VBS Starts Monday
Heather and her team spent a chunk of time on Thursday at Hayes UMC decorating for VBS -- our theme is "To Mars and Beyond." It will be "out of this world!" I've been saying. Looking forward to this time together with LIFT kids and adults.
Volunteers Needed for Block Party
Our LIFT Block Party is just around the corner, and one of the main concerns/needs right now is volunteers. An online sign-up sheet has been created listing the various needs and numbers needed for each area. Sign up for just an hour or for multiple hours. I have just completed signing up. Take a few minutes now and sign up, too! Just click or tap HERE.
First Meeting of Transition Team
The first meeting of the Transition Team was held Thursday, July 22, from 4:30-6:00 pm with all members present. Jean (bless her heart) brought pizza, which infused lotsa mozzarella energy into our meeting. She offered to also bring food to future meetings.
We began with a devotion centered on this thought: In Calling a Pastor, We Consider Our Own Calling, which has come in our own baptism. From my devotional resource:
That is why Martin Luther was bold to insist that "the ministry of the Word belongs to all." And again, "There is no other Word of God than that which is given all Christians to proclaim." (from Luther's Concerning the Ministry, 1523) Just as all Christians share the promise, so too do we share the task of proclamation. Most of us take up the task in the ministry of daily life. Others we ask to do so publicly for the community so faith can be created and sustained in us. So we see that in the economy of God's grace the ministry of those called and ordained follows from the call which has come to all who believe.
We spent some time with introductions, and learned that our Team has a rich combination of experiences of service both in their family and work vocations and in the congregation. We completed a brief "Congregational Vitality" survey, whick asked us rate Grace from 1-5 on following two questions:
How well do these phrases describe your congregation:
- Worship nurtures people’s faith
- Deepens people’s relationship with God
- A clear sense of mission/purpose
- Excitement about the congregation’s future
- Always ready to try something new
- A positive force in the community
- Works for social justice/advocacy
And, How well does your congregation...
- Incorporate new members into congregational life
- Seek out and use the gifts of members of all ages
- Build strong, healthy relationships among members
- Manage disagreements in a healthy respectful manner
- Address social concerns (helping those in need)
- Equip members to share their faith with others Interact with the local community
- Help members live out their faith in daily lives
Transition Team members learned that this is a survey that could easily be distributed to the congregation, and would provide helpful information on how the congregation sees its stregths and growth areas. Data such as this, as well as other data an input from the congregation throughout the interim time through small group meetings and other surveys will greatly assist the Transition Team in completing the Ministry Site Profile in such a way that it is a reflection of members of the congregation who have provided their input, perspectives and opinions.
The next two meetings of the Team are scheduled for Thursdays, August 5, and August 19, both at 4:30 pm.
Fall Planning Underway
Following the Staff meeting on Tuesday, Heather, Maureen, Tom and I met to discuss plans for Wednesday Spirit beginning September 8, which includes Supper, worship, and then various activities involving youth, children and adults, including choirs. This is still a work in progress, and we will keep the planning process going until all the pieces are put together.
Synod Assembly
In my July 9 Grace Notes post I provided information regarding the Synod Assembly on Friday, September 24 from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. Grace is allowed four voting congregation members, two of whom should be 30 or younger. You can read that post with the link to the registration page HERE.
Worship Notes
The ELCA publishes Worship newsletter once a month, and you can read the July issue HERE.
Met new preschool director
This week I had the opportunity to meet Andrea Hirt, the new director of Noah's Ark Preschool. From the August issue of G&T:
Andrea is busy preparing for the upcoming school year and is looking forward to an exciting year with the students! We welcome Andrea and are excited to have her on board!
NOAH’S ARK OPEN HOUSE: Thursday, September 2, 6-7pm
SCHOOL BEGINS: September 7 - Tuesday-Thursday Class; September 8 - Monday-Wednesday-Friday Class
LIFT Leaders Meeting
LIFT Leaders met on Wednesady this week at 11:00 am. One of our main items of discussion was the possibility of creating a "pulpit exchange" of LIFT pastors on 5th Sundays, so that all LIFT member congregations could get to know Pastor Paul as well as other pastors in the LIFT family. I created a possible rotation schedule, and this is still under discussion by the LIFT pastors, so nothing officia or even tentative at this point. Another point of discussion was distributed responsibilities for care centers, but with those centers still just beginning to open up, we did not make any definite decisions regarding this.
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