Help nameing a … thing?

Two post Saturday. Yes for all the times I miss you get a bonus post today. I really need help here so please comment with your thoughts though.

I work with a ministry that I really love outside of my church. The ministry is “UNITE” and is about bringing youth ministries together because we can do more together than we can apart. It really is more than what we can do though. We have done several events since we formed last year and things are moving much faster than we ever dreamed it could, but the real heart of this is that we are one body.

I feel that we often miss it when we read “The eye cannot say to the hand I don’t need you …” and only apply that to individual members in the body. To often churches have said “I can do this on my own and don’t need other churches in my community.” This attitude doesn’t work on the mission field, and it is becoming increasingly apparent that it doesn’t work in America.

That is the background of UNITE. We are working with a somewhat like minded men’s ministry right now and are trying to find or start a similar women’s ministry because we feel that community extends beyond the youth, or at least should.

One of the things we have been desiring from the beginning (way back a year ago) is a “Family Life Center.”

The best way I can describe this is a “faith based community center.” The idea is that this building would be available for the community but also be there for churches desiring to work together but who might be worried about “turf issues.” It is also a great place for doing certain outreaches that might not be accepted in a church, since we are a semi-rural and very conservative community, and also provide a place that is not church so there is one less reason for people to not attend.

The idea is family, community, and church happening in this one place. Something that use to be more common but has been lost for various reasons.

OK so that is the background on the “family life center.” Now why am I posting? well if you read the title you are way ahead of me.

We need a name. One of the original proponents was sold on the name “Family Life Center.” I’m against it for a few reasons. I don’t like that long of a name. I don’t like the word “center” because of the ideas that are conveyed with it to me. I love “family” and “life” personally but I’m very concerned about the people that we are saying we want to be available to having a problem with that. A lot of my youth have a very distorted view of family because their families are so broken. I get the idea behind this is that so many families are broken so we need a place that will help bring life back to families. I think it is a great idea, but I think that those families will avoid a place with the name “family life” like the plague.

What do you all think? Am I over thinking the name? What names should we be considering?