Courtenay's St. George's United Church has taken on a unique way of finding new members.
With Sunday church attendance not what it used to be, many churches have been trying to find new ways to grow. For St. George's, it's a program called "The Way."
The program is geared to people who are either new to Christianity, or who want to return to the church after an absence. The weekly program involves participants meeting for a meal that is provided for them. After the meal, they break into groups to discuss that week's service.
Space and time is especially made for questions and open-ended conversation. The sessions run from September until just after Easter.
So far it has been a success, with over 20 participants taking part over the past two years.
“It really has made a huge difference for us,” says the Rev. Ryan Slifka, Minister of St. George’s. “The church has grown in size as folks have grown in spirit.”
St. George’s is well-known in the community for hosting the Sonshine Lunch Club, a coalition of half a dozen local churches who serve hot meals to the Comox Valley’s most vulnerable five days per week out of St. George’s Fellowship Hall.
But the program touches a different aspect of the spiritual life.
“We do a lot of good,” Slifka says. “But there’s also a reason why we do what we do, and the Way provides a space for others to engage with the best our faith tradition has to offer, and to discover the grace that motivates us and gives us hope for the future. We found this was lacking before.”
The program is based on an ancient model called the “Catechumenate,” after the ancient Greek word for “one needing instruction.”
However, the process is a bit more modern than that used by the Roman Empire.
“Our process isn’t exactly the same,” Slifka says. “The bones are there, but it’s built to be more accessible in our modern culture. What I think is most appealing is how open-ended the thing is ... the atmosphere is non-judgmental, and they can decide it’s not for them. Not only that, but there’s food, there’s childcare, there’s what so many of us are craving: friendship and community.”
This year’s cycle of The Way begins on Sept. 25, and runs on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It begins with a home-cooked meal provided my members of the congregation. Not only that, but this year it will be running parallel with St. George’s mid-week children’s program, making it possible for families to participate in each.
“It’s not so much about making people like us,” Slifka says, reflecting on the weariness some people feel about church. “Somebody once said that church is just a beggar trying to tell another beggar where to find bread, and that’s how I see The Way. It’s more like sharing something beautiful that has changed our lives, rather than keeping it to ourselves.”
More information can be found at the St. George’s website www.stgeorgesunited.com/theway. Those interested in participating are invited to contact the Rev. Ryan Slifka at minister@stgeorgesunited.com.