Checking the Course

Peoples United Methodist Church
Checking the Course
All members and friends of Peoples were invited to participate in an Intreat to investigate the course that we might see ourselves on as a church family over the next year. 18 folks participated in some aspect of the day’s program. The event got under way as 9 folks trekked to Thomas Knight Park to be led in worship by Pastor Gwyneth Arrison. Gwyneth’s message encouraged all of us to try and see our "vision" as if it were through "God’s Eyes." She also asked to consider as we approached the day the following questions:
What is the dream you personally dream for Peoples?
What would it look like to live as God’s family?
What is God’s vision for calling Peoples to serve in this community?
What is God’s vision for you in bringing your dreams and others of the church to reality?
The reader of this article should ponder these four questions and respond perhaps to the pastors or the leader of the Church Council or to one of the other significant entities of church leadership so that you to might be heard.
When we arrived back at the church, another 9 folks, including Chris Ward and Rosemary Herd who had stayed at the church and prepared coffee and snacks. When it was time to begin the First Watch, Art Tordoff reiterated the questions that Gwyneth had earlier raised to everyone present for the Intreat. He also used devotion from The Upper Room from August 4 that was appropriate to the theme of the day. The reading used the naval blessing, wishing for " fair winds and a following sea" for the days events as well as the year ahead for Peoples church. While we originally would have broken the group into six groups it was decided to use three themes that were concerned with the three areas that those present felt were most in need of work at Peoples. The three groups were concerned with Worship, Fellowship and the combination Evangelism/Outreach.
Those three group areas "spiritstormed" a number of ideas some of which were related to work undone since the last intreat, 2 years ago, and some ideas were quite new. Eventually it was hoped that everyone would eventually settle on one common theme to work in through all of the present work areas: Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, Ministry/Evangelism, Mission/Outreach and Administration.
During the Second Watch each group was able to narrow their lists down and settle into a more manageble, measurable, and accountable program. After lunch it was expected that somehow from this smaller listing the larger group might be able to settle on one general theme. In the end those who were there at the end of the program and after a great deal of discussion related to each it was felt that through the Council and the various committees mentioned above that all of the final proposals could be incorporated in the coming year’s church life.
The discussion among those who attended could have gone on beyond the time restraints of the day, but there is always a point beyond which discussion is no longer effective. Those that this reporter talked to were amazed, in some cases, to learn what was involved under each of the topics. An appreciation for what goes on and needs to be done was gained by all who were present. The feeling of family was very much present and felt by those in attendance.
While some of the programs for the coming year will come from "Checking the Course" those in attendance want all members and friends of the church to be informed. We also encourage those who could not be in attendance to find out and participate and help to implement necessary change and activity. You will find a more detail summarization of the actual proposals in another article prepared for that purpose.