“The Four Paths: Helpful Language for Congregations Considering Legacy”

Posted in Buildings and Property, Change Management, Church Decline, Faith Formation, Healing / Grief Work, Legacy Churches / Church Closing, Managing Expectations, Mission and Vision, Pastoral Care Tagged with

12 min 19s

The four paths are: revitalization, transformation, legacy building and ministry completion (that’s one option), and road closed ahead.

Description of each path and what is involved;

Why 1 path is much harder (a mirage really) than it may seem and why;

Why another path is the one congregations in denial often fall into (and I wish didn’t exist!);

The process of shaping and narrowing down options and focusing on transformation, and legacy building and ministry completion, and discerning which is right for that congregation.

Metaphor of the church as a ship coming into harbor and completing it voyage.

Charlie Kuchenbrod is the Legacy Church Specialist for the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ, a part-time consulting role.  He worked for almost twenty years for the SNEUCC and Connecticut Conference, serving in a number of finance and administration roles.  Charlie describes himself as a resettled refugee from the corporate world.  He has an MBA and worked for 18 years in health care management.  Charlie is the author of a blog series Building a Legacy – Learning, Discerning and Leaning-In which can be found at www.sneucc.org/legacy along with many other resources for legacy building and ministry completion.  Southern New England Conference churches interested in a conversation with Charlie should contact their Area Conferenced Minister for a referral.  Churches from other Conferences or denominations can reach Charlie at charlie.kuchenbrod2@gmail.com.

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