Something that is working at Cedar Lake is one-to-one reaching out. I have learned that writing weekly thank you notes to leaders, or people who suddenly showed up to a small group setting, or people who give generously is a small, but powerful way to reach out with encouragement and gratitude. It works. It lets people know that I not only notice them, but appreciate their efforts to seek our Christ and Christian living. Another important way to communitcate is personal phone calls and taking people to coffee. Our UMW group gave me a giftcard for the local cafe near our church. It's like they knew. In fact, I need to send them a thank you card for being such an inspiration!
Whenever we have a ministry starting up, or even a small event, I always personally take people to coffee or call people when asking them to serve or use their gifts. I also put it in the bulletin, the newsletter, and other public places. However, one-to-one communication tells people that I am willing to put my time into learning more about them and getting them plugged into ministries where they can use their gifts. Somehow that seems to make them want to give more of their time. It has also given me an easy avenue for building my personal relationships with my leadership, which is now growing. We sent 8 people to lay servant school this year. Now we have enough shared leadership that I can say to my lay servants and lay leader, "if you want people to commit to your ministry be willing to commit to your people," and they know what I mean. The shared leadership is riplling out. And now the lay servants are expanding ministry one person to another. It's so simple, but it really works. No emails, no mass texts (at least not initially) just personal points of contact through a hand written letter, over coffee, or on the phone. That's where so much ministry happens.
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