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Transforming Congregations!
GIVE US A NEW HEART, OH GOD!
Our vision is to develop an intentional discipling process to equip and train people for the work God directs us to do. Our vision is also to seek, develop and expand new opportunities for service in our community and around the world.
A year ago, December 14, 2008, our congregation voted unanimously to enter the Transforming Congregations process. This is part of the Ablaze Movement of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. We are among the first of some 2,000 churches to go through this process by 2017 so it's not just about us. We and other churches are being watched to see how this goes.
In January 2009 five Leadership Teams were developed to fulfill the five prescriptions for change in our congregation. Those prescriptions are Vision, Leadership, Discipleship, Evaluation and Facilities and Grounds.
A vision statement was developed and it is shown above.
Missional Outcomes - A missional outcome is a desired change or new addition in the Transforming Congregations process. These were handed out and discussed at the Parish Planning Retreat last October. Each board was given several mission outcomes.
All of the boards received three missional outcomes in common. The first has been completed. The Evaluation team visited with each board in December to evaluate their work and ministry especially as it pertains to the Vision Statement. This was a necessary step in the Transforming Congregations process. It identified our weaknesses and strengths.
Pastor will be visiting with each board in February to discuss the evaluation and the missional outcomes for each board.
We are now on to Mission Outcome #2 which is: Each group for which a board is responsible will write a strategy to accomplish the intentional discipling process to be handed in to Pastor and the president by February 28th.
The boards have all received worksheets to write up these strategies. Over the next weeks someone from the board will visit your group.
The discipling process includes ways in which we can lead people to faith in Jesus Christ and/or lead them to a greater commitment as a disciple of Christ.
This is an important Missional Outcome to fulfill the Vision Statement. We need to think outside the box in new ways to intentionally disciple people.
Pastor Barth
Prescription #5 is to evaluate the grounds and facilities, especially the sanctuary, to address impediments to growth. To do this more objectively, an architect from Albuquerque, New Mexico will visit January 23rd and 24th to do such an assessment. He is a volunteer for LCEF (lending institution of our synod). We will cover his costs for coming to visit us.
Please keep this Transforming Congregation process in your prayers and keep those "Come to Jesus" card handed out on the first Sunday of the month.
What does the Vision Statement mean? The intentional discipling process has long been needed in our church. We plan to purposefully develop a discipling process to help people grow in their faith and prepare them for service to God and to help others come to faith in Christ and grow in that faith.
The second element is to expand what we have already been doing for years in our church - service to the community and around the world. Children's Ministry, the Pantry and the Preschool have all been focused on those around us in the community. Our vision is to expand areas of service, inviting those in the community to participate. This is already happening. The "around the world" is world-wide mission giving to which our church presently sends about $45,000 to worldwide ministries through various organizations and events.
I ask that all of you keep this Transforming Congregations process in your prayers and we seek to renew the mission of our church. Under the theme-prayer:
"GIVE US A NEW HEART, OH GOD"
Pastor Barth
The Five Prescriptions
1. Visioning Process: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church will seek outside support and guidance and enter into a process to develop a renewed vision for their mission and ministry. This ministry vision will focus the congregation’s efforts for the next 3 to 5 years. This process will begin not later than February 1, 2009 and will be completed by May 1, 2009. This visioning process will be preceded by a day of prayer seeking God’s guidance and blessing.
2. Leadership Development: By the Fall of 2009, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church will have in place a process to identify, recruit and train leaders in the tasks and skills of leadership. This process will focus on leadership development for staff, lay leaders and youth.
3. Discipling Process: In 2009, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church will conduct a minimum of four evangelism/discipling training events for staff and members of the congregation. One of these events shall specifically train VBS staff to share faith with and follow up with those who attend VBS. A second event will focus on staff and members connecting with and sharing faith with unchurched parents of children enrolled in the school. A third event will train staff and members to identify, follow up with and invite into the discipling process guests who attend worship. A fourth event will focus on training members to share their faith and invite family members, friends and acquaintances in their daily lives.
4. Evaluation Process: By November 1, 2009, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church will have examined at least three different models of congregational structure and three different congregational evaluation tools. From those studies the congregation will adopt an intentional process for evaluating ministry effectiveness. Focus for this includes:
a. Structures that provide accountability for effectiveness
b. Tools for evaluating ministry effectiveness over against the vision
c. Development and use of staff to accomplish the vision
5. Grounds and Facilities: During their time with the congregation, the evaluation team noted that members often raised issues around facility needs. Our final prescription is that Our Redeemer Lutheran Church will assess their present facilities and grounds to address any impediments to growth, especially as it pertains to the sanctuary. It is recommended this assessment be completed and shared with the congregation by June 30, 2009.
Leadership Teams
The five prescriptions below were adopted unanimously at the December Voters meeting. In January members of the Parish Planning Council selected people to serve on the five Leadership Teams to fulfill the five prescriptions. Here are the Teams (a few people still need to decide):
Visioning Process: Eugene Jung, Wayne Thiele, Ben Wobrock
Leadership Development: Alan Priesz, Mark Schwochert, Melissa Carter
Discipling Process: Erika Grewal, Cliff Horn, Marlene Auerbach
Evaluation Process: Ed & Judy Palmquist, Neal Debiasio, Leah Schwochert, David Zach
Grounds & Facilities: Steve Wolla, Miles Blakney, Stuart Dunn, Tim Allwardt, Bob Ryder
Rev. Jerry Kosberg met with these teams to present them with some leadership qualities to fulfill the prescriptions. He told us followers look for three things in a leader: Direction, Trust, Hope. These three aspects of leadership sit on a "tripod": Ambition (hard work), Competence, Integrity (I'll do what I say).
He gave us ten qualities of a Leader: Vision driven, Spiritual, Missional, Intentional, Competent, Courageous, Integrity, Balanced, Compassionate, Authentic. He led us through an exercise for each Team member to identify his or her strengths and weaknesses when it comes to cultivating leaders.
He spoke about marathoners and sprinter. The old culture was one of "marathoners" - those committed for the long haul. "Sprinters" now dominate our culture - those who will make a short, well-defined commitment to serve.
Please keep this process in your prayers.
Pastor Barth
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