This is an open memo to all of our volunteer ministry leaders and staff about a significant change in our program for 2011.
In the past couple of years we have found ourselves struggling with the admittedly happy problem of church growth and the lack of space this creates on our campus. How do we continue to grow and make an impact in our community for Christ by connecting neighbors to his Church?
Nativity CrownePlaza was an attempt at an answer. NCP was a 10-week experiment last winter in which our church hosted a video venue for the purpose of providing an easy and accessible place for unchurched people in our community to worship. In many ways this exercise was a great success, though admittedly we did not succeed in attracting the numbers we had envisioned. We suspect this was due to the newness of the concept, the lack of marketing and the relatively brief run of the program. Since we were sure we could address those issues in the coming year, we determined to repeat the exercise in 2011.
After much more internal discussion and prayer another opportunity developed that could serve the same purpose as NCP, but in a more accessible and affordable way.
We are moving our off-campus congregation on-line.
Beginning in Lent 2011, we will be launching a “live” online, interactive, weekly worship service, which will include our weekend message. The experience will also include worship music with Al Walsh and our house band as well as a live chat room moderated by one of our pastoral staff. We plan to run this online experience through Father’s Day 2011 and it will replace the Crowne Plaza effort.
Many more details will emerge in the months ahead, but meanwhile your questions or comments are welcome.
Thanks to the many people who made Crowne Plaza possible. We could not possibly undertake this new and exciting initiative without all your hard work and the lessons we learned from that experience.
