![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thegatheringcincinnati.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/DSCF0153-1.jpg\" "\\"DSCF0153-1\\"")
<\/a> Revival\u201d, my hope has been to stimulate reflection on renewal and growth.\u00a0 What individual purposes do we each have in life?\u00a0 How do we revive and practice non-violence in speech and actions in our national political and religious discussions?\u00a0 Last, week, we thought about finding purpose for churches in general.\u00a0 Today, I want to look at the Gathering – to take an inward look at where the church is headed.\u00a0 As we move into a crucial time – when budgets, pledge campaigns and plans for next year are undertaken, let us think about this place and its future.<\/p>\nAs Pastor here, I am privileged to know many Gathering stories.\u00a0 There are two members here who recently began a close friendship based on mutual support and encouragement.\u00a0 They regularly meet, have travelled together and formed the kind of beautiful relationship as friends that makes me smile in deep appreciation for how this place brought them together.<\/p>\n
Another member here drove home after hearing one Sunday message, and tears came to this persons eyes.\u00a0 Measuring up to what was asked in the message seemed impossible – life is too hard and full of difficulties.\u00a0 Nevertheless, this member got home, got out pen and paper and wrote down all the ways to fulfill the message ideas.\u00a0 This member e-mailed me the list and continues to report how life is better and changed.<\/p>\n
Another member told me about meeting a young child at an Inter-Faith Hospitality night whom that member had connected with several months prior at a Project Connect lunch we cooked and served.\u00a0 This child was particularly taken with the member.\u00a0 In only an hour, the child had formed an attachment.\u00a0 Parting ways after lunch was difficult.\u00a0 When the child saw this member again many months later, and remembered that person, a huge smile came across the child\u2019s face, the relationship was renewed and efforts were made to stay connected.\u00a0 The Gathering does not just serve homeless youth, it touches their lives.<\/p>\n
Just before last Christmas, another member told me their reluctance to attend Christmas Eve service.\u00a0 Christmas was not filled with good memories.\u00a0 It hurts too much and this member is reminded of alcoholic parents and Christmas promises never fulfilled.\u00a0 But this member attended the service anyway, heard the message on seeing the holiday through the eyes of a servant, saw the video with images of serving – accompanied to Dick Buccholz\u2019s version of \u201cLittle Drummer Boy\u201d, and this member began crying.\u00a0 Christmas was not about personal hurt but something higher and more beautiful.<\/p>\n
I have seen countless times when faces brighten in here at the sight of a Gathering friend not seen in a while; I have heard of numerous acts of kindness and service for fellow members, seen hundreds of selfless acts of community outreach – members working in manual labor at the Freestore, hugging young people at Anthony House, playing with children at Inter-Faith Hospitality, quietly paying for gifts, food and clothing for homeless teens.<\/p>\n
When I said in my message last week that the ultimate sign of a highly effective church is that it impacts, for good, the lives of people, how can anyone not see a beautifully effective church in the Gathering?\u00a0 This is not me or any of you individually that does such work.\u00a0 It is us.\u00a0 It is this congregation.\u00a0 It is the Gathering.<\/p>\n
Two years ago, as many of you recall, this congregation was hit with the news of Steve\u2019s departure.\u00a0 There seemed to be lots of dark clouds on the horizon.\u00a0 How would this church survive?\u00a0 Some said that the church had lived a good life but now it was time to simply fade away.\u00a0 Others said they would leave if there was a long interim period.\u00a0 Through one of those semi-miraculous confluence of situations, I had a desire to be fulfilled and of use in a role I love – that of being a Pastor.\u00a0 And the Gathering had a need for a Pastor and was willing to take a risk with me.<\/p>\n
Two years later, most would agree the Gathering avoided those dark and stormy clouds on the horizon.\u00a0 No longer do members talk of leaving or of shutting down the church.\u00a0 Finances remain precarious but there is no immediate danger.\u00a0 There is new energy and vitality.\u00a0 And please, do not take these words today as self-praise.\u00a0 I have played a role in this regard but NO more so than the members here – than this collective body of caring and generous people.<\/p>\n
As good as it seems in the current stability, compared with two years ago, what has been achieved is nice for a while but the church cannot remain as it is now.\u00a0 Effective churches are not complacent, they take risks with new ideas and new ways to impact lives.\u00a0 I want to encourage this congregation to purposefully take on such challenges – to bring ALL members into active involvement, to expand what is done and to never rest in a status quo.\u00a0 In doing so, new stories of change, learning and serving – like some I just told – will be shared for years to come.<\/p>\n
The Gathering purpose, therefore, is to offer a progressive spiritual message, by word and deed, that changes lives for the good of both members and those in the community.\u00a0 To evolve and grow as a congregation – to refuse to rest on past successes – the Gathering must, and I repeat must, continue to grow in size and in depth.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n To be very specific with you for a few moments, we are still a church in the beginning stages of life.\u00a0 We have not reached maturity in being able to sustain this place without significant efforts and sacrifices by members and the Pastor.\u00a0 The goal must be to reach a financial point where this congregation can fully support itself in ways that are consistent with other established churches.<\/p>\n For the long term viability and survival of the Gathering, it needs sufficient funds to pay for:<\/p>\n 1) an annual contribution of 10% of total giving into the church reserve fund.\u00a0 This is saving for an emergency – the loss of income from a major donor or to fund a future project.<\/p>\n 2) an annual contribution of 10% into the outreach account to fund partner community organizations like Anthony House.\u00a0 Such funds might come, as they will this year, from fund raising efforts like tonight\u2019s benefit concert.<\/p>\n 3) the lease of a larger space that includes designated off street parking,<\/p>\n 4) provision to the Pastor – me or whomever serves in this role in the future – wages and benefits that are competitive with what is offered at other established churches.\u00a0 Because of my love and commitment to the Gathering, I am willing for a time to accept below market wages because I know that is all this congregation can currently afford.\u00a0 But, for the long term health here – not for my benefit – the Gathering must reach a point where it can offer its Pastor competitive salary and benefits.\u00a0 Movement toward this goal is important to us and to me.<\/p>\n To achieve these four goals and thus survive for the long term, I repeat and emphasize my earlier statement – this congregation must grow in size and in depth.\u00a0 To fund all of these goals, hopefully within five years, the church needs to double current pledging families – going from 25 pledging families to 50.\u00a0 In overall numbers for the congregation, that would take the Gathering to between 75 and 100 active members.<\/p>\n I wish that increasing our member numbers were easy – that we could go out and tell people how great this congregation is as a spiritual community and the next Sunday there would be standing room only and overflowing offering baskets!\u00a0 But that is not likely to happen.\u00a0 This congregation will have to work at this goal, to make strategic plans, to have every member take seriously<\/span><\/em><\/strong> the value of the church and its need to grow.<\/p>\n I believe the Gathering offers a good product as a spiritual community.\u00a0 It is not divided into factions or groups of angry members.\u00a0 It celebrates all people, beliefs and ways of life.\u00a0 We encourage and offer opportunities to develop deep friendships.\u00a0 Outreach and community service are important here.\u00a0 Our particular niche is to serve homeless youth and the Gathering continues to expand work in that area. Thought provoking, life challenging and musically excellent Sunday services are offered.\u00a0 For the congregation, a question must be, \u201cwhy is the Gathering not growing faster?\u201d<\/p>\n We should not be so smug as to say that the Gathering is a perfect fit for everybody. It is not.\u00a0 But it offers a spiritually inclusive and progressive community attractive to many.\u00a0 I believe there are three factors holding back Gathering growth…<\/p>\n 1) Our location in Over-the-Rhine is a mental stumbling block for some.\u00a0 Sadly, many people in Cincinnati perceive the church location as dangerous.\u00a0 Whatever underlies that perception, many folks who know nothing about Over-the-Rhine are afraid of this location.\u00a0 We should NOT move or change because of this mindset, but it is one to acknowledge as limiting growth.<\/p>\n 2) The size of this room – our worship space – is a stumbling block to growth.\u00a0 This space can seat a maximum of 60 people comfortably.\u00a0 On the average good Sunday, we approach or exceed the magic number that churches use to measure space needs.\u00a0 Any church must have at least <\/span><\/em><\/strong>20% of its seats available for newcomers – and those seats should be near the entrance and easily accessible.\u00a0 If we put ourselves in the shoes of a visitor, he or she wants to quietly check out a church, sit in the back, and take time to evaluate the experience.\u00a0 Visitors want to slip into seats quickly, easily and anonymously.<\/p>\n If we are 80% full, and that means attendance of 45 to 50 people which is often realized, the Gathering is at maximum capacity.\u00a0 As a result, space here is limiting growth because of a lack of open and easily accessible seats for visitors.<\/p>\n 3) The final factor holding back growth is the most significant one.\u00a0 The Gathering has no easily accessible off street parking.\u00a0 Finding nearby parking spots is very difficult.\u00a0 For those who cannot walk long distances, that is a very big factor.\u00a0 For those who harbor fears, this is a big factor.\u00a0 In snow or bad weather, walking a long distance is an added factor.\u00a0 Some members have returned home when a reasonable parking spot was not available.\u00a0 If a member has done this, how many visitors have also – people our congregation may never meet?\u00a0 The lack of parking is a huge<\/span><\/strong> issue – the biggest one I believe.\u00a0 The use of nearby parking lots has been explored and none are open to us.<\/p>\n What are solutions to these three factors limiting growth?\u00a0 I cannot dictate answers.\u00a0 The congregation must decide those since the Gathering is led as a democracy.\u00a0 Members are the leaders.<\/p>\n In my opinion the Gathering will not grow to a congregation size capable of financially achieving the goals I outlined earlier unless it finds a new space.\u00a0 I say this with sadness as this space has been very good.\u00a0 This location says a lot about congregation values.\u00a0 If it should move, the Gathering will not change its character as an urban church serving the needs of an inner city community.\u00a0 The Gathering should, I believe, only consider new space in an urban setting within a few miles of here.<\/p>\n The space needs teams has investigated several options.\u00a0 It has concluded the church is not in a position to purchase a building.\u00a0 Most buildings the church could afford are in poor repair and would require major investment.\u00a0 Combining forces with another church, the team has found, is not a viable option either.\u00a0 Other churches contacted have politely rejected us sharing their space.\u00a0 The remaining option – renting or leasing a larger space with ample parking – is the team\u2019s recommendation.\u00a0 The search for such a space has not yet been undertaken aggressively.<\/p>\n Stuart Blersch and I recently met with two local Pastors who told of terrible things in their wealthy churches – factions, fighting, bitterness, selfishness, and greed.\u00a0 Stuart and I remarked how unlike the Gathering is to that, even though it is a relatively poor church.<\/p>\n This is a special, special place.\u00a0 There is real and palpable love here.\u00a0 People walk their talk.\u00a0 There is little pretense.\u00a0 Folks are caring, giving and devoted.\u00a0 The church operates cooperatively and in peace without leaders and committees.<\/p>\n I am so blessed to work here.\u00a0 I am thankful for the opportunity and privilege.\u00a0 It is because of my love for its members and for what the Gathering is – its history, its values and its purpose – that I want to see it survive and thrive long after<\/span><\/strong> all of us are gone.<\/p>\n The Gathering needs to grow.\u00a0 That is a plain and simple fact.\u00a0 It cannot rely forever on the significant sacrifice of individual members and its Pastor.\u00a0 It must stand on its own collective strength.\u00a0 I ask each of you – I ask all of those who hear this message or who read it online – to join together, to get involved in specifically<\/span><\/em><\/strong> offering solutions to this need to grow.\u00a0 With each suggestion, the Gathering then needs volunteers who will put them into practice.\u00a0 Every member needs to be involved in this work.\u00a0 If impacting your life for the better, if changing the lives of other members for the better, if having a spiritual oasis of deep friendship and community, if serving the needs of homeless youth – if all of these are important to you and are things you wish to continue, the Gathering needs your help.<\/p>\n I ask for your thoughts and ideas now, and perhaps in a future separate congregation meeting.\u00a0 I ask for action and bold, new solutions.\u00a0 Growth in our personal lives and in that of this church is not an option – it is a necessity for survival.<\/p>\n I wish you all much peace and even more joy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a9 Doug Slagle, Pastor at the Gathering, UCC, All Rights Reserved, 9-25-11 With the message series theme this month of \u201cAn Old Fashioned Revival\u201d, my hope has been to stimulate reflection on renewal and growth.\u00a0 What individual purposes do we each have in life?\u00a0 How do we revive and practice non-violence in speech and 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