A United Methodist Experiment in Creating New Places for
New People in Alaska
Missional Community – Group of 20 to 50 people who are
united, through Christian community, around a common
service and witness to a particular neighborhood or network
of relationships.
MC’s gather regularly in their missional settings and participants’
homes for worship, study, food, sharing, sacraments, service, and fun.
Their central focus besides the triune God is MISSION. Their mission
drives everything.
Most MC’s are linked to an Anchor church which provides prayer
support, accounting services, and occasional celebration events in the
mission field area.
Missional Communities do not have buildings or clergy to
support. They have f lexibility to move and adapt to a
changing neighborhood.
Pastors do provide leadership but they are bivocational, i.e., they have
other work that supports their living expenses.
People do not join an MC the same way they would join a church.
Progress is not always measured by numbers, but by real people being
transformed by the Holy Spirit.
Missional Communities are NOT a replacement of
Attractional Churches.
This MC movement does not seek to save the institutional church, but
to reintroduce the Early Church and Early Wesleyan forms of spiritual
formation and mission within the context of people's actual lives.
A LEAD team provides leadership for an MC.
Lead Teams are as diverse as possible.
They share in the leadership of the MC.
They live by a Rhythm of Life (A covenant with other Lead Team
members to pray, read scripture, serve others.)
They meet regularly as a Lead Team for support and to hold one another
accountable.
Most MC’s are linked with one or more Anchor Churches.
Anchor Churches are not asked to support the MC with finances.
Anchor Churches do encourage the MC with prayer and occasional
neighborhood celebration events.
Anchor Churches provide accounting services for the MC’s offerings.
Anchor Church pastors are encouraged to live by the same rhythm of
life as the Lead team.
Two year training program for laity and clergy to serve as
leaders of new MC’s.
Seven Alaskan UM’s are in the second year of this program.
Consists of short retreats in Anchorage, several six week online courses
that include reading a book, 3 page reflection paper, scripture, prayer,
and online forums.
Examples of new MC’s to be started or already in progress:
PLUME in MatSu valley: Sutton
UAA Campus Ministry
Juneau
Anchorage
Soldotna
Second cohort of Alaskans will begin January, 2013.
AUMC is negotiating with AMW about doing a shortened version of the
Academy.
AMW will do the first year which deals with the theological and biblical
foundations.
AMW will train Alaskans to serve as coaches to provide guidance during
the second year of implementation of a new MC. No lone rangers!
Tuition cost is $2000 excluding travel. Plan is to fully fund tuition costs
for all participants in second cohort.
What kinds of Missional Communities of Faith could you
imagine in Alaska?
Where would this happen next?
Is God stirring your heart to consider this leadership
challenge and adventure of faith?