According to a blog I read not so long ago 12 is the number a new church start needs to have as the core group to really begin succeeding. I’m not sure what the statistics and research are behind this number, or if it’s just conveniently biblical, but it’s been a goal of ours for a while now. We long to have 12 committed and active adults as part of the Sellwood Faith Community. The picture at right was taken one night when we had 15 people at dinner! 2 of the women pictured moved on to another faith community and one has been ill and unable to participate (members of the community visit her regularly). Two of the people in the picture are ringers who do not live in Portland and were just visiting on this night. The four of us not pictured are all still active as are 6 of the people seen here. This night I remember feeling so close to our goals and a tipping point of some sort to be sustainable as a community. Then life happened and things changed and the ringers went home. Now, several months later, our table is regularly full again. We have 11 adults in our core group and 6 kiddos. Are we going to hit that magic 12 soon? Will it really make a tangible difference? I have no idea. I sure hope so, but I’ve decided to let go of worrying about it. We have delightful, committed disciples here and I am learning a lot from them as we journey together. This is a place where people come together to be renewed, challenged, and nourished spiritually in order that we might all go forth in ministry to the world. That is happening in glorious ways. My prayer is that no matter how many are in the core group or just count as participants or who come once and get what they need then we continue to unfold God’s vision and minister to our neighborhood. I hope you will join me in that prayer.
-Eilidh
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