“Changing the name of the Church...

what’s all that about?”

Here are some responses to a few of the questions people have asked...

“Why have you changed the name of the Church?”
We didn’t feel that, in 2008 and for the coming years ahead, our previous name was any longer as appropriate or as meaningful in our non-Church going culture. We therefore sought God as to a name that both says something about who we are and what we are about, and is more able to be properly understood by those we are here to reach. The process took nearly four years and involved consultation with both members of the Church and those outside it.

“But aren’t you going to have a new building... so why not wait until then?”
Firstly, there is no guarantee of a new building and even if there was we do not know the timescale of this. More importantly, we have not just changed the name because of a potential change in location. We have changed our name ‘now’ to better reflect who and what we are as a Church, namely, we are a Church that seeks to be ‘in’ the community ‘for’ the community. Church is about people, and demonstrating that people matter. The process started nearly four years ago, before there was any discussion about the re-development of Charles Street.

“Hasn’t this all been a bit rushed?”
No. Members were first asked about their views on this back in November 2004. Following a survey in October 2006, where more than four times as many members suggested the name ‘Dorchester Community Church’ than anything else, we spoke to members at our Autumn meeting in 2007, asking for feedback and / or suggestions with regards to our making a proposal at the AGM in March 2008. The name ‘Dorchester Community Church’ was continually the preferred option throughout, and the vote at the members meeting was carried by an overwhelming majority, so we thank God for both His direction and His confirmation here.

“What process was used to make a final decision?”
We received 13 suggestions as a Leadership Team, of which 10 were from one individual only. One suggestion came from one of the ‘LIFE Groups’. Other than prayer, which was an ongoing factor for us as a Leadership Team, we first discarded anything that resembled the name of another local Church. Next, anything with the words ‘Acland Road’ in it as any new building will probably not be in Acland Road. Next, anything where the word ‘Church’ did not appear because we felt this word was important for us to retain. Next, anything that we felt either sounded too much like jargon, or too out of date, or may not have been interpreted very well by other Churches, ie to say that we were ‘the’ Church for something may imply that we felt others were not! We then asked ourselves, from what was remaining, which name we felt was right? The whole Leadership Team was unanimous in proposing ‘Dorchester Community Church’, and there was no other name that, as a team, we felt positive about proposing. This, in itself, was a sign, we felt, of God’s leading. The Trustees were also in support of the proposed new name being ‘Dorchester Community Church’.

“Why weren’t there various choices put to the members?”
We have tried to get the balance right between leading and listening. We also wanted to avoid a potentially divisive members meeting where different ‘groups’ were speaking in favour of their preferred individual choice. The Church appoints people to the role of Leadership for the purpose of leadership, so we each felt it best to discern what we felt was right, based on our own thoughts and that of Church members, and then just to put this one name to members to vote on. This we did, and the proposal of ‘Dorchester Community Church’ was carried by an overwhelming majority, which we saw as God’s confirmation.

“But the new name doesn’t have anything ‘Christian’ in it?”
That may well be more of an issue for ourselves, as believers, than for those outside. It also depends on our view of ‘community’, and of ‘Church’. To those outside the Kingdom of God, the word ‘Church’ continues to be equated with at least something about ‘God’ and ‘faith’. People who we have spoken to ‘outside’ the Church about our change of name have nearly all been positive, stating that it seems more inclusive and for people like them. We know that the word ‘Community Church’ doesn’t put people off of coming to Church because two of the largest local Churches to us are ‘Bournemouth Community Church’ and ‘Yeovil Community Church’, both having several hundred in membership, both having credible reputations in their communities, both being evangelical and both having changed their name for the same reasons as we have. Just look at their websites to see the tremendous impact these Churches are having for God!

“But don’t some people look out for an evangelical Church?”
Only Christians. And other Christians actually look out for a Community Church! Although we recognise that many holiday makers or people moving into the area may look for an ‘evangelical’ Church, and it is great when such believers join us, that is not our ‘primary’ reason for being here. Christians know how to find what they are looking for, whereas we need to do all we can in an increasingly non-church going culture to remove whatever barriers we can, and we know that our previous name was very rarely understood by those outside the Church, as the 2004 survey at the Dorchester Show confirmed.

“Does this mean that the Church will be doing things differently?”
We never change things simply for the sake of change. But neither should we be content to ‘do what we’ve always done’ either. We will continue to do what we do now but also to seek to be more effective in what we do now. We will also look to see how we can be more effective in reaching people and in connecting with our community. There are always ways to improve, and we constantly need to be re-thinking and re-evaluating how we do what we do. That said, we will, of course, continue to be an evangelical Church, believing and proclaiming what the Bible teaches. Nothing changes either regarding what it means to be a member of the Church (see the section on ‘membership’).

If you have other questions, about the name of the Church, some of the current new initiatives or Church life in general, please speak to one of the Elders. Thank you.