Thriving Church Lab

In this episode, host Hannah Sanderson sits down with guests Lynsey and Anne from "InTogether"—a Presbytery Mission Initiative based in Perth. They share their story of creating a welcoming, new worshipping community specifically tailored for families with children who have additional support needs.Key Topics Covered:Rooting Ministry in Need: How "InTogether" started by identifying and listening to the specific needs of families raising children with additional support needs.Starting Small & Trialing: The importance of testing ideas on short-term trials rather than jumping into long-term commitments.Building Relationships: Moving from high-contact, low-content community spaces toward deeper spaces for spiritual connection and faith-based conversations.Creating Accessible & Safe Environments: Practical ways to welcome families before they even arrive, including providing detailed information sheets and clear venue details.Discernment in Leadership: Distinguishing between a "good idea" and a "God idea," prioritising healthy team relationships, and leading with authenticity.Each episode is accompanied by a learning resource with practical action steps and reflective questions available on the Church of Scotland website.

In this episode of the Thriving Church Lab, host Hannah Sanderson sits down with Rev. Everisto Musedza, a parish minister from Dunoon (Cowal Kirk), to discuss practical approaches for building vibrant, growing, and intergenerational church cultures.Key Discussion PointsIntergenerational Ministry & "Pizza Church": Everisto discusses how recognising the need to engage young families led to the launch of "Pizza Church"—a monthly gathering attracting over 100 people where all generations learn, eat, and worship in the same space.Deepening Faith with "Plug-in Church": Following the success of Pizza Church, the team created "Plug-in Church" to provide a space for community members seeking deeper spiritual engagement, prayer, and spontaneous worship.Culture of Experimentation & Permission: Everisto shares his leadership philosophy of giving teams permission to try new ideas, fail, adapt, and share ownership.Building Genuine Community: From door-to-door parish visits to bringing joy, fun, and banter into worship services, Everisto emphasises the power of meeting people where they are in their daily lives.Challenging the Status Quo: Drawing on his perspective of coming to Scotland from Zimbabwe, Everisto highlights the importance of asking "why" to re-evaluate outdated traditions and focus on current community needs.

Welcome back to the Thriving Church Lab! In this episode, host Hannah Sanderson is joined by Val, Grant, and MC from SALU Church (St. Andrews Lhanbryde & Urquhart Parish Church) in the north of Scotland.Together, they dig deep into the "HOW" of creating vibrant, growth-oriented church cultures, moving beyond vague "weasel words" to real-world community action.In this episode, we cover:🛠️ Building Team-Driven Cultures: How SALU transformed their church structure into 5 action-oriented "Church Action Groups."💬 Creating Safe & Honest Spaces: Practical ways to build trust, foster genuine relationships, and encourage honest reflection.💻 Using Tech & Systems for Reach: From rapid website response times to using AI tools (Sermon Shots) to deliver 5-day daily devotionals from Sunday sermons.🏫 Connecting with the Local Community: Engaging schools with hands-on initiatives like lunch-time knitting clubs, coding clubs, and intergenerational projects.☕ The Power of Joy, Fun & Prayer: Why prayer is the foundation and fun is the fuel for sustainable ministry.Whether you're a church leader, ministry team member, or looking for practical ways to cultivate growth and community engagement in your context, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.