How small churches, many of which are closing their doors every day, can thrive locally and even extend their impacts nationally and internationally is the subject of a video-book study being made available to the public by the United Church of Friendship (UCF).

Weekly sessions are being conducted from 10AM to 11:30AM Mondays at The Carter House Community Ministry Center at 37 East Main Street.

The six-chapter study explores how a church in Canada, where its 10 members were about to close its doors, was revitalized, spawning many new churches in the Saskatchewan province, along with a Bible college and many new ministries.      

Flickering Lamps – Christ & His Church was developed and written by Henry Blackaby, an internationally known pastor and speaker and author of the Experiencing God – Knowing and Doing the Will of God study, and his son, Richard.

The book, accompanied by video commentary, traces the path of Christ’s purpose and plans for His church, and His presence, power, provision and pre-eminence in fulfilling such purposes.

The study was written at the request of a major church denomination as a guide to help reverse the trend of several thousand struggling or declining churches in the United States curtailing operations each year.

UCF Pastor Kirk Kirch, who is facilitating the non-denominational study, says it provides a “powerful testimony as to how churches and communities can be revitalized by focusing on the Lord’s plan for leading the way.”

He said the Friendship church is pleased to be able to provide this opportunity to pastors, church leaders, congregants and the general public throughout the area to “help develop and re-develop local churches as significant assets for community outreach to those in need.”

Blackaby’s original Experiencing God video-discussion series also is being offered to the public at The Carter House at separate weekly sessions from 9:45AM to 10:45AM Sundays or 1:30PM to 2:30PM Thursdays.

Further information and pre-registration for Flickering Lamps is available at grammakirch@gmail.com or (585) 973-7951, with the regular retail book cost of $11.95 plus shipping being reduced to $5 total as a result of community churches outreach ministry support from Allegany Hope, Inc.