A Shy Person’s Guide To The Practice Of Evangelism

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Drawing inspiration from their 2004 annual convention theme, the Diocese of Massachusetts convention steering committee produced and distributed a pocket-sized resource called “A Shy Person’s Guide to the Practice of Evangelism.”

“The focus on evangelism comes from our mission vision and mission strategy [which] in shorthand is ?Inviting, Forming, Sending, Serving,?” said Helen P. Netos, chief operating officer and director of Christian formation for the diocese. “We have 12 strategic goals that are primarily outwardly-focused initiatives which call for both congregational participation and coordinated diocesan-level action. We believe that congregations which participate in these initiatives will in fact grow as they join God’s mission, and we are supporting and encouraging that growth through a variety of means, like the guide, the welcome packet, special events and training [because] we wish to increase our average Sunday attendance by 50 percent by 2013.”

…

The book, in an amusing way, examines the meaning of the word ?evangelism,? gives examples of how it is present in everyday life, and presents ideas on how to practice it.

“The entire subcommittee offered suggestions and edits to help create something small and unobtrusive?as befits shy people,” said Netos. “The response has been positive and people were chuckling and laughing out loud on the floor of the convention as they perused the booklet.”

Since then, the guide, which has been printed several thousand times, has been given to congregations, with at least one sending it to everyone in the congregation who pledged.

To obtain a copy of the guide, email hnetos@diomass.org – Episcopal News Service

This might be something we should investigate. Perhaps it can be adapted to Midwestern sensibilities? For example, it’s hard to invite your neighbor into a closer relationship with God, but it’s easy to invite them into a closer relationship with your dog.

Classic Car Show News

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The “Holy Rollers” are coming!

The classic car show is coming right up: July 10th from 9am to 3pm. Registrations mailed by July 3 are $10, after that and on the day of the car show it will be $15 to register an entry.

This is the major fundraiser for Holy Innocents. If you can’t be at the car show, there are still plenty of ways you can contribute your time and talents! We need:

  • Donations of fun little gifts for 50 “goodie” bags for entrants
  • Donations of items that can be given as “(out)door” prizes
  • Donations of food / beverage / condiments for the lunches
  • Donations of wrapped baked goods (cookies, brownies etc. 1-2 servings each
  • Volunteers are needed for setup.
  • Volunteers are needed for the day of the show.

For major donations, a letter that indicates the tax deductability of the gift is available from the webmistress (can be faxed).

For the smaller items for goodie bags and door prizes, some sort of car or automotive gift is appropriate: key chains, car deodorizers, pens, coupons for free oil changes, etc. For the door prizes, it can be anything you can donate, or make (Scott Eiler made a couple of handsome walking sticks, for example).

If you need more information about what to buy, what to ask for in donations of prize and gift items, or what more you can do, please email or call Colleen.

There is a map to the location of the church via Google but be aware that the little pointer is actually off by about a block.

Remember, if you mail something to the church (if you’re going to be out of town) that the mailing address is a PO box in Schaumburg!

PO Box 68009, Schaumburg IL 60168-0009

To Set Our Hope On Christ

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News from the greater Anglican church:

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold joined six presenters at the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) meeting in Nottingham June 21, explaining that while the Episcopal Church includes diverse views on sexuality, common mission continues.

“Although certain actions by the Episcopal Church have deeply distressed a number of you, we have not come to argue,” Griswold said. “I want to be clear that the Episcopal Church has not reached a common mind. However, it is our desire to be faithful to scripture. It is my hope that in the tradition of classical Anglicanism we will be united in Christ’s love and called to serve the world in Christ’s name.”

The presentation came at the invitation of the ACC and in response specifically to the Windsor Report’s request (paragraph 135) to outline “how a person living in a same gender union may be considered eligible to lead the flock of Christ.”

A booklet titled “To Set Our Hope on Christ” was distributed as part of the presentation. [Link to the text: http://www.anglicanlistening.org ]. “We believe that God has been opening our eyes to acts of God that we had not known how to see before,” the text states.

The booklet can be read online but it’s a very long PDF file. However, the language in the opening introduction and the first few pages is inspiring, open-hearted, and even beautiful.

The Anglican Listening website states:

Part of the distinctive tradition of Anglican listening and learning is identified by the 16th century English theologian Richard Hooker, who described Anglicanism as rooted in scripture, reason and tradition.

This triad of interrelationships is central to current conversations across the Episcopal Church as it seeks to respond faithfully to the request of Anglican leaders, via the 2004 Windsor Report, to learn more about sister and brother Anglicans internationally by participating in a careful process of intent listening.

These processes of listening and learning are recorded here, beginning with the 2005 observance of the Feast of Pentecost, which celebrates the gift of God’s Spirit to the world, imparted through a multiplicity of voices.

It looks like there’s a great deal of food for thought there – and much listening yet to be done.