Small church… big impact Creating missional partnerships in your community

small church… big impact

Creating missional partnerships in your community

Our Town: Chatham, VA

Small town America

Pittsylvania County seat

Tree-lined streets

Old homes

Hargrave Military Academy

Chatham Hall

Transitioning economy

Community profile

Loss of textile, tobacco, furniture High unemployment Low skill labor force Low educational levels Affluence and poverty Small town, rural setting 1300 population

Our Church

Our congregation

Our concerns in 2004

No community gathering place No after-school programs for kids No visual arts programs for kids No performing arts programs for kids Limited cultural events Large underserved population

Our progress in 2007

Boys and Girls Club Chatham Arts

Community Music SchoolSoundcheckDrama in the Pitts

Chatham Cares, Inc.The Community Center

Boys and Girls Club

Chatham Arts Music School

Soundcheck

Drama in the Pitts

Chatham Cares, Inc.

The Community Center

How did it all happen?

Five steps -- in hindsight. Exploring new possibilities. Reimagining our church’s role in the

community. Willing to take risks.

1. Intentional decision to engage our community

“The world is my parish.”

-- John Wesley

2. Identified need for partnerships and collaboration

We did not have: Financial resourcesManpowerExperience or expertise

A collaborative model from our community The Institute for Advanced Learning and

Research

Collaboration is here!

The democratization of everythingWikipediaYouTubeBlogs, wikis, email, txtmsg, etcMeetups

Open, non-expert environment Chaos and systems theory The myth of the rugged individual

My mother’s wisdom

“Just because everybody else is doing it, doesn’t mean you have to.”

• Marilyn Warnock, about 1963

We need a better rationale than popularity or pragmatism.

Theology of Collaboration

Collaborators in the missio Dei. Pragmatism is not the criteria for

mission. Scripture guides us. Community forms us. Practice emerges from theology. The future of God is found among the

people of God.

Characteristics of Collaboration Chooses self-limitation

Incarnation Values “otherness” –

affirmation without assimilation Recognizes that which unites us –

Our common calling (vocation) Commits to companionship on the journey –

“fellowshippers” Re-unifies Creation –

Sacred/secular, divine/human

God’s collaborative acts

At creation – Genesis 1:26 NIV

 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

God’s collaborative acts

Noah Abraham Moses Israel Incarnation Disciples Churches

3. Listened and learned

Parents & leaders > Music program Artists & educators > Soundcheck Business leaders > Boys & Girls Club Churches > Community Center

4. Gave up control

Example: Boys & Girls Club “At table as equals.” Maintained our principles and values.

5. Dropped our hidden agendas. Church growth

It’s not about us. Evangelism

New eyes, new language, new loveBounded-set vs centered-set.

RewardIt won’t pay for itself. Doing good is its own reward.

Results: Boys & Girls Club

Dec 2005 180+ enrolled 40+ per day 3 staff Community

involvement Budget: $60K/yr

Results: B&G Club, cont’d

Art Computer skills Scouts Tutoring Life Skills Recreation

Boys and Girls Club, cont’d

Boys and Girls Club, cont’d

Results: Chatham Arts Community Music School Virginia Tech Renaissance Music

Academy Professional faculty Jan 2006 30 diverse students Violin, viola, cello,

guitar, piano, voice

Results: Soundcheck

Jan 2006 Senior high Area schools 60-80 kids Student-led Leadership

Through The Arts Project

Student-led

Students perform

Students create

Results: Drama in the Pitts

June 2006 10 students Workshop 60+ attended

performance

Results: Chatham Cares

Mission evolved: Tsunami relief Katrina relief Community center

$3-million grant

The Community Center

The Community Center

The Community Center

Groundbreaking June 5, 2007

Front page news

Groundbreaking

We’re digging!

Construction, Sep 07

Oct 07

The gym goes up

Nov 07

Funding

Individual donors Church, civic club support Foundation grants Arts agency grants In-kind donations Boys & Girls Club revenue sources User fees, tuition Fundraisers

Budgets

Boys & Girls Club: $60K/yr Music School: $75K/yr Community Center: $60K-150K/yr Soundcheck/Drama: $3K/yr

Total budgets: $198K - $288K/yr

Our approach

Start with what we have Listen to others Work alongside others to make their

dreams a reality Enhance our community Provide new experiences Value the arts

Next Steps

Complete Community Center Program Community Center:

Boys & Girls ClubSoundcheck/DramaNew programs

• Art• Recreation• Fitness and health

Next Steps, cont’d

Create a “third place” Encourage diversity Dream new dreams

TourismTrain DepotTown arts festivalHealthcareMore helping opportunities

The church as abbey

Worship Arts Learning Spiritual direction “Least of these”

Peace & Justice Economics Hospitality Rule of life The world