Name Change Discussion

At Church today (March 22), I brought up the issue about the possibility of us changing our church name from Otterbein to something different. Let me summarize again (in case you were not at church today or I didn't make it clear when I was presenting it) some of the reasons why this is even being discussed. 

1. Because of the number of Otterbein Churches in the area, there is often confusion when communicating about events as to which Otterbein Church it is being held at.  There is an Otterbein Church in Greencastle, one in Quincy, and one in Hagerstown.  There are also other Otterbein Churches in the area beyond those three.  Just recently, a local architect sent out information about a building addition being added to Otterbein Church, 801 Park Street, Waynesboro, PA.  That is our address and the name of our church, but we are not planning an addition to our church.  When we contacted them, they told us they messed up and it was really a church in Newburg, PA.  Lately, this kind of confusion has been happening a lot in correspondence, emails, and other ways with our church.
2. When people not familiar with our church hear the name Otterbein, they often have all kinds of questions and associations in their mind about who we must be and what kind of church we are.  For example, since many of the churches whose name is Otterbein are United Methodist churches, people often think we must be a United Methodist congregation. As you know, we are not affiliated with any denomination.  Just last week, someone asked where I was the pastor and I told them Otterbein Church.  Their response was that we must be a German congregation with a name like Otterbein.  Others simply ask, What is an OTTERBEIN?  Since it is not a common name, it conjures up all kinds of images.  My guess is that for many people, Otterbein sounds like we are a very "formal" and have a "high church" worship style.  The point is simply that it seems the name Otterbein raises images in people's minds that are not really reflective of who we are as a church. 

3. Some have suggested that a better time to change our name might be when we relocate to Welty Road. For me, I have thought this was probably true and when the idea of changing our name has come up in the past, we have generally said we would revisit the idea when we move.  Recently however, someone raised what I think is a very good point.  They said that they believed that changing our name when we move would be a bad idea and if we are going to change it, we should do it before we move.  Here was their rationale:  When we move to Welty Road, we don't want to give the idea that we are some new church in the community or that we are reinventing ourselves when we move.  That simply will not be true.  While our worship auditorium and building will certainly look different, we are not planning major ministry program changes when we move.  We will be the same church -- just at a different location.  If a name change is associated with the move, it may add extra confusion and get in the way of us reaching our to our community.  Personally, I think that is a pretty good argument for not changing the name when we move and going ahead and changing it now if we think a name change is something we should do.  

Those are just three of the most common reasons that have been discussed lately for even considering changing our name.  You may have others and we would like to hear them. For me, THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS SIMPLY THIS -- I believe God wants us to do whatever needs to be done (as long as it does not violate Scripture) to remove barriers and hindrances for people coming to Otterbein.  If our name is getting in the way of reaching out to our unchurched community and not helping us reach people for Christ AND if changing our name would help us have a greater impact, then I believe we should do it. There is nothing sacred about the name Otterbein.  Frankly, I don't know if our name is an issue or not and that is why I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts to see what you think and are hearing from others.

There are a couple of other things I want to mention about the name change discussion. First, no decision has been made about whether we should change our name or not.  Ultimately, our Elders and Management Oversight Team will make the final decision.  It was the desire of the staff, Elders, and Management Oversight Team to hear what the congregation thinks about this and that is why we are seeking the congregation's input.

Secondly, we don't have a name picked out.  If, after hearing what others think about the possibility of changing the name, we move forward with a name change, we will have to figure out what the name of our church should be called.  I am sure our leadership team will welcome suggestions from the congregation if we decide to move forward with a name change.

Thirdly, any name change will take place over a period of time.  If you are familiar with the cellular service now called ATT, you know it once was called Cingular.  I believe they are a great model for how to change the name of a business or organization.  It took place over the course of at least one year so people got used to it and if we change our name, we will probably follow a similar model.

Lastly, for most of us who have been here at Otterbein a long time, "Otterbein Church" will always be "Otterbein Church" no matter what the new name is.  Someone reminded me lately that it doesn't matter what the name of the tavern/bar is beside the church, to them it will always be the Golden Goose.  That was the name they used for many years and when you start using a name, you often refer to it even if they start using a new name and have new owners.  The point is this.  For many of us, even if we change our name, it will still be Otterbein Church to us because that is what we have always called it and that is where we got married, dedicated our kids, went to funerals, made our decision to follow Christ, and much more.  As long as we are on Park Street, our cornerstone and engraved sign on the side of our church toward Park street will always say Otterbein.  That will not change.  Changing our name is not going to change our memories or even change who we are as a church.  That is not the point of considering the name change. Rather, the whole discussion and the question that is driving this discussion is simply an attempt to determine if changing our name would help us better reach our community for Christ. 

I realize this blog post is lengthy, but I hope it gives you some insight about why we are even talking about this.  PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE COMMENTS TO THIS POST.   In your comments, include your name, whether you think it is a good idea or not change the name of our church, and your rationale for your opinion.  I also encourage you to check back on my blog to read the comments that people have left as well as updates I will post about the name change.

Comments

[Deb Swope]

hahaha...case in point, I just tried to log into our church's website, typed in .com instead of .org and got another otterbein church instead! So, yes, I think the possibility should be explored for the reasons mentioned during the church service/on the blog. All are certainly valid and while a name change could cause some confusion in the Waynesboro community for a while, it would rectify itself over time. At least initially, for me, it seems as if the advantanges of changing our church name to reflect who we really are as a church body outweigh the temporary disadvantages.

[Bruce & Jean Gross]

In response to the question, should we consider renaming Otterbein Church, we say Yes!

We moved to the Waynesboro area 17 years ago after spending a number of years on staff at Lancaster Bible College and actively involved in our church in Lancaster, PA.

We began looking for a church in Waynesboro right away. We wanted a church that stood firm on God’s Word, was relevant to our daily lives, could offer our 6th grader a place to grow, and cared for the community around it. Although we visited several churches in the area, we did not find a good fit for our family and began attending a church in Hagerstown. We never even visited Otterbein!

We commented about the “big church on the edge of town” as we drove past each Sunday on our way to services in Hagerstown but we had no idea what or who Otterbein was. We had never heard the name before. To us, the sign on the side of the building announcing the name was not an invitation to visit, but a deterrent.

After 4 years of traveling back and forth to Hagerstown, we were invited to visit Otterbein. We spent the next few weeks wondering how we could have missed this church! The name was the one factor that stopped us from even considering Otterbein as a church we would visit.

We would support a decision to choose a name that would help people, who don’t know the history of the church, want to visit.

[Al DePaolo]

Since 1985 all I have ever known was Otterbein Church. Yes it was Otterbein U.B. Church, Otterbein Church and Ministry Center and now Otterbein Church. I have come to realize that the name of the church is not what counts but what the church is. That is God's eople that make the church. We are not Otterbeinarians, HAHA, but Christians following the word of God and the the love of Christ. I remember when we use to have a sign, over the choir, that said "Making Reproducing Deciples of Jesus Christ". That stuck with me more then the name does. God has a plan for our church, not our name. If God wants us to change our name who are we to argue with God. After all it all belongs to him.

[Steve and Linda Custer]

Steve and I would vote to keep the name the same. It is solid and established and Otterbein has connections to the religion..

We don't like the sound or feeling of a new modern trendy name like Sent from Heaven, Light in the Wildernes,s Neighborhood church, Believers Fellowship, Friendly Church, New Hope, Crosswolk, Waynesboro Community, Welty Creek, Bonds of Love Outreach, Bread of Life, Brighter Side, Covenant Life, Cutting Edge or Gateway (some of tseer are from the phone book).

Even with the move to the new location, Otterbein should go with us. I would prefer that people know that we are a growing established church rather than a new one.

As for the mix ups, the Robert Smiths of the world cope with it. Multiples are easily explained. As for the architect error, it is unfortunate but understandable.

We feel that it is not good to change just for the sake of change. If it is not broken ( and we assume it is not), no fix is necessary. We think the name should be solid, professional and businesslike and easily recognized, not catchey.

We feel that trends/seasons change. The Church should remain the same (constant). It shoud be a place where people are comfortable coming for teaching/preaching, not just a comfortable place to be. It is like Electrolux changing to Easy push or Convenient vacuum.

It is also as though it would be "under new management" which is not what we would want people to think. Some may think the teachings or principles are different and need a name change to justify this.

Thanks for listening.

Linda and Steve

[Sandy Krieger]

Mike,
Almost forgot to do this! I think a name change would be a good idea for all the reasons you mentioned. Go for it!
Sandy Krieger

[Julie Stone]

I think it is a good idea to change the church name. I think it's an excellent idea to change the name. The first time I saw the name "Otterbein" was on a building in Martinsburg WVA. I didn't know if it was a lodge, church or what. I later found out it was a church. I told Hal about this weird name and who would want to go to a church named "Otterbein".

I visualized (no joke) shrouded people having some type of old world service in German.

We would never have come here if it hadn't been recommended as a joyful church by someone who had attended here. Needless to say, we were wonderfully surprised.

People in Waynesboro are probably used to the name, but we had never heard of it before. Our daughter's church is named Daybreak. hmmm Daybreak (sunshine and light) Otterbein (shrouded Germans!).
I think the name change would be wonderful!

[LeVaun Stouffer]

Mike: The Otterbein name has been part of the community for a long time. To my knowledge there has been very little confusion because a more detailed point of reference is connected to the name. I feel if we want to change the name it should be done when we transition from the old church to the new location. Also. this would be a costly endeavor because of the changing of the signs, the stationery, any documents with the old name, etc. We would also have to educate the public to our new name. Since the economy is in such great need, would we be using God's money to provide the best services to our community? At this point I feel the name is not as important as to what we have to offer people spiritually.

Thank you forgiving us the opportunity to respond to this matter.

LeVaun

[Danny Nead]

Personally I don't think the name of the church should be changed, for the good of the church and gaining new believers I'm not sure. I feel the Otterbein church in Waynesboro holds a large amount of creditability, not only in it's name but in all the members and the staff, the positive influences it has on our community, if the name would be changed, would it still have the same creditabilty as it has currently within the community? When my wife and I joined Otterbein 2 years ago, the name didn't matter however we did approach Otterbein first because of the positive aspects we heard of the church which indirrectly are connected to the Otterbein name. It may help if we would know of the origin of the Otterbein name for the church. I hope these views are helpful.

Danny Nead

[Nancy Earley]

Hi Mike,

I have been thinking about the name change issue. So far, I can't see how keeping OC's name would be any kind of hindrance to people coming to our church. I think that people would know us by our advertisements and our members. I believe God is really involved with the people who walk through our doors and I don't think the name would make a difference in their coming. It is all new to me so I could change my mind. I do have a strong feeling about our roots, our heritage, and Otterbein's name is a big part of that. I guess, I am proud of it.

As I was thinking about the times people may get the different "Otterbeins" confused it led me to think that if we did change our name then we would have to invest money in new signs and not use all the paper stock with "Otterbein" on it and buy new. We would have to consider if this is a wise use of our resources (especially now in these economically hard times). I believe it would be if it is true that the name is a hindrance to people coming to know Christ. I am just not convinced of that as yet.

I have thought of one way to avoid getting the names of the churches confused. If we would advertise in the phone book and newspapers and when Otterbeiners refer to the church as "Otterbein Nondenominational Church".

This is just what I was tossing around so far. I will give it more thought. Have a good week.

[Judy Jamarik]

Mike,

I Must say I was shocked this morning when you brought up the issue of our church name..I personally feel that should not be an issue @ all..I can't imagine why a name change would affect our church one way or another. There is a Waynesboro Pa . Waynesboro Ga, Waynesboro Tenn, and maybe a waynesboro in every other state of our union..I would hope we would't change our town's name because someone could get us mixed up,not like the sound or roots of this name.. I feel we need to keep our name--The Otterbein,our church,should not be judged by its name or location.Its us,the people that make it what it is or is not..We don't need to be politically correct to appease just a few. Thank you.

[Tammy Mouer]

I just want to let you know that I think the name change is probably a good idea. It sounds as though it’s creating quite a bit of confusion and it’s also a very “old time” name.

The café sounds neat and I do support that!

[Joe]

Just to comment about the AT&T Cellular reference. I'm not certain that this would be a good example to give concerning a name change. Cellular One became AT&T, which then became Cingular, which then became........ AT&T again. I would not want to see the same scenario here, changing Otterbein to ?????, only to discover a name change might not have been a good idea, then return to Otterbein again.

Thanks for listening.

[Denise LaPole]

Mike,

I have to agree with Linda and Steve Custer on the name change for the reasons they have listed. I don't beleive the name of a church acts as a hinderance to new people or seekers attending. It is the people of the church that are the ambassadors of Christ. I think it is the things the church is doing in the community and how we as members relate with people outside the church that makes the name Otterbein Church a postive thing in our community. Thanks.

[Meagan Yellott]

I think it is a good idea to change the church name. I wasn't even going to start coming to this church because of the name until I heard good reviews. But I think a new name would be great to show who we are as a church!

[Ed Price]

I don't believe it's necessary to change Otterbein's name. I'm old fashioned and I believe that if it's not broken, you don't have to fix it. Otterbein is a great church with an excellent staff, excellent preacher's who preach the truth about Jesus Christ and excellent program's with many opportunities and programs for folks of all age's.

[Deb Wise]

I believe that there is going to be confusion with any name you have. I don't believe you can mention a few circumstances and justify that as a reason to change the name of the church. It happens with every business. Call me old fashioned but our church has been Otterbein for over 100 years. Everybody in the community knows us as Otterbein. I believe changing our name would be a disservice to our members and our community.

[Eddie Kelbaugh & Family]

I think its a good idea to change the name of our church. My reasons are this. When I talk to someone about whwere I go to church they assume its the one in Hagerstown and etc. My main reason is this. I think what we are all about sets us apart from the other churches - not that we are better than them. Its just that its a very special place for me and my family to grow and learn more about the things of God and especially how to deal with life itself. The name change is a plus as far as I am concerned.

[dave beltz]

mike, the name on the church doesn' matter unless it interferes with what god wants to do with that church. the people and the relationships that exists is what counts. love god with all your heart ,soul and mind, and love your neighbor like yourself is what jesus said were the most important things to christians. dave beltz

[Rudy]

Mike, I agree with those who have shared the view that a change of name is not necessary. God has blessed us and brought many new folks to our church. Perhaps we could have a more "modern" name but people aren't going to come and stay just because of a name. Surveys show the main reason people start coming to church is because they were asked to come. What God has to offer here at our church is the drawing point. As far as the wrong calls, emails, contacts etc. I'm wondering are they really that frequent and disruptive to justify doing this? Is there something we could do to better identify our website to Waynesboro? Maybe we could also make that more evident in our advertisements? Those shouldn't cost much. In fact, I'm not sure there would or should ever be a right time to change the name.

[Leo and Joan Ormanoski]

We both totally approve of a name change for all of the reasons you shared on Sunday. In that our church is an independent church now and in that the congregation has had an opportunity to accept that, we think the timing is right for the change . . . . and we certainly wouldn't want anyone to get us mixed up with another church - we like US too much!

Leo and Joan Ormanoski

[Richard A. O'Hara]

I understand your stand point for a name change for Otterbein, but is it necessary? A new church logo has been designed and is working well. If it is necessary, is it the right time? If we are to change our name, what would it be? I am not interested in the modern church names. I heard someone on Sunday refer to us as the newest "Holy Roller" church and I can see a more modern name could deter some people also.
If we are to change our name, I think it needs to fit into our new property. A name with Waynesboro, or Welty Road in it would be a nice fit. If we are to infact use the sprung structures, Otterdome has come to mind.
One simple solution for this entire issue may be a change in how we refer to Otterbein. I work for Farmers Cooperative Association. In order to attract non-farming customers, our logo and signs say FCA. I was in Future Farmers of America in high school. In order to involve more youth, specifically youth that were not farmers, they changed their name to FFA. If we fear as though Otterbein is a hinderance, why not simply remove the big Otterbein sign and put up the new logo that says OC. We could invite our neighbors to visit the OC with us. Just a thought that might make this all go a little easier.

Richard A. O'Hara

[Hal and Julie Stone]

We have enjoyed following the blogs on the name change and appreciate the varying points of view. A number of people have said the church is the people, and not the name, which is very true. However, you need to get past the name to get to the people. Many who have lived in this area are used to the name Otterbein. But suppose they moved to a different area and asked someone what church they went to and were told “Sprechenhaus”. It not only says nothing about the church, it would probably give a negative first impression. Just as an example, if we were Christ’s Community Church, people would know we were a Christian church. “Otterbein” tells them nothing. With many new people moving into the area, we need to do all that we can to draw people to us. After we had moved here and were looking for a church, we would not have gotten up one Sunday and said, “let’s go to Otterbein ”. As a matter of fact, we actually attended with misgivings the first time, and went only because someone had said they had attended a concert and the music was really good (Thanks, Dave)! We truly went in spite of the name. We love this church so much and we know we are all ambassadors of our church, but we can’t reach everyone. We should want our church to have a welcoming feeling from the moment someone sees the name on the church, reads the newspaper ads or hears the name of the church mentioned.
Julie and Hal Stone

[Peter and Julia Bernier]

We are all for a name change. When looking for a church for our family to attend we heard of Otterbein through an acquaintance. We were not so sure about what the church stood for as there was confusion about 'Otterbein beliefs'. Of course, as we delved deeper we found this Otterbein to be firmly entrenched in God's Word, as well as a stand alone entity.

God isn't the author of confusion, but of order. The name change would allow the church to identify more closely with its mission, and vision given by God. Sadly, today we aren't assured that every church door opens to the Truth. Shouldn't God be glorified in the name first rather than trying to figure out where the church stands?

Peter and Julia Bernier

[Sherry Lohman]

The very best thing my husband, Alan, did for me was "bring" me to Otterbein. The name was strange to me, but as I watched the choir sing with enthusiasm and sincerity and heard Pastor Mike preach the true Word of God, I realized that Otterbein was a good church. I was amazed when someone recently asked me if I would return to "my" church now that Alan had died!....amazed because Otterbein is MY church. When I consider a possible name change for the church, I think of the needs/interests of others. For those who have never visited our church, whether followers of Christ or not, it seems the name Otterbein is more often a deterrent than a help. So I would prefer to consider finding a name that reflects the ministry of our church and is a name that draws those who do not already attend.

[Jeanette Biesecker]

I believe changing the name of the church is appropriate for this point in time for different reasons than those mentioned in other comments. There is scriptural precident in a name change when a life starts off in a new direction. Saul left his old life to follow God's call and became Paul. Jacob left behind his previous life to walk into the promises of God for his life as Israel. I believe Otterbein now stands at the door of such a spiritual change. Four and a half years ago, Kevin and I returned to Otterbein after a 3 year stint at another church because we felt God had called us back to Otterbein. At the time we returned, a large group of people were leaving. There were gloom and doom rumors that Otterbein was in trouble, but we had no doubts that God was doing a work in the body in this church. I believe God has confirmed that over these last few years as we've watched many new people come. The Otterbein Church we attend today is not the same church it was 4 years ago. God has remade it and given it new life and new purpose. He has brought Pastor Lee and Pastor Dirk aboard as further proof that we have a newly focused mission in the community. Therefore a name change is a perfectly scriptural act as a reflection of the work God has done and is doing in this church.