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Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

Title:Discussions from a Christian Perspective
Notice:Prostitutes and tax collectors welcome!
Moderator:CSC32::J_CHRISTIE
Created:Mon Sep 17 1990
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1362
Total number of notes:61362

707.0. "The Large Church" by CSC32::J_CHRISTIE (We will rise!) Fri Jun 11 1993 17:44

What are the benefits of being a member (or attender) of a larger church (201
or more members)?  What are the drawbacks?

Peace,
Richard
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707.1why'd you pick these numbers? just wonderingCVG::THOMPSONRadical CentralistFri Jun 11 1993 17:565
    Members or average attendance? I would call 200 average attendance
    small to midsized. 201 members I would call small. I'd probably use
    700-800 members or 300 average attendance as large.

    			Alfred
707.2CSC32::J_CHRISTIEWe will rise!Fri Jun 11 1993 18:008
    Alfred,
    
    	The numbers are the ones used in this area by the United Methodist
    Church to distinguish small from large churches.  They're somewhat
    arbitrary.
    
    Richard
    
707.3CSC32::J_CHRISTIEWe will rise!Fri Jun 11 1993 19:4817
The largest United Methodist church west of the Mississippi is located
in Colorado Springs.  It's First UMC on the corner of Boulder and
Nevada.  I've heard it's got a membership around 4,000, but that may be
exaggerated.

I've visited the church on occasion.  They offer loads of activities,
interest groups, and classes.  They've got a beautiful, full pipe organ.
They've got an outstanding visitor follow-up program.

One can easily melt into such a large congregation.  That may be perceived
as a benefit in some instances.  I know a woman who went to this church for
quite awhile who was going through a painful divorce.  She didn't want to
get to know people at the time, other than superficially.  And she didn't
want others to get to know her, either.

Richard

707.4WELLER::FANNINFri Jun 11 1993 22:4511
    I like the large church because there is power in numbers.  In the
    large church we have preschool and private education for our children. 
    As a group we make a big difference in our community.  We have enough
    people to support a choir.  We have good classes, seminars, parties. 
    The church buzzes with activity and community.

    Ruth


    
707.5COVERT::COVERTJohn R. CovertFri Jun 11 1993 22:484
>Power in numbers

Is that what a church is about?  Power?

707.6CSC32::J_CHRISTIEWe will rise!Fri Jun 11 1993 22:589
    No, /john .5.  You and I both know that the church is not about power; at
    least, not power in the conventional sense.
    
    I think you'll admit, however, that there are certain strengths
    that larger churches typically enjoy that smaller churches struggle
    with.
    
    Richard
    
707.7finding members of your secular communitiesLGP30::FLEISCHERwithout vision the people perish (381-0899 ZKO2-2/T63)Sun Jun 13 1993 13:1016
        A church aspect that is only indirectly tied to size is the
        probability of finding fellow members of the congregation in
        your neighborhood and in your non-church daily life.

        We switched from a Catholic parish outside our immediate
        area to one in our town in part because with the former we
        never saw any of our friends from church anywhere but in
        church.  Now we experience more of a community feeling.  In
        particular we find fellow parishioners involved in and/or
        concerned about the same community problems about which we
        are concerned.

        Our current Catholic parish isn't particularly big, but it
        serves the same area as our secular community.

        Bob
707.8CSC32::J_CHRISTIEWe will rise!Mon Jun 14 1993 20:2610
    My voice alone can't sing a song of peace,
       your voice alone can't sing a song of peace;
    But if 2 and 2 and 50 make a million,
       we'll see this world come 'round,
           we'll see this world come 'round.
    
    Anybody besides me know this song?
    
    Richard