Total Ministry in the Metro New York Synod

1. Total Ministry in the Metro New York Synod A Vision for the future of our Synod

2. Total Ministry . . . • How did the idea come about in the first place?

3. Once upon a time . . . • There was a church located about 65 miles east of Manhattan in the midst of the “Pine Barrens” section of Suffolk County. • They had a baptized membership of 111, most of whom were adults. • They averaged 59 persons in weekly worship attendance.

4. They were still looking to the future • In the previous year they gave $52,729 toward their budget of $53,112. • In their fall stewardship campaign they reported that the congregation’s average weekly giving was $ 930.51.

5. By the following summer • Several families had announced their plans to relocate to other parts of the country. • Some of their key donors had passed away. • A few Sunday School staff members had moved. • Worship attendance and giving had dropped dramatically. • They had fallen several months’ behind in pension payments for their pastor.

6. A neighboring church tried to help • In July a special offering raised about $4,000 to help the people to catch up on some pension payments. • A meeting was held so the Councils of both churches could meet each other and discuss further ways they could assist one another.

7. He asked the pastors to work together to explore options for the future of St. Mark’s. He promised the assistance of his staff in working toward a new future. He offered some financial assistance to help the church to keep things going. A “Memorandum of Understanding” was approved between the Bishop and the two congregations. The Bishop offered his assistance

8. The Memorandum of Understanding was agreed to on September 10, 2001.and we all know what happened the next day. . .

10. By September 11, 2002(One year later . . .) • Their weekly worship attendance averaged under 30 people. • Weekly Offerings averaged $ 275.00 • Catholic Charities had contracted with them to purchase their property to construct 33 units of affordable Senior Housing. • A “Middle Country Lutheran Parish” was in operation, joining the two congregations in mission. • A new concept called “Total Life Caring Ministry” was being developed by their Joint Mission Task Force.

11. What does the future have in store for Lutherans in Metro New York? Before September 11, 2001 We had a certain understanding of our world. One day of madness changed that understanding completely . . . and forever

12. But did the world really change? Or was it we who changed? • It is normal for us to take the world for granted when we are busy and engaged with the “normal” activities of life. • When disaster struck, we were thrown off balance, but we began to respond to the crisis in the community around us. • As we came together as a Lutheran community, we started to realize that we cannot continue to carry on “business as usual.”

13. We also started looking at how we were doing as a Church, and what did we see? • We recognized the signs of clergy burnout and increasingly discouraged members. • We saw that we had become focused on ourselves and our “vision for mission” had grown dim. • We discovered that the same problems that were going on here were also taking place in nearly half of the churches of our Synod.

14. But even more than that … • We discovered that we have many congregations facing a severe crisis in finances and membership. • We learned that nearly 1/3 of our congregations are in danger of dying out within the next 5 years. • We realized that we did not have any overall strategy for helping churches face their crisis.

15. What else did we see? • We saw that most of our clergy have not received any preparation to respond to the crisis faced by our churches. • We saw that our laity also need help in determining what steps they need to take to decide about their future. • We realized that many of the issues we focused on in our churches were of little significance compared to the larger picture.

16. Just as our world learned lessons from the events of September 11, 2001, we also began to realize that in the Church we cannot continue to operate as if it is “business as usual.”

17. We asked ourselves: “How can we address our current situation and strengthen the ministry of our synod?” • “Survival of the Fittest.” • “Last one out, turn off the lights.” • “Arranged Marriages.” • “Father knows best.” • Or could we try to “reclaim the Great Commission”?

18. We discovered a new but “old” idea . . . It is called by many different names: • “Local Ministry” • “Shared Ministry” • “Ministry of All the Baptized” • “Total Ministry” • The “priesthood of all believers” • We called it : “Total Life Caring Ministry”

19. Churchgoers who attended services Volunteers who helped the pastor Isolated, individual “congregations” not connected even to the churches down the block Apostles, disciple-making disciples committed to God’s mission Skilled ministers, missionaries, care providers “Missionary outposts of the Synod,” linked together for mission with other Lutherans and even non-Lutherans A Paradigm Shift . . . From to

20. Clergy-dependent, “Let Pastor do it . . .” attitudes Few lay “ministries” Little training of lay members for ministry “Time and Talent” approach with church-centered jobs to be done Inter-dependent members Many ministries to members and to the larger community Extensive and comprehensive quality training for lay ministry, pastoral duties, and evangelism Ministry Teams led by trained leaders carrying out a shared vision of ministry to others A Paradigm Shift . . . From to

21. Educational programs to inform and stimulate thought about religious subjects Needs-based program development “Fix it” programs– “Who can we get to fill this slot?” “Someone else is responsible.” Educational programs designed to train people for ministry and to serve the unchurched Asset-based community development– “What gifts do we already have to offer to others?” “We’re all in this together.” A Paradigm Shift . . . From to

22. Maintaining our buildings, meeting our budget, supporting a full-time or part-time pastor Survival – renting out facilities for income from outside groups, fund-raising activities, cutting expenses, cutting out staff God’s Mission among us and through us to our community The “Way of the Cross” –giving of ourselves sacrificially, in faithful obedience to God’s will A Paradigm Shift . . . From to

23. Why this cannot work in the Metro New York Synod • Clergy enjoy being independent. They don’t know how to be “team players.” • Clergy are professionals with “career paths.” • Congregations value their local traditions. • Competition, not cooperation, is the “American Way.” • Each leader and each church wants to set their own agenda. • Our neighbors are not “our kind of people.”

24. More reasons why this cannot work in the Metro New York Synod • Clergy and congregations aren’t trained to work creatively and collaboratively. • Clergy are treated quite differently from one congregation to another. • There aren’t many examples to help us in developing a new paradigm. • “We’ve never done it this way before.”

25. At the center of the concept of Total Ministry is the conviction that . . . “Ministry is for everyone, not just the clergy. The leadership of every church, parish, and congregation in the land is the responsibility of the whole of that community. Churches need leadership, but that leadership will empower the whole congregation, fusing them into a dynamic, outward looking community, bearing witness to the powerful message of the Gospel.” --- Canon Robin Greenwood, Total Ministry Handbook

26. What are some of the pieces need in order to develop a plan to become a “Total Ministry Synod?” • A clear, single vision of the synod as one church committed to fulfilling the Great Commission. • A commitment from synod leaders to pursue the vision. • A vehicle and a plan for developing and casting the vision. • A willingness to help people see how they can benefit from collaborating together and from reassigning and sharing resources (money and people). • A lot of time and patience – unfortunately, it cannot happen as quickly as it needs to happen.

27. Metro New York Synod is not alone in this effort . . . • For over 30 years the Church of England has been experimenting with various forms of “Local Ministry.” • The Anglican Church in New Zealand, Wales, Australia, Canada, and even the United States has devoted tremendous resources to empowering the “priesthood of all believers.”

28. What would Total Ministry look like in Metro New York Synod? There are different models we might use here: • A single congregation could minister with a variety of trained ministry teams. • Clusters of churches could work collaboratively to support one another’s ministries. • Entire conferences could shape a shared ministry to a common community.

29. One example of the “Single Congregation Model” is Hope’s Total Life Caring Ministry” We define TLC as: • Caring for all people regardless of religion, race, gender, age, or ethnic heritage. • Involving every member of the Body. • Using all the gifts and assets God provides. • Addressing every aspect of a person’s life. • Giving the very best of who we are for the sake of God’s Kingdom. • Every day in every opportunity God gives us.

30. “Total Life Caring Ministry” ministers to members and non-members . . . • Ministry teams can help members by • Leading worship services • Teaching children, teens, and adults • Caring for those who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit • Inspiring one another to serve the Lord in our daily lives in the world

31. “Total Life Caring Ministry” ministers to members and non-members . . . • Ministry Teams can minister to our neighbors by • Bearing witness to God’s love in our daily work • Caring for the poor, the weak, the suffering • Speaking out for justice and renewal in society • Inviting them to share in the joy of fellowship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

32. Such a vision cannot be carried out by a single person or even by a professionally trained staff • Our Lord gave the Great Commission to all of his followers. • Our Lord gave the Great Commandment to all of his followers: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind , and with all your strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.”

33. The “Cluster Model” would bring together the resources of several churches for shared ministry • Staff members working as a Team on behalf of two or more churches. • Led by one Team that oversees the joint mission of the churches. • Possibly merging into a single congregation while maintaining separate facilities. • Opening the door to new mission opportunities using the combined “critical mass” of the “parish.”

34. The “Conference Model” could focus on a shared conference community • Stronger and weaker churches could support each other with human and financial resources. • Joint activities can provide resources any single church might not be able to organize. • Conference Mission Teams could provide new avenues for members to serve one another and their neighbors. • Pastors could benefit from their interaction and the insights of others, improving clergy morale. • Economic advantages might be available to conferences that are not available to local churches.

35. All these models are developed “on the ground” Our Synod’s Commission for Evangelical Outreach can help in the process. • The Strategic Planning Team can consult with congregations, clusters, and conferences. • The Total Ministry Development Team can assist in forming a model that works for you. • The Congregational Renewal and Training teams can assist with making a transition from “here” to “there.” • The Ministry Development Board can assist in evaluating facilities for future use.

36. The Body of Christ is blessed with many God-given assets • God has bestowed many gifts and abilities on the members of the Body • Talents • Skills • Life experiences • Education • Work experiences • Relationships • Financial resources

37. These assets belong to the whole Church • You are not “on your own.” • The assets you have can be shared with others. • Others may have assets they can share with you. • The Bishop, the Synod, and your Conference are resources that can help you to envision a new future.

38. How can a church begin? • Re-commit yourselves and your resources to God’s mission. • Form a Vision of what might be—Are there others around us who should take part in this process? • Pray and worship together especially with your mission partners. • Study the Scriptures and study your mission field. • Listen to one another and your community. • Begin to identify your God-given gifts and assets. • Ask for assistance from others who want to help including the CEO, the Bishop’s Office, the Dean and your conference. • Begin thinking “outside the box” about what God might be able to do through your ministry.

39. “Don’t be afraid . . .” • The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” -- Matthew 28: 5-6 • Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” -- John 20: 21-22

40. We already have everything we need . . . • Jesus gave His Church His Great Commission: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the close of the age”Matthew 28:18-20