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Religion

Campfire to offer s'more spirituality

Presbyterians plan the fun event. Catholics, a concert. Baptists, a Valentine dinner. Churches are reaching out to the secular masses.

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published January 25, 2006

SEMINOLE - At Lake Seminole Presbyterian Church, they're readying marshmallows and graham crackers for s'mores and brushing off old campfire songs, and the preacher is promising to keep his comments brief.

After all, Friday evening's old-fashioned campfire is not Sunday church. It's a simple outreach effort paired with the gentle courtship of those too timid or cynical to join the congregation for formal programs.

Pique their interest, organizers hope, and perhaps they'll return and become part of a Christian fellowship - Lake Seminole Presbyterian's or anyone else's.

"It's very nonthreatening," the Rev. Robert Wierenga said of Friday's lakefront gathering. "I'm going to give a campfire talk. It's not a sermon."

What Lake Seminole Presbyterian is trying to do is not unique. It's a form of subtle outreach increasingly being used by congregations to evangelize their unchurched neighbors. Churches offer concerts and talks, carnivals and teas, musical productions and, for those on the cutting edge of communications, on-demand Web casts of services and Bible study.

Kendall Taylor, director of congregational transformation for the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, recently talked about his denomination's outreach goals.

"We have a lot of congregations that are inwardly focused and we're trying to get them to connect with their communities and to be in ministry in their communities," he said. "Our ultimate task is to make disciples of Christ. But we can't do that if we're unconnected."

Some Methodist churches hold block parties, he said. Members visit neighbors with a small gift and an invitation to the event that is held outdoors on church property. The celebrations offer games for children, free food, music and an opportunity for fellowship, Taylor said.

"It's an attempt to connect with the community, to get them on the property and make them feel hospitably welcomed," he said.

Community outreach is not limited to Presbyterians and Methodists. Various Christian denominations are engaging in such efforts.

Locally, Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 1600 54th Ave. S, in St. Petersburg, has planned an event it hopes neighbors will attend. The church has invited John Michael Talbot, a contemporary religious musician, to perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 12. Tickets cost $25.

At First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks, 12685 Ulmerton Road, Largo, the major outreach program is an annual country jamboree that brings throngs for rides, ribs and catfish.

"We probably have 12,000 to 14,000 people over a three-day period," church administrator Tim Ferguson said.

The congregation's outreach for single adults, Smiley's Coffee House, was once a bar. This Valentine's Day the church will offer an evening of dinner with love songs by visiting musician Kenny Evans. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $28, but tickets must be purchased beforehand.

Ferguson thinks Lake Seminole Presbyterian's campfire program is a good idea.

"I'm sure they're going to have great results from that," he said. "You kind of just do everything you can to get that net out there and reach people."

Longtime Lake Seminole Presbyterian members Nancy and Tom Armstrong are organizing the 7 p.m. campfire at the church, 8505 113th St. Nancy Armstrong said she got the idea for the outdoor event several years ago when the congregation began working on a five-year renewal plan. Since the church's annual Easter sunrise service on the lake had always been popular with the community, she thought another outdoor event might also be successful. Armstrong, who ran a children's camp in Maine with her husband, thought the church could offer a campfire program. Friday's will be the church's first campfire.

Leaders from Young Life, a Christian youth organization, will help with the gathering, which will include secular and religious music. Those who attend are asked to bring lawn chairs and flashlights. The church will distribute information about its other programs.

"Our plan is to have once a month, some type of event for the community. We're right in the middle of Seminole and we want to use our facility to be part of the community in a very positive way," Wierenga said.

"Many people are hesitant about being involved in churches. They might not be traditionally religious, but there's a spiritual hunger. For us at Lake Seminole, our goal is to raise our visibility in the community to become a community church."

[Last modified January 25, 2006, 00:55:16]