Wicker Park Grace was started with grants from the Presbyterian Church (USA) as a “new church development (NCD).” Seven years of annually smaller and smaller grants end this year. The initial idea was to start a church in a new way, maybe a “church without walls.” Something that would be more resonant with millennial people. Something that would draw from the roots of tradition and history, but which would continue to grow and develop new branches, new blossoms.

After 2 years meeting in coffee shops, and 6 years meeting in an art gallery, Wicker Park Grace has been rootless and wandering for 6 months, having lost our art gallery to an expanding company, building more offices. We’ve been meeting in the common rooms and fellowship halls of two different churches in two different neighborhoods. Who are we? What are we becoming? We’re no longer a “new church development,” but institutionalizing as a church does not seem like the right move for us because of the ways the structure would change and limit us.

We looked to our friends at Broad Street Ministries in Philadelphia for a new model. They came to the same turning point where WPG finds ourselves. Broadstreet serves a transient, urban population and was committed to not having membership roles. We are similarly committed. When someone shows up and participates, they’re “in.” Our friends down at the Emmaus Community in Chicago Heights talk about “belonging before believing.”

They say, “At Emmaus you can belong before you believe. You do not have to be a member to share your gifts, talents, or abilities. This church celebrates the sacraments of communion and baptism and takes the Bible seriously.” Lots of people and lots of faith communities are having these kinds of conversations.

The Presbytery of Chicago is in process of adopting a new policy manual for new church developments, and it will have a section describing the option for a community to affiliate with the Presbytery as either a new church, or as a “Missional Faith Community.” Here’s how the policy reads, in part.

A Missional Faith Community:

exists to love, serve, challenge, pray and struggle alongside the surrounding community where it finds itself called into being by God

engages a theology that is compatible with the Reformed Tradition

gathers regularly for worship, for opportunities to explore Christian discipleship and spiritual formation and to follow Jesus Christ

has a plan for spiritual and worship leadership that is appropriately equipped for leadership and faithfully compensated

has an identifiable and recognized lay leadership and a faithful and accountable governance structure

has an ongoing commitment to mission planning and to communicating a vision for ministry that may include leadership training, growth, evangelism, and a commitment to engagement with the community in which it serves

has a realistic financial plan for sustaining its ministry

Lots of this language is from Broad Street Ministries, and the Missional Guidelines from the Presbytery of Philadelphia. We’re grateful to them for documenting their work there in the Philadelphia Presbytery. And we’re grateful for the wonderful work they do in downtown Philadelphia!

We think that Wicker Park Grace will appeal to the Presbytery of Chicago in November to become the first Missional Faith Community of the presbytery. The leadership co-op of Wicker Park Grace is planning a community retreat to explore this together in October.