The goal of the “Thriving Congregations” initiative is to help churches build or remain healthy, faithful congregations doing important work for their members and the broader community. Drawing wisdom from the field of community organizing, these principles are applied to the daily life of churches. Pastors Tim Conder and Dan Rhodes at the Black Mountain School of Theology, with funding from a Lilly Endowment grant, have drawn together ministers and congregational members nationwide to lead this effort. Williamsburg Presbyterian Church was invited to join the activity in 2022 under the leadership of “A” Williams and Pastor Rachel Hébert.
For three years, “A” (and for a time Pastor Rachel and the late Kathy Kruschwitz), Joseph Kinard, Sarah Houghland, Sallie McLain, Diane Schwarz, and C.W. Stacks have been part of one national cohort of churches (there have been two). Our group includes members and pastors from California, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Georgia, Ohio, Alabama, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Virginia who gathered for educational weekends at Montreat Conference Center. Since October 2022, we have met four times; a final meeting was to occur this October with “A” and Joseph representing our team; that meeting has been postponed because of Hurricane Helene’s impact. Learning more about the work of other congregations has been a wonderful aspect of the experience.
In lectures by Tim, Dan, and other speakers plus group activities, we gained new knowledge of church history, the success stories of other churches and community institutions, and the role of the church in the public arena. Most importantly, we learned what we knew instinctively but were happy to be “taught”: that institutions learn who and what they are and are strengthened by developing stronger relationships. That is why our team has spent hours in
- Relational one-on-one meetings
- Listening sessions: house (group) meetings
These meetings have helped us develop a better sense of our WPC community. We have learned why Williamsburg Presbyterian Church drew individuals to become members or to become more involved; we have found out members’ passions, frustrations, and interests, taking notes and writing summaries of each meeting.
Having listened carefully, we learned at the March 2024 Montreat meeting that not all problems identified in WPC individual and group meetings could be addressed; we must decide what issues we can turn into actions. An analysis of the conversations and a time of discernment and where the Spirit is moving has concluded with a focus on three key issues:
- Health and Aging in Williamsburg
- The Church as a Family Hub
- Williamsburg Presbyterian Church’s Connection to Our Location
Diane set up meetings for our team with local organizations assisting our community in the Health and Aging component. This issue identified and analyzed by the Thriving Congregations team has now been combined with work being done by Pastor Pam, our Diaconate and other existing initiatives and new ones in development. For example, Diane is currently working with Pastor Pam, Sharon Jones, and Sherry Volk on a series dealing with living the best that we can as we age.
Christian Education has the primary leadership for the Church as a Family Hub component. The information compiled by Thriving Congregations was essential to helping Melody Dillon get to know more about the families of the church, how they understood the church, and how they connected. She has continued this work through listening sessions and new experiences.
WPC’s Connection to Our Location initiative has made progress on several fronts. In June, WPC members heard Williamsburg leader Bobby Braxton talk about the development of the Williamsburg African American Heritage Trail. WPC member Hans Schwartz and Bobby Braxton spoke to us in August on the archaeology and re-development of the First Baptist Church site and the Bray School in Colonial Williamsburg on Nassau Street.
Meanwhile, “A” has connected to those businesses surrounding WPC, as well as Williamsburg Baptist leadership, and the William and Mary sororities in Sorority Court to listen and learn about what is important to them in the neighborhood and where WPC might fit in with those visions.
Our work and education at Montreat is coming to an end. Moving forward, we plan to use the lessons learned and the data gathered from listening to you. We will work with WPC staff, members, and key folks in our neighborhoods on various initiatives so that Williamsburg Presbyterian Church continues to be a Thriving Congregation for our members and our community.
–Sarah Houghland • Joseph Kinard • Sallie McLain • Diane Schwarz • C.W. Stacks • “A” Williams
