Hope of an Aging Congregation

McGregor FUMC, like many others is an aging congregation.  Over the past year we have lost many active participants who are "aging out quickly".  It seems that weekly we have more who are home bound, nursing home bound, or who have just simply moved on to their heavenly homes.  Attendance in Sunday school, worship, United Methodist Women, and United Methodist Men is gradually tappering off as our "most faithful" are becoming restricted in their participation.  We realize that this is trend that cannot move this congregation forward nor sustain it's future.  Many of our members are very limited in the energies that they have to give through the church, so we have to focus it carefully. 

Our young families do not attend traditional Sunday school and few participate in UMW or UMM.  Regular attendance in worship may be once or twice a month at best and some only occasionally.  Even so, these families feel very much a part of this congregation and want us to lead their children by helping them grow in faith.

At McGregor FUMC, we are excited about our ministries with children, youth and their families.  In the fall of 2012, we began the Discovery Club for elementary school aged children each Wednesday afternoon.  Though our group is small, we have had a great time teaching these students about Jesus and look forward to starting up again on September 11th, 2013.  We hope that more children join us as we are actively inviting those who attended our Vacation Bible school this past June.  We had over 65 children particiate and averaged 54 per day.

This past spring we had Confirmation with 6 students completing it.  These students were mostly 8th and 9th graders and one senior.  All 6 were confirmed on May 6th with 4 being baptized.  It was a glorious day of hope for this congregation.

Over the past year we have continually focused on our ministry to our youth.  In June we sent 10 youth and 4 adults to Idabel, Ok with CTCYM.  Very exciting.  We established new relationships with other youth in our area who were sharing our living center.  We have already had some joint activities with these youth and hope to have more planned for this school year.  Most of our youth are now 9th and 10th graders.  We hope to continue to minister not only to the youth, but to their families.

Our hope is that as we touch the lives of families through the children and youth, we will touch the live of parents as well.  We are seeing results, though very spotty at times.  We are still a congregation of hope.