Blog | Bridgebuilders

5 Take-Aways for a Thriving Mission

Barbara Sutton, Director of Bridge Builders for a Thriving Mission, and Brenda Kresky, Director of Diocesan Planning for the Diocese of Saint Cloud, recently returned from a Thriving Congregations Conference. Pictured above, Brenda and Pastor Susan Buckson (AME Church, Atlanta) were exploring Susan’s presentation about repurposing empty church buildings.

photo of Brenda Kresky and Pastor Susan Buckson

Thriving Congregations Conference

Each year the Lilly Endowment in Indianapolis hosts a conference for stakeholders in the Thriving Congregation initiative. Barbara and Brenda participated with about 250 other stakeholders across the United States. While they were left with many questions, these are some that caught our attention:

5 take-aways for thriving in mission:

No parish is an island.

Expanding the ecology of relationships, including others, and ministering across differences is essential to thriving in mission. By creating an intentional network of support, we expand our relationships and reach. Support is based on behavior, not just intentions.

The work of Jesus Christ is also done outside of sacred spaces.

Consider what God is calling us to as property owners. How do we sustain our mission while repurposing our buildings? We need to de-stigmatize failure when a building becomes repurposed. Reframing the narrative and building a positive, mission-driven outcome can create a legacy for the church.

God is doing something new in the Church.

We need a bright spotlight on the work of the Holy Spirit. Deep listening to the Holy Spirit and one another about our mutual hopes will initiate a purposeful design that will revitalize. We have a lot to learn from one another.

Change happens at the speed of trust.

We need a deep trust in God.

Many ministry leaders are bi-vocational.

People are often carrying a full-time day job and working nights and weekends as youth ministers, music ministers, and faith formation directors, and more. What are the implications for well-being, formation for ministry, and communication among pastoral leaders?

Christ Our Light's Big Idea

Fr. Kevin Anderson and the Sherburne Area Catholic Community

Christ Our Light Parish had a BIG IDEA - introducing their members and their wider community to the life and work of Dorothy Day. Working together with Fr. Kevin Anderson, the team sharpened a vision for hosting a one-woman play. They submitted their proposal to Bridge-Builders for a Thriving Mission and were were approved for $1,650 in project support! The events were hosted in 2023.

BIG IDEAS like this feed our learning communities. Christ Our Light has chosen a great person of faith and action to inspire people to move beyond themselves. In doing so, we practice serving the mission of the Gospel in the world and Church.

What’s Your Big Idea for Community? The Bridge-Builders for a Thriving Mission Initiative provides up to $2,000 for approved big ideas that support thriving communities.

I'd Like to Learn More

Thriving by Listening

What does a thriving mission look like? In part, listening synodally. On Nov. 5, 2023, a room full of people helped co-create that kind of thriving. Listening, baptismal dignity, and communal discernment were embodied through prayerful conversation.

The Theology of Synodal Listening

First, Dr. Kristin Colberg introduced the theology of synodal listening. She shared her perspective as the sole U.S. member on the theological commission for the Synod. She also helped participants appreciate the continuity between seeds being planted and the fruits being harvested over time.

Then Dr. Barbara Sutton facilitated intentional conversations for tables of five people. The process helped us wonder together: “How is the Holy Spirit calling the Church in the world today?”. The conversations culminated in concrete recommendations that Dr. Colberg will take with her back to Rome.