Annual Report 2022

WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME

You have felt it. We have felt it. TCL h f lt it

Coming out of lockdown, for many of us, there is an appearance of a "back to normal " Traffic is back Routin are stretched again. Calendars are full. Travel is in full, o even overly full, force.

But we are not the same internally. Our world has under universal trauma on top of our individual struggles and The one certainty in this post lockdown chapter is uncertainty. We are defining, or being defined by, emerging norms and trends that will slowly but surely rise out of this transitional season for the world over.

The Church Lab was built for this moment because it is built to take joy and curiosity in experimentation, in risk-taking for bold and creative faithfulness, in learning from failure, and in walking with others to help them do so.

Where neighbors are less sure about the way forward, about how to get spiritually anchored, about how to bridge divides, about how to act in bold faithfulness even within faith communities, we stand in the gap and celebrate worthwhile risk-taking and learning that leads to bold faithfulness, to the future of faith practice! It is terribly exciting.

Every effort we make, in the dialogue room all the way to church leadership strategy meetings, is helping people spiritually grow in this moment by acknowledging, embracing and seeking spiritual growth in our shared uncertainty We are committed to continuing to take joy in throwing strategic, creative spaghetti at the wall and learning more and more about how to follow God's lead even when we feel disoriented, and then to offer those lessons to any around us who would like our help

HOW HAVE WE BEEN DOING THIS IN 2022?

The Baugh Foundation graciously granted us funds for Carrie to write 2 projects to help people we haven't reached before She is writing about how to dialogue across difference as well as how to pursue non traditional ministry in this era of change.

We are experimenting with how to elevate dialogue, and accompanying spiritual growth, when anti dialogical sentiments are on the rise nationally

We are testing the waters of digital, hybrid and in person spaces for ongoing dialogue community, inviting new people into it and pursuing the most in depth topics possible within the dialogue community.

We are walking with faith leaders and lay leaders to understand the context in which we find ourselves. Then we accompany them in a creative, sustainable pursuit of faithful questions that will form their new norms as faith communities

We are trying out a "theology nerd night" as a new angle on Christian discipleship we haven't tried before, which also nurtures interfaith and potentially even non religious welcome within the same space and time.

We are testing interest and engagement with social events, movie+discussion nights, Navigating Divisive Conversations workshops, Facilitators' Training and interactive worship experiments that were offered pre pandemic, considering what renewed or distinct forms they could meaningfully take now, and/or if they should continue and much more!

how we work

The Church Lab experiments with meeting spiritual needs in effective, meaningful ways

As we learn from our experiments, we walk with other leaders, helping them take meaningful experimental risks in line with their call to service.

In all we do, we most highly value depth and nuance in one ’ s spiritual life

Our central experiment to pursue this is through sustained, small group interfaith dialogue facilitated by a pastoral facilitator.

We meet biweekly for interfaith dialogue. Beyond this, we share opportunities for local and global service/mission, creative worship experiments, and discipleship for participating Christians

Pastoral care is offered to anyone, no matter what one ’ s beliefs are, with no strings attached.

There are folks who identify with many faiths, or no faith at all, or who are not sure what they believe, that find this informal, small community process as a beautiful way to ask questions and explore one ’ s evolving convictions in a safe, encouraging dialogical space.

Then we take all our leaps of faith, our failing up and our learning's lessons, and we share them with others who want to try experiments with good lab partners. We do this by pastorally facilitating pastors' cohorts, lay leaders' cohorts, community discernment retreats, trainings, workshops, and specialized consulting projects

We need you to keep up this vital work!

Together, we are finding the future of faith practice for any who seek it.

Amen

Please read on to learn more about all that we have been up to this year, and our prayerful hopes for going forward. We hope you will seriously consider participating and giving generously to our mission. This time next year, we will be celebrating our 10-year anniversary! We are excited to celebrate with you, and would be able to do so because of you! With immense gratitude to God for y'all, Pastor Carrie

our affordable

work helps us do ministry full time,

your generosity exclusively It is run entirely

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OUR MOST IMPACTFUL GIVING IS THROUGH MONTHLY PLEDGING.

visit thechurchlab.org and scroll to the

To become a monthly or

section. It is easy to

and you can set up recurring

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carrie@thechurchlab org to let

Over the last 9 years, TCL has celebrated learning from failure and successes both in ministry content and exploring operational structures that will sustain it We have intentionally gleaned lessons in hopes of walking with others with effective support as they engage their own experiments in this age of religious change.

From our Backward Bible Study and Dog Church to “Chortle” Discipleship + Karaoke, from our Family Portraits for Harvey victims who lost all their photos all the way to Pandemic Pen Pal community care, complete with surprise packages at community members' doors, our experiments have offered lessons, evolutions and layers of “aha!” moments in how we can serve God and God’s people. We are excited to continue discovering ways that speak to changing dispositions and growing needs around connecting to God and to each other more deeply and securely

In 2018, we began our 1st offered consulting project to help share gleanings from our experiments with other leaders. We want to help others who wish to take risks in bold faith for the future of spiritual growth. In 2019, we had over 20 requests for consultations, trainings and workshops!

In 2020, we took the leap to try to be full time When the pandemic hit, we wondered about our timing! Then God provided a path for us to help our dialoguers and many faith communities to creatively navigate the pandemic, and help their wider communities in so doing. We were honored to get to do so.

In 2021, we worked with 11 church cohorts across the entire state of Texas We provided Facilitators' Training We developed a team of TCL Pastoral Facilitators We have spent a weekend in Logan, Utah, helping university students and members of First Presbyterian Church of Logan to level up in their abilities to navigate divisive conversations.

have energy to engage. This era tests our DNA as being built for risk, as in a chapter with no set norms, we must have space to fail and learn enough to define rather than be defined by rising new practices and rhythms for our lives and faith practices. We are here to surf the wave of uncertainty coming out of lockdown, and to invite others into a space to learn, too

In this spirit, in 2022, we have

committed to focusing on core ministries, testing and learning what expressions remain meaningful and how feeling out what IRL, hybrid and Zoom options work in meaningful ways for our mission.

re introducing events that went on hold during lock down, such as social events, worship experiments, movie nights, and observing what energy exists for them trying a new experiment like Theology Nerd Night! brought on the wonderful Andrea Carroll as our new pastoral assistant!

emerge from the pandemic, whether through day retreats, long term contracts, helping a discernment process on closing or staying open, etc working on 2 book projects, thanks to the Baugh Foundation's grant!

All along the way, we have prayed and rooted on our Chortle discipleship crew through unforeseen lows and evolving, grounded joys

As for our core spiritual growth ministry, a k a our interfaith dialogue community: With about 184 dialogues under our belt, we cannot wait to get back in the Lab for more.

We are meeting our mission by living up to our laboratory name, taking bold risks for the sake of discovering how God is leading the Church and the future of faith practice in the United States!

TCL’s 9 years and counting:

Every two weeks, a group of 6 10 people gather from the 4 corners Among us may be mainline Protestant, Evangelical Christian, Catholic, Pagan, Ahmadiyya Muslim, Baha’i, Jewish, spiritual but not religious, non identifying/seekers and humanist perspectives

Thanks to video chat, even preceding the pandemic, we have become a hybrid local and national community! We have TCL dialoguers, participants and supporters all over the US! This year, we ’ ve had digital dialoguers in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, California and Puebla, Mexico.

It is vital for us to have conservative and liberal viewpoints in the room together At first, dialogues are about education and awareness As participants see each other again and again, and sincere community becomes possible, our time grows us in rich ways.

We acknowledge one another’s dignity of experience, we laugh together, even as we approach issues where disagreement is inevitable. We are challenged in our own spiritual lives to reckon with the mutually exclusive angles of our friends’ beliefs with our own Our prayer life may change, our perspectives may shift, our ability increases to hold neighbors in love who approach life so differently than us. We inevitably discover a more nuanced faith, and a capacity to extend love in a deeply meaningful way in our current political, cultural and social climate

andGodthroughthemediumoftabletoprole

PASTORALCARE

BecauseTheChurchlabrunsoff donations,ratherthanmembersthat payfees,thosedonationsfreeusupto offercaretoall.TheChurchLabthen becomesacommunity invested system,moreandmoredeeplyover time.Weoffercaretoanyonethat needsalisteningear,orhasbig questionsaboutspirituallife,nomatter theirbackgroundorbeliefs.Thisisavital experimentthatkeepspastoralcare frombeingrestrictedinanycapacity, sinceincreasinglythosethatneedcare donothaveaspiritualhome/institution.

DISCIPLESHIP

ForChristiansinTCL'scommunity,we offerasmallmonthlygatheringfor Christiandiscipleship Wegettogether andtalkabouthowwe'redoing,andlet thatsetthesceneforhowweare growingintoadeeperrelationshipwith God,withaChristianperspective We reflectonhowourreflectionsintersect withdailydecisionsandbehaviors.Our oneconsistentquestionforeachother is"...andwhereisGodinallthis?!"

Aswepreparefor2023,weareexcitedto

nurturecoreministriesofdialogue,discipleship,worshipandmission,andto furtherequipandempowerin houseTCLcommunityparticipantstokeep growingintheirownership,leadershipandevenintheirownexperiments.

developandexecuteastrategyforbridge buildingforanincreasinglyanti dialoguechapterinUShistory.Thismaybethroughapaneleventand/or informaldiscussionssurroundingourdialoguesessions.

openupmoreintentional,organicavenuesforspiritualgrowthforpeoplewho areuncomfortablewithreligionasaninstitution.Someofthismayinvolve increasingtheno stringsattachedpastoralcareweoffernon programmatically.Thismayalsooccurthroughnewexperiments,suchas applyingournewTheologyNerdNighttoanon religiousaudiencewhohas questionsbothaboutspiritualityandunderstandingreligiouscommunities.

developandbeginexecutingastrategyforhowtohelpcurrentandfuturefaith leaderstoexperimentandbeequippedfor21stCenturyministry.Thismaybe donethroughanewpastors'cohort,throughnewcontractedprojectswithfaith communities, classes,orevenwithneweffortsinequippingothersthough curriculumpairedwithli

In2021,weraised$60,209.That'snearly$7,500morethanwe'veeverraisedforoperationsbefore.We stewardedthiscarefullytomeaningfullyserveourmission!Wearesogratefultoourgenerousfinancial

Afterayearlacedwithpersonalgriefin2021,theboardgraciouslyapproved Carrie's6 weekSabbaticalinearly2022.After13yearsofministry,thiswas Carrie'sfirstfull timeSabbaticalever.Shewasimmenselygrateful.Shetookon aspiritualdirectortohelpherusehertimeoffintentionally.Otherthangettinga bitstuckinMexicowithcovid,shehadawonderfultimetravelingpartofthe time,restingtheother,andreflectingandprayingthroughout

WereceivedaGRANTfromtheBaughFoundation!!!ThisallowedCarrietowrite

Onewritingprojectisdedicatedtohelpingothers learntodialogueacrossdifference.Theotherisamemoir esquereflection intentonhelpingthosedoingnon traditionalworktobeprovidedwitha blueprint,whichisraretocomebyinthislineofwork.

CarriewelcomedAndreaCarrollasournewpastoralassistant,focusingontrainingandwelcoming

CarrieparticipatedinLeadershipAustin'sEssentialcohort,whereshehasmetincrediblenew

CarriecontinuedtoserveontheboardofFellowshipSouthwest,afellownon

CarriewashonoredtoguestlectureattheUniversityofTexasatAustinSchoolofSocialWorkabout

BOARDOFDIRECTORS

incomingtreasurer!JennaPontiousisourincomingfundraisingchair!AndreaCarroll alsoa boardmember! ischairingaspecialseatthisyear:coordinatingour10thanniversary

WeareparticularlygratefultooutgoingboardmemberJulieHagen,whosteppedupinto ourfirstactiveboardchairroleever.Sheinstantlyleveledupboardculture,andkeptthat evolutiongoingthroughouthertenure.HerleadershipleavesastronglegacyforTCL,and wearesogratefulforheradvocacy,past,presentandfuture.

WehadourfirstIRLretreatin3years!WehadaGREATtimeconnecting,manyforthefirst

Lunch and LearnaboutTCL:Thisisastraightforwardeventtolearnabouttheoverall missionofTCLandourseveralexperimentswhichperpetueourmission.(Onlineguests willbesent$10fooddeliverycardsperpersontocontributetotheirlunch,andwewildo thisforonlineguestsforupto10people.)

TheologyNerdNight:ThisisanewcoreministryexperimentinwhichTCLparticipants gettogethertogodeeperintothetheologybehindarecentorupcomingdialogue topic PerspectiveswillbeginwiththeChristianbeliefsystem,andifpartsofthe dialoguecommunityparticipate,perspectivesofvaryingbeliefsystemswillbe welcomedintothecruxoftheconversation Thiseventisa2 houreventwhichoccurs IRLoronlineperiodicallyonaweeknight

WorshipExperiment:TCLoffersonlineand/orIRLworshipexperimentsthroughoutthe year,witheitheraChristian specificfocuspointwithroomforinter religiousdialogue afterward,oramulti faithfriendlyritual,practiceandreflection.Youarewelcometojoin inonanyofthese,ofcourse!

3)Weencourageyoutoforward,shareorre postoneorallofourmailchimp,blogorsocial mediaeachquarterwithabriefpersonalnotetosomeoneyouknowthatyouthinkmight careaboutmaterialwearepresenting.

4)Finally,ifyouareontrackwithyourAmbassadorgoals,wewillcelebrateyouatourannual AdventConspiracycelebrationinDecember!Wewillacknowledgeyourcontributionswith gleeandgratitude,andwewillinviteyou asanoption,withnopressure tocontributebrief wordsviawritingorvideotoshareaboutyourexperienceasanambassador,asyouwish

OuramazinglyfunLabPartnerPastorRev.AmosMeyerandFirstPresbyterianChurchofElgin. OurfantasticcontinuitycohortthroughTheMinistryCollaborative,andtoTheMinistryCollaborative, whomadeitpossible!

AndreaCarroll,ourpastoralassistant:Wearedeeplygratefulforherpassionandcompetence,her devotiontoandparticipationinourTCLcommunity Weareluckytohaveherevolvingourmission onsomanylevels!

TCLpartnersandfriendswithwhomwe'vegottentoworkatwhatweknewasServantChurch,as wellasShepherdoftheHillsPresbyterianChurch,MadisonSquarePresbyterianChurch,anda specialthankstoUniversityPresbyterianChurch,withwhomwewerehonoredtowalkthrough muchoftheyear.

Ourwonderfulboardmembers:ChairWendyCooper,10 yearCelebrationChairAndreaCarroll, TreasurerDashKeesandFundraisingChairJennaPontious!

NatalieTraylor,whooverhauledourbookkeepingsysteminspectacularfashionandthendiligently trainedAndreaCarrollonhowtotakethebaton!

Ouroriginalboardmembersfrom2013haveofficiallyallrotatedoffandmovedforwardintheways theyexpressTCLsupport.Theyaredeeplyvaluedandtheircontributions'legacywillbefeltforyears tocome:AaronKarr,Rev.SabrinaChan,JenelleD'Alessandro,StaceySchwenker,Dr.JenRosner,Rev. JustinFung,Rev.TreyHaddon,SaraBurbackLim,KellyDunlapandJulieHagen!

OurthirdyearofAdvisoryCouncil:Rev.MattGaventa,Rev.ElizabethMclean,Dr.JenRosner.Your questions,insights,confidenceinourcapacityandenthusiasticsupportforourmissionmeansthe world

SpiritualdirectorLucindaClark,whohasbeenanindispensablesourceofinsightand encouragementthroughoutthisyearforPastorCarrie!

PastorCarriehasasupportsystemthatmakesherexperimentalworkpossiblefrombehindthe scenes,whetherbymentors,friends,folksthathelpherprocessleadershipdecisionsorsimplyhelp hergetsomerestorplayin.Sheisimmenselygratefulforthosethathelpherbecomeabetter pastorbymakingsuresheisawholehuman.ThanksbetoGodfory’all.