Oblique Visions -- Saving Our Diminishing Church 

Look closely at this picture of a Nebraska farmstead.  Notice the details, the “leftovers”, the light, the shadows, the accesses, the boundaries, and the orderly patterns.  What do you see in this picture?

                                                           Andrew Moore/Yancey Richardson Gallery   NYT Magazine 12/8/13

Perhaps an important reason that it is so difficult for us Lutherans to talk about our diminishing church is that for so many of us our church is too important to us and imagined change too painful.  We each have our own personal values at stake in such discussions.  For some of us, we think that changing the way we “do church” could alter the way we cling to that which gives us daily strength.  For others of us, the possibility that a needed discussion might change what is in all actuality our earthly home keeps us from even starting the discussions – for fear of the outcome.  It seems safer for the moment to do nothing.

Perhaps, though, there is a way to begin with an oblique approach, focusing our discussions on something that isn’t our church.  That process may teach us something about moving from anxiety and fear to reflection and hope. 

In any discussions about saving our church, some of us will want to get right to the heart of the matter and organize plusses and minuses of both the now and the future into neat columns so that we can get quickly to the “bottom line” as we consider what needs to be done. 

Most of us, however, deal with what really matters to us as stories;  stories of our marriage, stories of our children, stories from the history of our church.   But discussions built around the stories of our meaningful values and experiences can be emotional and long.  But perhaps there are ways that we can include stories of what matters in an orderly manner that all agree could be helpful.  In order to do just that I suggest an initial “Saving Our Church” discussion that offers an oblique approach to the topic, followed in later weeks by a plan that grows from the results of this structured initial discussion.

A Storied Past <–> A Grateful Present <–> A Hopeful Future 

With a picture of the Nebraska farmstead above in front of each person, ask everybody to sit in small groups of from five to six (have each person introduce themselves to the others in their small group).  Then ask everybody to write and then discuss in their small groups

1.      meaningful stories about what this picture brings to mind.

             allow 10 minutes for this segment of the discussion.

Then

2.     write and tell meaningful stories about what this picture brings to mind that gives a sense of gratitude.

allow 10 minutes for this segment of the discussion.

Then

3.     write and tell stories about what this picture brings to mind about possible futures that give hope.

            allow 10 minutes for this discussion.

Then

4.     ask somebody from each small group to spend about three or four minutes summarizing their three conversations with the entire assembly.

Then

5.     ask each small group to discuss what they learned about this project that could apply to forthcoming “Saving Our Church” discussions.

allow 10 minutes for this discussion.

Then

6.     ask somebody from each small group to spend about three or four minutes sharing what their group suggested (in discussion #5) with the entire assembly.

(This next process is critical)

Ask a person (or team of people) to take careful notes of each small group’s last report (#6).  Later organize responses in some reasonable way and distribute them (1) to all people who belong to your church, and (2) to me at bruroberts@gmail.com, so that I can review and post your summaries on this blog -- thus enabling everybody to be both teachers and students and learn from each others’ work.

I will attempt to notice patterns and themes that may serve as a scaffolding for churches as they consider subsequent means for influencing their own futures in ways that are inclusive and foster well-being.

   Bruce

PS A Freedom to Tinker note:  As written, this proposal sounds rather prescriptive.  It could be if you choose to use it off the shelf.  But it is also written as a sampler – one possible way among many.  Use your own discretion about what might work in your church.  If something about what is shown or said in this piece makes particular sense to you, start with that link and build your own “bear”.

© 2014 Roberts