Misfit Collective

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By Suzy Kridner Wymes, The Daytona Beach News Journal.


Two separate visions for attracting younger people to church in DeLand (Daytona, Florida) merged into a self-described “misfit” faith community known as Collective.


Collective, says Pastor Ben Collins, appeals to those on the thresholds of faith — those with a foot out the door and those hesitant to step in. That group tends to include many young adults, 18- to 35-year-olds who have become dissatisfied with the religions in which they were raised or have never belonged to a traditional church. Research calls this unaffiliated generation the “nones.”

Recognizing that many “nones” still seek meaning in faith and in community, members of First United Methodist Church, DeLand, voted a few years ago to help start a congregation for those they couldn’t reach with modern traditional church services.
Meanwhile, Pastor Collins and some friends — Clark Orr, Louise Rigdon, Bill and Renee McCullough, Mike Furlong and others — were already working on that. Since 2009, they had been meeting at Cafe DaVinci, the old DeLand Artisan Inn, the former Bonkerz Comedy Club and other local spots that were open to renting or hosting Sunday night services.