Dear Class Member,
The news story that is the basis for our next lesson concerns "outsiders" who were invited to move to a small town but then not made to feel welcome. The dynamics in the story are similar to what sometimes happens in a church when new people come.
Most congregations say they want to grow, but this story invites us to consider whether we actually want new people in church when it means that we have to adapt to changes they might bring. So that will be the topic of our next class.
If you wish to start thinking about our topic in advance, below is some introductory material.
Feeling Unwelcome, Family Plans Departure from Town that Invited Them
The Wired Word for February 21, 2010
In the News
Four years ago, Michael and Jeanette Tristani and their twin children accepted the invitation from Hazelton, North Dakota, to move there from their native Florida and receive two free lots and up to $20,000 in startup money. They received the free land and some cash, but not much of a welcome, they say.
Now they're planning to return to Florida.
In 2005, the Hazelton Development Corp., formed by a group of citizens concerned about the town's dwindling population (currently about 240), ran ads across the country to lure new families, offering land and cash. They also invited businesses, offering them free lots and $50,000, but no businesses accepted the offer.
The community had hundreds of inquiries from families around the world, and several families actually visited the town. But the Tristanis were the only family to actually move there. They heard the offer as "an answer to our prayers," Michael Tristani said. The couple was tired of Florida's crime, traffic, hurricanes and high cost of living. After the move, they found that Hazelton indeed has a low crime rate, low tax rate and a low cost of living. And the Tristani kids like the school.
Despite those benefits, the Tristanis didn't find the welcome they expected. "It's been quite an experience, 50-50 at best," Michael said. "No one really wants new people here."
The couple came prepared for the bitter North Dakota winters, where wind chills are sometimes 50 degrees below zero and snow is measured in feet rather than inches. They weren't prepared, however, for the small-town drama.
When Michael Tristani came to town, he was wearing gold necklaces and a Rolex and driving a Lexus -- in a place where pickup trucks, farm caps and bib overalls are more common. "People thought I was a drug dealer," Michael said.
"People prejudge you without getting to know you," Jeanette Tristani added.
Tom Weiser, one Hazelton city leader behind the project to bring in new residents, said, "Not everybody fits in a small town."
Initially, the Tristanis opened a bistro and coffee shop, but they soon had to petition for a restraining order against the owners of another coffee shop, who, they allege, drove by their house yelling obscenities and threatening to damage their home. Now both shops are closed.
Hazelton isn't the only small town on the Great Plains that has used the land-and-cash lure, but those that have been successful with it are near larger communities -- no more than a 30-minute drive away. Hazelton is a 45-minute drive to Bismarck -- in good weather.
The Tristani home is now for sale. Jeanette says the main reason she wants to move back to the Miami area is to care for her elderly parents. Michael said his in-laws have no interest in coming to Hazelton because of the cold weather.
But it may also be because of the feared cold shoulder they might receive.
More on this story can be found at these links:
The Big Questions
Here are some of the questions we will discuss in class:
1. What are the reasons your congregation would like to attract new people? What do those reasons indicate about your congregation's goals?2. What do you think a visit to your worship service feels like to new people who don't know anyone in your congregation? How might that experience be different for people who are unlike your usual congregants in economic, educational or social status? How might it be different for people of another culture or race?3. What obligations about hospitality does Christianity include?4. What things help new people to become integrated into a congregation?5. Do you personally really want new people in your church? Why or why not? To what degree are you willing to institute changes in your church's practices to attract new people? To what degree is it the responsibility of the new person to fit into your church the way it currently is?
Confronting the News with Scripture
We will look at selected verses from these Scripture texts. You may wish to read these in advance for background:
John 12:12-26Hebrews 13:1-6Matthew 25:41-461 Corinthians 16:13-211 Peter 4:7-11
In class, we will talk about these passages and look for some insight on the big questions, as well as talk about other questions you may have about this topic. Please join us.
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