I have spent the last five years studying more sustainable, mission-driven models for ministry in the U.S. and in April I had the opportunity to travel to the U.K. for a week to see what sustainable, mission-driven ministry looks like in that part of the world. It’s impossible to put into words the impact this trip had on me as a person, a practitioner, and a scholar. It’s a gift that I will continue unwrapping for years to come and I’m so grateful to everyone who took the time to meet with me. As I begin to process my learnings from this trip, I decided to share a “letter from the road” to church leaders .
Dear Church Leader,
I bring you greetings from the Church of England, particularly from churches in London and Suffolk. This trip has sharpened my thinking and expanded my imagination. I hope these learnings will do the same for you. As I reflect on my experiences over the last seven days, here are a few things I’d share with you.
Being hosted makes all the difference
While I noticed a big difference, moving from Zoom meetings to in-person meetings. The most transformative experiences so far have been the ones where I have been hosted in someone else’s context. I first experienced this on Friday when I had a chance to visit The Engine Room on the northside of London. The Engine Room is a dynamic church and community center located in the heart of Hale Village featuring a nursery, cafe and wine bar (Table 13), youth club, and so much more. Director Andrew Johnston introduced me to the staff, gave me a tour of the space, and then we had lunch together at the Table 13 cafe and wine bar. Walking from the tube station to the church, meeting community members, and spending the afternoon in the space gave me a deeper understanding of the ministry’s mission and context as well as its particular gifts and challenges.
This experience only deepened as I took the train to spend the weekend in Suffolk with Archdeacon Sally Gaze. Instead of a series of “one-off” meetings, Sally took me on a multi-day tour into the heart of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. I learned an immense amount about British culture and the Church of England first-hand by listening to, eating with, and simply being with the leaders of this community. The highlight of the weekend was Sunday morning and afternoon where I attended church with the people of the Alde River Benefice – a group of seven rural churches who meet together on Sunday morning rotating which church they meet in each Sunday – and went to the Rector’s church for lunch after the service with a few parishoners. Over lunch we had a chance to brainstorm together about what God was calling this congregation to do and to be over the coming year and what sustainable ministry might look like for them. Attending the Sunday service in one of their medieval parish buildings that morning allowed me to see the gifts and constraints of the space first hand and being hosted for Sunday lunch in their rural vicarage made the conversation all the more dynamic. It also forced me to stop, take in the context, and listen to the people of the benefice since they were the true experts at the table.
As you consider the people God is calling you to serve in this time and place, where might you need to take the courageous step to be hosted and not simply play host to them? What might you learn from being invited into their space? What ideas might you develop together when the power dynamics are reversed?
“Every building a vocation”
As I traveled throughout the rural English countryside, I was introduced to the concept of “every building a vocation.” In the American context, most churches were built within the last few centuries and the oldest church isn’t even 500 years old. However, the oldest church in England dates back to the first century with most churches dating between the 11th and 16th centuries. While most American churches have historical records noting why their congregation was built and even the stories of their founding, most churches in England do not have this depth of information available. This has caused them to get curious about what the vocation of each of these church buildings might be today. As church membership dwindles, instead of letting go of these spaces entirely, they have started to think creatively about how they might use these spaces for the sake of the community while still retaining church ownership.
As you consider the mission God is inviting your congregation to join, what is the vocation of your congregation’s space in this time and place? Rather than seeing your building as an instrument of ministry to use when needed, might the building itself have a particular calling?
Openness to community partnerships
As I talked with congregations and dioceses, I saw a deeper integration between the church and the community. You could easily slough this off by saying “well, the Church of England is the national church,” but there is much more to it than that. As I talked with congregational leaders, especially in Suffolk, it was clear that they understood the communities they were called to serve. They were a part of them and knew intimately their gifts and challenges. They had deep relationships with local government and partnered together to do work in the community. They eagerly solicited grant funding both from judicatory and denominational bodies as well as municipalities and external community organizations. American churches are often skeptical of seeking this kind of funding believing they should be a “self-sufficient city on a hill” and yet, through these partnerships we can do so much more together.
How might your church’s mission intersect with other organizations in your community? How might you join together to expand your reach in the community? What funding outside of your congregation might be available to make this work possible?
Teams of Lay and Clergy Leaders:
The word “team” came up again and again in my conversations, particularly with those starting new missional communities. No one did this work alone. These teams seemed to include a combination of lay and clergy leaders, paid and unpaid leaders. H Miller, Chief of Staff and Creative Growth Lead for The Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication (CCX) for the Diocese of London, shared that he often says to clergy leaders he works with: “What is there in the church that only you can do? Everything else you can give away to somebody.” He went on to share that vicars are “vicariously” given authority by the bishop in the Church of England. He often encourages clergy leaders to act more like bishops – to be overseers and trainers rather than the primary ministry leaders in their congregations. This creates space for lay leadership to flourish.
As you discern what God is calling your congregation to do and begin to create a more sustainable model for ministry, who needs to be on the team? What voices and skills do you need from both inside and outside of the church? How might you give permission to clergy leaders to step into an overseer role and empower lay leaders to step into the spotlight?
Finding their sweet spot
As I’ve found in the American church, there isn’t one single model for sustainable ministry in the U.K. Every church has a different community, calling, and set of assets. I was pleased to see churches across rural, urban, and suburban contexts finding their way forward by looking at the intersection between God’s mission, their community’s needs, and underutilized assets. One of my favorite examples of this is St. Martin-in-the-Fields located in Trafalgar Square in London. They have created a unique sustainable model for ministry that combines a dynamic music program, bustling cafe (in the church’s crypt!), and a vital ministry to the homeless. Despite being located in the theatre capital of the world, they found that drama and visual arts didn’t have the same interest and impact in their community, hence their focus on music. It can be so tempting to copy and paste from someone else’s ministry, but every congregation’s sweet spot is unique and, sometimes, unexpected!
As you discern your congregation’s sweet spot, what might you need to focus on in this season? Do you have a clear sense of your community’s needs, God’s mission, and/or your congregation’s underutilized assets?
Balaam’s donkey
I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the trip, from Kem Amafu-Dey, Head of Finance at IMPRINT Church in London. He said that church finance leaders are often in the position of “Balaam’s donkey” (Numbers 22:21-39). God is speaking through them or showing them something other leaders may not see and yet they are often ignored or dismissed. I’ve seen this first hand in so many of the congregations I’ve worked with. The church finance person has sounded an alarm about the church’s sustainability long before I got there, but no one listened. Kem advised that we need to listen to God’s voice telling us to run towards God’s mission as well as God’s voice telling us to make a plan. Both voices are God’s voice and both need to be heard.
What unexpected people might God be using to speak to your congregation? How might you listen to and honor these voices?
Blessings as you continue to follow the Spirit’s leading to create more sustainable, missional ministry in your congregation!
Grace
