Following Jesus into Prison
“…I was in prison, and you came to Me.” Jesus is clear that his followers are to act on behalf of “the least of these,” including those behind bars. In that spirit, volunteers at St. Paul, Red Hill have been discipling prisoners who need to hear the Good News, visiting sending Bibles and a teaching newsletter to incarcerated persons, because “God doesn’t give up on anybody.” Read more 
Moment of Faith and Loaves of Love
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
He is sending new people through our doors, and they are coming each Sunday. We’ve also been doing a once a month “Moment of Faith.”
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and congregations help?
We welcome them with a loaf of bread and a welcoming message, inviting them to participate in fellowship following worship. For Moment of Faith, people share their faith story. Read more
Listening to the Distressed
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
People who visit our campus adjoining the national park who are lonely, widowed, out of work, distressed – they are looking for support or encouragement.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and congregations help?
We have a retail outlet (The Cabin Shop) which welcomes these people. Volunteers are friendly but we truly need a “chaplaincy” to support these folks. Read more
Gutenberg and Google
Over at the Hacking Christianity blog there are notes on a conversation with Leonard Sweet about his idea that the language of the world — and thus the Church — is shifting from Gutenberg to Google. He offers three key questions to reflect on how your church is connecting to the culture:
- How is your church learning the language of the culture?
- How is your ministry context connecting with the images and narratives of the culture?
- How do you retain the Gutenberg generation while reaching the Google generation?
Young Christians Leaving Church…and Rethinking Faith
The alarming church dropout rate for youth leaving high school is less about young people losing their faith and driven by their alienation from church participation and their search to connect faith with the world they live in, according to new research from The Barna Group.
In “You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church…And Rethinking Faith”, Barna’s David Kinnaman notes that “most young people with a Christian background are dropping out of conventional church involvement, not losing their faith.” (Read: Five Myths about Young Adult Church Dropouts). His research shows that about 3 in 10 young Christians stay involved with the church through college and young adulthood (although the ELCA has reported lower figures). Read more
Intentional Welcoming Strategy
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
A much more intentional welcoming strategy.
From where did this “new thing” spring forth? What need is God acting to meet through this activity?
Nelson Searcy’s book “Fusion”. Read more
Transitional Refugee Housing
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Welcome Home is a new ministry between Prince of Peace and LCFS. Welcome Home is a house next to Prince of Peace that God is turning into transitional housing for refugees.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and
congregations help?
I think God woke us up to this ministry. POP sold the property a few years ago, the new owner fixed up the property beautifully. He turned the 2 bedroom house into a 4 bedroom house with 2 bathrooms. When he asked for too much rent and couldn’t rent it, he gave POP a nice discount. POP couldn’t do it, but God could. Read more
Lutherans Fighting Hunger
From hosting community meals and stocking food pantries to collecting cans and doing hunger simulations and other awareness activities, Lutherans in Southeastern Pennsylvania are engaged in fighting hunger in their neighborhoods.
To learn what congregations are doing, visit our new God Is Doing Something New! Crowdmap.com page. Browse over to the site to share what your faith community is doing to help the hungry.
Crowdmap can also track your faith formation, faith in action, connecting and equipping efforts. Visit often to share what you are doing.
“SBNR” – A Starting Point?
Amy Thompson Sevimli, assistant to the bishop in the ELCA’s Metro DC Synod, writes at Call & Response that people’s identification as “spiritual but not religious” can be a starting point for faith-filled conversation, if we listen first:
I firmly believe that the best way we can connect people with God in Christ — and with the way we worship that God in church — is by first listening to their spiritual story and only then telling our own. Often, they are more willing to listen to us than we are to them, usually not bored by us but fascinated by our faith and our willingness to give voice to it in a day when many are not. Spiritual but not religious is not an impediment to that conversation but an invitation if we are willing to accept it.
Feeding the Hunger for Service
What is the “new thing” you have perceived God doing?
Creating dissatisfaction – making people hungry for something true, kind and hopeful. – Rev. Serena Sellers
Service Sundays once a month as an outreach and social ministry event. While it is perceived as helping others, it is actually a way for awareness to the members of the congregation. – Gary D’Aprile Read more
Building Community Across Denominations
What is the “new thing” you have perceived God doing?
Assemblies of believers developing in non-traditional, non-denominational and community-building ways. – Rev. Paul Xander
Sharing our building with a group of another denomination. Trying to find ways to work together as well as carry out individual ministries. – Linda Woodley
Bringing people of all denominations to work together to be evangelists through the communities where we worship, live and work. – Cheryl Detweiler Read more
Called Out of the 4 Walls
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Calling us out of the 4 walls and into the community. Calling us to get to know our neighborhood – not just our church membership.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and congregations help?
Looking for ways to be more engaged within the community – using the teachings of Transformational Ministry with our leadership and congregation. Read more
Five Cultural Shifts You Should Pay Attention To
Over at Duke Divinity School’s Faith and Leadership blog, Presbyterian pastor Carol Howard Merritt writes about some trends that church leaders should be paying attention to, particularly in relation to younger (emerging) generations. Her top five:
- Younger generations aren’t faring well in this economy. How do we handle money/debt/success, and are giving expectations realistic for them.
- Young workers often don’t have the choice to take Sunday off. Do we have opportunities for them to engage in community and worship at other times? Read more
Gym Night for Community Youth
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
Community is changing; trying to get church more involved.
How are you cooperating with God in this activity? How can other Christians and congregations help?
At Immanuel we have opened our gym Friday nights to youth. Read more
Community Worship
What is the “new thing” that you have perceived God doing?
The Swarthmore-Wallingford Interfaith Ministry sponsored a Community Thanksgiving Service last year (Sunday before thanksgiving). To be repeated. Read more