OGHS Sixty Second Sermon Reflection

A church walks into a bar…and then what?

We invite you to watch this short video and reflect on what you’ve seen by answering the questions below. Thank you to Rev. Ryan Landino, Lead Presbyter for Transformation at the Presbytery of Great Rivers, for creating this Sixty Second Sermon for One Great Hour of Sharing.

Click here to watch the video: Sixty Second Sermon – A Church Walks Into a Bar…

1. Like our church character in the video, some of our church structures and community ties are barely held together by metaphorical “duct tape.” Others are doing some deep soul searching around what it means to be the church. In what ways does your own church story resonate with the church portrayed in the video?
2. In the video, the church is expressing lament for changing times. Much of the fear of change we are experience in our culture is really fear of loss. Are there things your church community is afraid to lose as the culture changes? What are those things?
3. The church in the video is clinging to outreach tactics that perhaps may not be as effective as they once were. What would it look like to enter into conversation with your local community about their real needs and how the church can partner with them in that?
4. Near the end of the video, in its enthusiasm to go and serve the world, the church can’t quite fit out the door in its current form. What does your church community need to “shed” in order to be more effective for ministry in the 21st century? (For example: too much attention on building and maintenance, still grieving loss of past vibrant children’s ministry, unhealthy behaviors, etc)
5. In the closing, Bryce Wiebe, Director of PC(USA) Special Offerings, offers support on how churches can connect to neighbors-in-need in a larger meaningful way. In what ways is your faith community empowering you to connect to the issues, people, and stories of those experiencing deep need in the world around you?
6. The PC(USA) has missionaries and social justice efforts on the ground all over the world, efforts that we support through our mission giving and per capita. How have you used the resources of the denomination to help you be more connected with the larger world?
7. How do the stories of those you ‘meet’ in the OGHS Minutes for Mission help you better understand the issues people face in hunger, disaster, or development contexts?

You can find One Great Hour of Sharing resources online at pcusa.org/oghs.

Watch more of Pastor Ryan’s Sixty Second Sermon videos by following his Facebook page.