Academy training can aid all churches

Benefit isn’t limited
to city congregations,
workshop leaders say

By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
Though specifically aimed at work in cities, the Holy Boldness Urban Ministries Academy could benefit any church, Southwest Texas Conference leaders say.
“Let’s put it this way,” said Ralph Thompson, who is to lead one of the sessions. “If your church is surrounded by people, but the pews are empty, you might need to consider urban ministries. If your church is in a community that doesn’t look like the people in Sunday worship, you might need urban ministries.
“If you don’t get visitors or only get onetime visitors, you might need urban ministries. And if you feel that your church is struggling to discern and respond to God’s purpose for your congregations, you might need urban ministries.”
The first classes of the two-year academy are scheduled for Sept. 28 to 30 at Travis Park UMC, San Antonio. Additional classes are set for Jan. 18-20 and March 28-30 at Travis Park. Three more events are planned for late 2008 and early 2009.
The Office of New Church Development and Transformation is sponsoring the two years of training.
September’s class is to feature the Rev. Robert Linthicum, president of Partners in Urban Transformation. He is to share his experiences in urban church transformation and what makes churches successful.
Workshop sessions include how to use technology in small churches, becoming more intentional about welcoming people and increasing the church’s visibility.
Thompson, who is to lead the session about technology, said he believes the academy will jumpstart many of the conference’s stagnant urban and suburban churches.
“I have seen and heard of congregations that, although surrounded by thousands of unchurched people, have had no professions of faith, baptism or even regular visitors in years,” said Thompson, a member of Wesley UMC, San Angelo. “It is, therefore, easy to feel that the ‘mission field’ has dried up.
“But many of these churches don’t recognize that the crop is different from what they are expecting.”
The Rev. Cathe Alexander Evins, associate pastor of First UMC, McAllen, is to lead a session on becoming a welcoming church.
She said she’ll talk a about the theological and scriptural basis for being welcoming as Christians and give specific examples of what her congregation has tried.
“But we’re really going to talk about it being a mindset for the whole church,” Evins said. “It’s a lifestyle and a way of being, not just another program. The congregation has to embrace it. And then we’ll talk about practical ways to implement that.”
Pastor Vanessa LeVine of Shep-herd’s Gate Community UMC, San Antonio, is to talk about increasing a church’s visibility in the community, building relationships with neighbors and positioning the church in the neighborhood.
One of the first things she said she did at Shepherd’s Gate was find out when and where the neighborhood association meetings were so she could attend them. She began shopping at the local supermarket and developed relationships with the people in the library next door to the church.
And members moved the church sign to the corner of Shepard’s Gate property, where it can be seen from the road, she said.
Both Evins and LeVine said the academy would provide beneficial training and information for urban, suburban and rural congregations in the conference.
“It pulls the expertise of a lot of people in different areas that all of us can benefit from,” Evins said. “I get a chance, as well as everybody else, to glean from the experience and practices of others and take that back to my church.”
LeVine said, “Sometimes our greatest and most valuable resource is the gift of each other’s experience. If we can come together to share with others how the spirit has inspired us, we’ll find that we have inner-connecting dynamics. That is the most valuable part of this.
“What works for others may not be what works in your church, but it may inspire you to find something that will work. It helps when you bring together varying experiences because then you see that each church has its own personality.”
Thompson said the urban ministries academy offers a “buffet” of opportunities. Sessions are to explain various ministries, and follow-up session are to offer hands-on opportunities for participants to visit, observe and work in the actual ministries.
He recommended that congregations send participants to various workshops so these representatives could compare notes later.
The Holy Boldness Urban Ministries Academy covers seven Holy Boldness themes over two years. The first Holy Boldness sessions are to:
> Provide new, relevant information on congregational and community development
> Help participants develop and carry out a Holy Boldness plan for their congregations
> Motivate participants to take holy and bold steps to offer Christ to all people in their communities.
Each session is to feature a guest strategist who is a recognized expert in urban ministries. Pastors and laypeople from across Southwest Texas are to lead workshops addressing key aspects of urban ministries.
Cost for the academy is $90 per person or $300 for congregations bringing four people. Participants may pay per session but are expected to register for and attend all six meetings.