The Ebb and Flow of Attendees

The following was brought to Meeting for Business by Ministry and Oversight (M&O). It grew out of concerns brought to M&O and discussions in M&O about those concerns. It was brought to Monthly Meeting for Business asking for it to be considered as a recommendation, and requesting feedback and direction. It will be considered again at August Monthly Meeting for Business, to determine if we feel we have the desire, energy, and commitment to move forward. Friends are asked to forward any thoughts about this to M&O prior to next Monthly Meeting for Business.

There have been concerns raised about the ebb and flow of attenders, the lack of welcome that new attenders sometimes feel, and the lack of children and young families. New and younger attenders bring energy, but it takes work to foster them. Clear Creek members sometimes feel overwhelmed by the needs of the many occasional attenders, and that can make it hard to be welcoming.
Without being welcoming, we are unlikely to see our numbers grow. We have often had the attitude that people will find us, and if we are right for them, they will stay. However, we have seen many just drift away. We have not been able to meet their spiritual needs.

M&O raised the question: what would it take to increase our numbers?

Many ideas came forth. We may have an opportunity to change meeting time and have use of the meetinghouse for longer on Firstday if College Meeting changes its time (a current possibility). That would open the possibility for meals after meeting, and the possibility of speakers that draw a wider audience.
What would happen if we approached this with intentionality as a meeting? Without expecting the burden to fall on a few members or committees, but if the meeting as a whole decided to try to grow? If we took a semester, or a school year, and made a commitment to try to grow? If we invited new faculty to meeting (as West Richmond does), if we invited friends and acquaintances to come to meeting with us (as many churches do)?

We bring this as a recommendation for consideration and as a request for input and commitment from the meeting.