Greater Portland Visioning Committee

Greater Portland Visioning Meeting
After several delays for weather and conflicts with other meetings, District Superintendent Michael Davis gathered a small group of pastors and lay folks together at Elm Street United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 31. In attendance were Pastors Kate and David Nichol of Clark Memorial and Elm Street/Buxton respectively. Reverend Ruth Morrison of Cape Elizabeth and Reverend Lynn Campbell of Thornton Heights. were also present. Representing Good Shepherd was Natalie Blake and Art Tordoff represented Peoples.
This group has met periodically for a year looking at how the United Methodist churches in the Greater Portland area might better become the hands and feet of God and to answer the following questions:
How can we reach new folks and read what their needs are perceived to be?
How willing are United Methodists in the local area churches to accept change and to change if necessary?
What prevents us as a body from moving on?

Each church is unique and has its own talents and specialties. Are these strengths emphasized? How can all of the United Methodist churches in the area best utilize their resources and support each other? These are a couple of the questions that were forthcoming at this session. Discussion was obviously limited with the limited number of representatives in attendance. The discussion for a time did center on what help we can bring to each other collectively. It was mentioned that one area that has already been talked about was working together on purchase of such items as fuel. It was mentioned that Tom Nelson of Peoples had brought that message to the two Clusters and that a number of churches were interested in following up in this area.

District Superintendent Mike said that he believed that all of the churches have the potential for growth due to a careful look at the demography statistics that we had been presented last year. Part of the success of growth can only come about if the churches are actively engaged in mission and ministry. Each congregation needs to discover God’s vision for them as well as how each congregation can work with other congregations for common causes. He went on to say that God’s love for the church is greater than our own. The last point that he made was that you can’t have the attitude of putting off something because of a lack of perceived personnel or financial resources to undertake change. Through God and prayer there are usually resources and personnel made available to carry out necessary changes, yet each individual must play his or her part in fulfilling the mission.

The district superintendent also made the following observations that are important for each church and the Clusters in the Greater Portland area to consider.
1. Things are often thought to have been said about something that in fact have
not been said or have been misinterpreted. It is important to not assume
something without further research and face to face communication.
2. Area churches here as well as many other areas are in decline. If we are to carry the message of Christ in a United Methodist tradition change has to take place and be accepted.
3. Many congregations appear to be suspicious of the Conference leadership directives which appear to include DS’es and in some cases other folks that find headquarters remote from the immediate area.
4. A greater sense of loss would exist locally if merger were forced on local congregations. It does seem strange if on the one hand the conference is anxious to have new church starts while suggesting and perhaps causing other parishes to disband, fold or merge.
Some congregations actually desire to grow and accept change in many areas of church life.
5. At the same time many congregations live in the past and want to be what they were 30 years ago by maintaining status quo.
6. Many congregations fear the future especially, it is felt, in this area although we do have a great potential for growth according to demographic statistics.
7. We need to honor history but where do we go from here? History can be a great teacher, but we are presently making the history that will affect the church that is downstream from us today.
8 and 9. Portland and its peninsula is not lost. Those who will form a new church out of the Chestnut population will need help from other area churches and in turn will influence a different direction for all churches in the area.
10. Dare we explore new ways of serving together? We need to look at organizing
in new ways or through different eyes.

The group discerned that it was not necessary to meet as a Visioning Committee again but instead to trust the Clusters, Casco Bay and Greater Portland to work on change together. While they will remain separate clusters it was thought that the two clusters have regular meetings together four times a year by sharing meeting times and places. More to be seen in this realm in Cluster meeting reports in the near future.

As the writer of this article I have taken the writer's license to add some opinion as a followup to some of the observations that are credited to the District Superintendent. If you are not in agreement with either the observations or the added commentary please feel free to respond to this addition to the blog.