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Building a New Denomination: More than Just Nimble Structure
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In light of the multiple thousands of denominations existing over and against Je...
By Clint Leavitt, Pastor, Midtown Presbyterian Church, Phoenix, AZ
Midtown focused this last year on throwing great block parties for our church and for our neighbors. One family from our church committed to making an entree or purchasing food for their neighborhood and church and hosting an event in their yard. We handed out flyers to our neighbors, sent texts, and announced at church on Sundays, and every event was a hit: no fewer than 30 (one event up to 60!) people attended any of the events (we did six of them), it brought many visitors to the church, and it sparked an abundance of spiritual conversations, both during the event and beyond.
At one event, the host family heard incredibly appreciative words from their neighbors:
“We’ve lived here for years, and no one has even shown this sort of hospitality. Thank you so much – let’s do it again soon!”
“We’ve built some awesome connections!”
“You’re a pastor? What’s the name of your church? We’d love to visit sometime!”
Amazing what an evening of simple hospitality can do for the community. Our hope is to continue these in the Fall as the weather cools off and to keep building relationships with our neighbors!
