June 1, 2013
Dear Friends,
Recently, our staff met
with Rev. Jim Waugh who is the Assistant to the District Superintendent. Jim
shared demographic information with us about our Lancaster community. Here are
some key points from our time together:
- Servant evangelism ministries in
our community such as our monthly Second Saturday outreach are an
important way of reaching people beyond our church walls.
- Hospitality ministries are
extremely important for first time worship guests especially if they have
strollers, infants, and children with behavioral issues. Placing greeters
at our parking lots and at our building entrances will go a long way in
helping our guests feel a calm and loving spirit upon arrival at our
church.
- Short-term study groups tend to
work best rather than long-term classes for many people in our community.
Also, offering child care during study groups is very important for young
families.
- Recreational activities and
fun/inexpensive trips to the zoo, park, etc. are usually well received.
- Hosting special family friendly
events designed for the community provide a bridge for people to begin
attending church.
- Finance/stewardship/budgeting
classes appeal to many people in our community who are experiencing high
debt.
- A Sunday School program that offers
both a traditional curriculum as well as a more experiential based
approach is desired. The diversity of educational needs in our community
shows that both approaches are important.
- People who are not accustomed to tithing their money on a regular basis to the church are more likely to donate items or offering money for specific needs.
There are also other
important points that we are discussing about our surrounding Lancaster
community. It’s interesting that we have already been focusing on some of these
areas. I invite us to pray about how we might continue to be a church that
reaches out to our community with the love of Jesus Christ.
Serving with you,
Pastor Robert
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