Does a Small UU Congregation Matter?

A small congregation does matter, I say.  They should just be the best small congregation they can be, letting go of the idea that they "should" in some way "grow."  Even if there are other congregations that are a lot bigger and denominations that are a lot stronger, or something, it's not necessarily true that if they stay small, there is something wrong with them.

The smallest of the UU congregations I know has some history of people holding grudges and making life difficult for them.  They also have a couple of difficult members whose ways of relating to newcomers are off putting.  But for all that, they are a good hearted group, capable of putting on a meaningful worship service, producers of very good children's religious education, providers of excellent pastoral care to their members in need, and participants in substantial social service projects.

I enjoy leading worship with them.  They are responsive.  They sing.  They hang out after service and visit with one another and with me.  Coffee hour has a pleasant hum of people engaged with one another. This visit, there was home made cheesecake. (The quality of after-service food and the ambient sound of coffee hour are indicators to me of the general health of congregational life).

Will they grow?  They could, if they can work through the grudge thing and neutralize the members who repel visitors.  I believe they are in the process of turning these roadblocks into signposts, but it may take some time. While these obstacles to growth are being whittled away, they will remain small, embodying our  faith on a small scale, spreading themselves in a small way into their community.  To my mind, this small congregation does matter in our movement.

Let us encourage these small congregations.  It is not their fault that among us there are grudge-holders and people who believe the world revolves around themselves.  The difficult people are ours, too, and the struggle to deal with them in wholesome, loving, ways is our struggle.

When I visit, I extend a word of encouragement.  Connection to their larger movement seems to be important.  I'd like to see small, lay-led fellowships be visited often by religious professionals who are passing through their territories, maybe to lead worship with them, maybe just to stop in and talk with a few leaders about what's on their minds.

Maybe it will help them be the best small congregation they can be, holding up the light of our faith to the community around them.  And maybe that is enough. For now.