Garden Day asks what can take root beyond the walls of the church
Can you pause and ask yourself, "What can take root when we look beyond the walls of our church?”
On Saturday, September 19, the Office of Congregational Vitality welcomed forty clergy and laity across our Episcopal Area to Whatcoat UMC in Dover, DE, for the first-ever one-day Fresh Expressions training day, Garden Day.
Together, clergy and laity alike spent the day learning, wondering, and discerning where God may be calling the church to engage with new people, in new places, in new ways; a core tenet of the Fresh Expressions movement. Garden Day encouraged attendees to consider how faith communities emerge in the everyday spaces where people are already living, working, and existing.
Throughout the day, attendees explored and wrestled with the reality that many people in their communities may never actually walk through the doors of a traditional church building. Still, there is a need for spiritual nourishment. Attendees learned how Fresh Expressions responds to this gap: it creates a framework for meeting people where they are and building a path to discipleship in contexts beyond the walls of a church and a Sunday morning service. Through discussion, lectures, and activities, attendees imagined the possibilities for ministry in coffee shops, tattoo parlors, or hobby groups like running clubs.
Beyond these lectures, discussions, and activities, attendees also heard directly from Fresh Expression practitioners in our Episcopal Area. The practitioners shared their experiences of launching new ministries and building relationships, bringing to life what they had heard all morning in various sessions. Attendees had an opportunity to ask questions about the reality of leading Fresh Expressions, what they learned in launching, and what it looks like in practice in our Area. These stories shared highlight that Fresh Expressions are shaped by listening, loving, serving, and more than anything, walking alongside people as they encounter God’s grace.
At the end of the day, Garden Day concluded with an invitation for attendees to identify their God-given gifts and talents. Fresh Expressions is made up of more than entrepreneurs, lead pastors, and extroverts; it needs people with all kinds of gifts and talents. The message shared on Saturday was evident: the Holy Spirit works through many different kinds of people; they just need to take the next faithful step into the not-yet-known.
Garden Day is only the beginning. The Office of Congregational Vitality is committed to supporting people - clergy and laity alike - who are curious about the Fresh Expressions movement and interested in exploring new ways of connecting with their communities. As you look beyond the walls of your church and toward the neighborhood, we ask again: What could take root in this place?
To learn more about Fresh Expressions and upcoming opportunities, including an asynchronous online course launching soon, please contact the Office of Congregational Vitality.