Sunday answers

Sunday 4th Jan 09

The congregation were asked the following question:

Imagine it’s January 1st 2010 and you are looking back over 2009. What would you like to be able to say from a church point of view?

…and encouraged to think of their answer like so:

At Cippenham Baptist Church 2009 was the year when we (action)…
The result of which was….
And the part I played in helping to achieve it…..

The following are not direct quotes, but a summary of the answers:

“We have updated the Schools week and aimed to involve the teachers more.”
“We have a meaningful relationship with local schools and their teachers”
“I formed new relationships with teachers”

“We devised and implemented actions thatdrew people into the church and drew people together”
“There was purpose, people were drawn in and the fellowship was closer as a result”
“I was involved in some practical arrangements, for example I made a new sign at the front of the church!”

“We explored ‘small church’ further”
“People rediscovered powerful prayer and worship, and got closer to God”
“We had greater contact with the community and there was a greater confidence in God and each other”

“We reached out to the community and continued the good work with (small) church groups”

“The church expanded -we brought more people in and had more people talking to each other”
“I talked to a lot of people”

“We experimented with the format of the Sunday service e.g. more teaching, less singing, making it more compact”
“We learnt more about God”

“We reinvestigated building a new church and brought this close to a reality”
“I got more involved in the organisational side of this”

“We development a more meaningful personal relationship with God”
“There were positive impacts on our lifestyle, making it more distinct. Our work-life balance imporved”
“I was more useful to the church”