When Pastor Terrence Harper Sr. became senior pastor of Covenant Community Church in 2013, he knew some changes needed to be made.
“The church had been under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Landrum Shields for about 46 years. The church was in need of changes,” said Harper. “I knew it would take more than the executive board gathered around the table. I needed an outside resource to help navigate the way to make changes and transitions.”
He found the help he needed at the Center for Congregations.
Through a grant, Covenant Community Church was able to acquire a consultant who created an “Institutional Readiness Assessment.” The study pinpointed the church’s strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The outcome was a blueprint that identified six urgent needs to ensure the church was headed in the right direction. One of those needs included restructuring the church’s financial portfolio.
“This has been an invaluable resource for me and for the church,” said Harper.
According to Tim Shapiro, the president of the organization, that’s exactly what the Center for Congregations is all about.
“We’re here to strengthen congregations by helping them find resources,” Shapiro said.
The term “resources” can mean virtually anything, but Shapiro and his staff welcome any challenge from clergy, staff, laity and members. From finding a book to finding a contractor, he said church survival goes beyond the obvious, and believers’ needs today are far greater than in years past.
“It could be as mundane as fixing a leaky roof, but congregations are looking for opportunities and oftentimes say ‘I wonder if anyone else has had this opportunity and what they did?’ The center wants to strengthen congregations by helping them network so they can do the things they want to do,” said Shapiro.
Through the center’s matching grants and major grant initiatives, Indiana congregations are also eligible to apply for needed assistance to fund their chosen resources and implement the programs they have identified in order to meet their goals and objectives.
The center also helps handle issues revolving around daily congregational life through education events. The center hosts local and national leaders from various fields for workshops, conferences and long-term learning experiences. Workshops can either be daylong lessons or two-hour lunchtime sessions.
An upcoming workshop is called “Holy Currencies” facilitated by author, pastor and educator Eric Law.
“He uses the word currencies to mean the values a congregation has beyond money, such as worship, leadership or relationships,” said Shapiro.
Another upcoming workshop is called “Legal Basics: Governance, Health Care, Risk Management and More.” Shapiro said this workshop is especially valuable for church boards and nonprofits.
Workshop instructors are advised to make educational sessions engaging and interactive, and attendees are asked to apply the tools learned to issues currently happening in their church.
Shapiro said all of the workshops are in response to calls they receive, which means local churches drive conversation topics.
Although the center’s services are only available to Hoosier congregations, the center shares what is learned from its experience in Indiana with congregations across the country. Center staffers often author articles that appear in national publications, such as “Congregations,” “Clergy Journal” and “Rev!” The center also publishes series of articles and has a quarterly newsletter called “Centerpiece” to help congregational leaders learn from each other.
A learning community program called Resourcing Congregations hosts organizations from across the country that serve congregations and want to adapt the center’s methods to use in their own communities.
Congregations should note that the center works with a wide variety of congregations and has various locations across Indiana.
“They make the process very easy. The president, Tim Shapiro, is hands-on and walks you through the process. You’re not in it alone,” said Pastor Harper.
For more information, call (866) 307-2381 or visit centerforcongregations.org.
