Adult Christian Education Listening Session Minutes

Strategic Planning Committee

Saint Michael and All Angels

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 ~ 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Michael Horvath

•         Chip Edens’ Living In The Word Class

          •         Successfully following Bill Power (Bill Power, historically based - Chip Edens, very relevant and biblically based)

          •         Needs room for growth (another venue, Theater or Parish Hall)

          •         Take what already exists and what is already working, and make it better.

          •         We’re asking people what they want, based on crowds they obviously want Chip.

          •         Buy a marquee to advertise where Chip’s class is.

          •         Music draws a variety of demographic groups.

          •         If it kills the Couples Class, let the Couples Class die (allow the Couples Ministry to continue to work and socialize).

                     •         Couples Class: Is a big question mark.

                     •         Direction is random and haphazard.

                     •         There is a need for hands-on ministry and counseling.

•         There are a number of interesting classes at 10:00 a.m.

•         They love Amy and Roy Heller… Question: why is everything at 10 a.m.?

•         Maybe too many…simplify, allowing for continuity and an avenue for fellowship.

•         They want a definition of “Adult Education”

•         They want a menu of classes…

          •         Inside and Outside events (i.e. Bishop’s Lecture Series)

          •         Communication/Publishing inconsistencies: Discrepancies between class listings and reality

          •         Published quarterly calendar of events (including classes)

          •         Keep website up to date with a rolling calendar of events.

          •         Include opportunities to get involved, in any of the Saint Michael ministries, along with fellowship (from foyer groups to softball).

•         Saturday & Sunday “late afternoon: adult education classes.”

          •         Probably effective, but not for everyone. Limited by demographic.

•         Interested in: Wonderful Wednesdays

          •         Ongoing, year-round program, but broken up into short cycles (month or 6 weeks)

          •         Dinner is a great convenience.

          •         Include topical lecture series, scripture or biblically based (topics would include social and cultural news headlines of the day).

•         Lenten Series

•         More “Big Event” opportunities (i.e. “The Passion” viewing and panel discussion)

•         Covenant Groups: Perhaps it already exists in the Cursillio retreat and program

          •         Team/education oriented, building personal relationships and spirituality.

          •         Need to encourage young members to get involved (Bill McGannon...resource)

          •         Alpha… Ignored, but it worked…

•         Re-purposing: Bottle classes and sermons, wonderful tool for evangelism.

•         IDEA: Businessman’s Brown Bag Lunch

          •         Devotional/Spiritual rather than lessons and biblical interpretation.

          •         Run as a series (8-10 week cycles)

          •         Jerry Spaulding was mentioned

•         The Starbucks Crisis - If we are losing people to Starbucks … bring Starbucks (or a gourmet coffee company) to Saint Michael.

          •         Explore opportunities to set up a fill in the blank coffee kiosk (don’t just bring in a couple of cartons of their coffee).

          •         Bring in a full blown “Road Show” kiosk.

          •         If it makes sense, set it up as an equity partnership, and it:

                     1) becomes a revenue stream for the church.

                     2) gives our Starbucks addicts the “hit” they obviously need.

3) creates an environment to keep people at church longer (i.e. Those that may not attend a Sunday morning class).

                     4) And, may create a new venue for fellowship around the services and classes.

          •         Where? The Activities Room make the most sense, along with the Garden Cloister (when the weather cooperates). It is supposed to be an area to meet-greet-gather and share.

          •         Chip’s class has outgrown the Activities Room, and needs to find a more suitable space anyway.

          •         If we continue The Couples Class, it could easily move into the Adult Classroom.

One note… concerning coffee… and Adult Education. This is a personal thought… And I’m probably in the top 10% of coffee per ounce/per day consumers at this church. We need to hold a class on coffee etiquette. It drives me crazy to see people carrying coffee into services. I thought it was limited to the Joy Mass, and the informality of the Parish Hall, but it’s not. People carry drinks into every service (OK, maybe not the Healing Mass). And look at the slate around and inside the Saint Michael Chapel, besides the appearance of not being sealed, there are fluid marks all over it. Our friends and neighbors either don’t know, don’t care, or aren’t paying attention to their actions, and the message it sends. We’re in God’s house. Can we please treat it as such.