Rev. Carolyn Kern, pastor of Pierceton United Methodist Church, literally has helped her church leave its building. In fact, the church recently auctioned off its building, selling it for $130,000. The proceeds will now help fund the church as it ministers within the Pierceton community. In a recent national UM podcast, Rev. Kern says, “We don’t need a building, to build community.” In fact, with 6-8 people showing up on Sundays, the building was actually a drain on the church’s ministry.
Instead the church is focused on connecting with the people of Pierceton where they live and do life. For example, Pierceton UMC has “adopted” a local downtown bar, called the Taproot Brewhouse. The church not only holds its weekly Sunday worship service there, its pastor and members also help clean, cook, and more than one even got their bartending license to help serve drinks. All this to connect with the local members of the community, to get to know them and build relationships with them, and to share with them the love of Christ.
Early on, Rev. Kern realized that the church needed to connect with people in new ways. Although it was attracting fewer than ten people to its building on Sunday mornings, the church started cardio drumming groups that each averaged 20-30 people. All together they have 125 on the cardio-drumming rolls!
The church also saw a need and filled it. The local Catholic church serves a free community meal once every-other month. Pierceton UMC folk, who have assisted the past eight years, decided to begin offering an additional free meal on the intervening months. Typically twenty or so volunteers serve around 225 people, with more than a dozen additional volunteers supporting them with their prayers and help with logistics and food preparation. Oh yes, and they do this out of the Taproot’s kitchen!
To find out more about this unique church and its community-focused ministries, visit its Facebook page.
How is your church leaving its building?
— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development
We don’t need a building, to build community.
TaprootBar tending license—cooks, cleans tables, t
Friday-Monday spend time with people attending
Cardio drumming, Monday’s and Wednesday’s Pleasant Grove, 20-30 per night, 125 on rolls, 6-8 people worshiped on Sunday mornings.
Pierceton, 3rd Thursday a month, had a community meal. Had
Served 225, 20 volunteers at Taproot, another 15 prayed, prepared food ahead of time
Making Disciples, Transforming Communities 