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Encouraging Entire Families to Attend
A Month of “Sundays”
Shawn McMullen, preaching minister at Church of Christ at Milan (Indiana) and editor of Christian Standard’s sister publication The Lookout, found inspiration for his rural church in an unlikely source—the Puritans.
“In 1615, Richard Baxter served a little church in an ungodly area, and historians say that church positively affected almost every home in town,” McMullen says. “It’s possible for small churches to transform their communities.”
The church in Milan developed a strategy to reach its own neighbors with “Spectacular Summer Sundays” this past June. Each Sunday evening the church hosted a special event—petting zoos and hayrides, corn hole tournaments and a cookout, a drive-in movie, sports and hobby demonstrations, a classic car show, fireworks, and more—with gift card giveaways and snacks. The church offered all activities and food free of charge.
“We love VBS, but this summer we decided to plan events which encourage entire families to attend together,” McMullen says. “And each evening included a brief gospel presentation with testimonies from teenagers and families about the difference Jesus has made in their lives.”
The giveaways allowed the church to collect addresses and phone numbers of attendees and follow up with them in July. “We’ve already added six families, which is huge for our church of 150,” McMullen says. “But it’s really not about numbers—it’s about positioning our church as a friend to the community.”
www.milanchurch.com
Grace Ball
In addition to its better-known baseball competitions, Little League International offers a “Challenger League” for children with disabilities. In addition to weekend services, small groups, student ministry, and mission trips, Crossroads Christian Church in Gray, Tennessee, makes Challenger League possible for more than 75 people.
Senior minister Clinton Andrews recruits dozens of volunteers who provide snacks and serve as helpers during the Saturday night games.
“About 90 percent of the volunteers are from Crossroads,” Andrews says. “We play May, June, and September and ask each Sunday school class to help at one game during that time. Many of the Little League players also stay after their own games to partner with a Challenger League student of the same age.”
Sometimes these ages can be relative; although Challenger League was created for children ages 5-18, the church purchased additional insurance to run a second league for adults.
In both age groups, each player gets a chance to bat, although many walk with crutches or sit in wheelchairs.
Local sponsors provide matching uniforms for the players and bankroll fireworks, inflatable games, giveaways, and food for opening and closing night parties.
But Andrews says the league couldn’t happen without the service and support of Crossroads volunteers. “They protect the kids during play, help them catch and throw the ball, and run bases with them,” he says. “Most of all they show love and friendship to dozens of special families.”
www.crossroadsgray.org
School Perk
Hope International University in Fullerton, California, recently received approval to offer degree programs at the University Center of North Puget Sound in Everett, Washington. Puget Sound Christian College, which closed in 2007, was located in this community. Leaders decided to pursue this location because of their desire to provide accredited Christian higher education opportunities to churches in the Pacific Northwest. Programs will include a combination of online and on-site classes in areas such as ministry, education, counseling, and business as well as cooperative programs with local community colleges.
www.hiu.edu/washington
Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD's contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
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