1 / 28

Legacy Church Summit

Legacy Church Summit. Nov. 9, 2013 Martin Luther High School Northrop, MN. Legacy Church Summit. Legacy Churches Defined:

kostya
Download Presentation

Legacy Church Summit

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Legacy Church Summit Nov. 9, 2013 Martin Luther High School Northrop, MN

  2. Legacy Church Summit Legacy Churches Defined: “to leave a legacy is to pass on to future generations something of great significance. Leaving a legacy should be the hope of every church” (Gray and Dumond, 2009, p. 97).

  3. Legacy Church Summit Legacy Churches, District Defined: Pursuit of all possible options available for continuation of word and sacrament ministry in all congregational locations throughout the district.

  4. Legacy Church Summit Opening Devotion Rev. Dr. Dean Nadasdy Mission of God

  5. Legacy Church Summit SWOT Analysis in Legacy Churches Strengths…Weaknesses…Opportunities…Threats

  6. Legacy Church Summit Demographics…”State of the Church” Congregational Life Cycles Legacy Church Options

  7. Demographics…”State of the Church” • National church statistics*: • U.S. church attendance at 18%...15% by 2020 • 80% of churches are in plateau or decline • Plateau = < 5% decline in attendance for 3-5 years • Decline = > 5% decline in attendance for 3-5 years • 50% of U.S. churches < 100 attendees • 35% of U.S. churches < 55 attendees • Almost ALL denominations are in decline * Gray and Dumond (2009)

  8. Demographics…”State of the Church” • LCMS MN South Statistics • 245 congregations…urban, suburban and rural • 87% of MN South churches are in plateau or decline • Decline = 161 congregations…66% • > 5% decline in attendance for 5 years (2006 to 2011) • Plateau = 53 congregations…21% • < 5% decline in attendance for 5 years (2006 to 2011) • Growing = 31 congregations….13% • > 5% growth in attendance in last 5 years (2006 to 2011) • 62 congregations…25%... < 100 attendees • 50 congregations…20%... < 55 attendees • 87% of congregations in plateau or decline

  9. Demographics…”State of the Church” • LCMS MN South Statistics – Attendance • 245 total congregations • > 1,000 = 3 congregations (1%)….avg. of 1,260 • 750 to 999 = 3 congregations (1%)…avg. of 836 • 500 to 749 = 7 congregations (3%)…avg. of 584 • 250 to 499 = 31 congregations (13%)…avg. of 353 • 100 to 249 = 89 congregations (36%)…avg. of 169 • 50 to 99 = 71 congregations (29%)…avg. of 72 • 1 to 49 = 41 congregations (17%)…avg. of 31 • 5% > 500 49% 100 – 499 46% < 100

  10. Demographics…”State of the Church” • LCMS MN South – 245 Congregations - Attendance

  11. LCMS MN South – 245 Congregations • Blue = < 75 weekly attend. = 44 congs. = 18% • Red = < 50 weekly attend. = 41 congs. = 17%

  12. Demographics…”State of the Church” • National Church Statistics* • 32,000 churches closed in the last decade… 3,200 annually…267 monthly…62 weekly • LCMS, MN South Statistics • 10 church closures in the last 10 years • Immanuel, Mpls Praise, Eagan • St. John, Dunnell Risen Christ, Stillwater • Bethlehem, Dayton St. Luke, St. Louis Park • Christ, Wells Redeemer, Burnsville • Zion, St. Paul Olive Branch, Coon Rapids * Gray and Dumond (2009)

  13. Congregational Life Cycles • Reality Check*… • P. 53…human bodies and organizations, to live is to die, it is normal and natural…no one escapes it • Life Cycle Phases • Birth…years 1-5 • Growth…years 5-20 • Maturity…years 20-30 (most vulnerable) • Plateau…years 30-50 • Decline…years 60-80 • Death * Gray and Dumond (2009)

  14. Congregational Life Cycles • External Factors* • Change of Landscape…re-zoning and/or re-routing of roads…can see it, but can’t get to it • Loss of Population…gradual, slow leak of people • Triple Elder Effect…older church, members, and pastor…difficult to draw younger families • Pace of Change…the church does not keep up with the pace of change and changes in the community * Gray and Dumond (2009)

  15. Congregational Life Cycles • Internal Factors* • P. 58…”Internal factors usually have greater influence in the downward trend of a church’s life cycle.” • Resistance to Change • Volunteers…fewer and more burnout • Conflict…potential to be mismanaged • Relational Dysfunction…unhealthy relationships • Debt…too much, or possible too little/none * Gray and Dumond (2009)

  16. MN South – Legacy Options 1) Reduced Finances and Staffing: A) Dual/Triple Parish - remaining open…sharing of ministry resources, maintain own identity with fewer called staff for coverage. B) Bi-Vocational/Worker-Priest – remaining open…share church worker with the time needed to earn income in a secular job…church maintains own identity, lesser staff coverage…potential of identifying a new church worker to move through an SMP process.

  17. MN South – Legacy Options 1) Reduced Finances and Staffing: C) Permanent Vacancy – remaining open with less staff coverage, likely a contracted yet called worker with limited hours…likely a retired pastor…congregation status of permanent vacancy acknowledges lack of resources and members to support a full time called worker.

  18. MN South – Legacy Options 2) Revitalization/Mission Formation – remaining open…plug pastor into a learning community, coaching, and consultation process through the mission formation office in the district for qualified “vetted” congregations.

  19. MN South – Legacy Options 3) Mentoring – remaining open…working actively and seeking help from a neighboring congregation, adopting new practices to achieve different results. Governance and direction still intact. 4) Renter – remaining open…swap roles from owner to renter of building, or rent at another more affordable facility. Loss of assets, but retain identity as a renter.

  20. MN South – Legacy Options 5) Re-Launch – remaining open…change name and then do a re-launch with an opening worship service. A newly named congregation with a new ministry focus in the community. 6) Multi-Site Campus – close and re-open …becomes new ministry of host congregation at the same site of closure. Renamed as an additional/new site of host, who takes on assets and liabilities of closing congregation.

  21. MN South – Legacy Options 7) Merger – closure and re-opening of two or more congregations…one site and name is selected as new ministry site. Assets are pooled or sold. Best site (existing or new) is used for future ministry. 8) Closure – close and remain closed…plan a final service, work with district and state of Minnesota to close doors. Constitution of the congregation directs assets and funds to the district…which are then placed into new ministry elsewhere in the district.

  22. Closure Thoughts by AuthorsGray and Dumond, Legacy Churches (2009) • “God still reminds us today, history is to be lived out, not lived in. History is a great teacher but a cruel master” (p. 19). • “Local churches were not intended to be eternal, but Christ’s church is eternal and will never die” (pp. 34-35). • “If a church closing is a failure, then all the churches in the book of Acts were failures since none of them still exist today” (pp. 35-36). • “Faith alone will not bring about the changes necessary to revitalize a church. Faith must be accompanied by hard work and openness to change” (p. 40). • “Once a church reaches the death phase of its life cycle, rarely will it experience significant growth and rebirth” (p. 40).

  23. Closure Factors and Process • Closure Factors* • Attendance Decline…below a “critical mass” • Staffing/Volunteerism…inadequate to meet needs • Income Decline…inadequate to support ministry • Age/Tenure of Members…Presby. Church @ 58, UMC @ 61, LCMS @ 62 (U.S. median age is 36) • Survival is the Mission…not the Great Commission • Work in Partnership with the District Office • Meetings and closing services, legal issues • Synod, District, and State of Minnesota needs • Disposition of assets, memorabilia and records * Gray and Dumond (2009)

  24. References Gray, S. and Dumond, F. (2009). Legacy Churches. St. Charles, IL. ChurchSmart Resources. LCMS.org – Statistical Reports

  25. Legacy Church Options • Reduced Finances and Staffing • Dual/Triple Parish • Bi-Vocational/Worker-Priest • Permanent Vacancy • Revitalization/Mission Formation • Mentoring • Renter • Re-Launch • Multi-Site Campus • Merger • Closure • Please attend the breakout sessions you wish to hear more about after lunch…

  26. Alignment with District Initiatives • Aligning with the 11 District Initiatives… • #5 – Equip congregations to transition well • #9 – Biblical mission formation processes • #10 – Assist congregations in new starts/ministries • #11 – New ways and means of funding God’s mission

  27. Summary…Next Steps…Follow Up • Discuss options, consult with… • Neighboring Congregations • Circuit and Circuit Visitors • District Staff • Plan…proactively for a desired future and outcome where word and sacrament ministry continues to take place in your location • Ask…for any assistance you might need to help make these plans happen

More Related