A Plan for New Ministry

A Response in Faith to the Church Emergent in Our Times

Draft submitted to the General Council of the Presbytery of Western New York

July 6, 2007

Central Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, New York

I.     Vision

Our church remains our rock.

Chords of the great old organ echo.

The Word deepens and emboldens us.

It is our church . . . it is ourselves.

We are few.

For many—more than many—

The church is foreign.

Familiar is the hustle, the noise, the media; their life.

Familiar, too, is the ache for something deeper, something bolder.

Where are our children, our grandchildren?

Those we cannot yet call by name:

we have heard their cry

felt their hunger

witnessed their search.

What can we give them that they can hear?

A place of quiet, simplicity, beauty,

A place to find their own way fearlessly,

The Word, wide-open, challenged, explored,

World faiths examined, spiritual disciplines adopted,

Community to lean on, to celebrate, to share.

The way of the Cross, transformed in ways we cannot know.

The Church, emerging anew.

This community is envisioned as an emergent church where an individual can, with guidance and practice, repair the connective tissues of the inward being and develop capacities for deep relationship with oneself, with others, and with the Eternal. Silence, meditation, study and discussion are essential practices of a life of healing and wholeness. So are mindful attentions given to the health of the body and the emotions. So also is work done together: celebration and worship, caring for the least and the lost, and joined action for justice and peace. The people commit themselves to their own unfolding development and to that of the societies they take part in.

Since many in its number will gladly affirm that the Spirit of Christ is at the heart of the community’s yearning to tear down the dividing walls that separate people, it is a Christian community. Because of their commitment to Christ, the community is deeply committed to welcome and learn from people who are themselves guided by other traditions of wisdom, including ancient religious streams as well as modern streams of the arts and sciences.

This is the animating vision. Naturally, we do not know, nor do we believe that anyone can know, whether the resources of people, time, and money will converge to sustain a ministry arising from such an open vision of God’s people called together in ministry and mission. For that reason, we intend to undertake a deliberate, slowly unfolding project of assessment and community building. The staffing rationale, ministry plan, goals and objectives, and income and expense projections all contemplate a two-year project of inquiry, community-building, and networking. Only income from restricted endowments and the proceeds of the sale of Central Church will be used in support of the project; the principal of these funds will not be invaded; hence, the risk to the Presbytery and to Central’s endowments is exclusively an opportunity risk.

 Through the last several years of careful management, Central’s people and leadership have continually tested the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, remaining open to new forms and places of ministry which may emerge. We have been prepared to give up past forms of ministry to be open to see the new thing God is doing in our midst. We believe that a new form of being church is emerging from our experience and openness to the future. Now, as we take up our pallet and walk, we invite the Presbytery to accompany the whole people of God in this region in an exploration of the Body of Christ made new.

II.     Staffing Rationale

A.  Transformational Pastor: This project calls for a full-time minister of word and sacrament. The position must be full-time because the work will require a high degree of focus and energy; the success of the project would be undermined if the minister were to divide energies with other kinds of paid work. The minister will need to be creative, a self-starter, with keen communication skills. S/he must possess the ability to embrace and motivate people from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, philosophical, and socioeconomic life experiences, and have a comprehensive knowledge of the Bible and the Christian tradition, other faith traditions, ancient and contemporary spiritual practices—and be skilled in teaching from these knowledge bases. Community organization skills and experience are essential, along with the ability to develop and motivate new leadership. Familiarity with new methods in the field of organizational development, such as “appreciative inquiry,” will be helpful. Since this is a new and radical approach for organized religion, experience in discovering and leading new forms of worship in collaboration with others, a strong tolerance for ambiguity, and the ability to persevere will prove invaluable.

B.  Secretary: The part-time position will be filled by an individual with strong administrative and office management skills. Especially in its first year, this project will require accurate and sometimes detailed database management, as contacts multiply and information about skills and interests becomes more complex. The secretary will be a person who really enjoys contact with the public. If unforeseen financial resources develop, the hours of this position would be expanded.

C.  Bookkeeper: Although the hours contemplated for this part-time position are few, the relative complexity of Central’s existing funds, combined with new streams of income from organizations and individuals, will require the assistance of an experienced bookkeeper with background in not-for-profit organizations and grant management.

D. Musician: No funds are available to employ a musician regularly in the first phase of this project. If unexpected funds develop, the musician we will seek for this project would be a highly skilled pianist and a vocalist. In addition to significant experience with a variety of hymns and spiritual songs and instrumental works, s/he would have a broad grasp of popular, so-called secular music which may have stirring applications in worship settings. Ability to work with other musicians, as well as to organize and lead small vocal groups, even on an ad hoc basis, will contribute powerfully to the development of spiritual community.

III.     Demographic Data

A.  The social/psychological/spiritual target group, many of whom would characterize themselves as “spiritual but not religious,” is spread out through every metropolitan region of the northeastern and northwestern United States, where church attendance is lowest.

B.  Offices and program space for this project are to be situated in the downtown core of the city of Buffalo. Investing energy and resources into the nation’s cities provides an extremely clear and powerful symbol of the church’s commitment to love, peace, and justice.

C.  In Buffalo’s downtown core, an area of about one half square mile, dozens of residential developments are underway, as old factories and warehouses are adapted for a newly urbanizing population. The young adults and “empty-nesters” who are being drawn to this revitalized urban center are representative of people throughout metropolitan Buffalo who are not involved in traditional churches, and with whom we will seek contact.

     1.  Some of those whom church people like to call the “unchurched” do not take part in church organization because they have experienced significant spiritual development outside the church, and they perceive the churches as either ignoring or resisting their spiritual experience and reality. As Simone Weil wrote, “The problem with Christianity is that it insists on seeing itself as a separate religion, rather than becoming a healing message for all religions.” Few congregations can attract such persons, because their existing buildings and traditions are not subject to change, but rather subject new attenders to change. For many people, what a traditional church offers and requires in this regard is very good for them. But not for all. Hence, this project is not in competition with any existing churches, whether “mega-“ or mainline.

     2.  In our own number, we know dozens of individuals who are interested in the kind of open conversation about spiritual life and community envisioned by this project. We believe it is reasonable to assume that more than one thousand such individuals live in the metropolitan area. However, we cannot conceive of any diagnostic tool to ascertain the size of such a cohort other than the action research which we propose.

     3.  Finally, we note that new expressions of unity and community are themselves a form of proclamation of the Gospel. In other words, people who will be moved by a new expression of the Body of Christ are not a type or a class or a cultural or an educational cohort. People who resist whatever it is they have come to think of as “church”—perhaps a place that judges people for their lack of this or that good thing, or their alcoholism, or their sexual lives, and so forth—will be able to respond to a place that looks and acts like Jesus. Its primary characteristic will be adults intentionally engaged in learning the world and how to love it, with the cross as their manual.

IV.     Ministry Plan

We intend to undertake a broad assessment of the spiritual needs of people not affiliated with existing churches. Conducted as “action research,” this assessment will itself give shape to new expressions of spiritual community. In the terminology of social research studies, action research is study whose planners and participants intend that the process of study bring positive change to the people and the organization involved in the study. Just how new spiritual community will take shape cannot be controlled too precisely, lest the energy, intelligence, imagination and love of the people we encounter be limited to a pre-existing notion of how God’s Word can come to life among people.

A.  Assessment & community formation

     1.  Assess the needs and desires of spiritual seekers not affiliated with a church home.

     2.  We will make use of the tools of “appreciative inquiry,” a form of action research whose organizational methodology was developed by David Cooperider at Case Western Reserve in the 1990s, and is now in use at many of the world’s most effective organizations and corporations.

     3.  Establish a committed core group, who seek non-traditional spiritual and Christian community, and who have a deep desire and inclination to learn from and with others. From this group, identify involvement and commitment for:

          a.  Extending spiritual needs assessment throughout the Buffalo-Niagara region;

          b.  Leading newly forming small groups;

          c.  Volunteering to support program, administration, and facilities as these develop.

     4.  Identify plans, needs, and hopes of religious judicatories/organizations which connect with the possibility of new kinds of spiritual community for people not taking active part in their existing communities.

B.  Program

     1.  Rent and attractively furnish a space centrally located in downtown Buffalo, appropriate to meet needs for the initial stages of the ministry.

     2.  Locate space that may be rented/used for occasional use with larger groups.

     3.  Employ a musician, when resources permit

     4.  Initiate programs, including the following:

          a.  Study groups, discussion groups;

          b.  Support groups helping individuals to be accountable for their own development;

          c.  Mission groups;

          d.  Lectures;

          e.  Regular meditation and contemplative practice;

          f.   Weekly worship.

C.     Communication and Publicity: A plan will be developed and implemented

D.     Support

     1.  Staff & volunteers

          a.  Administrative & secretarial

          b.  Maintenance and care of physical spaces

          c.  Program leadership

     2.  Community

          a.  Develop a network of groups and individuals who support the vision.

     3.  Funding

          a.  Develop individual and institutional donors.

          b.  Seek funding from foundations and faith-based groups.

V.    Goals and objectives:

A.  By June 2008

     1.  Facilities:

          a.  To lease and furnish a space (approx. 1,000 s.f.) in downtown Buffalo. This facility will include space for offices, meetings, and small gatherings.

          b.  To arrange with a nearby facility (perhaps a Main St. theater) for space where we can program for larger groups.

     2.  Assessment:

          a.  To identify and assess the spiritual needs of at least 50 individuals.

          b.  To meet with representatives of at least five faith-based groups or judicatories.

          c.  To train at least four people in skills for conversation and assessment around spiritual life and needs

     3.  Leadership: To identify four individuals, in addition to the four listed above, who participate in tasks related to organization, management, care of facilities, and so forth.

     4.  Program:

          a.  To provide one regular small group, meeting for discussion/study.

          b.  To hold a service of worship each week, not at the traditional Sunday morning hour.

          c.  To have hosted at least six large-group functions.

          d.  To plan for programs for the following six months.

     5.  Publicity:

          a.  To develop a mailing list and an email list for communication purposes.

          b.  To send at least two mailings to the above groups.

          c.  To develop media relationships resulting in at least two opportunities for publicity.

     6.  Financial:

          a.  To add ten new individual donors to Central's known.

          b.  To submit at least two proposals for funding from foundations or religious groups.

B.  By December 2008        (Text for dated goals and objectives is under development)

C.  By June 2009                       “              ”              “

D. By December 2009             “              ”              “

VI.    Attendance Plans cannot be forecast for the two-year project; if the study warrants further development, attenders will themselves help clarify both funding and staffing rationales beyond those contemplated here.

VII.     Income and Expense (see below for budget overview)

A.  Income data have been carefully set on several assumptions

     1.  Further decrease in giving from members, as they age and decease;

     2.  Income from all large funds to be drawn on a total-return method at 5% per annum, thus protecting the principal of the funds;

     3.  Figures for new, as-yet unidentified giving do not exceed $5,000 per year.

B.  The budget is balanced. In part, this is achieved through a cut in the salary of the pastor.

VIII.     Oversight of Project

A.  The Session of Central Presbyterian Church will oversee the project and support it with income from its various funds.

     1.  An ordained clergyperson, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church, will report to the Session of Central Church.

     2.  The pastor will maintain pastoral relations with the membership of Central Church.

     3.  The possibility of receiving new members into Central Church and, eventually, into its leadership is envisioned within this project.

     4.  The present pastor of Central Church has worked closely with the leadership of the church in developing the plan, and is able to serve in this capacity.

B.  A newly reconfigured non-profit corporation, the Central Community Services Corporation, a 501.c.3 entity, will seat an advisory board to give support and guidance to the project.

     1.  This will enable broader participation in this ministry than would be possible if the project were sustained only by a particular congregation.

     2.  The board, from seven to fifteen members, will consist of

          a.  members of Central;

          b.  representatives of the Presbytery of Western New York;

          c.  representatives of religious organizations which formally support the vision;

          d.  members-at-large who represent program participants not affiliated with a.– c.

     3.  The above-named corporation presently exists. It has had no corporate activity for at least five years.

The Session of Central Presbyterian Church is very interested in your response to this draft of a plan for new ministry.

Please address comments to sphelps@centralchurchbuffalo.org or call Central Church to speak with Rev. Phelps or leave a message. (716.833.6408)