As we at Circle Church began our ministry with the Zion Evangelical Free Church, I don’t see how things could have gone better—for the first month! It seemed to be that kind of romance where neither group saw the other’s faults. From my files, I have included a letter that was sent out by Al Nestor, the consulting pastor, at the beginning of October, 1968. This letter demonstrates the feeling that everyone had.

It has been exactly one month since I accepted the responsibility as pastor of Zion Church. A church with forty-eight years of experience had nearly died. Attendance had never been lower. Three pastors had decided to decline invitation to this pulpit within the year. In one month things have changed.

Let me illustrate with comments from three men.

One board member had been praying for his dying church for years. He feels God has now answered his prayers. He is open to the various changes being made at Zion and in his exuberance even made the comparison of these innovations with those brought about by Martin Luther!

A second man had attended for two years to encourage the people since the first sentiment was expressed favoring closing Zion Church. He now reminds the people that other urban churches are carefully observing what is happening here.

A third man led his first Bible discussion group. He probably had never been asked before. After a thorough study and assistance from the library, he did a tremendous job. He is an integral part of God’s plan for Zion.

As pastor, I am trying to seek purpose in every activity. This church will be a group effort involving every interested person. God, through His Spirit, is developing each individual, as we work together. That is part of the reason that the average attendance has more than doubled in one month.

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?

Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?

David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.

We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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In this blog post, I am continuing to present the contractual agreement that was drawn up and approved by Circle Church and Zion Evangelical Free Church, as the churches worked to cooperate in reviving Zion’s ministry to the community. The agreement contained only five essential points. Here are the last three, as follows:

3. PAYMENT FOR SERVICES. At this point a pay scale was determined covering salaries, travel and hospitality, medical insurance, housing costs, and office expenses. Circle agreed to keep separate books of all expenditures made from Zion funds and at the expiration of the agreement, or at any time requested, to furnish Zion a statement in writing summarizing all expenditures and to return unspent funds at the termination of the agreement.

4. NON-TERMINABLE AGREEMENT. We jointly bind ourselves to the agreement for the period of one year, with the only exception being “if Zion should determine it has irreconcilable disagreements with the consulting minister on spiritual matters or on the implementation of the ‘Circle Approach’ to Zion’s congregational and community ministry, the Zion shall notify Circle’s Board of Deacons in writing of such disagreements and request that a different consulting minister be assigned to Zion.” The contract stipulated that such action on Zion’s part should have prior approval of no less than a two-thirds majority of its then existing church membership.

5. AUTONOMY OF ZION AND CIRCLE. “It is acknowledged that both Zion and Circle are presently independent, autonomous church organizations and that it is not the intent of this agreement to alter or affect the complete autonomy of either organization. Each retains the right to govern itself completely independent of the other in any manner whatsoever as established by its respective congregational membership.”

With the signatures on the bottom of that contract, we bound ourselves to a one year experiment with Zion which began on September 1, 1968, with a young member of our congregation, Al Nestor, acting as consulting minister.

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?

Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?

David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.

We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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An agreement would be necessary to ensure a smooth transition as Circle Church worked toward providing tactical support to Zion Evangelical Free Church. A contractual agreement was drawn up and sailed through the approval process of both congregations. The agreement contained only five essential points, as follows:

1. A short explanation of the “Circle Approach” emphasized its genesis stemming from dissatisfaction with the organized church which we found not facing the issues of the day, a church not supplying relevant answers, a church not elating to modern man living in an ever-changing and technologically complex world, a church that was basically ingrown.

The agreement then went on to state, “The ‘Circle Approach’ says that members should not be involved in endless programs, but rather in the ministry of the church in their respective worlds. They should gather for worship, prayer, and discussion in order to build and strengthen each other in the faith, so they may better share that aith in their individual daily lives.

2. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED. “For a period of one year commencing on September 1, 1968, and continuing through and including August 31, 1969, Circle shall furnish Zion the services of a full-time consulting minister, a part-time minister of music, and a pulpit minister for each Sunday morning service.

The consulting minister, under the direction and guidance of Circle staff, shall work directly with the Zion congregation. In this capacity he shall analyze Zion’s needs and potential in order that a church ministry based on the ‘Circle Approach’ will be developed an implemented in Zion’s congregational and community ministry.

The minister of music, also under the direction and guidance of Circle staff, shall develop and implement a church music program which will complement the work of the consulting minister.

The obligation for Circle to provide a pulpit minister for Sunday morning services will generally be fulfilled by the consulting minister assigned to Zion by Circle. However, it is understood that Circle will use its entire pastoral staff as well as laymen from both congregations to fulfill this part of its obligations.”

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?

Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?

David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.

We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

Share and Enjoy