Cookman United Methodist Church: Surviving Fears, Change, and Conflict Cookman United Methodist Church: efterlevende frygt, forandringer og konflikter

Cookman United Methodist Church: Surviving Fears, Change, and Conflict Cookman United Methodist Church: efterlevende frygt, forandringer og konflikter

From a ministry perspective, in the mid 1990s, Cookman United Methodist Church was doing great. Fra et ministerium perspektiv, i midten af 1990'erne, Cookman United Methodist Church gjorde stor. New holistic ministries were taking root-meal programs for children and adults, a youth entrepreneur program, and an evangelistic play that shared the gospel with hundreds of neighborhood residents. Nye holistisk ministerier var under root-mel-programmer for børn og voksne, unge iværksættere program, og en evangelistic spille denne delte evangeliet med hundredvis af nabolaget beboere. The church even won a state contract for an extensive Christ-centered welfare-to-work program, and women in the program were coming to faith. Kirken selv vandt en tilstand kontrakt for en omfattende Kristus-centreret velfærd-til-arbejdsprogrammet, og kvinder i programmet blev der kommer til tro.

But under the surface, tensions and conflicts within the congregation were coming to a boil. Men under overfladen, spændinger og konflikter inden for menigheden blev der kommer til en kog. A significant segment of the membership were unhappy with the changes initiated by the energetic new pastor, Rev. Donna Jones. Et betydelig del af medlemskabet var utilfreds med ændringerne indledt af energiske ny præst, Rev Donna Jones. The church board wondered if Cookman was stretching itself too thin and exposing itself to too many risks. Kirken bord spekulerede hvis Cookman blev strakt sig alt for tynde og udsætter sig selv for mange risici. The welfare-to-work program, in particular, raised misgivings. Den velfærd-til-arbejdsprogrammet, navnlig rejst betænkeligheder. Some members did not like the idea of having so many people on the property throughout the week who were not attending Sunday services, and they feared for the safety of members and of the building. Nogle medlemmer ikke kunne lide tanken om at have så mange mennesker på ejendommen hele ugen, der ikke var deltager søndag tjenester, og de frygtede for sikkerheden for medlemmerne og af bygningen. Some were uncertain whether it was proper for a church to work with the state. Nogle var usikkert, om det var egentlig for en kirke til at arbejde sammen med staten. Compounding matters, the small church had significant financial struggles. Sammensatte sager, den lille kirke havde betydelige finansielle kampe. There was a danger that the church could not cover their debt to the denomination, and the building might be sold and the congregation merged with another church. Der var en fare for, at kirken ikke kunne dække deres gæld til den pålydende værdi, og bygningen kan være solgt og menigheden fusioneret med en anden kirke. The question was raised whether Rev. Jones was the right pastor for the church at that time. Spørgsmålet blev rejst, om rev Jones var den rigtige præst for kirken på det pågældende tidspunkt.

One factor underlying the conflict was the question of the church's identity. Én faktor bag konflikten var spørgsmålet om kirkens identitet. The church had nearly closed after the original white congregation moved out of the neighborhood. Kirken havde næsten lukket efter den oprindelige hvide menigheden flyttet ud af nabolaget. For the last 15 years before Rev. Jones' installation in 1993, it had been considered a "mission church" by the denomination, and this influenced the congregation's view of itself as needy. For de sidste 15 år, før Rev Jones' anlæg i 1993, det var blevet betragtet som en "mission kirke" af den pålydende værdi, og dette påvirkede menigheden syn på sig selv som trængende. The congregation was more familiar with being on the receiving end than the giving end. Menigheden blev mere fortrolig med at være på den modtagende ende end den giver udgang. Some felt that their own needs were now being neglected for the sake of ministering to "outsiders." Nogle mente, at deres egne behov blev nu bliver forsømt af hensyn til ministering til "outsidere". Rev. Jones promoted a different image of the church, as a ministry outpost with valuable gifts to share with the community. Rev Jones fremmes et andet billede af kirken som et ministerium forpost med værdifulde gaver til at dele med Fællesskabet. She pushed the congregation-too quickly, she now admits-to reorient its sense of purpose and take ownership of the hope the church could offer to the community. Hun pressede menigheden-for hurtigt, hun nu indrømmer at omlægge sin målbevidsthed og tage ejerskab af håb kirken kunne tilbyde samfundet.

Rev. Jones had been caught off-guard by the strength and immediacy of the congregation's resistance, and as a result had to spend a lot of time putting out relational and administrative fires sparked by the conflicts. Rev Jones var blevet fanget med bukserne nede af styrke og umiddelbarheden i menigheden's modstand, og som følge heraf har måttet bruge en masse tid at lægge ud relationelle og administrative brande udløst af konflikter. She reflects now that it would have been wiser to develop a stronger base of support and understanding within the congregation before moving forward with major ministry projects. Hun afspejler nu, at det ville have været klogere at udvikle en stærkere base af støtte og forståelse inden menigheden inden vi går fremad med store ministerium projekter. As time went on, she found a better balance between taking visionary initiative, and cultivating the congregation's sense of ownership and responsibility for ministry. Som tiden gik, hun fundet en bedre balance mellem at tage visionært initiativ, og dyrke menigheden's følelse af ejerskab og ansvar for ministerium. She also strengthened her relationship with core lay leaders who shared the vision for outreach. Hun har også styrket sit forhold til kernen lå ledere, der delte visionen for opsøgende.

One pragmatic response to the conflict by the pastor and lay ministry leaders was to set up a new nonprofit, called Neighborhood Joy Ministries (NJM), as an umbrella for the church's outreach. En pragmatisk løsning på konflikten, idet præsten og danne ministerium ledere var at oprette et nyt nonprofit, kaldet Neighborhood Joy ministerier (NJM), som en paraply for kirken's opsøgende. This measure was intended both to reassure the congregation that they would not be financially and legally liable for the programs, and to protect the ministries from opposition by the church. Denne foranstaltning havde til formål både at berolige menigheden, at de ikke ville være økonomisk og juridisk ansvarlig for de programmer og at beskytte de ministerier fra oppositionen ved kirken. NJM was run by an independent board, which by stipulation included the pastor and at least one officer from the church board. NJM blev kørt af en uafhængig bestyrelse, som på grund af bestemmelsen omfattede præst og mindst én officer fra kirken bord. Everyone selected for the board was enthusiastic about its vision. Alle er udvalgt til bord var begejstret for sin vision. This arrangement allowed the work of ministry to go forward without getting bogged down by the conflicts, while maintaining the connection between NJM and the church. Dette arrangement er tilladt arbejdet i ministeriet for at gå videre uden at køre fast ved de konflikter, og samtidig opretholde forbindelsen mellem NJM og kirke.

Rev. Jones took another major step toward resolving the conflict by listening more intentionally to the voices of opposition in the congregation. Rev Jones tog et andet vigtigt skridt til at løse konflikten ved at lytte mere forsæt til stemmerne af oppositionen i menigheden. She explains, Hun forklarer

The "old guard" did not understand what the "new guard" was doing. De "gamle vagt" ikke forstod, hvad den "nye vagt" gjorde. And we had not respected and honored what the old guard had done. Og vi havde ikke overholdes, og beæret, hvad den gamle vagt havde gjort. . . . When I started listening to all the parties-when I stopped fighting and started listening-things changed. Da jeg begyndte at lytte til alle parter, da jeg holdt op med at kæmpe og begyndte at lytte-ting ændret sig. I got into the heart of each faction and discovered that people I thought did not have passion for ministry really did. Jeg kom ind i hjertet af hver gruppe og opdagede, at folk tænkte jeg ikke havde passion for ministeriet virkelig gjorde. I had made assumptions about the old guard, about how they thought about themselves and ministry. Jeg havde gjort antagelser om den gamle vagt, om, hvordan de mente om sig selv og ministerium. I did not see what they had done before I came. Jeg kunne ikke se, hvad de havde gjort før jeg kom. Their contributions were not lifted up. Deres bidrag var ikke løftes op.

Rev. Jones looked back through old church records and discovered ministries that had been discontinued before her arrival. Rev Jones kiggede tilbage gennem gamle kirke optegnelser og opdagede ministerier, der var blevet afbrudt, før hendes ankomst. She asked the members who had originally been involved, "How did you feel about what you did? How did you feel when this ministry stopped?" Hun spurgte de medlemmer, der oprindelig havde været involveret, "Hvordan har du mener om, hvad du gjorde? Hvordan har du føler, når dette ministerium stoppet?" This helped her-and the congregation-realize the importance of community ministry in the church's history. Dette hjalp hende og menigheden-indse betydningen af EF-ministerium i kirken's historie. This encouraged a shift in people's view of the new ministries, from a risky innovation to a reversal of a decline. Dette opmuntrede et skift i folks opfattelse af de nye ministerier, fra en risikobetonet innovation til en vending af en tilbagegang. Then she got people talking about what kinds of ministries they hoped to see develop. Så hun fik folk taler om, hvilke former for ministerier de håbede at se udvikle sig. Says Rev. Jones, "I helped connect their past with the future." Siger Rev Jones, "Jeg hjalp forbinde deres fortid med fremtid."

Along with listening to members, Rev. Jones and a core leadership team also invested in re-shaping the congregation's theology and self-understanding. Sammen med at lytte til medlemmerne, Rev Jones og en kerne ledergruppe også investeret i re-forme menigheden's teologi og selvstændige forståelse. A key theme in teaching and preaching was the central importance of holistic mission in the Christian life-that Christians are saved not only for themselves, but for the sake of reaching out to others with the love of God. Et centralt tema i undervisningen og prædiker var den centrale betydning af holistisk mission i det kristne liv-at Kristne er frelst, ikke kun for sig selv, men af hensyn til at nå ud til andre med kærligheden til Gud. Another significant step was helping the congregation see how the church's community service also served them. Et andet vigtigt skridt var at hjælpe menigheden se, hvordan kirken's samfundstjeneste også tjent dem. Ministry leaders invited members to sign up for the computer lab, GED classes, and other services. Ministeriet ledere opfordrede medlemmerne til at tilmelde dig computerlokale, GED klasser, og andre tjenester. This eased members' feeling of being in competition with non-members for the church's services. Dette lettede medlemmernes følelse af at være i konkurrence med ikke-medlemmer for kirken's tjenester. It helped break down the wall between members and "outsiders" receiving services. Det hjalp nedbryde muren mellem medlemmerne og "outsidere" modtagende tjenester. Along with the effort to motivate and equip the congregation for outreach, Rev. Jones addressed their need for internal nurturing as well. Sammen med bestræbelserne på at motivere og udruste menigheden til opsøgende, Rev Jones rettet deres behov for interne pleje såvel. Pastoral teaching and counseling encouraged members to grow in the knowledge of their salvation and to rest in Jesus' forgiveness and healing. Pastoral undervisning og rådgivning opfordres medlemmerne til at vokse i kendskab til deres frelse og til hvile i Jesus' tilgivelse og helbredelse. New discipling ministries were started, such as a women's group. Nye discipling ministerier var i gang, såsom kvinders gruppe. Times of intentional reconciliation allowed the congregation-including the pastor-to confess their faults to one another and receive forgiveness. Times af forsætlige forsoning tilladt menigheden, herunder præsten for at indrømme deres fejl på hinanden og får tilgivelse. These steps helped to create an atmosphere where people could open up to one another about the hurts and struggles in their lives, and build trust. Disse tiltag bidrog til at skabe en atmosfære, hvor folk kunne åbne op til hinanden om de gør ondt og kampe i deres liv, og opbygge tillid.

For Rev. Jones, the crisis prompted a period of soul searching. For Rev Jones, krisen bedt en periode på sjælen søgning. Was she committed to staying with the church? Var hun forpligtet til at bo med kirken? Was she willing to continue making outreach a priority, despite the resistance? Var hun villig til at fortsætte med at foretage opsøgende en prioritet, på trods af modstand? Did she have the strength or the leadership ability to carry on at Cookman? Gjorde hun har styrken eller ledelse evne til at transportere den på Cookman? A turning point came, she says, when she found she could "let go and trust God to be in charge of the process." Et vendepunkt kom, siger hun, da hun fandt hun kunne "give slip og stoler på Gud at være ansvarlige for processen." Giving the church and its ministries over to God was one of the hardest things she had to do as a pastor, but it brought her peace. Giving kirken og dets ministerier over til Guds var en af de sværeste ting, hun havde til som en præst, men det bragte hende fred. "I decided if I was going to stay there, that was God's will, and I would stop worrying." "Jeg besluttede, hvis jeg skulle blive der, det var Guds vilje, og jeg vil stoppe bekymrende." Her confidence grew that Cookman's mission was the work of the Lord, and that by God's grace it would continue. Hendes tillid voksede at Cookman's mission blev arbejdet i Herren, og det ved Guds nåde vil det fortsætte.

Despite all these constructive steps, the conflict did not entirely go away-but by the new millennium it had significantly lifted. Trods alle disse konstruktive skridt, konflikten ikke helt gå væk-men af det nye årtusind havde betydeligt ophævet. The congregation increasingly accepted the vision for community ministry. Menigheden i stigende grad accepteret vision for samfundet ministerium. New funding sources providentially appeared, and the threat of closure grew more remote. Nye finansieringskilder providentially mødt, og truslen om lukning voksede mere fjernt. The congregation did lose some members, especially those who clung to the desire for a more traditional church. Menigheden gjorde miste nogle medlemmer, især dem der klyngede sig til ønsket om en mere traditionel kirke. But slowly new members have been added to Cookman's family, some who found salvation through a church ministry. Men langsomt nye medlemmer er blevet tilføjet Cookman familie, nogle der findes frelse gennem en kirke ministerium. The "trial by fire" strengthened Rev. Jones' leadership, and brought a team of dedicated lay leaders closer together. "Rettergang ved brand" styrket Rev Jones' lederskab, og bragte et team af dedikerede lå ledere tættere sammen.

The growing acceptance of holistic ministry has "completely transformed the congregation. We are more capable, more confident, and more effective in what we do," says Rev. Jones. Den stigende accept af holistisk ministerium har "fuldstændig forvandlet menigheden. Vi er mere kompetent, mere sikker og mere effektiv i, hvad vi gør," siger Rev Jones. She reflects on the change the church has undergone. Hun reflekterer over den ændring, kirken er undergaaet. "We used to be a mission church-people sent us money. Now we're a church in mission." "Vi plejede at være en mission kirke-folk har sendt os penge. Nu er vi en kirke i mission."

[Adapted from Churches That Make a Difference, chapter 14]. [Tilpasset fra kirker, der gør en forskel, kapitel 14].