300 Households

At the congregational meeting last Sunday, Search Committee member Jeff Logan announced that one of the things we are looking at as a congregation is starting a blog. And I wish I’d had the presence of mind at the time to mention that this congregation already HAS a blog, and you’re reading it right now! So far I’m the only one who has posted here, but there are others (at the moment Will Saunders, Steve Jenks, and Ashley Lansbury) who all can any time they like, and I hope you will choose to add others as well. It’s a good way to communicate about the things that are important to us all, as well as an archive of good ideas and our on-going plans.

Last Sunday Ashley also mentioned her personal goal of growing First Parish from the 100+ household congregation we are now to something in the 300-350+ range -- a so-called “Program-sized” church. It’s a tough transition, because there are a lot of advantages to remaining a church of 100: the relationships tend to be more personal and easily-formed, for example, and it is even possible to know everyone in the church. This can be true of a larger church as well, but first one needs to recognize that larger congregations are highly-structured institutions -- organizations rather than “organisms.” They might best be thought of as a collection of overlapping communities, rather than a single large community in its own right. And simply recognizing that in itself requires a big change of attitude

But more importantly, we don’t want to grow to 300 households simply for the sake of being 300 households. Rather, we have a duty and an obligation to grow this congregation to whatever size the greater Portland community requires us to be, and 300 households is merely the next easily-defined “plateau” at which we might rest. And I’m VERY confident that there are AT LEAST an additional 200+ households “out there” who would very much appreciate having First Parish in their lives, if only someone would be willing to take them by the hand and show them around. They may not even realize that this is what they are looking for; instead, they may simply be feeling a little discouraged by what they witness going on all around them; they may be feeling discouraged, unfulfilled, angry and frustrated by their inability to make a real difference. We can help them change all that...or at least help them in making a start. Besides, we need all the partners we can find in our own efforts to make this world a better place.

Of course, we can always just sit here in the heart of the city, through open our windows and our doors, and receive whomsoever is sent. It’s a good ministry of “radical hospitality,” and an important one as well. But the big advantage of going out and GETTING these new members (as Ashley suggested Sunday) is that we get to cherry-pick a little: we get to invite our friends, or people we have met at other progressive venues who you just might enjoy getting to know a little better after worshiping together. Get aggressive: they may very well already know that you attend this church, and are wondering why you haven’t invited them already. Pick something special: special music, or a special ritual (like the Flower Communion), or perhaps a high-profile guest speaker. Every Sunday can be “bring a friend” Sunday, if only you decide to treat it that way.

Finally, and this is VERY important, we are NOT inviting people to join this congregation so that they can help us to pay our bills. So just put that idea right out of your head right now. Of course as our programs and expenses go, we will encourage our newer members to contribute their fair share -- principally by practicing financial transparency (which includes simplicity as well as accuracy) and setting a good example ourselves. But if anything, this outreach initiative is going to COST us money -- and we all need to know that and accept that going into it. But just as our spiritual ancestors here at First Parish invested in us, we have a duty to invest our resources in those who will follow us here. It’s both a duty and a privilege, for to those to whom much has been given, much will be expected as well.