Ministry is relentless. Summer brings VBS and maybe some rest, but then the program year starts with fundraisers and Back to Church events. After that comes stewardship time, followed by Advent and Christmas. We catch our breath briefly during the cold winter months before jumping headlong into Lent, making the long journey to the cross on Good Friday and then experiencing the joy of Easter morning. Springtime brings an uptick in activity, and then we slide back into summer, trying once again to catch our breath.
We get so busy doing that it’s nearly impossible to find the space to pause and assess if all of our doing is really getting us where we want to go. That’s where Pathways steps in.
Pathways is a ministry assessment tool that helps churches take the pulse of their ministry. It invites churches to assess how they’re doing on the five markers of vitality: worship attendance, small groups, generosity, participation in hands-on mission, and professions of faith. It also helps churches discern their vision and assess their sustainability.
“Pathways helps congregations of all sizes grow more fruitful,” said Rev. Gina Yeske, Associate Superintendent for the Metro-Highlands Region of GNJ and champion of Pathways. It invites congregations to ask some serious questions: Why do we exist? What makes our church different? It also encourages them to recall the stories of their past, reflect on their present, and consider their future.
Church leaders spend time listening to stories of their past and present, then develop a mission statement, if needed, and create a few goals that align with that mission.
When we say churches of all sizes can benefit, we really mean it. First Englewood UMC engaged the Sustainability Pathway. They worked through their finances and adjusted their budget to improve their financial stability. As they worked through the process, they realized that they had been focusing their energy inward, at the church and its membership, rather than outward, at the community. They leaned into their thrift store ministry, as it was their primary community connection. They started having conversations and getting to know the people who came. They began supporting women reentering the workforce by providing them with free outfits, which led to connections with the local police and the start of a sports outreach program.
The pause to examine their ministry and shift their focus made a significant impact.
Sometimes it isn’t the ministry programs that change, but the conversations the church has around the table. Clinton UMC in Clinton, NJ, was in the process of discerning how God might be calling them into inclusive ministry with LGBTQ+ folks. Having guided conversations where the pastor could participate, rather than lead or facilitate, made all the difference, affirmed Rev. Jessica Brendler Naulty. The guided conversations, along with the congregational survey, “helped us hear the fullness of the congregation.”
Pathways helped Clinton UMC have real conversations about inclusivity and financial generosity, strengthening both the church community and its ministry.
Whether you are looking to cast a new vision, conduct a ministry “check-up,” address conflict, or work on dismantling racism in your church or community, there is a Pathway that can help.
Visit Pathways for Fruitful and Healthy Ministry to learn more and register today.