom were unknown to the parish but lived within blocks of the church.  

 

" Knowing that poverty is a cycle and education plays an important part of breaking the cycle a few of us at St. Mark Church pondered on how we could help the elementary school two driveways west of the church. With the poor economy and educational budget cuts in Michigan a meeting was set up with the principal in June of 2011.  read more... 

      

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Mission Needs
Diocese' Many Missions Often Need Assistance with Liturgical Articles 
Bloomington IL Mission
Ladies of the Holy Apostles Mission in Bloomington IL decorate for Pascha. Missions often need your help with liturgical articles and furnishings.
Based on recent requests received during the annual cycle of status reports filed by our Diocese' many mission communities a list of needs for liturgical articles by Missions has been updated. You can find the list here.   

 
Needs include:   

  • Liturgical Fans
  • Gospel covers
  • Icon stands
  • Icons
  • Vestments and altar cloths
  • Chairs,   
  • Blessing crosses
  • censers
  • Service books of various types 

Perhaps your parish can be of some assistance. Or, if your parish has "extra" items that might be put to good use by mission communities let us know -- perhaps we can help get them to a community that can put them to good use.   

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Admirable Qualities of Missions
A Continual Struggle -- But Missions Have Characteristics From Which We All Can Learn
Speaking of our missions there is much that an established parish can (re)learn from mission communities. Here are some admirable and valuable qualities that can often be found in greater abundance in missions --and from which those of us in established parishes can be reminded:
 

1. A Sense of Purpose 

The longer churches have been doing something, the harder it is to remember why they do it. Whether explicitly or implicitly mission communities seem to have a clear(er) sense of why they exist, who they are, what they value and where they want to head. And, a broader sense of who they serve.  Apparently there is a reason we call them "Missions"!   

  

2. Sense of urgency to evangelize.

Once a parish is 'established' an unspoken sense of "we have enough people" or "newbies require (painful) change" can start to set in. (See subsequent article about "change".) This is simply never the case in missions -- in our experience at least. Conversations associated with "are we doing enough of the right things to bring new people to

Worshipers at St Elizabeth Mission, Eagan MN .

Christ --to shine our light to the world?" can be a rarity in the Parish Council of an established parish. In Missions this often becomes a common topic at any gathering: parish council, coffee hour, parishioner dinner parties and adult study groups. If missions don't grow they will die. (In a less urgent sense this holds true for all parishes as well.) Sometimes the methods are ineffective and even occasionally wrongly motivated. But missions never stop trying.     

  

3. Take Their Faith Seriously

Because there is a continual sense that this community could fade away quickly there is not only an evangelization urgency but a propensity for everyone to work a bit harder to understand why they are plugging away in this often difficult situation. Often those in mission communities seem better prepared to explain their faith and why it is the faith they hold.    

 

4. More Adept at Talking to the "Outside" 

Often missions have a higher proportion of persons who have recently embraced the Orthodox faith. Existing members have helped them in their journey --and learned in the process. As a result there is often found in missions a clearer understanding of how non

Aden Religion map
Mission communities often seem to better understand the religious demographics of the area they serve

-Orthodox inquirers think and how they will react to Orthodoxy. Likewise the general mentality of missions often has a clearer sense of the demographics of the region they are serving and the prevailing religious culture. They can express their community's "uniqueness" (hopefully in terms other than "Well, we're small!") to those who are seeking a spiritual home. 

  

5. Hospitality 

We enjoy bemusedly quoting a past OCA study in which 86% of parishes claimed friendliness as their most positive attribute! (A clear example of the dangers of self assessment! As Mark Twain said "We do not deal much in fact when we are contemplating ourselves.") While we have encountered missions that can improve when welcoming newcomers, most missions can honestly  and accurately claim a welcoming and loving atmosphere as a "core competency".   

 

Exterior View
 Holy Apostles Mission, Bloomington IL
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6. Adaptability

Every situation seems to be new or a special case in a mission so there is usually little "standard procedure".  When continually confronted with new challenges a certain "competency for chaos" develops. ("Oh, the icons fell down? No problem...") Eventually the disarray subsides -- but the community seems to develop an immunity to setbacks. And, the process of openly thinking things through inevitably reinforces the community's sense of purpose and values.    

 

7. Compromise

Missions rarely are dominated by one Orthodox historical ethnicity. Multiple traditions and practices are blended together. From the beginning it is relatively clear that there is more than one way to do things. An ability to collaborate and compromise often develops that serves the community in dealing with challenges.  

  

8. You Can't Hide (Easily)  

Life in an established parish can begin to resemble the qualities of a consumer society. Parishioners "expect" parish programs and events and a smoothly running parish without a concomitant investment of their time or financial resources. They expect "the parish will be here on my terms, when I'm ready for it".  

 

In a mission there are fewer people and disproportionately more to be done. To be sure, some people can (and do) exist as spectators in missions but it's just harder to hide. In part because one's presence is obvious, (and with so few liturgical furnishings hiding is tough --see previous article!) but also because while progress is measured in baby steps there is an infectious and warm quality that comes from a small group coming together to accomplish something -- anything! The joyous payoff is obvious and invigorating -- and inviting of broader participation.

  

9. A Motivation to Continue Planting New Missions 

As a member of a new mission decades ago the founding vision was to build from our new community to establish a constellation of three Orthodox parishes in our metropolitan area within fifteen years. In early years help was extended on a regional basis to assist the creation of new communities in neighboring cities. But the continued planting gave way to other pressing needs. As time goes on --and life becomes, well safer, it becomes hard for an established parish to remind themselves of the value and importance of organically subdividing  and creating new Orthodox communities. Often existing churches become risk averse and it becomes a lot harder to think about giving away some of their resources or people for planting new Orthodox communities. 

We have probably overly romanticized life in a mission. The challenges are significant -- and sometimes humorous --but we digress. We've occasionally noted that every serious Orthodox should help found a parish once --but once is all most of us have in us. Nonetheless large, heritage parishes can learn by cross pollinating the experiences of small new ones. And as a result all communities can get stronger.  

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"How to Wake Up a Sleeping Church"
Key Experiences 
We were recently made aware of a  podcast on Ancient Faith Radio with the above title. We tuned in and found it interesting and useful. Fr. Evan Armatas of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese speaks of the steps used to plant a Greek Orthodox Mission in Loveland, Colorado. He combines solid spiritual AND business practices.

If you can't spare the approximately 30 minutes to listen to the talk, the thumbnail summary, provided by Father Armatas can be found here. We found the tips and experiences offered to be highly congruent with our efforts to identify the important practices of vibrant Orthodox parishes.

A few key points resonated with us:
  • Positive change brings growth - Examine the status quo.  (See next article.)   
  • Improvements precede growth - Are we ready to challenge ourselves and move in new directions?  
  • Growing begets growing -  Are we comfortable with the challenges that growth will present?
  • Resources follow vision/ growth -- We may need to spend a dime to take in a dollar!
  • Service to the poor and needy - Should be emphasized constantly and organized parish-wide on a regular basis.
  • Local charities - Should be supported financially and personally from parish resources and talents.  
  • Each parish ministry area needs a plan - To organize and implement the steps they wish to
    take.  (Plan? What's that?)
  • Ministries - Should be led by ministry leaders, not the parish priest.    
  • Train leaders --Internally and also using outside resources -- paid for by parish.
  • Have Parish Town Halls and Assemblies - Encourage dialogue about the State of the Parish.
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"All is Well at St. Xxxxxx "
The Status Quo is a Powerful Force. Don't Underestimate It.    
The above article mentions, among other ideas, "examining the status quo". Easier said than done.

We were reminded of this as we happened to thumb through old report packets for past Diocesan Assemblies. (An odd pastime, we admit.) A 1995 report from a heritage parish jumped off the page. "All is well here at St.(parish name withheld)." Twenty or so years earlier the parish had been a community of nearly 200 adults -- but by the time of the report the parish had declined to less than 70. Through the backward lens of history we know that this parish continued to severely contract for at least another ten years -- though we can report signs of a better future have recently emerged.

While numbers are only a part of the story, by the time of this report the parish  was in the midst of long slide that would continue for another 10 years. Yet, the parish reported "All is well".
"The Greatest Illusion..."
How does a parish in obvious "peril" and in the midst of a 30+ year decline offer an "all is well" observation?

Was there a sense that the parish was stuck in negativity and it was time to accentuate the positive? Was there a felt need to suppress bad news? Was the parish blind to its vital signs?

We are reminded that C.S. Lewis once noted that "The greatest danger is the illusion that all is well".

As we've worked with parishes to help them explore the road to a (hopefully) brighter future we've become fascinated with the mechanisms of change. What helps break parishes out of a downward spiral? What keeps them trapped in the momentum of such a cycle? 

Here are some of those forces as we've observed them.

Forces ("Anchors") Holding a Parish to the Status Quo   

In-grown Eyeballs  

A sense that we are here for "us" and we can't learn from others. Parishes with a predominance of this attitude insulate themselves from solutions or opportunities outside their walls -- and "ruttedness" prevails.

 

Limited Budgets  

Particularly ministry budgets. Nothing brings fresh ideas to a halt like hearing "We can't afford it".  

 

Hiding Bad News  

This often includes "excessive peace keeping" (fear of playing with matches; fear of boat rocking).  

 

Lack of "Intentionality"

Intentionality wordsMany Orthodox parishes simply do not drive things forward.  The mind set is "we just come to church" -- according to their own limited frequency. This can be particularly true in an older parish - where the last directed effort of note was to build a church -87 yrs ago.

 

No Sense of Vision/Mission  

Or -- multiple competing visions. Both lead to paralysis. Parishes and their leaders need to regularly ask "What are we trying to be? What is God calling us to do" (See box at right.) 

 

Gatekeepers  

Lay patriarchs or matriarchs intent on keeping things the same may be the strongest anchors.  Occasionally the priest fills this role.

 

Leadership Vacuum  

The aging of a parish can lead to an overall torpor and resistance to change -- but more importantly it may create a leadership vacuum -- an inability to pass the torch to a new set of parish stewards who can become responsible and accountable for building a bright parish future.

 

A Change that Backfires  

Not all changes are good. Not all good changes are successful. Instead of allowing a failed change to implicitly eliminate all changes -- dig deep to understand how seemingly unsuccessful initiatives could have resulted in better outcomes. Pace? Communication? Dialogue? Multiple steps? Committed core group? 

 

Excessive Nostalgia  

Learning from and building on the parish past and heritage can be valuable. Living in the past never is.

 

No doubt we've missed a few --but that should hold us for now for the "anchors".  Now lets identify those forces that can help parishes move forward. 

 

Inner Forces Driving Change

Car in Mud
How can parishes get out of bad ruts?

At one time we naively thought that a well constructed "Saturday workshop" could be enough to enliven a parish and reverse troubling trends. However the imposition of good ideas from "outside" is rarely a

recipe for a parish and its leaders to change well worn habits. Parishes can be extremely resistant to outside ideas and stimuli. Instead they persist in what has become familiar and comfortable. As someone once said "When we don't know what to do, we do what we know."  

 

However, parishes (and other organic systems) can change quite readily in response to inner forces.  

Through our own observations and our readings here are a few inner mechanisms that can rattle a parish --unfreezing expectations and disturbing its false equilibrium.          

 

Serious Study and Powerful Questions 
Sometimes a discussion in a bible study or adult class can spill over into a broader parish conversation and lead to an appetite for renewal. An ad hoc discussion informs a "Why can't we?" mentality. The probability of this is enhanced when a particularly relevant topic is chosen. "What should a Christian community be like? What are its values and behaviors?" Start with Acts 2:42-47. If you need more we think there is a lot to be learned from the Diocese' Parish Inventory Model. (But then you're probably tired of hearing that!)

"Environmental" Change
While most effective changes usually need to be "our idea" they may germinate from an (external) environmental change. Perhaps there is a change to neighborhood demographics or economics -- implying a needed response by the parish. Perhaps a new apparently "successful" neighbor church springs up across the street. While the first reaction may be to bury our head -- occasionally this new environment may cause parishes to engage. Again the question "What is our Lord calling us as a community to do right now --in this situation," is hard to beat.

Grants

OK a shameless plug -- but nonetheless we've seen this mechanism effectively at play in a number of parishes. The grant can remove internal obstacles ($, encouragement) to achieving a modest forward moving action. Grants require accountability and can help silence (or at least 'soften') the "we can't afford it" crowd.

New People  
The potential for change created by a new priest is obvious along with the potential for new dynamics available from a second priest or even by engaging a parish administrative specialist. We've seen positive results from all.

Sometimes laity changes can be almost as significant.
The departure of a core lay person due to death, job transfer or being "fed up" can cause introspection or send the parish scurrying to plug holes - perhaps discovering new gifts in the process. Conversely the arrival of new people -- so long as they're not treated as a "source of funds" or simply new "workers" -- can spark change. One priest told us that that the arrival of a single family -- with their differing experiences, behaviors and practices from another parish has been the single most important factor in his parish's reawakening. 

Shared Unhappiness of Leaders
Alexa Geeza
Attendees at the OCA's Parish Ministry conference are clearly interested in learning from the speaker -- and from one another.
A little leaven can leaven the whole lump. We've seen parish situations where one or two credible, respected lay persons get serious about change.They step up and conclude "We're heading in the wrong direction and we're simply not going to let that happen here". The question "What will happen to our church if we keep doing the same thing over and over?" can be helpful.
 
Exposure to Something Better
"Shared unhappiness" can be clarified when leaders get a glimpse or vision of new results. Results that fit so powerfully with the parish's inward sense of mission as to disturb old comforts and make the status quo untenable. It may be group attendance at a conference (or even a webinar) or a visit to another parish. A "benchmark" exchange designed to learn, "How does this other parish do it?  How have they built this ministry? How have they ..."  helped one parish begin their push to get "unstuck".

Face Facts -- Publish Some Data
English author Samuel Johnson noted that, "The view of the gallows clarifies the mind." Unfortunately in withering parishes that view seems to be constantly cloudy. Nobody wants a continual flow of negativity but occasionally its
Use the Vital Signs Summary Sheet to document a spectrum of parish habits in concrete form to help people "Face Facts"
time to face facts. Gather key data -- not opinions but verifiable facts -- to help people understand the true parish situation.  (Use this doc. as an outline.

This can be particularly important in declining situations. Parishioners tend to think of their parish as it was --not as it is. We recently visited a parish to give a talk. My wife who accompanied me asked a nice lady at coffee hour  "How large is the parish". Though the liturgy had been attended by about 70 people, she replied "Oh, about 250." The parish, which had been shrinking slowly from about 250 in the late 80's, now numbered 58 adults.

Worship Changes  
Most priests and parishes have a number of desired, desirable, fully Orthodox worship modifications  they've had on the back burner. Move that choir out of the choir loft. Change the music to make it work for your current situation. Engage a broader cross section of the parish in liturgical responses. Engage children. Worship changes --particularly those on Sunday -- are noticed and experienced by all and reinforced weekly. They can help a parish learn that "we can successfully adapt to new situations.

In 2012 We Have Little Excuse
None of the above change drivers is enough on it's own -- but they can begin a journey.  Some of these "mechanisms" were available to St Xxxx in 1995. But all of them and more are available to us now. In 2012 we have little excuse for long periods of parish decline without serious renewal efforts.

In the words of one priest in our Diocese: "Coasting is steady, steady is stagnant and stagnant is dead". So...don't coast! Particularly downhill.
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I Know What You Want -- But Why?  
Improving Church Discussions by Clarifying Interests vs. Positions
Birds in opposition
Asking "why" helps to understand staunchly defended positions.
"One of the biggest deaf spots that block our communication and keep people from understanding each other is the distinction between interests and positions," notes a blog post on a website dedicated to helping groups to collaborate and achieve consensus. (A quality to be valued in any Orthodox --or other-- community.)

"Positions" are familiar to most of us. Positions represent what we "want". "Interests" describe why we want it.

"Looking at positions alone is a shallow view. If we truly want to collaborate and seek some level of consensus on an issue, we need to look deeper. We need to uncover each side's "interests" that underlie their position. Clarifying the underlying 'interests' that motivate our positions, opens the field in our search for common ground."  
   

Read the entire article here.

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Some Practical Principles of Orthodox Evangelization
A Starter List        
sewerDuring the course of workshops and various parish conversations the topic of Orthodoxy and Evangelism often arises. 
  • Is Evangelism Orthodox?  
  • When and how should we go about sharing the 'hope that is in us' with others?  
  • What should be our proper motivation in doing so?  
  • How should we view the mandate to "go forth" from a personal and parish wide perspective?    
  • Is seeking converts from other Christian traditions "evangelization"?  
  • What should we say?   
  • Should we say anything --or simply let our lives and actions do the talking.

A few years ago we began to explore this topic by exhaustively reviewing a variety of historical OCA documents - mostly those from "Pre-conciliar papers" for past All American Councils. We also consulted a variety of  non -OCA Orthodox sources and some from other Christian traditions. We summarized our "research" by compiling what we called a set of Practical Evangelization Principles that perhaps might enliven a dialogue on the topic.   

 

Over the years we've shared the document with a variety of Orthodox priests actively associated with past and present "Growth" and "Evangelization" efforts. We asked for feedback, incorporated suggestions -- and received a lot of strong endorsement. Yet, for some reason we never broadly shared the ideas - yielding to the impulse to "perfect it". Having gathered "dust" in our trusty laptop for a good four years, perhaps now is a reasonable time to share these thoughts.   

 

The document includes 30 some "principles." Some suggest overarching guidelines while others approximate a set of practices. Many describe good evangelism in terms of what evangelism is not.  Each includes an explanation --but some need little explanation. We list the labels of a few below.  

 

#1.  Evangelism is Orthodox.     

#2.  Evangelism is everybody's job.    

#3.  Evangelism Is NOT optional.    

#4.  Proselytism is NOT evangelism.

#8.  Evangelism in NOT an effort to pay for the new roof

#9.  Finding those who've moved to the suburbs is NOT evangelization  

#23. Evangelization is NOT Manipulative or a "Hard Sell"  

# 27. Evangelization involves an authentic dialogue tuned to the needs of the other person.   

 

You will find the  entire document here.  We welcome suggestions for improvements.     

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Stewardship Corner
Creating Generous Parishes Requires a Series of Interlocking Long Term Steps  
Faithfulservanticon
As we work with various parishes on stewardship development we've read a number of books and articles to try to offer tested ideas used by others. In one article the author noted that, "Most people don't know why they give what they give. They've really never seriously thought about it in any objective way." As a result, efforts to attune parishioners' thinking to proper stewardship and increasing their generosity toward the parish can be a complex process. It's waaaay more than a sermon or letter.

This led us to attempt to think through the donor's thought process for a generous, meaningful, willing pledge or donation.

Here are, as we see it, are a "top ten" conceptual "wickets" that a  parishioner needs to be guided through in order to motivate her to invest in the work of the parish. Some are positive motivators. Others address perceived reasons NOT to give.

 

Like croquet, building a community of generous stewards involves moving the ball/parishioners through multiple steps or "wickets" 

1.Sense of Membership  

They (the "pledger /donor") need to feel this is their parish --that they are affiliated/members and have sense of short and long term responsibility for it. (See next article about "membership".)  

 

2. Understand Parish Mission 

Once perceiving themselves as members, they  need to understand and believe in the purpose, mission and direction of the parish. Not a simple task. actually. 

 

3. Identify with Mission   

The above two items needs to be/become important to them. Often this means being engaged in the parish as more than observers or consumers/users of parish services. (When people invest time they invest treasure as well.)  

 

4. Believe in 'Generosity' 

One author suggests that the question "Do you agree that generosity is a core value for Christians" can be a powerful starting point for stewardship renewal efforts. 

 

  5.Truly Blessed  

They need to believe they... well... have some money. Either an abundance in some sense... or they need to be in the process of reevaluating their relationship to their possessions. One author suggests: "Invite people to rethink their own money story. How did they come to have what they have? How much is enough? What do they do with their 'more than enough'? What does it mean to be 'faithful' in the use they make of their possessions?" A reminder of the comparative wealth we enjoy as Americans can be important. 

 

6. Proportional Expectations  

They need a clear sense of what is reasonable and expected when considering a pledge -given their circumstances. They need a sense that giving should be proportional to what they have/earn. In our opinion, and this is not unanimous, talking clearly about tithes and offerings and proportional giving is a foundational point.

 

7. Not Lone Ranger  

Parishioners need to (most people anyway) believe that they are not alone in seriously financially supporting the parish.

 

8. Good Fiscal Management  

They need to trust that the parish manages funds responsibly. Most are not interested in budget details but need to feel all is in order.   

 

Stewardship diagram
Effective stewardship requires more than a "stewardship program"

9. Understand Priorities  

They need to understand that incremental $ will be spent for something important and valuable. Parish leaders need to develop consensus around a "portfolio" (we know some of you are wincing at this word --but it seems accurate) of priorities. Not everyone needs to be energized by each objective. Waiting "until we get the money before we talk about spending it" does NOT work. Repeat after me, "Waiting until we get the money..."   Express the hope in you. 

 

10. Generous Opinion Prevails  

Once the above is achieved one hurdle remains. If married... they need to be able to agree not to allow the limiting opinion of the "least generous spouse" control the decision. ("I want to give but my wife/husband doesn't.") Trust means to trust your spouse. Not an easy practice. 

 

Parish Council and Priest Need to Be Committed to the Stewardship Effort.

As one author puts it "Working on stewardship is NOT for sissies." Managing parishioner's journey's through many of the above wickets/steps are NOT tasks that can be delegated to a stewardship ministry. Creating a generous parish requires an interlocking set of long term efforts. As with any major parish initiative, the priest and the parish council need to be prepared to actively assist --along with parish educators and financial administrators.    

 

What actions can be taken in your parish to increase the presence of each of these prerequisites? Who is responsible for each? 

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Describing Parish Membership
Its More Than "Voting"  and "Dues"        
htbrotherhood
In many parishes, particularly those founded in the early 20th century, the understanding of "membership" was strongly influenced by the practices of brotherhoods and secular societies. Descriptions bear scant resemblance to the Body of Christ.
Continuing with stewardship for a moment, the above article lists affiliation and membership as an important prerequisite for responsible stewardship. An earlier article discusses Evangelism. An implicit point is that effective Evangelism should result in people willingly affiliating with a parish -- and sharing in the responsibilities and duties of same --an understanding of their role in helping the parish to "Proclaim Christ".

But what are those duties and expectations? Most parish membership descriptions talk about the right to vote in parish meetings. Surely there is more.

Some months ago we were contacted by a priest wanting to express the idea of membership more fully and effectively within the parish. We combed a variety of Orthodox parish websites for hints and found little. Eventually we discovered useful descriptions on three different websites. We've lifted those words, harmonized them to create what seems to be a decent description of the topic. It's probably longer than you'd like --if so pare it down.

If you recognize some of these words from your parish site --presented here without attribution --simply remember that imitation is the highest from of flattery! In honesty we've now forgotten the actual Orthodox parish sources.

Some excerpts...

The Biblical image of the perfect Christian community is one where the sharing of the Gospel and the teaching of the Apostles takes place. In this sharing, the community realizes its life in God through Jesus Christ....

 

... Members are those Orthodox Christians who understand what it means to build up the body of Christ. They do this by making a true commitment to our parish.

 

Membership creates stability in the parish just as marriage creates stability in society. Membership also creates strength in our parish because it is a commitment to participate in the ministries of the Church ...

 

Read the entire description here. 

 

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Website Layout
A Potential Structure       
Having read (at least we hope a few of you read) the above membership words the question may be "What do we do with these?" Certainly these could be used in a parish newcomers manual -- the point of which would be to help orient new members to parish life. Those attuned to the details of parish governance may see a foundation for by-laws clarification.

However the most likely use of such descriptions would be on the parish website. Unfortunately too many parish websites have little useful or interesting information. Most barely provide info on starting times and directions before plunging into the always exciting "Parish History", followed by empty calendars and out of date info on bake sales.

(We'll try to avoid an extended rant about sloppy websites and simply offer one quick suggestion.)

Visitor Centric Website Structure
In last autumn's webinar on parish websites, one of the most popular content items was a structured definition of useful pages for a parish site. We've reproduced that below. Notice that the top level menu is organized to fit user needs. Visitors can find items that are of interest to them. If someone wants to know what the parish offers for youth and children --its easily found. Adult offerings? Again its obvious. And most important to our current topic, this structure provides a clear landing space for words about what it means to be or become a member.

The entire webinar recording can be found here. The slides are here. Need help with your website? Just ask.

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Clothing Matters 
What Message Do We Send As We Gather for Worship?      
On a street corner or a store the 25 year old man in the T shirt wouldn't have merited a second look. As it was, at Divine Liturgy, (in a parish in another Diocese) the "Hike Naked" T Shirt (replete with logo and slogan!) was more than distracting.

It seemed clear that he'd attended on his own volition -not dragged at knife point or bribed by the other friends/family with whom he stood. He'd also been there before. And, it seemed a reasonable assumption  that "the shirt" --though a comfortable favorite -- was not the only thing he owned.   


After Liturgy we bemusedly chalked the incident up to another example of eventually you'll see everything -- and the realization that the encounter could have been (much) worse. 

Recently however, we happened on this article - "Clothing Matters" - in the online version of Christianity Today.  In it the author, not an Orthodox Christian, raises questions about the contemporary notion that when it comes to worship our clothing doesn't matter. We found it worth reading and extremely orthodox --if not exactly Orthodox. No specific opinion on dress codes is offered. It is not a request to return to coats, ties and fancy dresses. The author does however offer some foundational points about what message our choice of clothing sends as we gather for worship and that not just anything will do as we gather in the presence of the living God.

A
How We Communicate
An important part of how our body communicates is derived from attire. 
few excerpts: 
  • "We communicate verbally and non verbally. "  (See box at right for some facts.)  
  • "Our internal and external states cannot be so easily disentangled. The fact is, when it comes to how we clothe ourselves, our external appearance is often an expression of our internal state. Thus our worship attire may matter more than we think."
  •  "When we gather for worship we offer ourselves to God. This sacred event should convey a sense of 'awe and reverence.' "
  • "We deceive ourselves when we breezily claim that God does not care what we wear to church. God cares about our hearts, and what we wear is often an expression of our hearts. So what does our relaxed worship attire say about us? What message is our choice of clothing sending as we gather for worship?"   
  •  "Let each of you look not only to his own interests," says the apostle, "but also to the interests of others" (Phil. 2:3-4, ESV).

In our Inquirers Class we note (slide 50) that "an emphasis on the experience and atmosphere of worship in which we acknowledge the holiness and majesty of God" is an important quality of Orthodox Christianity.  We bow, kiss, prostrate, cross ourselves. The temple, no matter how basic or magnificent, is a holy place. The point is not to feel "at home" --but to feel that we are an important part of an important action -- which for us is a corporate more than an individual action.  So the author's words would seem to apply more strongly to us as Orthodox.

 

As the article's author states:  

 

"The goal in our choice of clothing should be to express to the Lord and those around us that this event matters, that I view it as a holy occasion, one which deserves our highest regard. .... Can Christians who gather for worship afford to ignore what their church attire may be saying to those around them?"  

 

No doubt alternative opinions abound.      Read "Clothing Matters" 

 

J.K.    

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Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
As always we offer a warm thank you to all of you for reading these newsletters and for your feedback and encouragement. This issue, we realize, probably exceeded a reasonable length. We have a lot of info that seems worth sharing so we're cleaning out our "writer's folder."

We should also once again note how honored we are to be trusted to 'land' on your computer screen -- and to join you in your parishes.

In Christ,

Joe Kormos
Parish Development Ministry Leader,
Diocese of Midwest
513.683.1911  [email protected]