small church… big impact
Creating missional partnerships in your community
Our Town: Chatham, VA
Small town America
Pittsylvania County seat
Tree-lined streets
Old homes
Hargrave Military Academy
Chatham Hall
Transitioning economy
Community profile
Loss of textile, tobacco, furniture High unemployment Low skill labor force Low educational levels Affluence and poverty Small town, rural setting 1300 population
Our Church
Our congregation
Our concerns in 2004
No community gathering place No after-school programs for kids No visual arts programs for kids No performing arts programs for kids Limited cultural events Large underserved population
Our progress in 2007
Boys and Girls Club Chatham Arts
Community Music SchoolSoundcheckDrama in the Pitts
Chatham Cares, Inc.The Community Center
Boys and Girls Club
Chatham Arts Music School
Soundcheck
Drama in the Pitts
Chatham Cares, Inc.
The Community Center
How did it all happen?
Five steps -- in hindsight. Exploring new possibilities. Reimagining our church’s role in the
community. Willing to take risks.
1. Intentional decision to engage our community
“The world is my parish.”
-- John Wesley
2. Identified need for partnerships and collaboration
We did not have: Financial resourcesManpowerExperience or expertise
A collaborative model from our community The Institute for Advanced Learning and
Research
Collaboration is here!
The democratization of everythingWikipediaYouTubeBlogs, wikis, email, txtmsg, etcMeetups
Open, non-expert environment Chaos and systems theory The myth of the rugged individual
My mother’s wisdom
“Just because everybody else is doing it, doesn’t mean you have to.”
• Marilyn Warnock, about 1963
We need a better rationale than popularity or pragmatism.
Theology of Collaboration
Collaborators in the missio Dei. Pragmatism is not the criteria for
mission. Scripture guides us. Community forms us. Practice emerges from theology. The future of God is found among the
people of God.
Characteristics of Collaboration Chooses self-limitation
Incarnation Values “otherness” –
affirmation without assimilation Recognizes that which unites us –
Our common calling (vocation) Commits to companionship on the journey –
“fellowshippers” Re-unifies Creation –
Sacred/secular, divine/human
God’s collaborative acts
At creation – Genesis 1:26 NIV
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
God’s collaborative acts
Noah Abraham Moses Israel Incarnation Disciples Churches
3. Listened and learned
Parents & leaders > Music program Artists & educators > Soundcheck Business leaders > Boys & Girls Club Churches > Community Center
4. Gave up control
Example: Boys & Girls Club “At table as equals.” Maintained our principles and values.
5. Dropped our hidden agendas. Church growth
It’s not about us. Evangelism
New eyes, new language, new loveBounded-set vs centered-set.
RewardIt won’t pay for itself. Doing good is its own reward.
Results: Boys & Girls Club
Dec 2005 180+ enrolled 40+ per day 3 staff Community
involvement Budget: $60K/yr
Results: B&G Club, cont’d
Art Computer skills Scouts Tutoring Life Skills Recreation
Boys and Girls Club, cont’d
Boys and Girls Club, cont’d
Results: Chatham Arts Community Music School Virginia Tech Renaissance Music
Academy Professional faculty Jan 2006 30 diverse students Violin, viola, cello,
guitar, piano, voice
Results: Soundcheck
Jan 2006 Senior high Area schools 60-80 kids Student-led Leadership
Through The Arts Project
Student-led
Students perform
Students create
Results: Drama in the Pitts
June 2006 10 students Workshop 60+ attended
performance
Results: Chatham Cares
Mission evolved: Tsunami relief Katrina relief Community center
$3-million grant
The Community Center
The Community Center
The Community Center
Groundbreaking June 5, 2007
Front page news
Groundbreaking
We’re digging!
Construction, Sep 07
Oct 07
The gym goes up
Nov 07
Funding
Individual donors Church, civic club support Foundation grants Arts agency grants In-kind donations Boys & Girls Club revenue sources User fees, tuition Fundraisers
Budgets
Boys & Girls Club: $60K/yr Music School: $75K/yr Community Center: $60K-150K/yr Soundcheck/Drama: $3K/yr
Total budgets: $198K - $288K/yr
Our approach
Start with what we have Listen to others Work alongside others to make their
dreams a reality Enhance our community Provide new experiences Value the arts
Next Steps
Complete Community Center Program Community Center:
Boys & Girls ClubSoundcheck/DramaNew programs
• Art• Recreation• Fitness and health
Next Steps, cont’d
Create a “third place” Encourage diversity Dream new dreams
TourismTrain DepotTown arts festivalHealthcareMore helping opportunities
The church as abbey
Worship Arts Learning Spiritual direction “Least of these”
Peace & Justice Economics Hospitality Rule of life The world
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