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Vision 2000
New Goals for a New Millennium!
Dear Friends In Christ,
Truly, these are
exciting days to be a part of First English Lutheran Church! Beginning in
August of 2000, our congregation took an important step forward to discern
God’s will for our future. Contracting with the Rev. Roy Oswald, Senior
Consultant for the Alban Institute, we entered into an exciting and
dynamic six-month process as we prayerfully sought God’s will for our
future as a congregation.
Prophetically it declares in God’s Word “Without a Vision, the people will
perish.” Proverbs 29:18 (KJV). This has been our goal: To seek God's
Vision for our Future! Through a special process involving Bible study
Cottage Meetings and a series of three Congregation-wide Meetings, we have
worked together as the Body of Christ, praying together, sharing together,
and listening together. We believe that God does speak through group
wisdom. At the dawn of a new millennium, we know that we need God’s New
Goal’s for a New Millennium!
What an exciting and powerful process we experienced as we came together
in small group and large group discussions during this six-month period.
And what a day we shared together at our Final Vision 2000 Retreat
(Saturday, January 13th, 2001). On this day, 54 of our
congregational leaders met in a day-long retreat to discern prayerfully
our congregational goals for the next five years. This Final Vision 2000
Retreat was followed by a congregation-wide potluck in which the Church
Council presented our new 5-Year Goals to the congregation. We have
shared together in great discussions and insights! We have a people
filled with gifts, energy and a passion from and for our Lord Jesus and
His church in this place. They are ready and eager to make NEW ministry
HAPPEN!
Many thanks go today to the members of the Visioning Task Force, the
Church Council, and every member who has participated, sharing their great
ideas throughout the entire 6-month visioning process. To all who prayed
and all who fasted a THANK YOU! Your prayer support for this
visioning process and our congregation was evident throughout the process.
We are also very thankful for the great skills and insights that Pastor
Roy Oswald (Senior Consultant from the Alban Institute) shared with us in
facilitating an excellent process.
Following this initial phase,
Church council appointed 6 new special Task Forces (one for each of the
new 5-Year Goals) to make sure we accomplish each of these goals in the
next 5 years. The original Visioning Task Force meets periodically (2-3
times per year) to receive written reports from each of the new 5-Year
Goal Task Forces. Listed below are the 5-Year Goals that have been
chosen through our Vision 2000
process. Please note that these goals are not listed in any particular
order of importance.
I encourage you to consider where your talents and interest
would best fit, and volunteer to serve on one of the Task Forces that will
work together with our Council and Committees to carry this work forward.
Please call the church office and let them know which goal you have a
passion to help in accomplishing here at First English Lutheran.
Truly, These Are EXCITING DAYS!
Pray Earnestly! Participate Faithfully! Together, Let Us Do A Mighty
Work for Our LORD!
Together
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Paul Larson
Goal #1
We will develop an effective Youth Ministry which will seek to empower and
equip our youth for active roles in the ministry and mission of this
congregation and community. This will involve both a high quality
children's program, as well as an aggressive pre-teen and teen program.
Goal #2
We will expand and develop a Prayer Ministry that will raise up and
train Prayer Partners and Prayer Ministry Teams, along with holding weekly
Prayer Meetings and yearly Prayer Seminars.
Goal #3
We will create a thoughtful and compassionate Members Care
Ministry that serves the interests of both the congregation and
prospective members. Members Care will have responsibility for
contact, follow-up, tracking, analysis, survey and reporting on various
issues affecting FELC members.
Goal #4
We will enhance and expand our Special Mission Work Teams Ministry
to engage in mission projects (locally and globally) that serve and give witness to the love
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Goal #5
We
will develop and implement a new Contemporary Worship Ministry that
will be added to our Sunday morning schedule as an additional 11:00 A. M.
service. Our Contemporary Worship service will be conducted on-site
in the FELC undercroft area, using a newly developed praise band.
Goal #6
We will expand and develop a strong Small Group Ministry program to
serve the special needs of our members, and for outreach and growth of the
FELC ministry.
Our Small Groups will be managed by a staff member
who will provide intentional development, oversight and training to lay
leaders.
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