A Letter From Kurt
Dear friends,
There is a lot of information I would like to share with you before I leave for my sabbatical. In this letter, I would like to introduce the theme that will bring focus to my time away. In a separate article, I will give you some of the specifics about what I will be up to and how my work will be covered while I am gone.
Since we are experiencing a time of renewed energy at Liberation and we have seen a slight increase in the number of visitors again, I will focus my sabbatical efforts on the theme of Church Vitality.
Some of the smallest congregations in North America are places of subtle vitality and frequent surprises.
This is the opening line of an article by Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook titled, A Saving Remnant: Vitality in Small Congregations. And it reminded me of Liberation. Although Liberation is far from being among the smallest congregations in North America, we are not a mega-church either. What we share with many smaller and mega-churches, however, is a strong desire to be a vital church.
In recent years there have been many studies done and much written about church revitalization. Church revitalization usually starts with a question like, “What does small church vitality look like?” To be sure, there is no single answer to this question. In one sense, there are as many variations to small church vitality as there are congregations. However, there does seem to be some consensus on factors or characteristics that contribute to small, growing, vital congregations.
Based on conversations I have had with Liberation’s Coordinating Council, the Pastoral Relations Committee, and members and friends of Liberation’s broad community of faith, I have observed that we have a growing passion and drive to enhance the vitality of Liberation church.
I am also aware that, in order to do this, we will need strong vital leadership with a solid understanding of what factors and characteristics contribute to creating and sustaining a vital congregation in our current culture.
It is from this perspective that I have shaped my sabbatical around the questions: “What does small church vitality look like?” and “How can Liberation implement the factors and characteristics of a vital congregation?”
As most of you know, however, the future success and overall vitality of Liberation does not rest solely with the pastoral staff. It is largely dependent on the congregation and the leaders of the church. That is why I want to leave you with this thought. This sabbatical has as much to do with what you do with this time as it does with what I do. Just because I am gone does not mean that the church should slow down or cease to do all of the things it currently does. In fact, it is the perfect time to work even harder. It is the perfect time for you to explore some of the same questions that I will be thinking about and it is a perfect time to ask what new visions or passions now have a unique space to emerge in new ways. This sabbatical is as exciting a time for you and the church as it is for me and my personal and spiritual growth and revitalization. I urge you to take advantage of it. This part of our journey will benefit all of us greatly. I look forward to the conversations that will take place upon my return.
Blessings and peace,
Pastor Kurt
WHAT ON EARTH IS KURT DOING TODAY??!!
In general, my sabbatical will include the following components: education, travel, time to reconnect with Jim, family and friends, study and reflection, and a personal spiritual retreat. And it will go like this.
TIMELINE
May 19 – 23, 2008
Attend the Festival of Homiletics, Minneapolis, MN You can get more information and see what I will be doing day by day by logging onto www.goodpreacher.com then clicking on the Festival of Homiletics tab.
May 24 – June 14, 2008
Reconnect with family and friends in MN and PA. Jim and I will spend some time with his family in Minneapolis MN where I will perform his nieces wedding and some time in Philadelphia reconnecting with our children and my family.
June 23 – July 10, 2008
Quality time with Jim. Trip to England, France and Belgium
July 11, 2008 – July 31, 2008
Reading, Study, Connect with Pastors from churches showing a great deal of vitality; Cathedral of Hope, Dallas TX, Cathedral of Hope, Oklahoma City, OK and Cross Creek Community Church UCC, Dayton, OH.
August 1 – August 9, 2008
Spiritual Retreat
August 17, 2008
Return to Liberation
WHAT ON EARTH IS KURT STUDYING TODAY?
During the month of July, I have indicated a time of study. To that end I have selected and purchased the following books. But I hope I am not the only one reading and studying!! Look for an opportunity provided by the Christian Education committee to read and study Outreach and Mission for Vital Congregations by Dale Rosenberger as a congregation while I am gone. This will make for some great conversation when I get back, I am sure.
Bibliography:
Talitha Arnold, Worship for Vital Congregations
Cheri DiNovo, Qu(e)erying Evangalism; Growing a Community from the Outside In
Richard L. Hamm, Recreating the Church; Leadership for the Postmodern Age
Jaco J. Hamman, Becoming a Pastor; Forming Self and Soul for Ministry
Viki Hurst, Personal Pilgrimage at Midlife; One Day Soul Journeys for a time of Transition
David J. Kundtz and Bernard S. Schlager, Ministry Among God’s Queer Folk
Paul Nixon, I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church
Anthony B. Robinson, Leadership for Vital Congregations
Dale Rosenberger, Outreach and Mission for Vital Congregations
Elaine M. Ward, Bread For the Banquet; Experiencing Life in the Spirit
WHAT DOES KURT DO AND HOW WILL WE COVER IT!!??
In general, there are three broad areas for which I have primary responsibility in the church. They are: the creation and provision of worship on a weekly basis; pastoral care; and a number of administrative tasks that are not handled by church council or designated committees. Below I have outlined the structures that have been implemented to cover each of these areas.
Worship
Preaching: I have arranged for supply preachers to offer a sermon each of the Sundays I will be gone. They come from a wide variety of settings within the United Church of Christ including members of this congregation as well as people from the Western Reserve Association and the National Setting of the church. Please see the attached outline for more detail. As a further bonus, all of the supply preachers have agreed to lead worship free of charge to Liberation. So, be extra nice to them!
Worship design and bulletins: Patti will be compensated for an additional two hours per week at her current hourly rate to design worship and create the bulletin. Her added responsibilities will include: contacting the supply preacher weekly, obtaining relevant information from them for bulletin production, meeting with Susan Lezan to provide for the music each week, creating the bulletin, and emailing the finished product to Ralph on a timely basis for reproduction.
Pastoral Care
Patti and I have been working closely with the Deacons and the Pastoral Relations Committee since December to establish a communications network for alerting Patti to congregational needs. These two committees have also established internal systems to coordinate care and assist Patti with hospital visitation and follow up with congregational members and friends to meet any need that may arise. I trust that through this collaboration the same degree of good pastoral care will continue during my sabbatical.
Point persons for pastoral care:
Patti Verde, Associate Pastor
Kate Goe, Chair of the Pastoral Relations Committee
Virginia Brotherton, Chair of Deacons
Administrative tasks
I will have suspended or delegated all of my administrative tasks by the time I leave. Delegated responsibilities include the following:
- Ralph will handle all mail and phone calls coming to the church.
- I will place an automated email response on AOL and Jim will separate personal emails from church-related mailings, passing pertinent information along to appropriate parties.
- Patti will respond to visitors in writing weekly as I have done.
- Liberation Opportunities will be sent less frequently on an as-needed basis.
- All other administrative responsibilities have been suspended.
