Local Church Cohort Equips Congregation to Re-Engage Community

For over 107 years, the congregation at New Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Goulds, Fla., has been a place for fellowship in the community. Recently, Rev. Robin Dixon-Floyd, along with the congregation, engaged in a strategic planning session and identified that their members are enthusiastic and engaged about the church’s continued presence, are benevolent and culturally sensitive, and are a heartily welcoming presence.

But, there were also areas identified as opportunities for growth. The church members admitted that there were things that needed to change, but they weren’t really sure where to start. Once a cornerstone for the community as a hub for education and a meeting place, the church was no longer effectively ministering to their dynamic and diverse community with a makeup of over 54% Hispanic, 39% Black and 4% White.

They identified that there wasn’t really a structure for planning or engaging their community. Rev. Dixon-Floyd said, “We realized the importance of developing a concrete strategy to translate our vision into actionable change. This cohort will present timely, transformative opportunities to identify community needs, develop strategic tools, and foster deeper community connections.”

“This cohort represents the critical step to move from intention to action … the people are ready to do the work!”

Rev. Robin-Dixon-Floyd

The Foundation for Evangelism’s Thriving Congregations Local Church Cohorts provide comprehensive training and resources for Wesleyan-tradition churches pondering how to take the next step in developing an evangelistic ministry. Each cohort, held in the spring and fall, culminates in an opportunity to apply for a grant from the Foundation. Participants will be guided through the process of outlining a relevant evangelism experiment or initiative, leveraging the knowledge and skills acquired during the cohort training.