There has been a push for the last decade or so for pastors
to get out of the church building. To
work at coffee shops, to hold meetings in public places, to spend time in the
towns and neighborhoods in which they are called in order to do ministry to the
greater community and not just church members.
Some pastors have embraced this challenge openly and are more likely to
be found at the local Starbucks than in their office (myself included only I’m
at Tusk & Cup). Others have gone
hesitantly and have scheduled specific times to be away from the office. And others still have determined there is not
a need for them to leave the church building or it is not practical for them to
leave.
Those of us who have left the building have developed
relationships with people we might not have otherwise because they are people
who would never enter a church building unless there for a wedding or
funeral. We have found new avenues for
doing ministry some of which you Bethlehem now benefit from such as a bible
study at the Redding Community Center or a stronger partnership with the
Georgetown Community Cultural Center.
And now pastors are realizing it is important for not just
themselves to leave the church building, but for the entire congregation. When congregations do true outreach and leave
the church building to serve their neighbors faith is strengthen and community
bounds are built.
On September 8, ELCA congregations across the nation
participated in a “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday as they did service projects
in their community to celebrate the ELCA’s 25th anniversary. We did not participate since that was
Hammonassett weekend but we are doing a day of service on Sunday November 10 to
celebrate our 105th anniversary.
On that day we will be leaving the building during worship
to go participate in a variety of service projects all to benefit Georgetown
and Redding. Please join us on the 10th
as we leave the building, as we serve our neighbors and as we build community
relationships.
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