Answers to a Church's Questions, Rev. Paul Clay, May 10, 2010
These responses were prepared for a particular church, and modified for a more general audience.
1a. Our church is committed to increasing our membership (particularly 25-50 year olds).
Have you had success in helping a church become more alive?
In each place where I have served, I have helped the church become more alive: worship became more engaging and energetic, minds opened, hearts warmed, relationships healed, families connected, children grew, working groups found new energy, and congregations discovered joy and purpose.
Revitalization (helping churches become more alive) has always been a focus of my ministry. In 1985, I selected “Problem Solving in Churches” as the topic for my undergraduate thesis at University of Oregon. Healing troubled churches and helping churches grow were major themes in my application for Pacific School of Religion and in previous Pastoral Profiles. Each of the congregations that I have served has faced significant challenges, and the responses to these challenges have generated new life.
South Berkeley Community Church, where I initiated a field study position while in seminary, is a small church in an impoverished city neighborhood. I was able to bring encouragement, assistance, and mediation in some difficult relationships. We cared for the members, served the children of the neighborhood, and laid the groundwork for a meal program that has continued for many years.
My first call after seminary was in Metaline Falls, Washington. Soon after we arrived, the local hospital and the cement plant closed, taking sixty well-paying positions that had been the basis of the economy of this isolated small town. I organized a weekly community forum at the church, from which other responses were initiated. I played key roles in preserving local health care, promoting tourism, and helping the community theater group create a performing arts facility. The greatest threat to the church was the possible loss of the town itself. We found our purpose in serving both the needs of individuals facing change and the organizational efforts toward economic redevelopment.
Before I arrived as Pastor in Ione, but well into the interview process, the sanctuary burned. Ione is a village serving wheat growers in eastern Oregon, and the church is an essential institution in the community. The fire united and energized the church. We raised $300,000 to add to an equal amount available from insurance, and constructed a wonderful new facility. Political tensions during the 2000 and 2004 elections severely strained both the fellowship within the congregation and its relationship to the denomination, but the desire of the church to serve Christ and to care for the community kept us together. The church remains strong.
First Congregational Church of Oroville was torn by conflict in 2003. The initial disagreement was about music; the greater issue was about which faction would control the church. .When I arrived in 2005, the younger members were gone. Hurt and distrust lingered. Soon, the people were again enjoying worship, working together, talking rather than arguing, talking about faith and purpose, and reaching out to the community. The future of the congregation is still uncertain, but the members are more able now to adapt and respond creatively and constructively to the challenges they face. .
My interest in revitalization (helping churches become more alive) has been expressed in the wider church as well. In two Conferences, I chaired the committees that oversee programs that serve local churches, including training in leadership and evangelism. Here in Northern California, as Moderator of the Sacramento Valley Association, I have guided the planning of similar events I focused on revitalization during my sabbatical in 2004. I am still drawn to the challenge.
1b. Our church is committed to increasing our membership (particularly 25-50 year olds).
What strategies would you implement to achieve this and how would you carry them out?
Through administration and work with lay leaders, I would encourage the church to recognize what is essential, and to continue to do what you do well. Your statements of vision and priorities clearly express you current commitments, and indicate the way forward. This is a church worth joining and supporting. This is a faith worthy of sharing, accepting, and living. Church growth requires a congregation to embrace a paradox: increase in membership requires active commitment to evangelism, invitation, and the attitudes and behaviors that lead to growth, yet growth is unlikely to occur if increase in membership is the main focus or greatest concern of the church. We tell the good news because our neighbors need to hear, we invite because we we want them to share the joys and advantages of fellowship, and we grow to serve. The focus must be on God, and on the essential mission as discerned by the congregation in a sincere process of discovery, analysis, and prayer.
Through preaching and teaching, I would encourage the members of the church to find a missing piece: the ability to express faith in conversations with people beyond the church. Members need to be able to answer questions in traditional terms so that there can be a common language, even if the answers are not traditional. Members also need to be able to express their faith in terms of personal experience, even if the experience is not conventional. When we let faith direct our actions, we need to be able to explain. If our members are able to encourage and assist others in their spiritual journeys, some will want to be a part of the church. Before we invite, we need to be able to inform and inspire, and be ready to involve and include.
I would encourage the church to expand vision and ministry beyond the walls. Most of us are in the habit of hoping that people will come to the church. We hope that those who come will be like us, and agree with us. We hope that they will enjoy the worship, the preaching, and the music that we enjoy. We want God to send us ready-made, fully formed church members. But Jesus said, “Make disciples, baptize, teach.” The first steps, for most people, will need to be taken before they ever come close to the church, which is about as scary to them as a biker bar would be to most of us. We need to project our faith into the community, through old and new media. I would suggest that the church form a network with the task of communicating beyond the church in an many ways as possible. I would also encourage the church to take some of its activities and programs beyond the premises, and to be very intentional about inviting the community to our presentations and programs at the church.
I would encourage the church to think very carefully about the middle generations, decide on a set of strategies, and dare to do what is necessary. We should not generalize, but some will respond positively to our values and perspectives. We need to go where they are, communicate with them through their channels, express our faith in ways that they can recognize. Some will appreciate traditional forms, some will be willing to learn. Some will find no connection with old forms, but we may be able to create new forms they will find meaningful. The question of when to bend, when to blend, and when to provide parallel experiences will need to be addressed in all areas of church life. At times, it may be the more traditional members that will require special, separate attention. I would suggest a creative blend intended for families and working age adults in our primary services and activities, with other kinds of worship and programs added as needed for those who hunger for more traditional approaches. We then might add other experiences for those with particular needs, such as adult learning about faith, active social justice Christians, sophisticated scholars of the Bible, and other varieties of seekers among us.
2a, Our Church is committed to revitalizing programs for children and youth.
What would be your vision of attracting families?
Families will come with a diversity of desires and expectations: a place to worship where children can be children or a few moments of peace without them,. a Sunday School or a community of families, a support for traditional liberal or radical progressive values. I might suggest a relatively familiar form of learning experience for children on Sunday mornings, and a family fellowship that meets for an evening meal and an intergenerational activity, either weekly or bi-weekly, with an emphasis on Jesus as our model, spiritual wholeness, social justice, intercultural awareness, and care for the earth.
A youth program can be built either by letting younger children grow into youth, or by creating an environment that attracts young people who have not been in the church before. Keep in mind that teens who are seekers from beyond the church will need a considerably different form of nurture than the Sunday School graduates. They will enjoy being together in social settings, and can learn from each other, but some will be reluctant to touch a Bible while others are debating the conclusions of the Jesus Seminar. The church has a responsibility to continue to nurture those who grow up in the church, and may have the capability to serve the seekers as well. In stead of thinking of a generic youth program, it may be helpful to think in terms of music groups, art programs, service projects, learning opportunities-- all with youth. I would work with staff, youth, families, and volunteers to envision and implement a youth program that is appropriate and possible for the particular church..
2b. Our church is committed to revitalizing programs for children and youth.
Do you have experience that you could use to help us create effective programs
for children and youth?
For three decades, I have worked with Christian Education teams in a variety of churches. I have taught Sunday School classes occasionally, and have taken a leading role in Vacation Bible Schools. At Ione, I organized a choir for young children. At each church, I have provided a time for the children in the worship service, with a song, an object lesson, or a story. In Oroville, we experimented with an evening program for our three families, and presented a successful Vacation Bible School. My role with Christian Education teams has usually been supportive rather than directive. As a Pastor, I have woven family ministry into the life of each church.
Over the years, I have accumulated more than fifty weeks at church camps as camper, counselor, summer staff member, director, and chaplain. This included two summers on staff at Camp Adams, for the Central Pacific Conference, and two summers as a counselor for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries. More recently, I have co-directed children's camps, helped with several excellent family camps at Camp N-Sid-Sen in Idaho, served on the program planning committee for Camp Adams, and chaired two Conference committees whose responsibilities included the oversight of camping programs. The congregations that I have served have sent many children and youth to camp and helped pay the way, both those who came to church regularly and those who attended occasionally. Camp was valued and supported as a part of our ministry to the young people in the church and in the community.
At University of Oregon, I participated in Campus Ministry. I lived in, and later managed, a place called Christus House, which was an intentional Christian living community for college students. It was operated by the Lutheran church, but the residents represented many denominations. I would be interested in seeing how Arlington Community Church might reach out to the many future leaders, teachers, innovators, and world-problem-solvers among the students at PSR and Cal Berkeley.
Youth ministry has been an important part of my career, especially in the early years of my ministry. I served as Youth Director for two years at Wesley United Methodist Church in Eugene. After graduation, I served for two more years as Youth Director at Christ United Church in Cedar Mills, Oregon. In each place, I provided programs for about a dozen Junior and Senior High youth. I attended youth ministry training events presented by Youth Specialties.
Since then, I have been involved with many models of youth ministry: evening and afternoon groups, morning classes, an open gym with a devotion, camping trips, cabin retreats, a Crop Walk, several Planned Famines for World Vision, a service program with annual certificates and a graduation award, and a multi-activity night at a the church with basic Christian instruction. About sixty students were enrolled in the High School in Ione; at times twenty of them would be on a service trip, or thirty would be at our church on a Friday night. Here in Ione, our son Tim regularly attends and volunteers for Axiom, a local youth center operated by several churches. I have played a background role in many of these programs, but I have been present and have encouraged the talented volunteers that took the lead.
I would support ministries with families in my role as Pastor, and be actively involved with the programs. I like kids, and they like me. After raising three teen-agers, I am now more comfortable with youth than ever before. I believe that a church will have as many children and youth as it can handle; the limiting factor will be the number of adults who are eager to work with them.
3.. We are changing our administrative process.
What problems would you expect to encounter in a multi-staff church?
How would you deal with them?
The a church staff often includes talented workers and visionary leaders. The problems that I would anticipate relate to their essential strengths and inherent limitations; most of us are good at some things, but not at others. They may need to be reminded to work within the vision and capacities of the congregation, and to be sure that the activities and projects not only create a product but also encourage spiritual growth and extend the invitation for involvement. At times, I may need to go to bat for the members of the staff, to help the members understand and support efforts that go beyond what is familiar or comfortable. Each individual will also bring unique needs for recognition and appreciation, freedom or direction, encouragement or critique. Employees will differ in how they use their time, yet tasks will need to be coordinated. Each will need to opportunities for rest, spiritual disciplines, and/or continuing education.
So how would I deal with the staff, and with the problems that will arise? In the beginning, I would do what is necessary to form a working community: establish caring relationships, set clear expectations, and define our tasks in the context of the vision and priorities of the church. We would meet regularly, perhaps weekly, to reflect and pray, to check in about personal and ministry matters, to coordinate our efforts, and to work together where cooperation is appropriate. I would expect, to a large extent, to make the vision and expectations clear and then trust the members of the staff to proceed independently or cooperatively, depending on the task. I have considerable skill and great patience working with imperfect relationships and dysfunctional groups. I do even better when energy and attention can be focused on our inspirations, convictions, and callings.
Most problems are not predictable, and will need to be dealt with as they arise. When an employee is struggling, support and intervention are appropriate. But if a staff member is consistently disruptive or ineffective over time, the church has a responsibility to let them go, in keeping with the mission of the church and the faithful stewardship of resources.
4a. Worship has been central to our community experiences.
Have you led “contemporary worship” services? What were they like?
The churches that I have served have valued traditional services, but I have introduced contemporary elements. The worship services have been structured and simple, with information so new visitors can understand and follow along. We have a “Time for us All”, like a children's time, even when no children are present. I preach without notes, away from the pulpit, in a conversational and thoughtful style, with energy and authenticity. Occasionally I will take a dramatic approach, and preach in the first-person perspective of a biblical, historical, or imaginary character.
I have experimented with alternative forms. In Metaline Falls, a rag-time gospel pianist assisted me with “Open Circle”, a small group worship experience with discussion that was basic and inclusive of conservative viewpoints. Here in Oroville, I organized another small group worship experience, with hymns, taize, folk songs, and some Christian music of recent decades, all either a cappela or accompanied with my guitar. This service also featured discussions, but with a perspective that was more liberal and complex that our Sunday Morning services. Worship in camp settings is similar to many “contemporary services”: informal and interactive, with up-beat gathering songs, prayer, scripture, and a message. Most of what I have done with contemporary worship has been on a small scale. But with a music team, a projection system, and “Sing! Prayer and Praise”, we could rock the community with an energetic experience that is centered on authentic faith, inclusive love, commitment to justice, lifestyles that lead to life, and hope for a better world.
We should note that our stereotype reflects what is now a “standard” form of “contemporary worship”, and what we are seeking may be the next step. This might be quiet and contemplative, loud and celebrative, active and physical, charismatic, exploratory, scientific, radical, or even cynical and secular. We might meet on the Internet, in a restaurant, at a theater, on campus,. We might gather at the church to discuss material from electronic media. Members and new friends might gather for silent prayer, Lectio Devina, Taize, or Gospel Bluegrass. I can imagine having ongoing series of gatherings to experience and discuss guest speakers, cinema, songs, videos from TED or The Onion, or radio programs such as “Science Friday” or “Living on Earth” on NPR, or “God Talk” on KGO 810. These could be guided by small teams of people who knowledgeable about the topics, and publicized in the community as forums or worship services. Experiences of this kind require a projection system and broadband Internet access. “Contemporary” may be getting old. The many forms of the emergent church will reflect the inspiration of each two or three initiators that gather in Christ's name.
For our primary worship service, however, I would recommend a blend adapted for families and working age adults, with traditional elements used in creative ways, and content geared to those who are coming into the church, growing in their relationship with God, being transformed by faith, and learning how justice and social concerns are rooted in God's love and purpose. The long-time members would find much to appreciate, but would need to accept that we are present to serve our new friends in faith, as much as to be served. We might find it helpful to offer a second service for those who prefer content appropriate to listeners who have benefited from many years of worship and preaching.
4b. Worship has been central to our community experience.
What worship resources do your use? Where do you find inspiration?
The Bible is my primary resource for worship. I adapt passages as elements of the service, responsive readings, prayers, and dramatic dialogues. I use the UCC Book of Worship on occasions such as installations, baptisms, weddings, and funerals, and will occasionally reach for The Chalice Book of Worship for prayers and other liturgical elements. The Internet has become a rich source of ideas and materials, both from resource sites and from ideas shared by friends. In the past, I have depended on Bread for the Journey and similar books, and the worship resources of Whole People of God and Seasons of the Spirit. The churches that I have served have preferred simplicity, and I have created most of what was needed. I also enjoy more complex and elaborate liturgical approaches.
The churches in Metaline Falls and Ione examined the options and selected The Chalice Hymnal. Here in Oroville, we introduced The New Century Hymnal but also kept The Pilgrim Hymnal, and blended praise songs and newer music into the service as well. I love the great hymns of the liberal tradition, but also appreciate old gospel songs, contemporary choruses, recent and historic folk music, Taize, and non-conservative Christian rock. I am very excited about Sing! Prayer and Praise, a new book of praise songs with a progressive perspective, written by musicians in the United Church of Christ.
For basic, personal inspiration, I look to private prayer, in-depth study of the Bible, time with church members in worship and study, fellowship with other Pastors, gatherings with friends, rehearsal and performance of music, and contemplation of nature. I like to walk, look, listen, and explore. I listen to National Public Radio; I subscribe to The Atlantic and Scientific American. When my energy lacks focus, I rest and write until clarity is regained. For inspiration regarding ministry and the church, I turn to the Prophets, Gospels, and Epistles, and to books such as The Practicing Congregation, Revive Your Mainline Congregation, and The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. For inspiration regarding ministry and the church, my favorite sources are Conference Meetings and training events, General Synods, and continuing education at Pacific School of Religion and Vancouver School of Theology. Service and fellowship beyond the local church enriches my preaching and leadership.
My inspiration in worship planning begins with study of the lectionary texts for a season of two to six months in advance, with themes set as far ahead as necessary to allow others involved in worship planning to begin their work. I also consider the opportunities and concerns in the lives of the members, the work of the church, the news of the community, and the great issues of our time. As I read the Bible with the world in mind, themes present themselves. I have also worked with calendars of established topics, as when it was desirable to coordinate worship with a Lectionary based Christian Education program. In either case, the seeds rest in my heart and mind, and they grow into sermons, with some help from the stories, experiences, and ideas that become vivid when a profound question meets a inspired insight. You can hear examples of the result of this process in sermons on the “Preaching” page of www.pastorpaulclay.weebly.com.
As mentioned above, the congregation that I served recently prefers simple and familiar worship, most of the time. On special occasions, however, they respond to services with greater complexity. Two years ago, I created a Christmas Eve Service around all the references to light in the prophecies and the nativity stories. The lighting in the room was cued to the readings and the music. A member of the choir operated power-strip switches to control light strings, color spotlights in the stage area, and lamps outside of our stained glass windows. Another operator controlled the room switches and dimmers. The readings were coordinated line by line with the music of the choir, piano, and tracker organ, and the lighting surged and dimmed to support the story. The result was beautiful and moving.
Four years ago, in April, I explored the Oroville area in the early mornings to find a place to hold an outdoor service for coming years. I found a place on road on the levee, two blocks from the church, where a slight bend in the river opens the view to the rising sun. Soon after, fences went up around the site, and in the months that followed the city constructed a million dollar plaza in exactly that place, with metal trellises surrounding a circular plaza, and vertical columns of basalt arranged haphazardly near the center. Our Easter service was one of the first events to be presented at the plaza after its dedication. Last year, we staged the tomb and the empty burial wrappings, as described in the Gospel of John, among the standing stones. We gathered in near darkness, and offered our praise for the new life that we find in Jesus Christ as the sun rose over the distant hills. This year, with a new pastor, the members of our church and other churches gathered at dawn with new friends from no church at all to celebrate the resurrection in what is becoming a freshly established tradition.
I would be delighted to collaborate with a worship team to establish themes, develop content, and design services. The inspiration that comes from creative interaction is often powerful, innovative, energizing, and exciting. With this in mind, all that I have written in these pages should be seen as tentative and exploratory. These are beginnings, not conclusions; these are possibilities, not yet plans; these are a sample tray of what I could bring to the table, and only an initial reflection on the potential richness of the feast.
May God's love, Christ's peace, and the Spirit's guidance be with us now and always.
Reverend Paul Clay
These responses were prepared for a particular church, and modified for a more general audience.
1a. Our church is committed to increasing our membership (particularly 25-50 year olds).
Have you had success in helping a church become more alive?
In each place where I have served, I have helped the church become more alive: worship became more engaging and energetic, minds opened, hearts warmed, relationships healed, families connected, children grew, working groups found new energy, and congregations discovered joy and purpose.
Revitalization (helping churches become more alive) has always been a focus of my ministry. In 1985, I selected “Problem Solving in Churches” as the topic for my undergraduate thesis at University of Oregon. Healing troubled churches and helping churches grow were major themes in my application for Pacific School of Religion and in previous Pastoral Profiles. Each of the congregations that I have served has faced significant challenges, and the responses to these challenges have generated new life.
South Berkeley Community Church, where I initiated a field study position while in seminary, is a small church in an impoverished city neighborhood. I was able to bring encouragement, assistance, and mediation in some difficult relationships. We cared for the members, served the children of the neighborhood, and laid the groundwork for a meal program that has continued for many years.
My first call after seminary was in Metaline Falls, Washington. Soon after we arrived, the local hospital and the cement plant closed, taking sixty well-paying positions that had been the basis of the economy of this isolated small town. I organized a weekly community forum at the church, from which other responses were initiated. I played key roles in preserving local health care, promoting tourism, and helping the community theater group create a performing arts facility. The greatest threat to the church was the possible loss of the town itself. We found our purpose in serving both the needs of individuals facing change and the organizational efforts toward economic redevelopment.
Before I arrived as Pastor in Ione, but well into the interview process, the sanctuary burned. Ione is a village serving wheat growers in eastern Oregon, and the church is an essential institution in the community. The fire united and energized the church. We raised $300,000 to add to an equal amount available from insurance, and constructed a wonderful new facility. Political tensions during the 2000 and 2004 elections severely strained both the fellowship within the congregation and its relationship to the denomination, but the desire of the church to serve Christ and to care for the community kept us together. The church remains strong.
First Congregational Church of Oroville was torn by conflict in 2003. The initial disagreement was about music; the greater issue was about which faction would control the church. .When I arrived in 2005, the younger members were gone. Hurt and distrust lingered. Soon, the people were again enjoying worship, working together, talking rather than arguing, talking about faith and purpose, and reaching out to the community. The future of the congregation is still uncertain, but the members are more able now to adapt and respond creatively and constructively to the challenges they face. .
My interest in revitalization (helping churches become more alive) has been expressed in the wider church as well. In two Conferences, I chaired the committees that oversee programs that serve local churches, including training in leadership and evangelism. Here in Northern California, as Moderator of the Sacramento Valley Association, I have guided the planning of similar events I focused on revitalization during my sabbatical in 2004. I am still drawn to the challenge.
1b. Our church is committed to increasing our membership (particularly 25-50 year olds).
What strategies would you implement to achieve this and how would you carry them out?
Through administration and work with lay leaders, I would encourage the church to recognize what is essential, and to continue to do what you do well. Your statements of vision and priorities clearly express you current commitments, and indicate the way forward. This is a church worth joining and supporting. This is a faith worthy of sharing, accepting, and living. Church growth requires a congregation to embrace a paradox: increase in membership requires active commitment to evangelism, invitation, and the attitudes and behaviors that lead to growth, yet growth is unlikely to occur if increase in membership is the main focus or greatest concern of the church. We tell the good news because our neighbors need to hear, we invite because we we want them to share the joys and advantages of fellowship, and we grow to serve. The focus must be on God, and on the essential mission as discerned by the congregation in a sincere process of discovery, analysis, and prayer.
Through preaching and teaching, I would encourage the members of the church to find a missing piece: the ability to express faith in conversations with people beyond the church. Members need to be able to answer questions in traditional terms so that there can be a common language, even if the answers are not traditional. Members also need to be able to express their faith in terms of personal experience, even if the experience is not conventional. When we let faith direct our actions, we need to be able to explain. If our members are able to encourage and assist others in their spiritual journeys, some will want to be a part of the church. Before we invite, we need to be able to inform and inspire, and be ready to involve and include.
I would encourage the church to expand vision and ministry beyond the walls. Most of us are in the habit of hoping that people will come to the church. We hope that those who come will be like us, and agree with us. We hope that they will enjoy the worship, the preaching, and the music that we enjoy. We want God to send us ready-made, fully formed church members. But Jesus said, “Make disciples, baptize, teach.” The first steps, for most people, will need to be taken before they ever come close to the church, which is about as scary to them as a biker bar would be to most of us. We need to project our faith into the community, through old and new media. I would suggest that the church form a network with the task of communicating beyond the church in an many ways as possible. I would also encourage the church to take some of its activities and programs beyond the premises, and to be very intentional about inviting the community to our presentations and programs at the church.
I would encourage the church to think very carefully about the middle generations, decide on a set of strategies, and dare to do what is necessary. We should not generalize, but some will respond positively to our values and perspectives. We need to go where they are, communicate with them through their channels, express our faith in ways that they can recognize. Some will appreciate traditional forms, some will be willing to learn. Some will find no connection with old forms, but we may be able to create new forms they will find meaningful. The question of when to bend, when to blend, and when to provide parallel experiences will need to be addressed in all areas of church life. At times, it may be the more traditional members that will require special, separate attention. I would suggest a creative blend intended for families and working age adults in our primary services and activities, with other kinds of worship and programs added as needed for those who hunger for more traditional approaches. We then might add other experiences for those with particular needs, such as adult learning about faith, active social justice Christians, sophisticated scholars of the Bible, and other varieties of seekers among us.
2a, Our Church is committed to revitalizing programs for children and youth.
What would be your vision of attracting families?
Families will come with a diversity of desires and expectations: a place to worship where children can be children or a few moments of peace without them,. a Sunday School or a community of families, a support for traditional liberal or radical progressive values. I might suggest a relatively familiar form of learning experience for children on Sunday mornings, and a family fellowship that meets for an evening meal and an intergenerational activity, either weekly or bi-weekly, with an emphasis on Jesus as our model, spiritual wholeness, social justice, intercultural awareness, and care for the earth.
A youth program can be built either by letting younger children grow into youth, or by creating an environment that attracts young people who have not been in the church before. Keep in mind that teens who are seekers from beyond the church will need a considerably different form of nurture than the Sunday School graduates. They will enjoy being together in social settings, and can learn from each other, but some will be reluctant to touch a Bible while others are debating the conclusions of the Jesus Seminar. The church has a responsibility to continue to nurture those who grow up in the church, and may have the capability to serve the seekers as well. In stead of thinking of a generic youth program, it may be helpful to think in terms of music groups, art programs, service projects, learning opportunities-- all with youth. I would work with staff, youth, families, and volunteers to envision and implement a youth program that is appropriate and possible for the particular church..
2b. Our church is committed to revitalizing programs for children and youth.
Do you have experience that you could use to help us create effective programs
for children and youth?
For three decades, I have worked with Christian Education teams in a variety of churches. I have taught Sunday School classes occasionally, and have taken a leading role in Vacation Bible Schools. At Ione, I organized a choir for young children. At each church, I have provided a time for the children in the worship service, with a song, an object lesson, or a story. In Oroville, we experimented with an evening program for our three families, and presented a successful Vacation Bible School. My role with Christian Education teams has usually been supportive rather than directive. As a Pastor, I have woven family ministry into the life of each church.
Over the years, I have accumulated more than fifty weeks at church camps as camper, counselor, summer staff member, director, and chaplain. This included two summers on staff at Camp Adams, for the Central Pacific Conference, and two summers as a counselor for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries. More recently, I have co-directed children's camps, helped with several excellent family camps at Camp N-Sid-Sen in Idaho, served on the program planning committee for Camp Adams, and chaired two Conference committees whose responsibilities included the oversight of camping programs. The congregations that I have served have sent many children and youth to camp and helped pay the way, both those who came to church regularly and those who attended occasionally. Camp was valued and supported as a part of our ministry to the young people in the church and in the community.
At University of Oregon, I participated in Campus Ministry. I lived in, and later managed, a place called Christus House, which was an intentional Christian living community for college students. It was operated by the Lutheran church, but the residents represented many denominations. I would be interested in seeing how Arlington Community Church might reach out to the many future leaders, teachers, innovators, and world-problem-solvers among the students at PSR and Cal Berkeley.
Youth ministry has been an important part of my career, especially in the early years of my ministry. I served as Youth Director for two years at Wesley United Methodist Church in Eugene. After graduation, I served for two more years as Youth Director at Christ United Church in Cedar Mills, Oregon. In each place, I provided programs for about a dozen Junior and Senior High youth. I attended youth ministry training events presented by Youth Specialties.
Since then, I have been involved with many models of youth ministry: evening and afternoon groups, morning classes, an open gym with a devotion, camping trips, cabin retreats, a Crop Walk, several Planned Famines for World Vision, a service program with annual certificates and a graduation award, and a multi-activity night at a the church with basic Christian instruction. About sixty students were enrolled in the High School in Ione; at times twenty of them would be on a service trip, or thirty would be at our church on a Friday night. Here in Ione, our son Tim regularly attends and volunteers for Axiom, a local youth center operated by several churches. I have played a background role in many of these programs, but I have been present and have encouraged the talented volunteers that took the lead.
I would support ministries with families in my role as Pastor, and be actively involved with the programs. I like kids, and they like me. After raising three teen-agers, I am now more comfortable with youth than ever before. I believe that a church will have as many children and youth as it can handle; the limiting factor will be the number of adults who are eager to work with them.
3.. We are changing our administrative process.
What problems would you expect to encounter in a multi-staff church?
How would you deal with them?
The a church staff often includes talented workers and visionary leaders. The problems that I would anticipate relate to their essential strengths and inherent limitations; most of us are good at some things, but not at others. They may need to be reminded to work within the vision and capacities of the congregation, and to be sure that the activities and projects not only create a product but also encourage spiritual growth and extend the invitation for involvement. At times, I may need to go to bat for the members of the staff, to help the members understand and support efforts that go beyond what is familiar or comfortable. Each individual will also bring unique needs for recognition and appreciation, freedom or direction, encouragement or critique. Employees will differ in how they use their time, yet tasks will need to be coordinated. Each will need to opportunities for rest, spiritual disciplines, and/or continuing education.
So how would I deal with the staff, and with the problems that will arise? In the beginning, I would do what is necessary to form a working community: establish caring relationships, set clear expectations, and define our tasks in the context of the vision and priorities of the church. We would meet regularly, perhaps weekly, to reflect and pray, to check in about personal and ministry matters, to coordinate our efforts, and to work together where cooperation is appropriate. I would expect, to a large extent, to make the vision and expectations clear and then trust the members of the staff to proceed independently or cooperatively, depending on the task. I have considerable skill and great patience working with imperfect relationships and dysfunctional groups. I do even better when energy and attention can be focused on our inspirations, convictions, and callings.
Most problems are not predictable, and will need to be dealt with as they arise. When an employee is struggling, support and intervention are appropriate. But if a staff member is consistently disruptive or ineffective over time, the church has a responsibility to let them go, in keeping with the mission of the church and the faithful stewardship of resources.
4a. Worship has been central to our community experiences.
Have you led “contemporary worship” services? What were they like?
The churches that I have served have valued traditional services, but I have introduced contemporary elements. The worship services have been structured and simple, with information so new visitors can understand and follow along. We have a “Time for us All”, like a children's time, even when no children are present. I preach without notes, away from the pulpit, in a conversational and thoughtful style, with energy and authenticity. Occasionally I will take a dramatic approach, and preach in the first-person perspective of a biblical, historical, or imaginary character.
I have experimented with alternative forms. In Metaline Falls, a rag-time gospel pianist assisted me with “Open Circle”, a small group worship experience with discussion that was basic and inclusive of conservative viewpoints. Here in Oroville, I organized another small group worship experience, with hymns, taize, folk songs, and some Christian music of recent decades, all either a cappela or accompanied with my guitar. This service also featured discussions, but with a perspective that was more liberal and complex that our Sunday Morning services. Worship in camp settings is similar to many “contemporary services”: informal and interactive, with up-beat gathering songs, prayer, scripture, and a message. Most of what I have done with contemporary worship has been on a small scale. But with a music team, a projection system, and “Sing! Prayer and Praise”, we could rock the community with an energetic experience that is centered on authentic faith, inclusive love, commitment to justice, lifestyles that lead to life, and hope for a better world.
We should note that our stereotype reflects what is now a “standard” form of “contemporary worship”, and what we are seeking may be the next step. This might be quiet and contemplative, loud and celebrative, active and physical, charismatic, exploratory, scientific, radical, or even cynical and secular. We might meet on the Internet, in a restaurant, at a theater, on campus,. We might gather at the church to discuss material from electronic media. Members and new friends might gather for silent prayer, Lectio Devina, Taize, or Gospel Bluegrass. I can imagine having ongoing series of gatherings to experience and discuss guest speakers, cinema, songs, videos from TED or The Onion, or radio programs such as “Science Friday” or “Living on Earth” on NPR, or “God Talk” on KGO 810. These could be guided by small teams of people who knowledgeable about the topics, and publicized in the community as forums or worship services. Experiences of this kind require a projection system and broadband Internet access. “Contemporary” may be getting old. The many forms of the emergent church will reflect the inspiration of each two or three initiators that gather in Christ's name.
For our primary worship service, however, I would recommend a blend adapted for families and working age adults, with traditional elements used in creative ways, and content geared to those who are coming into the church, growing in their relationship with God, being transformed by faith, and learning how justice and social concerns are rooted in God's love and purpose. The long-time members would find much to appreciate, but would need to accept that we are present to serve our new friends in faith, as much as to be served. We might find it helpful to offer a second service for those who prefer content appropriate to listeners who have benefited from many years of worship and preaching.
4b. Worship has been central to our community experience.
What worship resources do your use? Where do you find inspiration?
The Bible is my primary resource for worship. I adapt passages as elements of the service, responsive readings, prayers, and dramatic dialogues. I use the UCC Book of Worship on occasions such as installations, baptisms, weddings, and funerals, and will occasionally reach for The Chalice Book of Worship for prayers and other liturgical elements. The Internet has become a rich source of ideas and materials, both from resource sites and from ideas shared by friends. In the past, I have depended on Bread for the Journey and similar books, and the worship resources of Whole People of God and Seasons of the Spirit. The churches that I have served have preferred simplicity, and I have created most of what was needed. I also enjoy more complex and elaborate liturgical approaches.
The churches in Metaline Falls and Ione examined the options and selected The Chalice Hymnal. Here in Oroville, we introduced The New Century Hymnal but also kept The Pilgrim Hymnal, and blended praise songs and newer music into the service as well. I love the great hymns of the liberal tradition, but also appreciate old gospel songs, contemporary choruses, recent and historic folk music, Taize, and non-conservative Christian rock. I am very excited about Sing! Prayer and Praise, a new book of praise songs with a progressive perspective, written by musicians in the United Church of Christ.
For basic, personal inspiration, I look to private prayer, in-depth study of the Bible, time with church members in worship and study, fellowship with other Pastors, gatherings with friends, rehearsal and performance of music, and contemplation of nature. I like to walk, look, listen, and explore. I listen to National Public Radio; I subscribe to The Atlantic and Scientific American. When my energy lacks focus, I rest and write until clarity is regained. For inspiration regarding ministry and the church, I turn to the Prophets, Gospels, and Epistles, and to books such as The Practicing Congregation, Revive Your Mainline Congregation, and The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. For inspiration regarding ministry and the church, my favorite sources are Conference Meetings and training events, General Synods, and continuing education at Pacific School of Religion and Vancouver School of Theology. Service and fellowship beyond the local church enriches my preaching and leadership.
My inspiration in worship planning begins with study of the lectionary texts for a season of two to six months in advance, with themes set as far ahead as necessary to allow others involved in worship planning to begin their work. I also consider the opportunities and concerns in the lives of the members, the work of the church, the news of the community, and the great issues of our time. As I read the Bible with the world in mind, themes present themselves. I have also worked with calendars of established topics, as when it was desirable to coordinate worship with a Lectionary based Christian Education program. In either case, the seeds rest in my heart and mind, and they grow into sermons, with some help from the stories, experiences, and ideas that become vivid when a profound question meets a inspired insight. You can hear examples of the result of this process in sermons on the “Preaching” page of www.pastorpaulclay.weebly.com.
As mentioned above, the congregation that I served recently prefers simple and familiar worship, most of the time. On special occasions, however, they respond to services with greater complexity. Two years ago, I created a Christmas Eve Service around all the references to light in the prophecies and the nativity stories. The lighting in the room was cued to the readings and the music. A member of the choir operated power-strip switches to control light strings, color spotlights in the stage area, and lamps outside of our stained glass windows. Another operator controlled the room switches and dimmers. The readings were coordinated line by line with the music of the choir, piano, and tracker organ, and the lighting surged and dimmed to support the story. The result was beautiful and moving.
Four years ago, in April, I explored the Oroville area in the early mornings to find a place to hold an outdoor service for coming years. I found a place on road on the levee, two blocks from the church, where a slight bend in the river opens the view to the rising sun. Soon after, fences went up around the site, and in the months that followed the city constructed a million dollar plaza in exactly that place, with metal trellises surrounding a circular plaza, and vertical columns of basalt arranged haphazardly near the center. Our Easter service was one of the first events to be presented at the plaza after its dedication. Last year, we staged the tomb and the empty burial wrappings, as described in the Gospel of John, among the standing stones. We gathered in near darkness, and offered our praise for the new life that we find in Jesus Christ as the sun rose over the distant hills. This year, with a new pastor, the members of our church and other churches gathered at dawn with new friends from no church at all to celebrate the resurrection in what is becoming a freshly established tradition.
I would be delighted to collaborate with a worship team to establish themes, develop content, and design services. The inspiration that comes from creative interaction is often powerful, innovative, energizing, and exciting. With this in mind, all that I have written in these pages should be seen as tentative and exploratory. These are beginnings, not conclusions; these are possibilities, not yet plans; these are a sample tray of what I could bring to the table, and only an initial reflection on the potential richness of the feast.
May God's love, Christ's peace, and the Spirit's guidance be with us now and always.
Reverend Paul Clay
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