| Profile sent to the synod |
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Dear Members and Friends of Christ’s Lutheran Church, The profile that we submit to the synod to initiate the process to call a new Senior Pastor asks us to identify goals in ministry for the next five years. At a retreat on May 10, thirty-two members of a Vision Planning Team met and developed a set of goals that were adopted by the Council on May 13. Here are the goals: 1. Evangelism Develop an Evangelism Committee with a program that makes Christ’s Lutheran better known in the community, better welcomes our visitors and guests, and better integrates new members into the life and mission of the congregation. a. Outside the congregation: make the website better known to the public and increasingly user-friendly, and enhance our media presence. b. Internally: (1) Strengthen our welcome of visitors to worship by purposeful and planned engagement (2) Deepen and broaden participation by existing members in the life of the congregation beyond Sunday morning worship, and facilitate the integration of new members. (a) with regularity, create new small groups of varied character and purpose to provide more points of access to congregational life and settings in which to develop closer relationships. (b) re-establish the use of new member sponsors/mentors. (c) better acquaint new members with the life and ministry of the congregation during prospective and new member sessions. 2. Stewardship Enhance stewardship education to inculcate more faithful exercise of our Christian calling in use of time, talent, and treasure, with a particular emphasis on stewardship of personal finances: a. Include financial stewardship in prospective and new member orientation, with a clear statement of the importance of financial support to a vital ministry, especially addressing younger members, both current and new. b. Derivative goals of this emphasis are: (1) a more stable base of support for the ongoing ministry of the congregation (2) growth of the endowment. 3. Worship Seek always to enrich the experience of worship, paying attention to two general emphases: a. Sustain the existing variety of worship that appeals to all ages. b. Increase the diversity of worship experiences in both style and scheduling. 4. Seasonal Ministry Emphases Organize activities of the congregation around seasonal themes reflected in worship, education, prayer and service in order to enrich growth in Christian discipleship and engagement with the varied ministries of the congregation, our denomination, and the Church. Examples of such themes: world hunger, environmental stewardship, housing and the homeless, Lutheran Charities, and Christian ideals and practices (forgiveness, charity, gratitude, prayer, Bible study). |