Differing sized churches typically experience different group cultures and different patterns of ministry and relationship. What works for one size just doesn't fit for another. Over its history, Trinity has shifted through four milestones in size and is on the brink of a fifth. Churches of up to 50 in worship operate as a family, with a few long-term lay leaders providing stability and direction. Churches with 50 to 150 attending worship are described as pastoral size because much of congregation's life centers around relationship with the pastor. The next level, program size, too large for everyone to be intimately connected with a pastor, has people making more connections through lay leaders who are involved in offering a variety of ministry programs. Churches with between 350 and 500 worshippers are termed corporate and often have a large, professional staff in charge of developing many areas of ministry.
The fact that Trinity has successfully navigated each of these transitions is testimony to the congregation's resilience and adaptability because many factors exert pressure on groups to remain in their current category. Since we currently have combined worship attendance of 550, we are likely facing another shift in the way we do ministry. Staff will become more focused on equipping and empowering individuals and groups in the community as they respond to God's call to ministry.
Most likely, each of us have a "favorite" church size imprinted on our memory that tells us how things "should" be. Perhaps it matches the church of our childhood, a church where we had a particularly significant experience, or the first congregation we were exposed to. It is likely that those memories are not matched in our current experience since the Trinity/Pointe of Grace community has developed beyond what many have experienced before. This means there may be feelings of disappointment when those old expectations aren't met and feelings of surprise and satisfaction as we encounter new and enriching opportunities that are available to us here.
It is useful to pay attention to these kinds of shifts in a community because shifts tend to mean that some things that are familiar are less evident while new possibilities emerge. It is also good to notice what we particularly appreciate and recognize that we can take our own initiative to re-create some of those "favorite" experiences in new ways.
Some members of this community may be able to remember some of the shifts that happened at former developmental steps--things that decreased and new things that came. If you do, and would like to share them, to help us understand how those changes happened, add your story to this blog.
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I've often heard that "this type of church is right". It's a bit damaging to think that every person's worship style and needs are uniform. That's the reason I believe that God has provided many worship environments. Each is valuable and meets the needs of it's congregants. Though we should welcome all people, we should also accept that we can't be all things to all people.
ReplyDeleteWe need to remain mindful, during times of transition, that some people won't have their needs met by the new being. And that this is ok. We should generously encourage those who no longer feel "at home" at our congregation to find the right place for them.