What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • 25 More Questions for people who want to make their churches grow

    A lot of people seem to have been sharing my 25 Questions for people who want to make their churches grow on social media.

    So, here’s 25 more…

    1. If you didn’t have to go to your church on Sunday would you still go?
    2. Are the clergy happy?
    3. Are the musicians happy?
    4. Does the congregation have a stronger ethos than that of its denomination?
    5. What one thing could you change this week to make the worship better?
    6. Why didn’t you make that change last week?
    7. What steps are you taking to make the phrase “All are Welcome” come true?
    8. Do you do church business on a Sunday after church or is there a better time for that?
    9. In the next month are you more likely to spend time on ecumenical activities or church growth activities?
    10. Do people who leave become ex-members who have disappeared or do they still contribute to the life and ministry of the place?
    11. What is the noticeboard like?
    12. What is the first thing you see when you come through the door?
    13. Did you implement the recommendations of the last “mystery worshipper” you asked to give you a candid assessment?
    14. Which church events in the next six months will be newsworthy locally?
    15. Which church events in the next six months will be reported in the local media?
    16. Do you have enough staff and who decides this?
    17. What would your clergy really like to do that they can’t because of the laity?
    18. What would your laity really like to do that they can’t because of the clergy?
    19. Which would attract young families more – a bible-based week long summer activity for children or letting it be known that gay people are welcome in your church?
    20. Can you email those members of your congregation who want to receive regular updates?
    21. Do you email those members of your congregatio who want to receve regular updates?
    22. Has someone done the work required to make sure emails sent to large numbers of people don’t end up in spam boxes?
    23. Who in the congregation has gifts that could be better used doing a different job in the congregation than what they are currently doing?
    24. Who is your volunteer co-ordinator and is it obvious how to contact them?
    25. Can you volunteer without being a member of the church?

6 responses to “Michael Perham and Gracious Restraint”

  1. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    I think the married bishops ought to be asked to repent of having married in the first place.

    I think what the statement by +Gloucester fails to take on board is that it is not just about sex. It is the love and joy people have in each other. It is saying ‘have you met my husband?’ Until people get that, we will make no progress.

    Reply
  2. Jaye Richards-Hill Avatar
    Jaye Richards-Hill

    I’d like to gear him call for a bit of gracious restraint in Uganda and Nigeris, where the Anglican church could perhaps do a little more to wind down the appalling homophobic violence taking place, due in no small part to their inflammatory conduct and support of really bad law…

    Reply
  3. Susan Sheppard Hedges Avatar
    Susan Sheppard Hedges

    Yes, Jaye…

    Reply
  4. Bro David Avatar
    Bro David

    Yes, it is always we who are called upon to stand in the “crucified place.”

    Reply
  5. Tom D'Evelyn Avatar
    Tom D’Evelyn

    Well done! It should also be pointed out that the rhetorical form of this plea is sure to put people off, expressing the purblind self-hypnotic self-mediation of a closed mind. You wouldn’t buy a used car from this chap. I speak as an unchurched American deeply impressed by Kelvin’s intelligence as expressed on this blog, which I share with my son who is on the ordination path in a Bristol. He loves it too.

    Reply
  6. Fr Steve Avatar
    Fr Steve

    Well said, as always.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • Internet Outage

    We’re suffering a week-long internet outage in St Mary’s office at the moment, which is rather trying. Hence lack of updates and lack of answering email from the office account. Normal service may be restored tomorrow.

  • The Anglican News in Brief

    Wakefield Diocese (the first to vote about it in the Church of England) rejects the Anglican Covenant. The excitement causes Kirstin to use a naughty word.

  • Japan – the smaller pictures

    I’m finding it difficult to hold in my head all the details coming through about Japan. Sometimes its easier to grasp the smaller pictures than to get a grip of the bigger one. A long time ago I was at college with someone who has ended up in Japan – Vicky. She married a Japanese…

  • Forgetting to press the button

    By the way, the reason that last Sunday’s sermon has not appeared on the Cathedral website is that though I carefully rigged up the camera, I forgot to press the button to start the recording. All of which makes me think that the time is coming for me to let go of the responsibility of…