Bearing Witness to Vitality

We're at the halfway point for our pilot program of Ready, Set, Grow! in our conference. The Congregational Vitality Initiative Task Force will be meeting in a couple weeks to reflect on our progress, to celebrate the strengths, and to acknowledge needs.


Let's ask ourselves: How has our pilot been good news? Feel free to post here or email CVI Task Force members.




During plenary sessions, a number of folks have named our need in the UCC to lift up spiritual practices more in the life of our faith communities.....and particularly the practice of bearing witness. We are people of the story...God's story through the ages, and especially through the life and gift of Jesus. But we are called to tell the story, not just know it ourselves.




How would you share your faith story with another? Where has God been at work in your life? What difference does it make that you know Jesus Christ yourself?




One of the teams in our program attended an evangelism conference in late January, studying the work of Martha Grace Reese in Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism. Their energy following the conference is palpable! Participants spent time in prayer and in sharing their witness with one another. As we learn to name and claim our faith and tell our stories, we become real witnesses. Everyone has a story to tell - let us encourage one another and create safe spaces for that sharing!




When Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman at the well, he filled her with his grace and acceptance - made the well a safe space for her in spite of her exclusion by society. Then, that woman ran to tell others in town - she wasn't commissioned or ordained or highly educated - just had a powerful story to tell of Jesus' healing and transformational love.




Real people have real stories to tell. How might we facilitate the telling?




As we consider next steps toward congregational vitality, let's keep it real.





Blessings all,


Carole