“Our congregation is just stuck. It’s like we can’t get out of neutral.”
“Our church is disconnected from the neighborhood. Everyone in town used to know who we were; now no one even knows our church is here.”
Does your congregation have too much space?
“Financially, we’re having a lot of trouble and we’ve been withdrawing funds from our church savings account to pay bills.”
If these comments sound familiar, your church may want to consider a New Beginnings Assessment. This Hope Partnership service is specifically created for congregations in decline who face mounting challenges with regard to their sustainability.
If your congregation can say ‘yes’ to at least three of these five characteristics, it may be a good candidate for New Beginnings:
Water damage and deferred maintenance can be costly.
• Less than 70 people attending worship
• Significant building issues (too much space, inadequate parking, deferred maintenance)
• Aging membership
• Changing neighborhood
• Trouble paying off a building loan
Hope Partnership can help you determine if New Beginnings would help your congregation; please email us or call us at 800-274-1883.
In addition to New Beginnings, Hope Partnership also offers MissionPathways, ministry-planning resources for congregations. Read here about how these resources compare – and which one is better for your congregation.
