I'm looking to start a thread for churches that have recently become independent. Would really appreciate a group to bounce ideas off of, ask for ideas and advice, and perhaps share encouragement as it's needed for all of us.
Our church (~150 avg Sunday attendance across 2 services, small town in Hill Country) voted to disaffiliate from the UMC months back. After further discernment, the congregation felt pretty strongly that Independent Methodist/Wesleyan was the right call for us. We have been pretty focused on meeting the goals and conditions for disaffiliation. We have a great congregation who have largely stayed together throughout the disaffiliation tribulations. Now, we will have to figure out how to become a successful Independent church and congregation.
Some of the topics that have come up for us on our journey so far:
1) How do we execute an effective pastor search, evaluation, and hiring?
2) Best ways and new opportunities for mission work?
3) Best ways to grow and continue Kids and Youth ministries?
4) How to maintain some level of connectionalism with other congregations as an Independent church?
5) Effective dispute resolution as an Independent church
Anyone else either a leader or congregation member of a newly Independent church that would be interested in networking and sharing ideas, either in-person or online?
Our church (~150 avg Sunday attendance across 2 services, small town in Hill Country) voted to disaffiliate from the UMC months back. After further discernment, the congregation felt pretty strongly that Independent Methodist/Wesleyan was the right call for us. We have been pretty focused on meeting the goals and conditions for disaffiliation. We have a great congregation who have largely stayed together throughout the disaffiliation tribulations. Now, we will have to figure out how to become a successful Independent church and congregation.
Some of the topics that have come up for us on our journey so far:
1) How do we execute an effective pastor search, evaluation, and hiring?
2) Best ways and new opportunities for mission work?
3) Best ways to grow and continue Kids and Youth ministries?
4) How to maintain some level of connectionalism with other congregations as an Independent church?
5) Effective dispute resolution as an Independent church
Anyone else either a leader or congregation member of a newly Independent church that would be interested in networking and sharing ideas, either in-person or online?