The heart of Austin Mustard Seed is to always be inviting others to follow Jesus, but we feel a conviction that we haven’t done this well. This summer we are taking steps to actively seek out our neighbors, and structure ourselves to better welcome them when they connect with us.
An oft-cited axiom states that any organization is perfectly tuned for the results it’s already getting. We have plateaued at a size that isn’t sustainable, because we’ve operated as a church that isn’t sustainable. But…
The mission of Austin Mustard Seed is to form communities of Jesus who experience and expand God’s work of renewal together. We are asking all of Austin Mustard Seed to join as we imagine what it looks like for us to seek and invite others into the rich community and growth that so many of us have experienced.
Join us July 18 and 25 to continue our discussion from Vision Night. We'll explore and make plans together for how we can specifically and tangibly move towards friends and strangers in our city.
Our existing staff has been limited to maintaining our weekly programs, and we are hiring a Kids Coordinator. But even as we need to increase, we’ve averaged $1500 below our budgeted income year to date, so we’re trying to make up a difference of $3500/month. There is some good news -- we’ve already had some pledges and single gifts to cover $1400 of that amount! But we still have $2100/month to go.
Not all needs are financial. We have many gifted women and men who can serve as leaders to help us develop. Throughout July and August, you’ll hear about specific opportunities for service as well as opportunities to develop new roles and ministries.
"Having a large group of friends who don't identity as Christian has been one of the most enriching experiences in my life. When I posture myself to listen and receive their stories as valuable and lovingly woven by God, I learn so much about his character through them. Not only that, I learn about myself. When we sit around the table with all our laughter and tears and questions, I experience something of the community I'd like to think Jesus envisioned for us."
While we have had three paid staff people, none of them is full time. Our church is staffed creatively with bi-vocational pastors who have other jobs in addition to the work they do for AMS. Taken together, their hours for AMS add up to one full-time person. We are shifting hours to make space to add time for Daniel and a Kids’ Coordinator as those are priority roles right now.
Hiring a Kids Coordinator was going to be based both on income growth and some other potential budget and staff-time cuts. Chris’ change gives us the confidence to move ahead now to hire someone, but we are still hoping to increase our giving so no further budget changes are necessary.
We believe our liturgy is still a key entry point for people, but it has hit it’s ceiling. Fewer new visitors seem to sticks around. Increasing our capacity and energy on Sundays will make liturgy an experience where new friends feel welcomed and engaged.
With more time, we are confident that he will bring new energy and creativity into Sundays. This includes writing new prayers, teaching new music, and investing in the growth and development of musicians and other leaders. The goal is both our sense of reverence for God and hospitality towards visitors.
Daniel hopes create an artistic and worshipful experience that is more cross cultural. He is also excited to collaborate with our new Kids Coordinator to better integrate our kids into Liturgy.
Much of our liturgy will look the same, but we will focus more on engaging non-staff members in shaping and facilitating Sundays. New roles and opportunities for participation will offer everyone a greater sense of ownership and opportunity for personal, professional and spiritual growth.
On an average Sunday at least one-third of our attendance is kids ages 10 and under! This creates unique challenges and opportunities for us as a church. Leading our kids well supports our existing families, helps kids feel like they belong, and creates space for more families to be welcomed at AMS. Providing better structure and discipleship for our kids also makes Sundays a more welcoming place for non-parents.
The Kids’ Time on Sundays will take on a new look beginning in August. WThis structure will help our volunteers feel better prepared, feel more successful, and provide more different ways people can help. We also think it will make space for new kids to join us.
The new Kids time will include a Large Group moment with music and Bible Stories. This will be followed by age-based groups with playtime, crafts, and for older kids, further discussion. The groups will include PreK, K-2nd, and 3-5th grade and a new Middle School group!