Summer Blues?

Life often revolves around the public/private school calendar--and when schools shut down, people scatter. There is a giant sucking sound that happens all summer, and it's the lake and the mountains that are pulling people away from church on the weekends. I've heard many people say, "Well, I'll see ya in September!!"

One response we're going to test-run is "Summer Sundays on Monday." Every other Monday night beginning in June, we'll repeat the Sunday worship in our chapel. It will be less formal, naturally, but essentially be the same thing.

I almost want to suggest summer vacation-style spirituality retreats--because surely at least some of folk's motivation for the summer disappearance is the conscious or sub-conscious desire for sabbath.

What kind of events/opportunities have you found to work for people who are feeling the summer fever?

Moving at the Speed of Crawl

My mentor in ministry told me several years ago (before I became a pastor) that when one is dealing with a church, "Direction is more important than speed." I understand and believe that he makes a very valid point. However, recently I have began to re-evaluate these words of wisdom. I still believe that direction is more important than speed, because if a church is going in the wrong direction then that is bad no matter the speed. And on the other hand if a church is going in the right direction, then no matter the speed they are still positively progressing.

However, recently I have become burdened by the slow pace of church. In my experience, church members are great at helping when there is a work day or other maintenance needed on the church grounds. But, when it comes to actually doing ministry for the people in the community, the bag is left almost entirely in the hands on the minister. In our post-modern, urban culture and with many of our congregations being firmly planted within modernity, how do we as ministers help our congregations move not only in a direction of ministry, but also at an effective pace?