I am going to start out by telling you I am struggling with how to tell you about an exciting journey we are on. The reason I struggle is that I do not want you to think I am doing this for my personal benefit or to get attention from you or anyone else. I have tried several times to write about this but just could not figure out how to tell you. In fact I had not planned to write about it at all except there were a few folks asking me to keep them informed using my blog and that seemed like a good place to provide the updates and in the end I might just use Facebook. We will see how that goes. So here it goes.
Starting a few months ago a couple, Chris and Suzzette, proposed a question which made it to the church bulletin. The question was, ".. would you consider being part of a group who would work with churches needing help.....". The name of the group is Mendachurch and if that does not make sense let me tell you how I have cleared up the meaning for folks, Fixachurch. If you still don't get it here is my last shot, Fix A Church. They had identified a need for many older churches where the population was growing older and the attendance was dropping and they just needed some help making some changes to keep the church from dying. From what I understand The Cowboy Church has effectively done the same. So here we go.
Well the planning, praying, visiting with folks, studying demographics, organizing and just plain getting ready is over. Next Sunday we, five couples and their families, are going to Kentucky Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City to help facilitate a reshaping of a church where almost everything has changed around the church besides the church itself. The church is still alive and a living breathing Christ centered organization with folks who want to do God's will but demographics have changed. This church has about 62 average attendance each Sunday but at one time was almost 700. The community has changed and the leadership at this church still works hard but more change is necessary to reach those that live around it. Almost 75% of the population is Hispanic within 1 mile of the building. The average age at this church is (guessing) over 70 and perhaps close to 80. The primary leadership of the church is 80 to 92 years of age. They are great folks with great hearts who want to serve the Lord but need some help. They have invited us to help.
I wish I could say we have a detailed plan but we don't. We have some ideas and concepts that should be helpful and we have worked to identify things which should change to reach the community but next Sunday, Easter Sunday, we will be joining in their fellowship. You may ask yourself what are we going to do this first few weeks and I would tell you we are going to show up and become part of their fellowship.
Now let me step back a few steps and give you some things we have thought about. Sure we need to reach out to the Hispanic community but we are not experts on that and we will have to figure out how. Yes, we do not speak Spanish and it will be difficult. We love football with an oblong ball not soccer which is their passion. We do like Mexican food but I am not sure if what we like is what they like so how will we ever have a potluck? We are white and they are brown, will they trust us? If we want to include them should we change a few things that might make it more inviting like having a sign in Spanish? The music they listen to is different than what is on our radios and certainly in our church service. Our style is just different so do we change or change them? I suggest we have to modify our thinking if we want to get to know them. We don't have answers other than one thing, we are available. My family is excited about this opportunity to do something different and hopefully make a difference. If you are visiting in the area feel free to come and join in on Sunday mornings about 9 a.m. for Sunday School and around 10:45 for church.
We have decided to create a Mendachurch Facebook so I suggest that is where we will keep our updates and occasionally I will write about our experiences here at The Pioneer Man.
Thanks for your time,
gary@thepioneerman.com
Starting a few months ago a couple, Chris and Suzzette, proposed a question which made it to the church bulletin. The question was, ".. would you consider being part of a group who would work with churches needing help.....". The name of the group is Mendachurch and if that does not make sense let me tell you how I have cleared up the meaning for folks, Fixachurch. If you still don't get it here is my last shot, Fix A Church. They had identified a need for many older churches where the population was growing older and the attendance was dropping and they just needed some help making some changes to keep the church from dying. From what I understand The Cowboy Church has effectively done the same. So here we go.
Well the planning, praying, visiting with folks, studying demographics, organizing and just plain getting ready is over. Next Sunday we, five couples and their families, are going to Kentucky Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City to help facilitate a reshaping of a church where almost everything has changed around the church besides the church itself. The church is still alive and a living breathing Christ centered organization with folks who want to do God's will but demographics have changed. This church has about 62 average attendance each Sunday but at one time was almost 700. The community has changed and the leadership at this church still works hard but more change is necessary to reach those that live around it. Almost 75% of the population is Hispanic within 1 mile of the building. The average age at this church is (guessing) over 70 and perhaps close to 80. The primary leadership of the church is 80 to 92 years of age. They are great folks with great hearts who want to serve the Lord but need some help. They have invited us to help.
I wish I could say we have a detailed plan but we don't. We have some ideas and concepts that should be helpful and we have worked to identify things which should change to reach the community but next Sunday, Easter Sunday, we will be joining in their fellowship. You may ask yourself what are we going to do this first few weeks and I would tell you we are going to show up and become part of their fellowship.
Now let me step back a few steps and give you some things we have thought about. Sure we need to reach out to the Hispanic community but we are not experts on that and we will have to figure out how. Yes, we do not speak Spanish and it will be difficult. We love football with an oblong ball not soccer which is their passion. We do like Mexican food but I am not sure if what we like is what they like so how will we ever have a potluck? We are white and they are brown, will they trust us? If we want to include them should we change a few things that might make it more inviting like having a sign in Spanish? The music they listen to is different than what is on our radios and certainly in our church service. Our style is just different so do we change or change them? I suggest we have to modify our thinking if we want to get to know them. We don't have answers other than one thing, we are available. My family is excited about this opportunity to do something different and hopefully make a difference. If you are visiting in the area feel free to come and join in on Sunday mornings about 9 a.m. for Sunday School and around 10:45 for church.
We have decided to create a Mendachurch Facebook so I suggest that is where we will keep our updates and occasionally I will write about our experiences here at The Pioneer Man.
Thanks for your time,
gary@thepioneerman.com
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