Not Your Average Revitalization

by Rev. Susan E. Moody, Pastor, Chester Congregational Church, Chester, VT

I was sitting at my desk in Boxford, MA the first time I ever heard of Chester, VT. I was telling Terry Shanahan that I was looking for a new job, and he said “Well, there’s this little church in Chester, VT looking for an interim…” Little did I know how much those few words would change my whole life! Five months later the Congregational Church of Chester, VT called me to be their interim pastor.

At that time, attendance averaged 12 people on a Sunday morning and the median age of those attending was about 70. This 240 year-old church, with a building that can seat 200, was struggling and wondering what God wanted for their future. Their former pastor had decided to retire and due to the attendance, they had been faced with a decision: close the church and use its assets to begin new works other places, or call an interim and wait for God to direct their future.

When we began our journey, the official Church Development process of the CCCC was not available to us, because the church was just too small. But we implemented some of the facets of revitalization, guided by John Kimball:

• We set about organizing physical spaces around the church. Emptying storage closets of remnants from “the good old days,” helped people understand the need to make room for the future God had in store.
• We reviewed the history of the church, and then joined together in corporate repentance, taking ownership and asking forgiveness for how sin had hindered the work of the Kingdom of God. It did not matter whether it was our sin or someone else’s, we simply repented.
• We studied Peacemaker by Ken Sande and lovingly confronted a church culture of non-confrontation. People have applied these principles in their businesses and families too, and the results have been amazing.
• We took the Natural Church Development We expected it to emphasize our obstacles, but the results actually showed that the Holy Spirit was actively at work here. The survey refocused and reenergized us.
• We studied the Irreducible Core of Christianity. As we looked at what it meant to love God, love others, and make disciples, we found opportunities to do Kingdom Work within the congregation and around town.

As a result of working hard and opening our hearts to God, a lot has happened in 3 years:

• 20-25 people now come each Sunday when we gather.
• We have started a prayer list and offer intercessory prayer ministry to the folks in town.
• 5 new members joined our membership.
• We baptized 3 adults this summer, the average age of whom was 75!
• We have financially supported a church planter with a major 3-year repeating gift.
• We have held Bible Studies both at church and at the Senior Circle Apartments.
• We have grown deeper in our individual relationships with God, and learned to listen to the Holy Spirit.
• We have become a true church family rather than just fellow pew-sitters.

And just recently the congregation voted to continue to pursue revitalization! We still need to grow stronger before we can officially enter the CCCC Church Development process, but God is already working in the deep places of people’s hearts.

It is amazing to see how much God has changed the spiritual DNA of the Congregational Church of Chester, VT and her people in the last three years. As we continue to focus on loving God, loving others, and making disciples, we wait with anticipation to see what God does next!