d when do we feel the presence of God? How can these experiences enrich services of worship?
•What motivates us to study the Bible?
•What helps us to express awe and wonder, thankfulness and praise, and love towards God? How can we use resources from the worldwide Church?
•What would help our worship to make sense to people who come only occasionally?
•Can we improve the comfort and decor of our surroundings and the welcome for people with disabilities?
•Is our worship much the same all the time? Should we explore styles and traditions of worship from other denominations and other parts of the world? What are our plans and targets for improving our worship over the next year? LEARNING & CARING
The Church exists to help people to grow and learn as Christians, through mutual support and care -so we ask:
•What church activities help us most to deepen our faith in God?
•How effective are our small groups, in linking faith to everyday life?
•How do we learn about the challenges of Christian life today from churches elsewhere in Britain and the wider world?
•Are there peripheral activities we should stop, to make time for our training and learning needs?
•What activities make it easy for others to join us? What links do we have with groups using our premises?
•What do we expect from our pastors? Do we notice or care about those who drift away or leave? What are our plans and targets for developing our life together over the next year? SERVICE
The Church exists to be a good neighbour to people in need and to challenge injustice - so we ask;
•How do we discover the needs in our community and respond to them?
•Who is involved in service to the community through charities or community groups? Are there opportunities for more of us to become involved? How do we give attention to the moral issues raised by daily work?
•Do we share with one another our concerns about things which do not seem right, or cause trouble in our community, or appear unjust? How do we challenge injustice in other parts of the world?
•Are we making the best use of our premises and our money for service to the community? Are we wasting resources? Are we spending our time and resources in ways which are consistent with our beliefs and values?
•How does the life of our community, and our involvement in it, feature in the prayers of the church? What are our plans and targets for improving our community involvement over the next year? EVANGELISM
The Church exists to make more followers of Jesus Christ-so we ask:
•How do we develop friendly attitudes towards everyone we meet?
•Do we have a clear message? Are the words we use straightforward and meaningful to those outside the Church?
•What attracts others to the Christian faith? Are there initiatives we could take to present our convictions? Can we do this with Christians of other denominations? Where should the focus be - on church premises, or in the community?
•How can we learn about effective witness from Christians in other cultures?
•What can we do to make our premises more welcoming?
•Should we consider planting a new congregation in this locality? What are our plans and targets for making more followers of Jesus Christ over the next year? THESE CONSIDERATIONS ARE PART OF OUR CALLING AS THE LOCAL BRANCH IN STANDISH OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN BRITAIN.
18/09/2022
