As the sun starts to shine brighter and the days get longer, there’s no better time to immerse yourself in a good book. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, relaxing at the beach, or enjoying a quiet afternoon in-doors, a summer reading list can provide the perfect escape. With a variety of themes to choose […]
Category: Vision
After three difficult years unlike any other in churchworld (and the world at large) we are all left wondering what the year ahead will bring. And as a pastor, my number one question is definitely what will the Church look like in 2023. I am no prophet or seer, I’m not always even clear on […]
Here at Nativity, Easter was very encouraging in terms of attendance and engagement. The next two weeks were decidedly not. Nor, for that matter, has 2022 as a whole provided much confidence in terms of any semblance of a return to pre-COVID normal. This is true for churches everywhere: the current attendance figures suggest most […]
It has been a unique and, frankly, strange year that now comes to a close. And while the restrictions we faced this year were certainly less strict than those experienced in 2020, they certainly were challenging. Mandates and masks, pro-vaxers v. anti-vaxers created confusion and conflict. And from a staff point of view, there was […]
The COVID ordeal of the last year has impacted us all in many ways and raised many concerns. One of the most widely shared concerns is the negative impact it’s having on our children and young people. School closures, sports cancelations, social distancing; everything else they’ve experienced, everything else that’s been taken away from them […]
Recent observations in and around the parish: Over the last ten weeks, we have recorded a modest but steady decline in weekend online attendance, coming at a time of year that would normally (pre-COVID) bring our best attendance. Lenten men’s and women’s retreats that we would normally (pre-COVID) struggle to attract interest in and attendance […]
We can all warmly welcome 2021, even as we agree we are happy to see 2020 go. For all of us, each in our own way, it was a difficult year. We had the rapid shut down of our lives, constantly unsure of what else would be taken away, daily navigating work and school, family […]
Whether you are aware of it or not, if you’re online, the unchurched are watching you. The people you have labored to reach for years are finally tuning in to your messages. Amidst all your reluctance, God is moving through your willingness to go where the unchurched are.
We usually say that “Kick-Off” weekend is the best weekend of the year, but “Stewardship” Weekend is a close second. That’s right, one of our staff’s (and our parishioner’s) favorite weekends of the year is the weekend when we ask for money. This coming weekend is Stewardship Weekend, the only weekend of the year that […]
This week our early bird registration for our amazing church conference in April comes to a close. In talking to church leaders I’ve heard incredible excitement about Rebuilt 2020. I’ve also heard push back from others. Take a look… 1) “I’ve already attended a Rebuilt Conference in the past.” We know what it’s like to […]
