Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity
quote:
Jim539 wrote:
Our Church has "greeters" who welcome everyone coming in, presenting them with the daily missalette and bulletin. There is a socialization period, light snacks coffee etc after Mass. Its worked well and doesn't require much effort. Attendance increased from 120 in the early 90's before I attended, to well over 700 today.
Jim
I'll bet you anything that the early apostles did something like what you are doing. I bet there weren't many anonymous Christians back then, who showed up, worshipped, and went home without anyone knowing them or talking to them or knowing anything about them.
When you read the early stories about the early Christian Community, or read about some of the most effective Christian missionaries like St. Patrick or St. Francis, or Billy Graham, you see that there was a great emphasis on drawing the believer into a living community, into active fellowship. God loves each person individually, and so the community should do the same, by being interested in the believer (or potential believer), by being interested in them, their goals, their struggles, their journey. And, you find that stuff out only by talking to them. That also gives you a chance to explain the Christian message to them.
Studies I have seen show conclusively that if you don't draw a new visitor into your church through personal contact and activities (social, missional or service projects, small-groups, choir, educational classes, to name only a few), and their only involvement is showing up, that person is probably going to stop coming. One study showed if after three months twelve people don't know the new attender name, that a new attender is very likely to leave stop coming. And, a great many of the things we can do to keep get people engaged are in intrinsic part of the Christian mission, and are not just socializing.
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity With this area, not sure if the closed parishes was more attributed to this city dying or loss of Catholics. But when I looked at mass schedules for where I used to live it's different.
Part of it too.... I live in a city again now and attitudes are different between the country & the city, I know that from growing up in both at the same time.... though that shouldn't make a difference. I'll have to look into outreaches at the church I joined.
Last edited by HasahZ, 8/29/2007, 5:11 pm
--- ...Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Amen
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity Hi Jim.
quote:
Hi Andy, I'm still around. Getting beat up at the anti-C. boards and still trying to help straighten things out at Catholicbulletinboard.net. Its a total mess there now. It may be hopeless.
Don't get too cynical from the anti-C boards. I know they have that effect on me after awhile. As long as you stay spritually grounded in prayer, you'll be fine. You have the right personality and lots of patience. You can do lots of good.
I'll have to visit the old gang at the Catholicbulletinboard sometime and see what's up.
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity Hi Andy,
Its not pretty. The board is now unmoderated and has turned into a cacophony of personality wars.
Very little theological discussion.
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Maybe I'm easily impressed, but the "greeters" really make a difference. I hadn't seen this often if at all over the years. All it entails is:
"Good morning,--- welcome to St. Ignatius."
(a smile)
They give you your book and a bulletin with an explanation of the gospel readings you will hear.
This brief human encounter puts one in a good frame of mind and reminds us that we're not alone.
During mass, the music is pre-1970's traditional, very familiar older hymns. People like them. THe congregation has a growing number of much younger people who are not at all put off by the "older" style music. People actually sing!
After mass, a coffee pot, punch and some cookie's.
People linger for 15-40 minutes to get to know each other. Very easy.
This is an urban church, but people travel from the burbs and all around because the parish is well run and implements some very simple ideas that have saved it from going the way of most city Catholic churches.
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity I'm sorry to hear that about the Catholic Bulletin Board, Jim. It still holds a place in my heart, being the first place I came to apologetics and many holy people there helped me grow and mature in the faith.
