This SUnday is the culmination of our Stewardship campaign. Instead of a full sermon I will give some opening thoughts and then invite the congregation into table group discussions (we are having a pot-luck lunch afterwards and I figured we may as well sit at tables the whole time rather than set them up after the service).
These discussion groups will be a chance for people to talk to each other what their gifts to Riverview have accomplished over the last 50+ years.
What they don't know is that this is the beginning of a process in my mind. Assuming these table discussions go well (and maybe even if they don't) I intend to do this again. I think that this is the way to get people talking about where this congregation could/should go. I see this as a way to get people talking about questions of vision and mission.
At some point in these discussions I will get them to talk about how they will know if Riverview is a "successful" church. What are the signs of success? My denomination continues to consider a New Church Development successful when they build a building--and I find that to be an odd measuring stick.
SO for now I put the question out into the blogosphere. Feel free to comment here or on your own blog (if the latter please let us know in this comments section). What do you consider the hallmarks of a successful congregation? I have to give the answer some more thought myself but I will post more when I get those thoughts in order.
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