Board of Social Witness - Congregational Support Services

New Developments

Engaging with the Community is a discussion document prepared by the Social Issues and Resources Committee of the Board of Social Witness. The church's influence is gradually fading in the everyday lives of many on the island of Ireland as well as in the social structures of our society/societies. The church no longer forms the basis of Western society and culture; it's opinions on moral and community issues no longer widely sought. This booklet aims to tackle issues linked to the changes that have occurred in this regard over recent years. How can the church retain some influence or even contact with those swept away in the current of secularization? The primary motivation of this booklet is to try to help congregations re-establish links with their local communities by working out the meaning of faithfulness to Christ in their own contexts. The evangelical proclamation of the gospel must be accompanied by the practical love exemplified by Christ; we are called to care for those around us-a 'no strings attached' approach to those around us with no Christian or church affiliation. Evangelism and social action are inextricably linked-not mutually exclusive. We need to think actively about our church's role in the Irish society of the 21st century. As Gary Millar writes in the Foreword, "We need to be much clearer in our thinking, and much more honest in our assessment of our impact on society."

A copy in PDF format can be downloaded from the resources section.

Similar information can be found in a document released by the Church of Scotland called, "Church without Walls" that can be found at www.churchwithoutwalls.org.uk.