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Simple Churches
Simple Churches
Spontaneous multiplication of worship groups
A conference on evangelism and organic church planting
with Wendy and Harold Behr
Sponsored by
North American Ministries committee
Friends United Meeting
101 Quaker Hill Drive
Richmond IN 47374
(765) 962-7573;
www.FUM.org
Meet Wendy and Harold Behr
Harold & Wendy Behr are "convinced Friends," recorded with Northwest
Yearly meeting and now serving as equipping ministers with Evangelical Friends Church Southwest. As church planters (not in the conventional sense) for 20 years or so they have planted "organic" or "Simple Churches" in many towns and cities west of the Mississippi, each containing the DNA of early Quakers, as first encountered via Elton Trueblood's writings. The unique nature of planting these "gatherings" is to draw from the previously unchurched or out-churched community through "bridges" of relationship built by serving. Harold and Wendy believe the various Friend's distinctives are appealing to an onlooking postmodern world view and provide a real doorway for reaching into the sea of lostness so many are drowning in.
Our attempt in this workshop is to get acquainted with a way of spontaneous multiplication of churches “with no buildings, no budgets, no big shots.” Sounds Quaker. What can we learn from Wendy and Harold’s experience to shake things up and release ministry within Friends United Meeting?
For more info on simple churches, go to http://www.simplechurches.net
Who Should Come?
Anyone who has a heart for starting new meetings/churches.
The “simple church” movement that Harold and Wendy have been working with will stimulate us to think outside the box about how new worship groups and churches can get going. Join members of the FUM General Board, clerks, lead staff, and outreach committees members from FUM yearly meetings in exploring what the simple church movement can mean for us.
Logistics
The conference will open Wednesday evening at First Friends Church in Richmond, Indiana. Thursday sessions will be at the Friends United Meeting office. Cost for full conference (includes Wednesday supper and Thursday lunch): $40.00. Options for part-timers on the registration panel. Lodging will be on your own. The nearest airport is Dayton, Ohio. We can arrange to have your plane met, but we need to have your travel plans in advance. The agenda
Wednesday, June 9
First Friends Church
2010 Chester Blvd, Richmond
6:00 p.m. supper
7 to 9 p.m. Opening session. The vision and philosophy of ministry of simple churches: A method of rapid multiplication. What does a simple church look like? How does this approach fit Friends?
Thursday, June 10
Friends United Meeting
101 Quaker Hill Drive, Richmond
breakfast, on your own
8:30 a.m. Nuts and bolts. How do you work with leadership? What are the support and reporting mechanisms? What is the role of Leadership Training Groups and how do they function?
break, 10:00 a.m.11 a.m. Working with small, rural meetings. Imagine a rural pastoral meeting of 30 – 60 members -- or a small unprogrammed meeting. Is this a church planting model that they can use?
lunch, 12:45 p.m.
2 p.m. Connectivity. The home church movement has sometimes rejected relationship with wider church structures. How do simple churches relate to yearly meetings, financially and in terms of accountability to faith and practice?
conference adjourns, 3:15 p.m.
Overnight housing on your own. Housing suggestion:
Super 8, 2525 Chester Blvd, Richmond, IN
(765) 962-7576; say you are with FUM to get conference rate $49.50 + tax per room. If you want roommate information, contact FUM.
Please send registration as soon as possible.
Deadline, May 24, 2004.
Pictured above at left: Harold & Wendy Behr
Contact the North American Ministries
office
at Friends United Meeting for more information.