Create Pathways of Peace in the World

A Congregational Blessing Resource

Preface

Congregations are parables of God’s presence in the world and express God’s love and care for all humankind. Congregations are called to a ministry of forgiveness and to be a positive sign in the midst of the world. . . The transformation of our congregations will be experienced as they become places of beauty and simplicity, openness and acceptance, justice and peace. They will be become an oasis of joy and springs of spiritual refreshment in the midst of the uncertainties and confusions of life. —Everett Graffeo

This resource for evangelists and pastoral teams is a way to enrich the congregational blessing experience for the church.

The role of evangelists has continued to expand, reflecting a growing understanding of the calling. We face an ever-present challenge to deepen our own understanding of the nature of blessings. Requests are growing for all of our blessing ministries, including the congregational blessing, requiring that we bring the best of our individual and collective experiences and preparation.

A congregational blessing that follows good planning and intensive personal and congregational preparation will be a rich experience. Opportunity remains, however, to increase the depth of that experience and find meaningful ways to make it more relevant and useful. As with all ministries of blessing, we recognize our firm reliance and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

This resource manual follows the premise that we will continue to learn from one another. It is a deliberate attempt to begin collecting, evaluating, and discerning the patterns and principles underlying earlier congregational-blessing experiences. Admittedly, it is incomplete and will be understood best as an evolving resource. The manual offers general outlines for organization, guidance, areas of focus, samples of ideas and resources, and important in-sights. It also provides underlying principles gathered from many who have traveled this road.

Besides this resource, we invite you to use a list of materials online at www.CofChrist.org/evangelist. We hope this list will be a body of samples, illustrations, and insights arising from experiences with congregational blessings throughout the church. [See Appendix 1.A.]

We invite you to send us the best of your resources and reflections for, during, and following the congregational-blessing experience. We will learn from one another, and by doing so, the church will continue to be blessed. Send resources to presidingevangelist@CofChrist.org or to Presiding Evangelist, 1001 W. Walnut, Independence, MO 64050, USA.

Thank you for the devotion, commitment, and loving ministry you provide to Community of Christ. We deeply appreciate all you do and are eager to learn from and share the best of what you provide in this distinctive blessing.

Introduction and Purpose

The congregation is a faith-based community whose foundation is its relationship with Jesus Christ. Within this community are people with varied and often seemingly incompatible backgrounds. But in Christ we join in being family.

Congregations are called to be transforming communities by taking the “good news” of Jesus’ love to our world and community. The calling of God’s people is to leave their comfort zones to travel new and unknown paths of service and mission.

As a people, we have something wonderful and unique to share with the world. The Spirit of God calls each congregation to be a community of God’s people and to show Christ’s presence in all our communities. The congregational blessing can help people focus their hearts and energy on community to bring the redemptive love of Jesus Christ to all.

What Is a Congregational Blessing?

The congregational blessing is an experience that joins the evangelist, congregation, and God to bring God’s inspired counsel to the congregation. The blessing is a time of remembrance that draws together the followers of Christ to celebrate and learn from the past as they embrace the present and face the future.

The congregation joins in an experience that includes not only the day of the blessing, but the preparation during the weeks and months before and follow-up ministry after the formal prayer or prayers. This blessing experience calls us to live and behave imaginatively and spiritually with new vision. It inspires us to create with God a community focused on the divine will. It compels and empowers the congregation to promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace in the wider world.

The blessing experience becomes one means of fulfilling our fundamental calling to take the redemptive message of Christ’s love to our world. The blessing is not just for the local congregation, but for the larger community and the world that God loves.

As the congregation is blessed, the believers become more and more a blessing to one another, as well as to families, friends, and neighbors. 

Planning

Readiness: 

How do we know that a congregation needs a blessing and that this is the right time? Many requests will come from the pastor, who spends much time in prayer and concern. Often, the Holy Spirit will initiate the request. Local evangelists many times also feel the congregation’s need and the movement of the Spirit, which calls for a blessing.

Evangelists will want to learn the needs, hopes, and expectations that underlie the request. Knowing the congregational participation (a significant majority, or just a few) also is critical.

The call to blessing may come when a congregation is in need or in transition. Members may need to experience the Divine’s embrace to remember their worth and become whole. Or they may be in transition and need the Holy Spirit to help navigate changes they experience or anticipate. Examples of critical opportunities for a congregational blessing include:

• The congregation experiences several losses through death, conflict, or moves and is discouraged.

• A new mission effort brings the fruit of many new families, and the congregation’s makeup changes radically.

• New opportunities present themselves, and the congregation wants to discern which avenue to follow.

• The congregation recognizes that it has been greatly blessed and wishes to join in common mission.

All of these and more can prompt suggestions for the sacrament, with anticipation that the blessing might help strengthen the congregation, discover and release talents, heal wounds, reaffirm worth, and identify mission.

The Team:

The pastor and evangelist(s) jointly identify a leadership team that will enable every person to have the opportunity—individually, in family, and in congregation—to come closer to God as their excitement builds for the blessing. The team needs to be representative of the congregation and should include people from various ages, priesthood offices, and leadership roles. For example, a team might include the pastor, the lead evangelist, members from each priesthood office, a worship leader, and a youth representative. Participation in a retreat shortly after formation may help the group bond as each person commits to this uplifting ministry.

Set the Date:

Among the team’s first tasks is to set a date for the sacrament. Be sure to look at events already scheduled, including holidays and mission-center activities. Ideally, all within the congregation, as well as key mission center leadership, will be free to share in the event. Preparation typically runs three to twelve months, but remember that your congregation might not be typical. Please use this only as a guideline. It is important to leave enough time for effective preparation without leaving so much time that the process bogs down in the middle, losing focus and excitement.

Assess the Congregation:

Once the date is set, the group can look at the congregation’s specific needs and how it best can prepare. As stated earlier, each congregation is unique. Therefore, examining its strengths and challenges will be important early in the process. This will help determine areas of focus for the blessing itself. It might be wise to remember that the church is called to be the body of Christ on earth today. Questions to ask in assessing the congregation include:

• How is this body functioning?

• How is this body gifted as a whole?

• What is the self-worth of the congregation?

• What parts of the body may be overdeveloped, and what parts may be underutilized, creating imbalance and stress?

• Are all members serving in their areas of giftedness to maintain maximum effectiveness?

• Do wounds need healing?

• Is the body fulfilling its calling, or is it merely maintaining its health?

The answers may help to focus the blessing.

Statement of Purpose:

The team might want to lead an exercise to develop a statement of purpose for the blessing. Development of this statement should arise from prayerful consideration of the question, “How do we want God to bless the people in this congregation?” This is not intended to limit God; rather, it requires us to prayerfully discern the greatest needs and gifts we see in our people and to present them to God for a blessing.

This thoughtful examination should involve all priesthood and other congregation leaders. The list of needs and gifts should identify the four- to six-highest priorities. This will address distinctive needs and opportunities, helping ensure that the blessing is tailored to the congregation.

Providing adequate time for this process will be a blessing in itself and create the important understanding that we partner with God in this distinctive experience. This can be a powerful means to help the body see itself as one, unifying people.

Blessing Structure:

No “correct” way exists to structure the blessing. Many congregations find it helpful to have two to four prayers—each focusing on a different need. If the prayers are done separately (instead of one prayer that includes all concerns), remember that the final document should include each as part of the overall blessing.

Related to this decision, as well as the timeline, is the question of whether the congregation wants the blessing done in one service, or spread over several services, each focusing on a different area. There may be reason to have a blessing apart from the traditional worship service. Do not limit yourself to the idea that it needs to be in the sanctuary; purposefully decide what setting will best support this sacrament.

Preparation

It cannot be stressed enough that preparation is part of the blessing. Don’t rush in anticipation of the blessing. Whenever we take time to be in the Divine Presence—through prayer, scripture study, conversation anticipating a sacrament, or just “wasting time with our Creator”—we become more aware of God’s generous grace, and we are blessed. We will be more open to receiving and under-standing the blessing as God intends.

Please remember that no two congregations are alike. The preparation most effective for any given congregation will be unique.

Practicing the Disciplines:

This is a wonderful opportunity for the congregation to work on spiritual disciplines that will help it hear and understand God as it draws ever closer to divinity. Self-examination can begin by answering two questions: “What am I currently not doing that would open me up more to God’s grace in my life and the life of my congregation?” “What am I doing that, if stopped, would open me more to this same grace?” Teaching and practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditation, fasting, and scripture study can help the congregation become ready to more fully receive and understand God’s blessing. The Temple School course, Spiritual Disciplines (TE230) can be used for this purpose.

Leadership Team Activities:

The leadership team will guide the congregation through preparation for the blessing. It is important that team members purposefully focus on the meaning of the sacrament and together create suggestions for preparation. Going on retreat for this purpose may be extremely beneficial. Writing statements of purpose and commitment can be a powerful means of focusing the preparation.

Congregational Activities:

Be sure to give the congregation activities that focus on the upcoming blessing. This can be done in many ways, including classes, service projects, community breakfasts, and mid-week meetings. The entire congregation might want to visit a place it considers sacred to more intentionally get in touch with the Divine. Those who are able might consider a trip to our temples in Independence, Missouri, or Kirtland, Ohio. Help the congregation see each activity through the lens of the upcoming blessing. [Appendix 4.A–B offers suggestions to stimulate ideas.]

Congregational Dissonance:

For various reasons—differences with doctrine, church or congregational leadership, or personal issues—some members might feel the blessing is not in order. The congregation’s priesthood, as well as the evangelists, should offer an opportunity to express reservations or outright negativity. In some cases the person might be in need of ministry and healing. Over time, if a few members remain adamantly opposed while most embrace the blessing, leaders should move forward with preparations. It is important to remember that the blessing will not end with the last “Amen.” The blessing will offer the congregation a chance to grow afterward, as well. That means leaders should persist in seeking paths of reconciliation and Christ’s peace within the congregation.

Roles of the Evangelists

If available, two to four evangelists would be ideal for the blessing’s planning and participation stages. A lead evangelist, chosen by the evangelists or the pastor, might be identified to coordinate with the leadership team and give detailed guidance to the evangelists. They should meet regularly to pray for each other and the congregation as they prepare for the blessing. Participation in all congregational activities, such as teaching classes, sharing in Sunday and midweek services, visiting in homes, and alerting members and friends to the possibility of additional ministries of blessing will bring the evangelists closer to the people. It might be helpful for the evangelists to write a heartfelt blessing as they approach the day of blessing. Whether blended into the public prayer of blessing or not, writing and sharing prayers among the evangelists will enrich the sacramental experience.

Roles of Priesthood

Besides the leadership team, the priesthood as a whole plays a vital role in preparing for the blessing. Members partner with the leadership team in praying for the congregation. They share witness of being called and of personal blessings. They provide home visits and work within their unique callings as situations arise during the preparation. In many ways they provide the foundation for the work ahead. [See sample “Priesthood and Leadership Covenant” in Appendix 5.]

Having all priesthood members write a prayer for the congregation is a way to use each one’s unique insights and giftedness. The prayers then can be shared with the leadership team and evangelists to help the overall preparation. Another suggestion is to have priesthood members sign a covenant, committing their best to the preparation. Again, a retreat for the priesthood might be an ideal means of preparing.

The testimony of Joseph Luff, which became a beloved hymn, serves well as a divine directive for all priesthood during this preparation: “O my people, saith the Spirit….Love ye me and love all people—love as I have loved you; This your calling—this my purpose—Thus be my disciples true.”

Home Visits:

Home visiting by the priesthood, as directed by the pastor, is a key part of the congregation’s preparation. This includes the evangelists. This is an important time to deepen understanding of the blessing, address needs of families and individuals through counsel and ad-ministration, and share ministry by spending time together in the name of Christ Jesus. The priesthood may help the members personalize their preparation during these visits. The priesthood should be attentive to opportunities to share about family blessings and individual or continuing life blessings that often flow from these visits. These requests should be referred to an evangelist. As always, follow the guidelines of confidentiality. [See Appendix 6 for a sample visiting program.]

The Service

All sacraments are covenants with God. The congregational blessing is no exception. We come to God anticipating a great blessing, yet we know that ultimately we are blessed to be a blessing to others. This is the covenant. We enter the rite recognizing that the blessing is not just words uttered, but inspired affirmation of the counsel to be lived out beyond the event. We expect to be transformed. We commit to being a blessing to others. One suggestion for symbolizing that commitment is to have a ritual signing of the blessing by all members as their way of covenanting (similar to the priesthood signing a covenant in preparation).

The day finally arrives. The congregation comes with great anticipation. The children are restless, but excited. The awareness is strong that something significant is about to happen. The congregational blessing takes place within the context of a worship service. All elements of the service are planned carefully because we know we are offering God the best we have and are honored to participate.

Order of Worship:

The leadership team will take the lead in planning the blessing service. As with all orders of worship in which a sacrament is performed, the congregational blessing should be the liturgy’s focal point, or climax. The welcome, call to worship, invocation, scripture readings, hymns, and sermon should thematically complement the purpose of the worship service. Each element should move the worshiper in a meaningful way toward participation in the blessing. Therefore, the blessing should not be given early in the service. In opening remarks, the presider—perhaps a pastor, apostle, or evangelist—should explain to guests and new members the nature and importance of the day’s service. [See sample service outline in Appendix 7.]

Logistics:

The service needs to be practiced enough to leave no questions about logistics, providing space for the Spirit to breathe, rather than allowing feelings of confusion or discomfort to prevail.

A minor detail, but of extreme importance, is the need to check and recheck the recording equipment. Backups are suggested in case one recorder malfunctions. The congregation will need a remembrance of the blessing in written form to keep the blessing fresh and meaningful. Ensure that the congregational historian is involved to provide written and digital copies of the blessing for the congregation’s archives. Also be sure that a copy of the blessing is forwarded to the Presiding Evangelist’s Office for filing in the central archive.

Purposefully positioning the congregation and the evangelist offering the blessing can strengthen the event’s symbolism.

Placement of hands also may be considered. For example, if your congregation blesses the children, it might be effective to have them gather at the front of the sanctuary as the prayer is given. The evangelists might wish to have the children cluster around them during the prayer or to join hands with the kids. Also, priesthood may want to join hands when receiving a blessing to symbolize their ministerial unity. Be sure that all members of the worshiping community are able to hear the blessing. Use handheld microphones or lapel microphones for volume and recording purposes. Deliberate consideration of these logistics can strengthen the blessing experience.

Prayer of Blessing

Preparation: 

This is vital! The blessing prayer should be carefully planned and Spirit-led. Some evangelists are comfortable offering an extemporaneous prayer, assured by their preparation and the Spirit’s inspiration. Others prepare outlines or written drafts and draw from these ideas while giving a blessing. Still others prayerfully prepare a written prayer of blessing to read to the congregation. Any of these choices is suitable. Examples:

• Have one evangelist come prepared to offer the prayer of blessing, while the other evangelists prepare by holding up that evangelist in prayer.

• Ask all the evangelists to prepare the prayer that is on their heart. Sharing these thoughts with other evangelists can bring a common assurance that God’s prayer of blessing will be evident.

• Together read over each other’s prayer, highlighting the significant message and avoiding duplication.

• Edit and prepare the result for one evangelist to read, leaving an opening for addition of spiritual insight.

• Let God’s Spirit lead you in your own ideas for working together to bring blessing to the people. (Size and circumstances may call for other approaches. Be inspired!)

Content:

This is God’s blessing, not ours to give. Planning the content of the prayer needs to be under the direction of the Holy Spirit. That being said, the blessing is a result of many weeks of dialogue, home-visitation, and priesthood and leadership meetings focused on particular congregational needs and opportunities. The blessing will address those needs and opportunities and be appropriate to the age group receiving it. The following represents a basic outline for a prayer of blessing but should in no way be considered a rigid formula:

• Salutation: The salutation addresses God. It expresses praise and thanksgiving, and it serves as an invocation. God always is present and need not be summoned. An invocation serves to invite the evangelist and the congregation to be fully present to God’s Spirit.

• The Purpose: The blessing’s central purpose should be stated early in the prayer (for example, strength to fulfill the congregation’s mission, reconciliation and healing, and missionary witness).

• The Petition: A petition for God’s blessing that is mindful of the age groups and families represented.

• Congregation’s Covenant: An expression of the congregation’s commitment to work toward the desired focus (missional goals, reconciliation, healing, expansion, etc.).

• God’s Covenant or Promise: An expression of the Spirit’s covenant to bless the congregation’s efforts, including specific words of counsel and guidance. In essence, this is the central body of the prayer, an expression of God’s wish to strengthen the congregation as a Community of Christ.

• Conclusion: The prayer’s “amen” prefaced by praise and thanksgiving for God’s blessing and sustaining grace. See the congregational blessing at http://www.CofChrist.org/evangelist/blessing-purpose.asp#congregational.

In broad terms, the blessing’s content might include:

• Thanksgiving for past contributions (those who birthed and sustained the congregation)

• Appreciation for God’s faithfulness through challenging circumstances

• Affirmations of worth

• Expressions of God’s love

• Assurance that gospel principles are being expressed in the life of the congregation

• Guidance in making adjustments

• Opportunity for repentance and to experience forgiveness

• Insight into giftedness

• Suggestions for continued spiritual growth

• Counsel for the congregation’s journey

• Encouragement in the midst of challenges

Post-Blessing Ministry

The post-blessing plan should be well-considered so all priesthood can be involved to ensure the greatest experience for all congregation members. The congregational blessing is an inspiring, instructional, and deeply valued “moment” in the life of any congregation. We all desire, though, that the experience will be more—far more— than a warmly remembered event. While it clearly is important that careful planning and preparation precede the special experience of blessing, it is equally vital that careful planning be done for afterward.

No two pathways for what happens afterward will be identical. It is important that planning be done with the end in mind. God always calls his people to be the blessing they have wanted to receive. Now that the congregational blessing has been given, they must share and embody what they have received.

The following suggestions, drawn from various places, show the variety of choices available. The goal is to find ways to integrate the content, direction, and spirit of the blessing into the life of the congregation and its individuals. It becomes a “living blessing” to the extent the people receive, respond, and reflect its messages to one another and to others not yet in membership.

It should be understood that the congregational blessing speaks to a moment in time, not to all time. In fact, it may be important to encourage the possibility of periodic congregational blessings. Pondering its meaning should be done with the purpose of finding fresh expressions of its message individually and as the local Body of Christ that brings new energy, deeper devotion, and passion for Christ and the cause of Zion. It should continue to speak to all as its message is studied and used for guidance and instruction.

A word of caution: The congregational blessing is not in-tended to be elevated to the status of scripture or prophetic guidance for the World Church or other congregations. By its nature, it is particular to a specific people, time, and place, though based on eternal principles and understandings. In fact, its growing value is always found in its relevance to the local Body of Christ and the many ways it blesses their lives together while calling them to higher levels of devotion and witness.

We invite you to share the ways your congregational blessing has been a blessing to your people and the com-munity based on what occurred afterward. We hope the following ideas spark other ideas that you could share with us.

Ideas for Distribution of Congregational Blessings

• Give everyone a copy of the tape or CD, DVD, or video.

• Prepare a booklet containing the total service and blessing for each member.

• Post the blessing around the church building and in classrooms, where all can take ownership.

• Place the blessing in the conventional blessing envelope for each person.

• Give each member a copy of the blessing at a special service.

• Have priesthood take the blessing to every home and review it as a blessing to the family.

• Create a DVD as a worship resource with selected messages from the blessing, accompanied by inspiring photos, perhaps including pictures of local members, with appropriate musical background.

• Post the blessing on a congregational Web site.

• Ask children and youth to prepare materials, banners, etc., showing key messages that spoke to them.

• Give a copy to new people who come into the congregation.

Continuing the Experience

The congregation may take numerous steps to experience continued enrichment of the blessing:

• Create adult and children’s classes using the congregational-blessing document as the study focus.

• Convene the priesthood in special study sessions and prayer to examine how the blessing speaks to its general calling and specific office ministry. Identify actions members may covenant to take individually, as well as collective commitments for ministry for the next 12 months.

• Hold a congregational retreat within 60 to 90 days of the blessing, creating theme and content sessions that arise from the blessing.

• Revisit the specific purposes identified for the congregational blessing and discuss implications that arise after the blessing is given. Identify specific follow-up steps that seem appropriate to better accomplish the purpose(s) for which the blessing was given.

• Actively encourage the people to seek other types of personal and family blessings, bringing fresh vitality to their spiritual lives as individuals and families while the congregation experiences a “newness” of life.

• Create music, hymns, poems, artwork, or other expressions that reflect the congregational-blessing message. Deliberately involve all ages.

• Hold six- and twelve-month reflections or evaluations of what the blessing has done or should yet be doing in the congregation. Revisit its message and identify what needs to happen to keep it relevant and inspiring. Use it as a guide for intentional congregational planning.

• Use the blessing to frame messages of invitation and involvement that are relevant to the community, friends, and others not presently part of the fellowship. Look at how it can shape your intentional outreach in service and invitation to others.

• Develop family worship materials that build on the themes from the blessing, just as such worship guides likely were prepared in preparation for the experience. Use key messages from the blessing, selecting relevant scriptures, hymns, and other resources that connect to the key message.

• Have a service of praise and thanksgiving for the blessing. Include individual expressions of commitments to be a blessing by several congregation members.

• Ask people to share how the blessing has spoken to, affected, or changed them. This could be done as part of Sunday-morning worship services, as part of prayer services, or in other settings.

• Continue to more fully use the available evangelists (particularly those involved in the blessing) in public and personal ministry. Ask them to more fully expand the blessing message and build on its relevance to the membership.

• Use key blessing messages for worship themes, preaching topics, prayer-service focus, and personal and family study.

• Challenge the congregation regularly on how members, as the Body of Christ, can be a blessing to each other and those in the neighborhood. Ask members for specific suggestions that could be compiled and used for discussion.