A Minneapolis Congregation Finds New Life through Sabbath-Keeping
by Jeff Strickler
When the Rev. Kara Root came to Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church in 2008, the congregation wasn't exactly desperate.
"They were already past desperate," Root said. "They went through that stage before I arrived."
Nobody had joined the Minneapolis church in seven years. It had no children's program, because it had no children. All the kids had aged out. On a good Sunday, maybe 30 people attended services in a sanctuary that once routinely held 300 worshippers. And the church's once-comfortable endowment had just enough funds to last two more years -- if they really pinched pennies.
Lake Nokomis Presbyterian was dying, and everybody knew it -- even if they weren't quite ready to accept it. When Root realized the congregation wasn't willing to let go -- at least not yet -- she knew it was the right place and the right time to suggest something radical.
"The people who had stayed were hardy adventurers," she said. "They were ready to try new things. And I figured that if we went broke in 18 months instead of 24, what difference would it make?"
Strictly speaking, Root's idea wasn't new. In fact, it was thousands of years old. In a time when congregations are searching for new and different ways of being church, Root proposed that Lake Nokomis reclaim the ancient practice of Sabbath keeping and place it at the core of their identity as a congregation.
That might mean a day with no shopping trip to the mall. No pulling out a smartphone to check on work emails. No paying bills or balancing the checkbook.
And on some Sundays, under Root's proposal, it would mean not even going to church.
"People weren't coming every Sunday, anyway," Root said.
A changed worship schedule
After a period of discernment, the congregation agreed to change its worship schedule and place Sabbath keeping at the heart of its life together.
Now, six and a half years later, the pattern they established is a strong, sustaining rhythm. On the first and third Sundays of the month, Lake Nokomis holds traditional worship services. On the alternate weekends, members gather on Saturday evenings for contemplative services that draw upon the same Scripture and sermon as the previous Sunday's worship.
And on the second and fourth Sundays each month? They practice Sabbath, taking a rest from work, obligations, and even formal worship itself. Read more » |
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Addressing a wide audience, Mary Louise Gifford's The Turnaround Church shows church leaders they have options and reasons for hope. People in dying churches will find assurance that they are still a part of the body of Christ. Clergy serving these struggling churches will discover tools and resources to help them guide change. Judicatory leaders will appreciate an inspiring story they can tell about a church that turned around in spite of the odds. The Turnaround Church, while not a prescription for all churches, is a call to make long-lasting, life-sustaining changes. Buy the book » |
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Ideas that Impact: Sabbath-Keeping
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Five Myths about Keeping the Sabbath
by Lynne Baab
How can keeping a Sabbath help avoid burnout? Is it really necessary to keep a Sabbath for 24 hours in order to make a true difference? Lynne Baab spent years in conversations with nearly 150 church-goers. Some perspectives emerged that dispute or challenge some of today's Sabbath-keeping myths. Read more »
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A Sabbath Way to Lead by Norman Wirzba
True Sabbath rest isn't an escape. It means pausing to delight in other people and to understand the gifts of those around you, says a Duke Divinity School professor.
Read more »
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Stop. Rest. Come Back to Real Life. This is the Reason for Sabbath. by Kara K. Root
Practicing Sabbath draws us back into the kingdom of God -- where we all belong to God and to each other, and God is the one holding the reins, says a Presbyterian pastor in this sermon.
Read more »
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Continue Your Own Development
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Now recruiting for a cohort meeting in Houston, Texas
October 3-6, 2016 & January 9-12, 2017
Through Foundations of Christian Leadership, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity aims to help Christian leaders explore their gifts and cultivate the practices that are essential for spurring transformation within Christian organizations. The program is best suited to those who have been in a leadership position for fewer than five years. Join up to 30 participants from nonprofit organizations, congregations, mission agencies, seminaries and denominations for two residential sessions and two online sessions over the course of four months.
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