Submitted by Jan Newton, North District Administrative Assistant, and Breeana Tua, Maywood UMC
Jan Newton: As attendees at Viva La Church in Las Vegas, Nevada last month, we – clergy, laity, leaders and passionate followers – had an opportunity to challenge ourselves and each other in how we see, do, and imagine church. The time together was a celebration of many different churches and conferences in the Western Jurisdiction; all with their unique DNA, strengths and challenges, yet all seeking to find ways to help our communities and neighbors to flourish, so that we – the church – can thrive and grow too.
We experienced truths and realizations that must be accepted in this time of reimagining church. It is our job to create culture, and it does not take courage to critique, but it takes a LOT of courage to create. As painful as it may seem, we must let go of programs to make room to try something new – something that will allow the Holy Spirit to surprise, thrill, and WOW us like never before. Understanding what makes OUR hearts hurt will help us to find what we and our churches are passionate about, and we should pursue these things with a single-mindedness that allows us to dig in, make an impact, and change lives.
There is no formula or one way to reimagine and rebirth our ministries – celebrating the successes and differences instead of trying to recreate other programs step for step in our own church is an important realization for all. We can learn so much from the successes that many have had with Fresh Expressions, Dinner Church, Housing Programs, Cooperative Parish Arrangements and many other programs, but ultimately it is about the unique and authentic relationships that are borne out of our interactions and genuine conversations with the people in the community, hearing their voices and acting upon their needs. When we recognize and act upon the realization that God meets us wherever we are, not just in the pew, we are able to expand our ministry and our reach so much wider, truly embracing John Wesley’s practice of, “I look upon all the world as my parish” and helping us all to see beyond the traditional borders of church.
What can we do in the local church? The answer is: anything. We need to take chances, try things, fail. Try something else, learn forward, and always remember that we are called to love and serve, and we need to keep searching out what our communities need to best be served.
A simple way to start is to ask yourself (and your church):
- What breaks my heart?
- Why does it break my heart?
- What is my vision/dream of a church that can address this broken heart?
Connecting with others who share in the desire to heal broken hearts will inspire and cultivate a community that is warm, friendly and motivated to spread love in the world. It can be so very simple (but not always easy!) to create a loving faith community. You need:
- Safe Space
- Jesus
- Relationship
- Outreach
We are called to be in relationship with God and each other, and we must be willing to see the good, to hear the needs of the people, to be humble before God to receive his instruction, and ACT. This is the time that God has put us in, let us do all that we can to bring the world in genuine community and relationship with Him.
Breeana Tua: One of the workshops that I wanted to highlight was Woojin Kang’s Dinner Worship Experience: At the Table with Young Adults. I learned how Woojin created this amazing experience for his young adults. Basically, trying to bring more young adults into the church. The heart behind a worship dinner experience is to create a space that feels more like family than a formal service — just a night where young adults come together on a round table (not a rectangle table) , share a meal, worship freely, and encounter God in a warm, authentic atmosphere. I believe the goal behind the experience is to build community beyond Sunday mornings, encourage authentic faith conversations over good food, and offer a space for intimate worship and reflection. This reminds us as young adults that God meets us at the table, not just in the pews. This matters to me because for us young adults many of us are still navigating independence, identity, and purpose and these nights can become sacred pauses in our busy lives. It’s not about performance or programs; it’s about presence — God’s presence and His genuine community. Woojin shows us how he shepherds beyond the pulpit — meeting his group of young adults where they are, building relationships, and fostering a culture of belonging. I’m hoping one day we can do that for ourselves here at Maywood UMC.
