Third Place

Socialize and strengthen your relationships

Kevin Ford’s book, “Transforming Church: Bringing out the good to get to great,” is a phenomenal resource for developing a healthy congregation. With all the “church growth” models and strategies available, Ford approaches things differently. The focus of a church should be that of “creative community,” which is based on serving others and growing spiritually. Churches too often became “a dispenser of religious goods and services where people came to get instead of a missions station where people are launched to give” to others.

Creative community is how God has called the church to live. We are a community of people in relationship with God, each other, and the world around us. Creativity defines the redemptive and purposeful activities taking place in those relationships. Ford states, “Although God has designed local churches to differ from each other in many ways, one thing is not optional: unified community. A healthy body, by design and definition, is never a collection of disconnected individual parts.”

Which brings me to Third Place. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg’s book, “Celebrating Third Place,” remarks on the lack of casual relationships which has put a lot of strain on family and work relationships. First place is home. Second place is the workplace/school. Third place is where casual relationships occur.

The concept of Third Place is one where people have a place to hang out, meet new friends, and talk with old friends. The Latin word trivium meant the intersection of three roads—a place where people on a journey would stop to socialize and talk about everyday things. It’s where we get the words trivia and trivial. Small talk, but not unimportant talk. Third Place is an important part of community.

Over the past few years, there have been many changes to our narthex. The changes have addressed this need for a “Third Place, where they can “hang out,” drink a cup of coffee, tea, or juice, and have a bite to eat. But what Third Place does even more is to bring people together to foster community. There are great conversations, new friendships formed, and a feeling that this is home.

Third Place does not have to be only in the narthex. It could be a nearby Starbucks, Corner Bakery, or watching the Holy Hitters play softball. It just has to be easily accessible, help new people make friends and old friends catch up with one another. If you know of a Third Place gathering of Christ Lutheran people, let others know, too. If you have some time between services or after the late service, join the others who are “hanging out.” It’s a great way to meet new people and besides, it wouldn’t be the same without you.

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Sue Beadle