June 2025 - Volume 57 - Number 6
Mid-Year Meeting, June 22
Why are we having a mid-year meeting? Mainly for two reasons, to provide a check-up of how we are doing so far this year, and to present a proposed organization for the church to carry us into the future.
Between January and April of 2021, a group of about twelve members met for what we called Church Revitalization University. It’s purpose was to develop a plan to move the church forward. We came up with a Vision: to reach 1% of the 11,000+ people who live within a ten-mile radius of the church building. We also revised our Mission and Core Values (these are listed on the church website).
To help reach the vision, we established four Steps to Discipleship: Connect, Grow, Serve, Share. Over the past few years, we have done okay in some areas and not so okay in others. Admittedly, it was an ambitious plan. Unfortunately, we have not developed all the steps as we first envisioned.
Meanwhile, the board has developed several areas of oversight and responsibility. These areas have enabled the board to organize budgets and work projects. However, the result has been an organization from the Church Revitalization University and an organization from the board, and they have not always worked in conjunction with each other. They haven’t worked against each other. They have more or less existed with not much more than a wave at each other.
The new organization will merge these two programs to provide better oversight and also include a better way for more people to be involved in the ministry of the church. This is what we will present and explain better at the Mid-Year Meeting.
In short, the ministry of the church will be divided among the four Steps to Discipleship identified by the Church Revitalization University group: Connect, Grow, Serve, Share. Each of these Steps will be overseen by an elder. There are Ministry Teams under each Step that will support the work of that area. Some of these will be led by Deacons, and others will be led by others in the church. We will provide further information about these Ministry Teams at the meeting.
An organization like this looks good on paper, but is often hard to implement. It will require patience on the part of all of us. We may decide some ministry teams belong under a different Step, and we may not be ready for others. As we implement this organization and flesh out the Steps to Discipleship, we will be better prepared as God leads those 1% of the 11,000+ who live within a ten-mile radius of the church building to our church to become his disciples. Come on out June 22 and find out how you can be a part of this effort to prepare ourselves for growth.
Thanks for reading,
Rick
Why are we having a mid-year meeting? Mainly for two reasons, to provide a check-up of how we are doing so far this year, and to present a proposed organization for the church to carry us into the future.
Between January and April of 2021, a group of about twelve members met for what we called Church Revitalization University. It’s purpose was to develop a plan to move the church forward. We came up with a Vision: to reach 1% of the 11,000+ people who live within a ten-mile radius of the church building. We also revised our Mission and Core Values (these are listed on the church website).
To help reach the vision, we established four Steps to Discipleship: Connect, Grow, Serve, Share. Over the past few years, we have done okay in some areas and not so okay in others. Admittedly, it was an ambitious plan. Unfortunately, we have not developed all the steps as we first envisioned.
Meanwhile, the board has developed several areas of oversight and responsibility. These areas have enabled the board to organize budgets and work projects. However, the result has been an organization from the Church Revitalization University and an organization from the board, and they have not always worked in conjunction with each other. They haven’t worked against each other. They have more or less existed with not much more than a wave at each other.
The new organization will merge these two programs to provide better oversight and also include a better way for more people to be involved in the ministry of the church. This is what we will present and explain better at the Mid-Year Meeting.
In short, the ministry of the church will be divided among the four Steps to Discipleship identified by the Church Revitalization University group: Connect, Grow, Serve, Share. Each of these Steps will be overseen by an elder. There are Ministry Teams under each Step that will support the work of that area. Some of these will be led by Deacons, and others will be led by others in the church. We will provide further information about these Ministry Teams at the meeting.
An organization like this looks good on paper, but is often hard to implement. It will require patience on the part of all of us. We may decide some ministry teams belong under a different Step, and we may not be ready for others. As we implement this organization and flesh out the Steps to Discipleship, we will be better prepared as God leads those 1% of the 11,000+ who live within a ten-mile radius of the church building to our church to become his disciples. Come on out June 22 and find out how you can be a part of this effort to prepare ourselves for growth.
Thanks for reading,
Rick
