Making a Statement

As Fifth Avenue Presbyterian enters its 200th year, it does so with a new, singular vision: to be “a relevant servant church that makes a difference for Christ in the lives of people of this city and around the world.”

That was the key goal laid out in the strategic plan for the next three years developed for the church. Jill Paine, a member of the Strategic Planning Task Group that devised the vision statement, said input from
pastors, officers and members revealed that service was their passion, their calling, their inspiration, and what moved them to give of their time and financial resources.

“It was clear that FAPC members and staff believe that the church is called to follow Christ’s model of ministry as the consummate servant leader; as members of a relevant servant church, together we will seek to ensure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served,” says Paine.

While the vision is streamlined, there is not one simple definition for what those needs are: for some, it may be education; for others, worship; and for others, outreach.

Determining the relevancy of outreach efforts, worship and programming is something that must take into account the needs of people currently not being served by the church. We must genuinely inquire and discern what will be relevant to those in spiritual or physical need, and begin to construct programs, services, ministries, music and education that speak to those needs, rather than to perpetuate traditions only for tradition’s sake.

One place some changes are already noticeable is in worship services. Fifth Avenue has long been known for its beautiful choral music, and now the church is looking to get more of the congregation involved by including more volunteer members in the choir.

Since last fall, Fifth Avenue has been experimenting with different styles of alternative worship services. About once a month, these services are held in the chapel at 7:00 pm on Wednesday nights; new worship styles may appeal both to groups already in the church, as well as demographics we’re not currently reaching.

“I don’t think a church can be everything to everyone, but I do think we can offer different kinds of ministries that allow different types of people to connect,” said the Rev. Paul Rock. “That said, having a relevant worship life is not as simple as jazzing up services with guitars, projectors, and other trappings of what people think of as ‘modern’”.

“I can go to a service that is very high-church with an urgent message and hymns and have it feel really relevant to me,” Rock said. “On the other hand, I can go to a more contemporary church that is very
predictable in the way they do worship and it can feel completely irrelevant.”

The church’s pastors are also striving to make their messages in sermons and other discussions engaging by tackling urgent issues and spurring congregants to action.

“Whoever is preaching, it’s always about the lives that we’re living,” said deacon Alex Knight, a member of the board’s service committee. Challenging topics are part of discussions outside the traditional
parameters of worship, too. The Rev. Roland Perdue and his wife Jane spoke frankly about sex, marriage, and relationships – certainly, relevant topics to people in their 20s and 30s – in a recent series of Sunday
afternoon Focus meetings.

The congregation, meanwhile, is being called to greater levels of service. During Lent, members are being asked to prayerfully consider how they might serve the church and the community, and to make a written commitment to that end on Palm Sunday.

“To be a member of a church focused on following his example is a humbling and powerful experience,” said Paine. “Together, as Christ’s servants, we collectively can allow Him to work through us to bring light to this world. I believe that those who are serving others and being served will grow as individuals and obtain a greater understanding of Christ’s love.”

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7 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019 212.247.0490