Your Church’s Second Signature
“The commandment we have from him is this:
those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.”
~I John 4:21
Last week, I wrote about the importance of having a signature event for which your congregation is known by those who do not attend the church (see below for previous colum). These are the event circled on the calendar of some folk who never attend your church. This week, I want to move to the second signature for which your church is known-a signature ministry.
Signature Ministry
There should be ministries with which your congregation is involved that are not a ministry of the church itself. For a number of our congregations, this includes Habitat for Humanity. Our churches have sponsored whole houses, or sponsored a house with other churches. This also is typically through a community-wide effort. For St. Patrick’s, Pooler, this comes with active participation in the Loaves and Fishes program in their town, which is a multi-church effort to assist those in need. But beyond these, there should be a ministry that is something for which your church is known in its community.
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Big or Small, but Always Significant
While I wanted King of Peace (which I served as church planter and founding rector) to be known for gripping sermons which change the lives of hearers for the better, the truth was we first came on the radar for many who were not part of the church through our preschool and our scouting program, both Girl and Boy Scouts (Boy Scout Court of Honor opening pictured at right). Good Shepherd, Augusta, is also well known for Episcopal Day School, an example of a large ministry touching the lives of many families. But nearby, Christ Church, Augusta, also touches many lives with its food ministry. The ministry need not be large. Some churches are known for providing free car seats to those who are heading home with a new baby that look shocked and then panicked when the nurse lets them know a car seat will be required for the family to go home.
Love Made Real
Jesus taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves. There should be at least one signature way in which you church does this for its community. What is the ministry through which your neighbors know your congregation? What signature ministry could you add or lift up?
The Rev. Canon Frank Logue
Canon for Congregational Ministries
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