Appointed to a Zip Code with a Church in It

I can't remember the year that Bishop Goodpaster challenged all of us on Sunday of Annual Conference to think of our appointment to a "zip code, that just happens to have a church in it." But, I still think of that sermon on a regular basis.

As I met with him regularly while on the conference staff, he reiterated that point regularly with clergy and laity across the conference.

It was a different way to think about the church and its mission.  It was an idea that has resonated with me for a long time.

I believe that the local church is the primary place where disciples are made and nurtured.  But, I also believe that the local church exists to make a difference in its community, and is to always be focused outward on the surrounding community as its mission field.

Here are some things I have discovered about the mission field where I have been sent:
  • Terrell is a town of about 1000 people, with one stop light, a post office, a few businesses, and it has a strong rural feel.  There are a good mix of homes, including a number of families living on the shores of Lake Norman (some full-time, some part-time).
  • If you look at the population within a five mile radius of the church, the population is 30,000 + and has has grown significantly since 2000, and will continue to grow in the next decade.  Lots of new homes are projected within a couple of miles of the church in the next few years.
  • Based on demographic data, the area will grow in the future with persons ages 25-34, and those over 65.  Yes, it is a graying community like many places in rural North Carolina; and, it has the potential to grow with younger adults and young families. 
  • There are lots of families in the area that make more than the state average in salaries, and a smaller than average number of families are found in the lower income levels.
  • The education levels of the residents are higher than most of of North Carolina.  Lots of folks with bachelor degrees and advanced degrees.
  • Based on the charitable giving stats, they are a generous community as a whole and giving to religious organizations is higher than many places in North Carolina.
  • There are lots of churches in the area, and a good number of United Methodist churches, but based on observations and demographics, there are still plenty of folks who are unchurched, or under-churched in the community.  And, the number of persons who identify as having no religious affiliation has grown in the past 5 years.
Some quick takeaways:
  • Plenty of new people have moved into the community and more are on the way, and they need to be welcomed and nurtured in the faith.
  • There are plenty of needs not met in the area--physical and spiritual.
  • All of the churches in the area have plenty to keep us busy.  There is no need to be competitive, and every reason to be cooperative.
  • There is plenty of opportunity for ministry in many dimensions (as I said in a recent sermon, we will never run out of good work to do).   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Camping and Camp Meeting

Image
My son called me on Monday to tell me about his week at Wilderness Trail .  I think this is his 12th year to be involved in that ministry either as a camper or a staff person. He spent three years as a counselor, and was an assistant director his last year on staff.  The past two years he has gone up to lead hikes for a week at a time. I spent time as a Camp Director, and have spent many days as a volunteer in summer camps over the past 40+ years of my life.  I know the power of camping and outdoor ministries. I am writing this while camp meeting is going on at Rock Springs Camp Ground in Denver, NC. In the next week, Ball's Creek Camp Meeting will be in full swing. Both camp meetings and church camping have been instrumental in the life of the church for over 200 years. The best that I can tell, the very first camp meeting in America was held in 1794 on the grounds that Rehobeth United Methodist Church occupies now.  As I write, I look out on a plot of land that might h
Read more

What does "Welcome" look like?

Image
We have been at the new appointment for a little over 24 hours.  It is now the evening of the 4th of July, and we just finished our first cookout on the back deck of the new parsonage.  It is an evening to give thanks...and to ponder what "Welcome" looks like... It is a lawn full of cars of folks who came to help unload a moving truck on a warm afternoon (warm is being generous based on the sweltering heat). It is a refrigerator and counter full of food that is easy to prepare and eat during the first few days in a new home.   A check that covers the difference between the standard moving allowance and the actual cost of hiring a moving company to handle the major portion of the move. A kitchen full of folks helping unpack dishes and household items and taking directions from someone they just met. A parsonage committee that did a bang-up job of preparing a house for occupancy.  After many moves over the years, I have never seen a parsonage file so detailed and compr
Read more

Labor Day Weekend

Image
When I was younger, Labor Day was a turning point in the year. Some places that I lived, school started the Tuesday immediately following Labor Day. I guess, because I liked school, it was a pretty good time. In other places, we had already been in school a couple of weeks, so the holiday weekend reminded us that there would not be another holiday for a long time (usually Thanksgiving).  Ouch! I seem to remember among the proper women of the Deep South, Labor Day was when they stopped wearing white shoes and dresses.  (I am not sure if that is even a thing anymore.) For some of my friends, Labor Day Weekend was the last opportunity to go to the beach before fall.  Now that I am older, I never schedule a beach trip until the fall to avoid the crowds. I, personally, don't like the traffic or the waits to get a table in a restaurant. On this Labor Day, I am not working, though I did pop into the office to take care of a few things. Sometimes I am asked about my schedule an
Read more