What is God calling Old South Church to be and do in the 1st decades
of the 21st Century?

This is the question that we considered and prayed together during our
Lenten series.

About 122 different members of the congregation participated in one or
more of the Lenten sessions; that first wonderful experiment in
congregational discernment, and I would like to invite you to continue
in the work ahead as we go deeper into the questions.

I hope you had a chance to read the article in the summer reporter
which detailed our journey together and all that has happened since
March 25th when we had our discernment Summit.

If not, the following link will lead you to the web page with the write-up.
http://www.oldsouth.org/pubs/publications.htm

If you would like to have a more complete refresher on what we
accomplished and said, read further below.

On Sunday the 23rd, at 12:45 pm, after the service, we will gather in
Mary Norton Hall any and all who are interested in pursuing the big
question above in the context of four themes. These themes came out
of the many contributions from the many of you who participated in the
discernment meetings. They reflect some activities and committees
that are already ongoing in the life of OSC, but we heard an eagerness
to do 'more' or at least to extend a renewed invitation to
participate.

So here are the 4 themes we will begin to explore on Sunday 23rd.

1.      Acting Out (Music and the Arts).
How might theater, poetry, music and all the other arts help us to
grow in faith and grow in understanding of God's vision for Old South?
2.      Meeting Up (Small groups).
How might a ministry that helps others to gather and meet in small
groups help strengthen the bonds of our community and deepen our
understanding of God's call to that community?
3.      Shaping Up (Spirituality).
How can we deepen our experiences, grow spiritually and learn more
about the details and history of our faith tradition?
4.      Speaking Out (Public Voice).
How should we, as a faithful, progressive Christian community speak to
others about our faith? How can the Old South church be a witness to
the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and the Christian faith?
What is God calling us to do and say?

Would you like to participate in one of these 4 theme teams?
Are you wiling to continue the practice of spiritual discernment?

The team work will start on Sunday and then, depending on the
participants, continue with further discussions later on.

Please RSVP to Jessica at the front desk of the church or to
reception@oldsouth.org so that we can get some ideas of how many can
attend the lunch.

Old South Church in Boston
Congregational Spiritual Discernment and Vision Process

Where there is no vision, the people perish.—Proverbs 29: 18 (KJV)

Sundays during Lent—February 25-March 25

What is God calling Old South Church to do? Who is God calling us to be?
By vote of Council, Old South is embarked upon a process whereby we will
endeavor to discern answers to these questions. Following the congregational
tradition, we will set our hearts and minds to discerning the answers to
those questions through a thoughtful and deliberate process of listening.
Our facilitator, Lawrence Peers of the Alban Institute, “helps congregations
align their practices with a renewed sense of purpose in ways that promote
on-going learning, spiritual vitality, growth, and innovation.” Identical
sessions will be offered 9-10:30 am and 12:30-2 pm in Mary Norton Hall on
the second floor each Sunday in Lent. A light breakfast/lunch will be served
and childcare will be available.

Please sign up for each of these sessions at the Front Desk
(617/536-1970 or <reception@oldsouth.org>) so the plans for food and
childcare can be made.

Background

On Tuesday evening November 14th over thirty leaders of Old South gathered for an orientation to the Congregational Spiritual Discernment and Vision Process. Those present included members of the Church Council, the Discernment Process Steering Committee, our two ministers and our Discernment Consultant, the Rev. Lawrence Peers, who will guide us in this process. As authorized by vote of Council, the purpose of this process is to enter a thoughtful, careful process aimed at discerning the answer to this question: What is God’s will for Old South Church in the opening years of the 21st century?

Timeline for the congregation:

* The 337th Annual Meeting on February 4th at 12:30 pm
The Rev. Martin Copenhaver, Senior Minister of the Congregational Church of Wellesley, will be our featured speaker. In anticipation of our Congregational Spiritual Discernment and Vision Process, he will speak on the power and promise of Spiritual Discernment as a Congregational practice.
Don’t miss this! (If you did, you can catch up, by clicking below).
Listen to this presentation by clicking here

View Outline of Presentation, click here

* The Sundays in Lent, February 25th through March 25th
Please reserve these dates. On each of the Sundays in Lent the members of Old South will be invited to engage in a discernment process. Each week we will build on the work of the previous week. You can participate in the morning session (9 am to 10:30 am with a light breakfast) or the afternoon session (12:30 to 2 pm with a light lunch). On the final Sunday in Lent, March 25th, we will all gather for a Congregational Discernment and Vision Summit.

Congregational Spiritual Discernment and Vision Process

Old South Church in Boston, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is poised
to enter into a Congregational Spiritual Discernment and Vision Process. The
question we will seek to discern together is this: What is God calling Old
South to be and do in the early part of the 21st Century? The pivotal part
of the process will occur during the five Sundays in the season of Lent
(February 25-March 25, 2007). We have hired a consultant, the Rev. Lawrence
Peers, who has expertise in spiritual discernment, to guide us through the
process. In addition, The Leadership Committee identified, and Council
subsequently elected, the following persons to work with our consultant and
serve as a Steering Committee for the process.

The Discernment & Vision Process Steering Committee:
Ian Holland, chairperson
Jay Blackwell   Larry Bowers    Quinn Caldwell, ex officio
Lois Corman   Bill Ghormley   Kate Grant
Russ Gregg        Tom Hehir     Judie Pierce
Ruth Purtilo    Pam Roberts     Laurel Smith-Doerr
John Stainton   Nancy Taylor, ex officio

Link to "Church in the World" Lectures (podcasts, visuals, and text) from Lenten Series 2006

Link to Old South Church History

Old South Church News:

Congregational Spiritual Discernment and Vision Process