I heard an interesting comment yesterday about multiple congregations within one church. Specifically, the reference was to churches like Church in the Hills who have a distinctly different congregation in the summer as compared to the winter.
Don't misinterpret my words - many of the people from winter are here in the summer. However, the snowbirds who go south for the winter and return in the summer are added to the congregation every spring/summer. As I observed this past year, the congregation nearly doubles in size with summer friends, visitors, and people who only live in the area during the warmer months.
This creates, as my friend articulated, multiple congregations. There is a year-round congregation, a summer contingent, and the ever present visitors who flock to all Northern Michigan has to offer (people who are here skiing for a week, boating, fishing, whatever for the summer, etc.)
The concern about this revolves around our connections with one another in the church. How can we maximize our ministry potential in light of a dynamic, changing congregation? What activities, conversations, and ideas help us feel connected in spite of "seasonal difficulties?"
