Ideas for local evangelism/mission, please

[Italiangreyhound]

Hi, in our area we have a new housing development and our church (C of E) would like to make the new residents aware of our church, of what we offer and to invite them along to join us for events etc.

Does anyone have any ideas for local evangelism/mission, please?

Anyone tried any stuff locally that went down better than other things?

Thanks so much.

Too I always have a point, it is just a question of is my point jabbing in the right direction!

"As it happens I am confirmed but the priest wouldn't have known that."

Likewise, although I haven't taken communion for decades and probably wouldn't now. I know the rule, but I don't know how people who aren't confirmed would know that, so perhaps they do sometimes take communion? I don't know how anyone would know.

I wouldn't promise to be someone's godparent either, right now, but for other parts of church services (which I sometimes have to go to with groups) I find myself doing a mixture of speaking and saying silent and sometimes joining in with things that I don't mean in a literal sense. I'd bet there are a few people who describe themselves as believers who do the same, though. I see it as quite a personal thing and it's not always exactly the same each time.

Me too spiral. It's quite odd though when you don't believe how much thought is put into which responses to join in with etc. As if weighing up each statement to see how much you disagree with it before deciding whether to join in to be polite or stay silent cos you can't go that far. Ridiculous really but I'm sure lots of people do that. (Singing devotion is ok though, go figure)

Spiral and Too if you come along, put thought into what you say and don't say that is lovely. I am not sure that I would ever be thinking about what other people believe, but if they told me hey I don't believe or I don't believe that, I would know.

I'm quite surprised if anyone comes to church who is either not a Christian or not seeking. So if there are non Christians at church who are not seeking (except for the obvious wedding, Baptism, funeral stuff) I wonder why they are there? All the reasons give fit a much higher church than mine!

Think this not that !!!

I totally get why a high ornate church would attract people to the building. But simpler ones, I guess I can't see it..... but now I shall be playing spot the non-believer on Sunday!!

Italiangreyhound, as an atheist who occasionally finds herself in a church, I prefer the plainer version! There’s beauty in simplicity. For me, the ornate church is just too ‘busy’ and elaborate.

I suppose it’s partly personal taste but also that the experience of being in a church can go beyond being impressed by grandeur in a stately home sort of way even for non believers. All sorts of sacred spaces and places – from a hushed clearing in a forest to a marble Hindu temple with minarets can evoke a sense of transcendence. All sorts of situations can too – from singing in unison to solitary contemplation.

And this feeling of transcendence is accessible to all human beings whether or not they subscribe to a particular religion or even a belief in God.

Churches that are inclusive, allowing people to come with or without belief, for that sense of reaching out towards the numinous - or a myriad other more prosaic reasons - are to be admired.

The church that my DS visited as part of Religious Studies has the following on the front page of its website:

We welcome all people regardless of how much or how little faith people have.

I find that rather wonderful.

Just going back to the discussion about taking communion.

There's a wonderful book by Sara Miles called Take This Bread: a radical conversion where she describes wandering for no apparent reason into a church in San Francisco that has an 'open table' (anyone who wishes can take communion) and experiencing an amazing conversion. She was a cookery writer and now she runs a food pantry project. It's quite a story, and her reflections on what taking communion meant to her are really thought-provoking.

But just as important is what she did next and how she lives out her faith in social action, and how her faith is informed by liberation theology and gay theology.

We welcome all people regardless of how much or how little faith people have.

Jesus welcomed all, didn't He? I mean, for example, He knew Judas would betray Him but still allowed him to be part of the group.

Out... re .. I find that rather wonderful. Great news.

Ninny I don't think I agree with the C of E only limiting communion to those who are confirmed, but in my experience not all C of E churches do. kids having communion is a whole 'nuther 'issue'! I do wonder what the early church did?

Capsicum good point.

PS this is so helpful. Please keep your thoughts coming, they are gold.

Italian, I'd like to see communion open to all who are baptised, and confirmation given the special role of a declaration of faith (or, er, confirmation of baptism ). Let alone the question of children and communion, the current situation with people insisting that candidates for admission to communion must show understanding is theologically really dogy. That would rule out many people with learning difficulties, or with some kinds of dementia, for example.

What about 'baptism of the spirit', (as opposed to water baptism)niminy?

I think that depends on your theology, Capsium.

As I understand it in the Church of England when you are baptised with water you are also baptised in the Holy Spirit, because in the prayer over the water the priest invokes the Holy Spirit with the words "Now sanctify this water that, by the power of your Holy Spirit, they may be cleansed from sin and born again."

But charismatic churches - especially pentecostal churches - tend to have a rather different understanding of what baptism of the spirit is.

Ninny re.... ...Italian, I'd like to see communion open to all who are baptised, and confirmation ... Isn't it already?

Well, that theological debate raged when I did mission for a few weeks in Belgium almost 30 years ago. When does the spirit come, at conversion or at baptism etc!

Personally for me the holy spirit comes at maybe a moment only the Holy Spirit knows! For me baptism by water is not so significant (although good to have) and baptism in the spirit is a phrase that I think means an out pouring of, not an in pouring in! IMHO.

The coming of the holy spirit and baptism in the spirit are controlled by God. I believe they are God's response to us. When we choose to be baptised by water or when another chooses for us, or when we take communion, are human responses to God.

But then I am not a theologian!

Human responses are complicated sometimes, aren't they, Italien? I was baptised (in water) as a child. I have read on here of someone who was persuaded to get baptised twice, although when she thought of it her original baptism should have been sufficient. Personally I think the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the important one but also that baptism can be understood figuratively, as in we are baptised through being immersed in Christ's teachings, life, death and resurrection and washed clean by Him.

It's quite interesting though about confirmation and communion. I was baptised as a baby and confirmed aged about 12. I went to confirmation classes (that I have no recollection of at all, except for one instance of being asked to draw God but not as a beardy cloud dweller, and being totally flummoxed!) but there's no way I understood the first thing about what I was doing really, although I was pretty 'religious' for about 5 years after that. Then quite abruptly at about 17 I became an atheist and remained so for, ahem, quite a long time.

So now, after 25 years-ish of never contemplating taking communion (and resolutely sitting still on the rare occasions I accompanied my parents to church despite their pleading looks) I am slowly thinking of returning.

The 'rules' as they stand apply to me equally now as they did at 15 and 25, but that's a bit silly really. Equally there will be people with much stronger faith than mine who are technically ineligible. I think it ought to be about what is in your heart, not what rituals you've completed.

TooBusy -- I agree. I think the current rules in the CofE are counterproductive.

(Italian, my recollection is that canon law in the CofE states that you can be admitted to communion after baptism and confirmation or, if your diocese has decided this is ok, and so has your parish church council, children can take communion after doing an admission to communion course. Lots of churches ignore the rules but this is what they are.)

Capsium, baptism has a vital spiritual component, but it isn't merely figurative. It's one of the things Jesus commanded his followers to do - to baptise disciples in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Nicene creed, which nearly all Christian churches take as their basic statement of doctrine, says 'I acknowledge ONE baptism for the forgiveness of sins'. It's a once for all thing, a second baptism isn't really a baptism.

But there is a spectrum of views about whether and when you should be baptised among Christians and about whether the Holy Spirit enters you in baptism or at another time or both. That's the nature of Christianity -- lots of different views about things! I don't agree with you that baptism in water is not essential, but I am not particularly or even at all an evangelical.

niminy I meant the figurative element being alongside the sacramental element but also that the figurative can be sacramental hence itself vitally spiritual IYSWIM. So baptism is both figurative and spiritual. Also which is the figurative? As the physical washing, to me, seems prophetic and symbolic of Jesus actually cleansing us and us being immersed in Him and He in us.

I know, as you say, there is one, Christian baptism, yet a church persuaded the woman I mentioned to be baptised again. The people element does indeed complicate matters...

As for physical water baptism being essential, I don't like to think too much on that because I get concerned about people having to rely on others tare baptise them.

Hypothetically there could be people who are separated from an established church or indeed much water. I know the church decided to change from full immersion baptism to sprinkling with water due to problems with the water. Could people physically baptise themselves?

to not tare. Typo.

Too re I think it ought to be about what is in your heart, not what rituals you've completed. of course and it is really. Whether you take bread and wine or not, Jesus is the bread and wine. It's just that the church has always tried to provide a frame work around which faith is lived, or that is how it seems to me. My vicar says my dd at 10 is too young to get confirmed, and I agree, but I would quite like her to be free to take communion. But then I just said it doesn't matter! Didn't I? So does it or does it not! I guess it does to us, but not to Jesus. That's how I feel. So we just try and pick our way through it all, and remember worse things happen at sea!

Ninny... re my recollection is that canon law in the CofE states that you can be admitted to communion after baptism and confirmation or, if your diocese has decided this is ok, and so has your parish church council, children can take communion after doing an admission to communion course. Lots of churches ignore the rules but this is what they are.) Never heard of this but have heard that in some churches children can take communion if the children are baptised. Our church doesn't do this and also my dd is not baptised yet!

It's interesting you say Jesus commanded us to do it. I guess I always forget that bit! I said I wasn't a theologian! I guess I wonder how the Salvation Army have managed to do away with it?? Genuine question.

Capsicum oooo Could people physically baptise themselves? that is very interesting.

I found one website that basically said you could not baptise yourself because Jesus said that we must confess his name before men/people and confession is necessary before baptism.

Ninny any thoughts?

I guess I do feel that one should be baptised and the only reason not to once became a Christian would be if you died before the chance for baptism came around!! EG the thief on the cross next to Jesus.

Sorry Too this is probably not helpful to you, just fascinating!

Sorry Ninny that was unclear, I have heard children can take communion in the C of E before confirmation, after baptism, if the church agrees but had not heard that there was a doing an admission to communion course.

I know Romans 10:9 says,

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (JKV)

but could that be confessed to God, if there is no person available?

I found one website that basically said you could not baptise yourself because Jesus said that we must confess his name before men/people and confession is necessary before baptism.*

And what about the baptism of small babies?