Gilmerton New Church
Pencaitland Day
May 19th, 2007
Introduction
'The young people and their families of Gilmerton are the good soil'.
With this comment on the parable of the sower we began our church away day in Pencaitland. Although we were only there from 10am to 7.30pm we squeezed a great deal in, especially looking towards our 5 year review in November.
The following notes are a summary of our time together and will be used to shape our 5 year review process.
Roots
Theology / Mission Design
►The e-circle strategy is sound but needs to be shared by Reef group again, explored and re-applied especially regarding the families of young people.
►Affirmed that our history is brief but colourful and diverse, tales worth telling when we meet.
►Comments about the church in 2002 focused on the congregation, now they focus on the community.
►The imagery of the tree is helpful (our varied roots, shared Reef life together as the trunk and branches bearing fruit in sports, arts and family).
►Recognising the Spirit of God in all places, all elements of church.
►We have always been incarnational but now the need to be more visible and not just present.
►Develop the 'parish' 'pariokos' Greek for 'stranger who lives alongside' as we, the Christians, are now the strangers alongside.
►Generation Grid; (ask Peter for details) recognise the differences between generations - existing church usually shaped by builders and boomers and aimed at Gen X and Mosaics. What would it mean for church to be shaped by, and aimed at, Gen X and Mosaics but supported by builders and boomers?
Discipleship and leadership development
►Paul B needs a clone! All that is needed to be done to sustain and develop requires the gifts and skills that Paul has but he has limited time.
►volunteer recruitment and development
►ensure female leadership in sports to balance male workers
►local training for youth workers
►Good management is offered to staff - Paul and Christina, Ross ad Luke - and staff days are helpful
►Management for Paul B. While he manages others there is little for him apart frm his own self-discipline.
►Visiting cards to be finished
Effective leadership
►Leadership understands what needs to be done and draws in others
►Leadership leads by example and words
►Admin support would be helpful
►Michael's 'behind the scenes' support is invaluable
Structures geared for growth
General thoughts
►Secure our identity, to help us know who 'we' are when we go public. A brand name?
►When asked what animal might represent Gilmerton New Church the following interesting responses!
Rats - scuttling behind the scenes, when contacted is contagious / infectious
Spider - small, hidden, connected, building, strong (much emerging church is literally web-linked and based)
Wildcat - hidden, fierce, hard to find, independent
Humming bird - rapid and flexible movement, fruitful
Sloth - slow, getting there
Garden worms - hidden, connecting, making the whole soil work
Chameleon - responding to local environment
Bumble bee - according to science and engineering it should not be able to fly but no-one told the bumble bee!
Donkey - slow, servant, determined
Cuckoo - most of it's work is done in other peoples' nests
Ants - hidden, small, hard working, community.
►Keep on with the long haul - think decades not years. Old Machar going to full status after 18 years!
Commission
►Making the commission work beyond just being a reporting and discussing base.
►Role of commission and local leadership / decision making. Commission should have been here! Development of commission as more involved with Reef and vice-versa.
Local links
►Stronger links with local congregations and Kirk Sessions, as in draft of Parish Grouping. Affirm Gilmerton's unique role alongside churches and define what this partnership means. Could some, or all of, our national Mission and Aid payments be re-diverted among local parish grouping?
►Working in partnership with local churches - begin with improving funeral cover then looking at financial support.
Programme
►Continue with our three branches - sports, arts and family
►Family work, the potential, 'how to drug-proof your kids'
►Building development - a plan for use from spring 08, including moving the war memorial and a renewed season of remembrance in November. Include present Reef group in ownership. Ensure that our plans include the building but are not controlled by it. A critical part of our 'going public' theme.
►Arts club / event for after school across both high schools, more explicitly Christian
►Develop a youth club not based on arts or sports, relational, support, life-skills and friendship. Set up MySpace! Put in space for a cell group for those wanting know more or already have a faith. Call it 'Breakthrough'?
Wider links
►Connecting Gilmerton Church with similar projects for encouragement, learning and support eg/ Whiteinch (go deep with the few to then go wide to the community), Old Machar (transforming worship at the heart of church) , HIYFC's Revolution (growing a church from the street and school), Blue Horizon in Cove / Kincorth (work with young people and their families). Making these connections with the whole Reef group and not just myself.
►Commitment to support Scottish International Relief, the charity Andrew works for
►Website
www.gilmerton.org.uk is an excellent resource that is used by some young people and some on Reef. Develop this - podcasts over the summer for Reef and for young people?
Fruits
Inspiring and nourishing worship
►Can we have more….Wild Goose songs, world songs, Taize songs
►Generally OK, enjoy sharing in hosting, leading, Bible study and prayers
►Palm Sunday joint service was good, to be part of it and lead worship
►Develop our variety of worship, from meditative to big praise band
►Our mission is deeply incarnational and relational - earthed and rooted in the community, but many worship songs are individualistic, using language that does not relate to everyday life and is disconnected from the struggle
Visionary faith and spirituality
Paul's leadership and words can sometimes be too 'far-off' but is born out of wrestling with the issues arising growing a new church. His God-connection is real.
Community caring for itself and others
►Reef, how it supports itself, developing friendship and support beyond Sundays, especially for those not working in schools
►Issue of formalising commitment (avoiding the word 'membership'!)
►Many people have been involved in Reef over the years. How could we keep them involved, apart from sending Reef News? What about one Sunday in the year when we could invite everyone to join us again for worship and prayer?
►What kind of church is needed for Sunday Reef people, what type of church for the others we have connected with and what type of church or team or event could bridge the gap between the these?
Relevant evangelism
►What kind of church is needed for Sunday Reef people, what type of church for the others we have connected with and what type of church or team or event could bridge the gap between the these?
►Family work, the potential, 'how to drug-proof your kids'
►Looking for parallel development of 'red-tops' young people in the arts
►Regular invitation events for all we are working with (although these would be bigger than worship and would include friendship, activity, discussion, food we ask what style of worship? Would anyone sing?)
Financial strategy
►Finance, a sustainable financial strategy for the church
►Commitment to support Scottish International Relief, the charity Andrew works for. Moved by his line, 'I want it to be normal for children not to be hungry'.
General Issues
The style of the day said much about what we are as church and should be continued into the 5 year review. It was imaginatively presented, using different spaces and methods for sharing and discussing information.
There was also a healthy balance between looking at our life together as God's people, our purpose as a church for young people and their families and our own relationship with God. Worship and prayer, discussion and reflection, food and laughter are all important parts of our common life.
Summary Image
We have oases growing in the desert, places of deep growth where God has blessed our committed, persevering and prayerful relationships. So, how do we grow?
Outer
The church goes public
We invite to special events
Continue with sport, arts and family
Inner
Development of Reef nurture and support
Development and support of leadership, staff and volunteers
Paul Beautyman May 28, 2007
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