Small and Mighty: ASC Launches Monthly Zoom Series to Empower and Connect Smaller Churches

The Association of Smaller Congregations (ASC) Board hosted the first in its series of monthly Zoom gatherings on Tuesday, June 3 at 7:00 pm. Fifty-two persons registered for the Small and Mighty Zoom Gathering and 38 were able to attend in person.

Board President, Caroline Dennis opened the June 3rd gathering with a greeting from the Board and a description of ASC and its commission to connect, equip, and encourage smaller congregations within the bounds of the Synod of the South Atlantic. Caroline shared that of those registered for the event, 22 were employed full time and 30 part time. In the group were two CREs, a congregational consultant, an educator, a clerk of session, a missionary, a member of our national office staff, several presbytery leaders, a small church coordinator, 17 ruling elders, and 20 teaching elders, representing the three states and 16 presbyteries of the Synod of the South Atlantic. There were 20 registrants from Georgia, 22 from Florida, nine from South Carolina, and one from Kentucky. Average weekly attendance of the churches represented ranged from 12 to 80.

The meeting continued with an encouraging devotion from ASC Board Member and Teaching Elder member of Trinity Presbytery, the Reverend Leon Page.  Following the devotion, those gathered shared good news of small and mighty things God is doing in and through their congregations. One participant rejoiced in having sold their building and leasing part of it back. The church is enjoying intimate family connection without the worry of maintaining a building too large for their current needs. Other celebrations had been noted in participants registrations: food pantries, recovery ministries, preschools, an online gaming community, weekly soup kitchen, vibrant intergenerational ministry, “we are a hub of hope in our community.”

Finally, the gathering directed their attention to the greatest needs. Participants shared either through their testimony or their registration that they need to know they are not alone, that they are being prayed for. They need to resources for church growth, grants to assist with building repairs, efficient ways to meet administrative needs with a fully volunteer staff, ways to help their community, resources for Christian nurture across a broad span of ages with few persons in each age group, social media assistance, space to hear from God, leadership training and development, and more.

The ASC Board will be reviewing the needs and resources shared to build twelve months of gatherings hosted by folks with expertise in these and other areas of need.  Stay tuned for complete list of gatherings coming soon.

We celebrate that our smaller churches are “hubs of hope” in their communities, engaged in vibrant, Spirit led ministries that are of eternal value. And we acknowledge that our smaller membership churches need connection, resources, and encouragement.

Taping into rich resources among our small churches and in our wider church, we are excited about what ASC has to offer this year as we gather each first Tuesday for our Small and Mighty Zoom. 

Click here for a recording of the first gathering: ASC Introduction and Connection

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Our next Small and Mighty Zoom Gathering

July 1, 2025 | 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Topic: Christian Nurture Resources for All Ages

Facilitator: Britanny DiGiammarino, Christian Educator and Small Church Coordinator for Flint River Presbytery

Brittany will offer a summary of resources for blended classes, intergenerational groups, and young adults to our July Gathering. Participants are invited to share resources that are working well in your own contexts.

Please register to receive the Zoom info using this link.