Staff Blogs

By Rev. Craig Pederson, Assistant to the Bishop

When your job title is “Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Vitality,” you need to learn to have some fun with it. When I meet with church groups, I like to say that I have a special dispensation from the Bishop to proclaim “Vitality!” in a congregation and immediately it shall be so!

But we all know it’s not that easy.

Let’s start by asking, “What is vitality?” When I ask that question, I hear responses like:

“Life”
“Momentum”
“Direction”
“A place I want to be”
“A place I want to share with others”

Yes! All of these are great indicators of a congregation that is vital and responsive to the movement of the Spirit in its midst.

But can vitality be measured? And, if so, can we learn ways to develop and increase it in our congregations?

Again, yes! A relatively new tool developed by the ELCA – called the Congregational Vitality Survey (CVS) – helps congregations understand their sources of energy and life (as well as where those sources may be missing). More specifically, the CVS offers resources to congregations as they assess their connections to God, to each other, and to the world, with the conviction that these connections are what bring vitality to a faith community.

Three great aspects of the CVS:

• It can be self-administered.
• It is short (just 15 questions).
• It is free!

While it can be self-administered, Pastor Deb Stehlin and I have been invited to use and interpret the CVS with more than a dozen congregations in our synod. We have found that it has been a wonderful tool for leaders to understand the perceptions and dynamics at work in their congregations.

If you would like to check it out for yourself, go to www.congregationalvitalitysurvey.com . If you would like to talk about a synod staff member accompanying you on the use of DVS, don’t hesitate to let us know.

To offer your thoughts to Craig, email him at c.pederson@mpls-synod.org or call him at 612-230-3316.

By  Rev. John Hulden, Assistant to the Bishop

With a gaggle of little sweet ones gathered at the preacher’s feet, who knows what will happen next? Check your next kids’ sermon against these five simple concepts so you don’t get derailed the next time you are called on to preach to kids.

1. Keep It Simple and Short (KISS): I love kids’ sermons! But they are not the main thing in the worship service. Effective kids’ sermons do not have to be long. (I know, I know. It’s tempting to have a nice long chat with those adorable munchkins.) It is up to you to stay on point, have some fun, and move along.
2. Memorize the sermon, because eye contact is critical. I am bad at memorization. I can’t remember the second line of a song, much less the second verse. But, I have made a commitment for all of my years of parish ministry to never take notes with me to a kids’ sermon. If I can do it, you can, too (and it’s much easier to do if you keep it simple and short).
3. You are the theologian. Don’t depend on the kids’ answers to bring your message home. They are just kids after all. You need to drive this bus. It is great to ask kids questions, but ask for information, not in hopes they will have the right answer.
4. Four-year-old vocabulary only; no big words. ‘Nuff said.
5. Move! Plan your message so the kids have to walk, make noises, crawl, jump, or roll around. Kids have bodies and they know how to use them.

And here’s a bonus suggestion: I like to end every kids’ sermon with a call and response prayer. What will be your “liturgy” with the kids?

A version of this blog appeared on WorkingPreacher.org.