Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 13, 1995 TAG: 9507140100
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-15 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
I opened them all. Each held the promise of a tidbit of information that makes up the Religion Briefs column I prepare for Neighbors each week.
The pile wasn't as rewarding as it might have been in the busier seasons of early fall or spring when congregations, Christian and otherwise, gear up for the holy seasons.
I found most of these early summer mailings contained mostly pats-on-the-back for members who had graduated, gotten married, had a baby or needed consolation in bereavement or farewells as they moved on to new places.
Was I bored or discouraged? Not at all. Despite what one clergyman told me recently, that "Newsletters have had it," I find them the lifeblood of the institutional church. The sentimental comments reflect the church as community - a group of people, large or small, that intentionally comes together, not only to worship God, but to make life a little easier for each other.
The church is meant to be a loving and concerned community, and some newsletters reflect this - and almost this alone. But when looking for factual news, as I am, some materials are more useful than others.
So what I do I look for as I peruse my pile of bulletins and newsletters each week? Changes in personnel is Number 1. Church people always have an insatiable curiosity about their minister, who largely determines the direction of the congregation. If a person comes or goes from the staff I seek to find out why, where from or where to.
New programs, especially if they are meant to educate or otherwise help people outside the congregation, also draw my attention. The one thing churches always need is to forget some of their concerns with their own comfort and look to those who for any number of reasons cannot enjoy it. That covers direct evangelism - "bringing people to God"- or tangible service through gifts of time, money, food, clothing, free child care or offering space to service organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
Building projects, even small ones, enhance life in a community outside as well as inside a congregation. Bulletins tell me that many old inner city churches with discouragingly small membership are nevertheless not giving up. They have renovated and planted gardens with flowers to look at or vegetables to give away to the poor. That's worthy of note.
I'd like to get more bulletins. They mirror the vitality of a church in its community. For budget watchers who assume it costs too much to send mailings to the newspaper, it may be well to note that the church gets attention from its tidbits that it won't get any other way.
A few leaders, of course, live with a mentality that the newspaper only wants its bad news. Actually that rarely comes from newsletters but is far more likely to be leaked by a disgruntled member with an axe to grind.
So keep those newsletters and bulletins coming. Summer's the big time for pastoral changes, and by late August the fall programs will be under way again. I'm at Neighbors, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, 24010-2491. Be assured, pastors, secretaries and editors, that you will be read - by someone.
by CNB