St. Catharine's, Ontario, is in the heart of the Niagara wine country, and
St. Paul Street United is in the heart of St. Catharine's. Keeping a close watch
on the spiritual heart-beat of his congregation is Jeeva Sam. Jeeva has been
there for a little more than two years, and during that time a lot has happened.
There was a time when clergy waited five years before proposing a new agenda. When Jeeva was called, the congregation said they needed to change and gave him a mandate to lead them in that change. "I took four months to get an overview and meet the people, hear stories," Jeeva told us. Then it was time to move. The results have been dramatic.
Jeeva is no stranger to congregational transformation. He worked with strong lay leadership and Congregational Life staff to lead Rosemont United in Regina through a transformation process. When he came to St. Paul Street United, he almost immediately initiated the same process ? only this time he could lead much of it himself. Centre staff were invited to help with the crucial task of clarifying the congregation's values and framing a mission statement, but a strong leadership team from the congregation was instrumental in helping the congregation celebrate its identity and develop specific plans based on its mission.
The mission the congregation adopted is simple: "Open doors, open hands, open hearts." A reporter covered the workshop for the local paper and quoted the mission. The director of the local YWCA tucked the article away for a few months, then came to Jeeva with a proposal. "We see you are going to be a church with an open door. Would you be open to us?" If the church would provide the space during the summer, the Y would provide the staff for a summer camp. As Jeeva reports, "Some of us thought it would be a great idea. It was controversial, however. Some people were concerned about kids coming into the church. The church Council was concerned about things like insurance." It all got worked out, and so "Summer Camp in the City" took place at St. Paul Street church, providing an opportunity for kids who could not normally go to camp. The Y hired staff ? university students. Kids could come all day or for half the day. None of the worries about property damage materialized, and the kids had a great time.
It worked so well, they are doing it again this spring. The Y takes responsibility for staffing half the day, and a group of churches the other half. It is good outreach, and a great service to parents during the March break.
Other groups are using the facility more and more. A community youth choir practice there every week, and sing in church twice during the year. A group of High School students has rented space. Says Jeeva, "The word is getting out that we are open to people."
Another exciting ministry being considered is the "Speak English Café." The church is open once a month to anyone who wants to improve their conversational English. They have a few ice-breaking games, then time for conversation. It is attracting two groups of people ? those who want to improve their English, and people from the University who want to improve their adult ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching skills. St. Paul St. United Church is making this a joint effort with three other churches in the area.
People did resist the idea of change, but Jeeva had his mandate. "Excuse me, what did you bring me here for?" he asks. That has shortened the time table. The congregation had made many changes over its 186 years of existence. It was just a matter of people being reminded about that. "What was resisted initially, now seems to be appreciated. That has been the pattern." Jeeva's conclusion is that "putting our mission statement in place has been a turning point for this church."
An Alternative Service
Very shortly
after Jeeva arrived, the congregation embarked on a process to enhance their
worship experience. They tried a blended approach, introducing contemporary
music along with the traditional. It satisfied no one. The clear alternative
was to go to two services, one traditional and one contemporary.
The congregation decided to move while it still had the energy and financial resources that were needed. Improvements to the sanctuary have been dramatic. The sound system has been updated and video projection installed. Changes have been made to the chancel, making room for drama and the praise band that provides music leadership for contemporary worship. Most important of all, a half-dozen or so young people have taken the training and become expert as sound and video technicians. The total cost has been in excess of $80,000, but the church sees it as an investment in the future.
The alternate service has been growing. The first Sunday there were 45 people ? now they average 65 to 70. A soup time has been added after the service and 2/3 of the people stay. It is a great time to connect with new people.
"People ask whether doing two services on a Sunday is wearing me out," Jeeva shared with us. "I find it is just the opposite. It is energizing and exciting."
Small Group Ministry
The congregation embarked on a Small Group Ministry program at the beginning of January. Encouraging the formation of small groups had been under discussion for some time, and is one of the goals set at a recent congregational workshop. One day at the Sunday soup session, a teen asked Jeeva, "Do you think there is anything wrong with meeting in someone's home rather than the church?" When asked why, the response was, "I've been to teen groups. We might have an activity like bowling. I can go bowling anytime with my friends. I want to be in a group where we can talk about God and Jesus. That can happen better in a home."
That got the ball rolling. A call went out for those who were interesting in training for small group leadership. Eleven people responded. There were five training sessions. People were coached in ways to invite friends. There are some people who are reluctant to come to a big worship service, but will come to a small group. They have adopted the practice of having an empty chair at each group, a symbol that a warm welcome awaits any new people who would like to join them. At the conclusion of the training, the participants were commissioned to "form your group, depending on where you feel called."
The youth group was already going. Another group was formed in a senior's apartment. They quickly grew to over 16. They will be breaking into two groups, and apparently that is not a problem for them. Other groups focused on newcomers and the Holy Spirit. Jeeva launched a group called "Living on the Edge" for those who wanted to explore deeper ways of relating to God and others.
A couple, where the husband is a fire fighter, want to organize a monthly breakfast for fire fighters, and maybe extend that to police officers.
Real support has come from a family that originally came from Colombia. They initially came to St. Paul Street Church because one Sunday they heard the chimes being played over the P.A. system. In Colombia they were part of a church that met in a football stadium because the congregation was too large for any building. It was a church held together by its many small groups.
Finding Our Way
Jeeva is excited about a totally unexpected development, an emphasis on healing. "It seems like we are becoming more aware of healing services across the United Church." They regularly take time during worship to pray for healing and have witnessed some healings ? and they have had support from other main-line congregations. "We are not sure where we are going with this," Jeeva says," but we are continuing with it, particularly when you consider the significant portion of Jesus' ministry that was devoted to healing."
Other churches in the city are interested in doing outreach activities together. They are working on more permanent solutions to address the plight of the homeless and the poor.
"It has taken a couple of years to find our way," Jeeva reports. "It is still a bumpy ride, but there is a sense that we are going somewhere." That is very evident from a visit to the congregation.
For more information about St. Paul Street United Church, visit their web site,
www.stpaulst.ca.
Congregational Life Newsletter. May 2005. Vol. 11 No. 4.