Scarsdale Congregational Church

These are the Voices of Victory from St. Albans Church, the church of the keynote speaker Dr. Henry Simmons

Though 120 UCC folks had pre-registered for the S.E. Region, NY Conf. UCC Fall Meeting (aka the Metro Assn.), over 160 people from 46 regional UCC churches showed up, causing the planners to run out of handout materials. Attendees brought their experience and considerable energy to the workshops, held at the Community Church of the Pelhams. Attending from our church were Rev. Phil Washburn, Glen Nygreen, Mitzie Wang, Alison Rose, Lucy and John Werner. Seven workshops, case studies of how various regional churches had tackled tough problems, drew rapt attention, and offered attendees useful suggestions on topics ranging from adding second services to increasing membership.

Though often uncomfortable for many parishioners, change in how things are done was at the center of most of the workshop presentations. "A church that is not changing, is dying," was one key point. From Congregational Church of South Hempstead, Rev. Patrick Duggan said he realized change was essential when he arrived there as minister in 1996, or the church would atrophy. A second service as added at 8:30 a.m. to the usual 11 a.m. service. Since this tends to create "two congregations," now once a month a single "unity service" is held at 10 a.m. to keep both "congregations" acquainted with each other. Membership has doubled in the past decade, he said. "We must speak to the new generation," Duggan said. New music, lots of rhythm, a Gospel Choir, are all helpful to us. Since everybody knows about 250 people, "bringing a friend" has been an essential aspect of our growth. We ask people to join our chuch every Sunday. At another church, newcomer orientation sessions are held after church every Sunday.

At Garden City Community Church UCC the names of newcomers are gathered up by the Deacons each Sunday. Within 24 hours a Deacon (this big church has 20 Deacons; we have six) makes a call on the newcomer, delivering some fresh-baked bread or other pastry, together with an info packet on the Church. The Deacon may call to be sure the person(s) is home, but makes a point of not staying to visit. That comes later, if and when invited there, said presenter Melva Victorino from that church. "Our church had been like a fine restaurant," she said, "with a good steak available every Sunday. But as attendance (and pledge units) dropped from 400 to 300 we decided we needed a broader offering.

We needed to offer breakfast, a vegetarian menu, seafood, dessert." When new members join, we assign each one to an older member as a "Shepard" to guide and counsel new member in their first year of affiliation, she explained. In order to keep youths involved, every board (every church commttee) has a youth member. And a youth assistant is assigned to every Sunday School class and teacher. SWAT (Single Women All Together) is one of many special interest groups that meets monthly, as well as meetings for elderly, prison ministry, adult education, among other groups. Linkage with a neighboring Spanish Church is another connection. "Our minister says we are like a MASH unit from the TV series (mobile army surgical hospital)--we use what we have to do what we can," Victorino said.

Keynote speaker Dr. Henry Simmons from St. Albans (Queens) Congregational Church UCC said "Jesus didn't call people to meetings, he called them to ministry. A sad Christian is an oxymoron," he said. People need joy, hope, love, courage, confidence, and commitment."

Report and Photos by John Werner