Wednesday's Catch: 'The Great Dechurching Will Hurt Poor People' And More

The Great Dechurching Will Hurt Poor People
Members of mainline denominations as a percentage of the US population have dropped to the single digits. That’s bad news for the poor and vulnerable.

3 Touchstones of Welcoming Newcomers Today
What was once perceived as welcoming may no longer resonate with the unchurched of today. How can congregations extend hospitality to the unchurched? Brett DeHart shares three touchstones of modern hospitality: safe place, people matter, and joyful energy.

7 Tips for Connecting New Church Members
...what do people feel in your church? Do they leave your church no better than when they walked in the door? Do you have lots of new people and yet your church doesn’t grow? Do just as many people walk in the door as those that walk out the back door? Take a look at these seven tips and ask yourself where you rate in each area, 1 to 10.

The Big Ask
There’s only one thing worse than going to church and listening to the pastor talk about money: being the pastor who has to talk about money.

Working through the Stages of Grief when Cutting Your Budget 

Dan Pezet says a major alignment in a church’s budget can be accompanied by all the classic stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. By acknowledging these phases and allowing people to come to grips with their emotions a church will ultimately find its way to the final stage of grief—acceptance.

A Step Toward Full Communion with the United Methodist Church
The Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church (UMC) are moving toward full communion between the two bodies. The Methodists are moving faster than the Episcopalians.

While the United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church may agree on some things, they do not agree on others. For the UMC to adopt TEC's position on a number of issues would be a serious mistake that would adversely affect the UMC, already weakened by the disaffiiation of more than a quarter of its churches.

The Challenges and Opportunities of Intergenerational Leadership
Due to longevity, it’s not uncommon for four distinct generations of adults to be vying for leadership within our churches, says Melissa Cooper. She explores how the church can be a place of unity and reconciliation that uses the gifts of every generation.

The Universal Experiences of Preachers
Reuben Bredenhof reflects what preachers can learn from their shared experiences.

“The Benefits of Intergenerational Christian Formation” featuring Holly Allen
How can bringing different generations together in worship, learning, and community promote faith formation? Holly Allen discusses the benefits of a more intergenerational approach to ministry and strategies for helping young and old journey together in faith.

Blessings for Pets — and Police
Episcopal parishes may be accustomed to the occasional K-9 officer receiving blessings on St. Francis Day. St. Katherine’s Episcopal Church in Williamston, Michigan, took matters a step further on October 4, adding two police officers to the day’s blessings.The blessings were an extension of the church’s participating in Faith & Blue, a national effort to “build bridges and break biases” between police and the communities they serve.

A Coward’s Guide to Evangelism
J. Mack Stiles offers seven suggestions for you to keep in mind as you consider how to get started in evangelism.

Nearly 40% of Christians prefer not to tell people about their faith: survey
A new survey has revealed that nearly 40% of British Christians prefer not to disclose their religious beliefs. The findings reflect a broader trend of religious reticence in the U.K., which experts attribute to various factors, including a rise in antisemitism and a “self-confidence crisis” among British Christians.

To what extent is religious reticence a problem in Canada and the United States?