Silver Lining Behind The Cloud

In today’s Friday Feature News, Pastor Bud Reedy discusses some of the planning that went into the new Stillmeadow Ministry Resource Center.

THE NEW REALITY

"According to Microtrends author Mark Penn, “Society is changing rapidly and in ways that few of us in the church are really appreciating or understanding. And yet if we are to be effective leaders, we must at least attempt to understand how our mission field in America is changing, so that we can both see it's effect on the church and to mobilize ourselves to engage this changing world with the glorious gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Here are some of Pastor Bud's comments:

THE STILLMEADOW REALITY

“We have been observing these trends generally, and the impact these trends are having on the local church. In many churches attendance is down, therefore it only stands to reason that giving is in decline. Here at the Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene, over the last ten years it has been necessary to reduce our full-time compensated pastoral staff from seven to four."

SILVER LINING

"The silver lining behind the cloud is that we are now more intentionally and aggressively mobilizing lay volunteer leadership. This mobilization effort is where the idea for the Stillmeadow Ministry Resource Center was born." 

STUDY, PRAY, PLAN

"We want all of our leaders to know, whether they are program leaders, church board members, or small group leaders; they have a place where they can come to study, pray and find resources to help equip them for the ministries that God has called them and to which they have been appointed."

RETURN TO WESLEYAN ROOTS
"This mobilization of lay leaders is a return to first century Christianity and also reflects our Wesleyan roots - where effective lay leaders held a critical roll and were responsible for growth of the Wesleyan movement in those early years."

New Stillmeadow Ministry Resource Center 

CENTER OPENS JANUARY 1, 2017

“Lay leaders may come to this new center which is located on the 3rd floor of The Sprenkle House after Jan. 1st anytime the offices are open. Resources from the center may be checked out and taken elsewhere, and then returned at the appropriate time.

A desk top computer will be installed in the center so that our lay leaders can come and use on-line resources, like those found in Right NowMedia or on Stillnaz.com.

Here is a one minute video showing some of what you will find in the Sprenkle House room called “The Stillmeadow Ministry Resource Center."