Congregational Vitality

Last week Gus Byrom and I participated in a retreat which focused on the theme of congregational vitality. It was a lively and inspiring experience which included pastors and church members from several UCC congregations around Montana. Our guest leader was Rev. Courtney Stange-Tregear, Minister for Church Vitality with the Pacific Northwest Conference UCC. She introduced us to a model for developing vital congregations which is based on Micah 6:8. “God has told you, O people, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” The basic idea behind the model is that “vitality” is not something that can be developed directly. Instead, it is one of the natural by-products which occurs when the elements of Micah 6:8 (doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God) are consistently and intentionally practiced within the life of the congregation. I found it to be a simple model with profound possibilities, and I believe it holds the potential to be transformational for our congregation. In the coming weeks and months I will be working with the Church Council to find ways of making use of it in our life together at Plymouth.

- Pastor Roger 

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)