Summer 2008
On improving membership –
“The first essential is to have a branch that people would want to join, where existing members feel part of an active, caring, friendly, innovative and outward–looking group. Then get involved in the community and try and establish good relationships with the local media”
Does the above seem familiar? Is that the kind of general advice that one would give a church looking to grow? Certainly it has a number of hall marks. Where does it come from? – the autumn copy of the magazine of the Royal British Legion from an old soldier who does not want the work of the Legion and the sacrifice of thousands to be wasted.
How much more then should be our rallying cry to our churches to deepen the quality of their lives together, to be a place where people are real friends, not just nodding acquaintances, to be ready to try new things and take the risk of failure, to always be looking outward for the stranger in their midst and the service they can bring. To be a place that loves its community whose every act is to enable that community to flourish and to create opportunities for the Good News of Jesus to be heard.
I found the Legion article a timely reminder of these things.
September 28th is Back to Church Sunday PLEASE get your church praying now if you have not started, get them ready to take the small risk of asking someone to come to church with them, get them ready to give a real and honest welcome and above all get them ready to give thanks to God for those who will come.
It would be great to hear your stories post September so we might use them for encouragement for next year
“Salvation is found in no-one else, for ther ...