A20 Annual meetings can be different

Ideas to experiment with

First published on this website in February 2009 and last updated in December 2024

Synopsis

This Article seeks to breathe fresh life into what is often a turgid and predictable part of the church’s calendar. It gives 20 ideas under three main headings.

1: The big event
Church gathering rather than administrative meeting – inclusive design rather than restricted access – new time/place/layout rather than predictable pattern – future vision rather than past history (part 1) – active participation rather than passive listening – honest assessment rather than bland comment – Jesus central rather than human focus

2: The printed reports
People-stories rather than organisational reports – overall picture rather than disconnected snapshots – future vision rather than past history (part 2) – creative writing rather than turgid detail – interview format rather than standard prose – imaginative layout rather than common typing – prayer resource rather than meeting agenda

3: The administrative business
Handling news rather than financial complexity – future budget rather than past accounts – visual presentation rather than wordy explanations – decisions taken rather than matters discussed – planned elections rather than instant voting – defined profiles rather than vague assumption

This article has been updated in December 2024 with minor amendments to the text.