MINISTRY PLAN 2010
Goals and Strategies
2010 Goals and Strategies
We will connect 500 in our world and 500 in our community to Christ in 5 years.
Year 2010 – We will connect 1,000 people in our world and 100 people in our community to Jesus Christ and His Church.
Know and Enjoy God—We want all people to know God. We are not satisfied with people just knowing about God, but rather it is our desire that people know God deeply, find their ultimate identity in Christ, and become fully surrendered to Christ and His agenda.
Weekend worship is the major event and activity for someone looking to discover more about God and for someone new in the Christian faith. Worship is the key catalyst for spiritual growth. By the end of 2010 we will average 900 in worship each weekend.
Read and Reflect on Scripture– It is our desire that each person will daily open his/her Bible, read a section of Scripture, and reflect on it by answering the question, “How does this change me?” Nothing beats time spent reading and reflecting on Scripture. By the end of 2010 450 of our worshippers will read and reflect on Scripture 5+ days a week.
Serve and Share the Gospel—God has placed us in this community to demonstrate His love and share the Gospel. We want to connect with our community. In 2010 450 of our worshippers will engage in service to the community and 250 of our worshippers will share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with someone else.
Children’s Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Tim McGue
Staff Liaison: Brian King
We will connect 60 people in our community to Jesus Christ and His Church
Know and Enjoy God
As God blesses our ministry, 40 additional children will actively participate in weekly worship.
Strategies:
The best success with new worshipers “sticking” is when they’re brought by a friend. We’ll compile accounts from families who a) have connected others or
b) have been connected by a friend, and use those people to help our families think through their non-churched relationships, and offer methods and encouragement.
Develop the parent worship training series (began in 2009) to help 50 parents teach their children about worship.
As God blesses our ministry, the number of children in Kingdom Quest will increase by 15 percent to 150. An increase in KQ should also affect and increase attendance in worship and adult Bible classes.
Strategies:
Recruit and train leaders for those numbers.
Examine handoffs between areas of children’s ministry from birth through
confirmation so that we can better retain families into KQ years and into high school.
Continue and improve “We Prize Friends” strategy to engage children to invite friends to worship.
Correspondence with leaders will include Know and Enjoy suggestions/questions in addition to task-oriented content.
As God blesses our ministry, there will be an increase in children’s understanding of and participation in worship.
Strategies:
Special child-led worship projects: (Prayer labyrinth, Stations of the Cross) for children and the congregation.
Using children to lead in worship (e.g. KQ kids singing during services).
Read and Reflect on Scripture
As God blesses our ministry, 100 additional people in our ministry area will read and reflect on Scripture 5+ days/week.
Strategies:
Develop the summer reading program (2009: 110 registered, 50 returned with 30 days or more of reading) to attract more families and result in 75 “returns” (at least 25 new children over last year).
All Kingdom Quest and Faith 101 leaders will be trained to share their own Bible reading and ask and encourage children in their Bible reading.
Correspondence with leaders will include Read and Reflect suggestions/questions in addition to task-oriented content.
Serve and Share the Gospel
As God blesses our ministry, 150 children will serve in the community.
Strategies:
Kingdom Quest will develop four repeatable servant opportunities for children and families. Partner with congregational servant events (Big Rake, Extreme Makeover) to involve children.
Faith 101/middle school ministry will provide servant events for middle school students in addition to the 8th grade servant event confirmation project component.
Children’s Ministry will develop service teams of several families to plan areas of service and invite other families to join. Families will be trained through a “milestone” series to teach their children about serving and find ways to serve as a family.
As God blesses our ministry, 50 children will share the Gospel with an unchurched or non-Christian.
Strategies:
Use GOSPEL or other method to train kids 1st-8th grade to articulate the Gospel. Provide method for them to share their faith-sharing stories. (e.g. giving out bracelets to determine who used them to share the Gospel with a non-Christian).
Provide ways for Faith 101 students to share their faith-sharing stories. Correspondence with leaders will include Serve and Share suggestions/questions in addition to task-oriented content. Continued support for and correspondence with our missionary in Turkey.
Youth Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Cindy Godbey
Staff Liaison: Pastor Eric Gledhill
We will connect six (6) people in our community to Jesus Christ and His Church.
Strategies:
A greater focus on peer-to-peer ministry will result in more youth being attracted and connected to Webster Gardens through youth ministry.
Know and Enjoy God
As God blesses our ministry six (6) additional people will actively participate in weekly worship.
Strategies:
Training and encouragement for current high school youth to seek out and invite friends who are not connected to the Church. A leadership team of high school youth (C.O.R.E.) is already in place with this as their primary goal.
Plan and execute bi-monthly events geared specifically to attract (through invitation) unchurched friends. These events will be created by C.O.R.E. (movies, outdoor events, concerts, retreats, lock-ins, service events).
Higher level of attention to follow-up with guests who attend these events through solicited information.
Read and Reflect
As God blesses our ministry fifteen (15) additional people in our ministry area will read and reflect on Scripture 5+ days a week.
Strategies:
Develop a line of communication with youth through weekly publications at
Sunday morning Bible class and Wednesday night FOCUS 418; texting daily
Bible readings; Twitters, and even Facebook postings of readings.
The desire is to also develop small groups of high school students to specifically develop habits of daily Scripture reading.
Serve and Share the Gospel
As God blesses our ministry, thirty (30) people in our ministry area will serve in the community and thirty (30) people will share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with someone else.
Strategies:
A July servant trip to Nashville, Tennessee, involving mainly the confirmation class of 2010, along with current high school youth. This servant event will be organized by GROUP Publishing.
A late July trip to Portland, Oregon, to serve for a second year at a sports camp for underprivileged children in that community.
Young Adult Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Open
Staff Liaison: Pastor Eric Gledhill
We will connect five (5) people in our community to Jesus Christ and His Church.
Strategies:
Create a core of young adults through whom ministry will be significant and meaningful here at Webster Gardens.
Know and Enjoy God
As God blesses our ministry five (5) additional people will actively participate in weekly worship.
Strategies:
Through the promotion of the monthly Refuge worship opportunity, young adults will gather and get connected and encouraged in their relationships with God.
Through weekly iNTERSECT gatherings, young adults will be challenged of the authority of the God of the Scriptures.
Read and Reflect
As God blesses our ministry, twelve (12) additional people in our ministry area will read and reflect on Scripture 5+ days a week.
Strategies:
Through regular lines of communication (e.g., Facebook, texting, Twitter, and
written encouragement through gathering), young adults will have the opportunity to discuss, question, and explore Scriptures through personal and guided disciplines.
iNTERSECT will also be a “jumping off” point for small groups for those who are ready and interested, where the study of Scripture will be a priority.
Serve and Share
As God blesses our ministry, six (6) people in our ministry area will serve in the community and thirty (30) people will share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with someone else.
Strategies:
Various serving opportunities will be made available through short-term and long-term mission trips, service activities in our own community—whether through those spearheaded by Webster Gardens or ones that the young adults create themselves. Serving will continue to be a high priority for the growth of the young people in this ministry.
The sole purpose of the weekly iNTERSECT ministry is to discuss, train, and equip the young people attending to have winsome conversations with those they encounter in the their community. We will do this by giving clear, concise explanations of many of the problems that skeptics in the world have with Christianity.
Adult Ministry
Ministry Team Leader: Bob Belko
Staff Liaison: Chad Starfeldt
We will help adults (ages 30-65) know and enjoy God, read and reflect on Scripture, and serve and share their faith in Jesus Christ. We will connect 30 unchurched people to Christ and His church.
Know and Enjoy God
As God blesses our ministry, 30 new adults will be in regular worship.
Strategies:
1. Five different Sunday morning Bible class opportunities will be offered each week.
2. Help new members connect into small groups.
3. Challenge Small Group leaders to invite 5 people to worship this year.
Special Speakers brought in like Albert Pujols.
New Men’s Bible class connecting men who are not here on a weekly basis for Bible class or worship.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
As God blesses our ministry, 25 people who have never read Scripture before will begin to read Scripture on a regular basis.
Strategies:
1. 90 Day Bible reading challenge.
a. Share the benefits.
b. Have people Sign a commitment card.
c. Three Steps: Inspiration, Challenge, Commitment
2. One-year Bible Challenge
Serve and Share the Gospel
As God blesses our ministry 100 people will participate in hands-on service opportunities in our community.
Strategies:
1. Serve 100 people in ISM in a next step way this year.
2. Serve 15 people in ESL in a next step way this year.
3. Serve 25 people from Food Share America in a deeper way this year.
4. Serve 25 people from Easter Eggstravaganca in a next step way this year.
Bible study participants will be prompted to invite the unchurched to Bible study. A class intentionally geared toward equipping Christians to declare their faith in words will be offered. (See Bible Class strategies below.)
Bible class teachers will be regularly reminded of the central task of Gospel proclamation and encourage to highlight such mission-orientation aspects of the texts that are studied. (See Bible class strategies below.)
7. Distribute free water at the Webster Groves Days held every year around July 4th.
Assist Soaring Spirit Ministries ( Prison Ministry) by promoting their "Rose Ministry" for ladies in prison and offering to help recruit Intercessory prayer partners here at WG for both men and woman who are in prison.
Explore the development of a First Response Teams for the Webster Area after severe storms, trees down, power out, (hot or cold weather conditions), knock on doors to see if people are alright. Work with Parish nurses and others for our own shut ins as well as outreach to community.
200+ people serving at the Big Rake serving at least 50 families.
11. Sit in (if allowed) on AA meetings or at least attempt to offer support.
12. Bag Groceries at Aldi's for people. Add a little note or brochure in the bag. Amount of times to be determined.
Adult Bible Classes
Staff Liaison: Pastor Joel Biermann
Know and Enjoy God
Obviously, one of the best ways to know God is to study His Word and His world. Through God’s self-revelation, His people come to know Him and learn to delight more completely in His being and in His giving.
Strategies:
It is imperative that the classes offered at LCWG faithfully teach God’s truth in ways that engage His people and relate to their everyday lives. To this end, each class taught will be carefully considered for doctrinal fidelity as well as applicability. At least five different Sunday morning Bible class opportunities that meet these criteria will be offered each week.
Since great teaching encourages great learning, “undiscovered” or under-utilized Bible class leaders will be sought and enlisted to guide these classes as well as additional evening and weekday opportunities for study and learning about God.
To increase the impact of Bible study, efforts will be made throughout the year so that average weekly attendance at Bible class will grow by 10 percent.
Read and Reflect
While the relation of Adult Bible class to this objective may appear self-evident, it is important that individuals who participate in Adult Bible classes gain confidence in reading and understanding Scripture and so are encouraged to engage in daily Bible reading.
Strategies:
While studies of topical nature have their place, it is important that participants in Adult Bible study actually study the Bible. To that end, classes that are offered will be considered on the basis of their focus on and the use of Scripture, so that the majority of classes that are taught are centered on careful study of God’s written word.
Home Bible reading will be encouraged by making suggested reading guides regularly available to Bible study participants (these would be in addition to those offered in the printed “bulletin”).
Serve and Share the Gospel
Christians who are well-grounded in their faith become capable witnesses of God’s truth. Obviously, training in the important aspects of proclamation can also play a critical role in enabling believers to articulate their faith. Exhortation to works of service should also be a given in the context of Bible study.
Strategies:
The evangelistic nature of Bible study should not be missed, and study leaders will be prompted to urge their classes’ members to invite the unchurched to Bible study.
Some classes intentionally geared toward equipping Christians to declare their faith in words will be offered at least once each year during the Sunday morning study hour.
All those who teach will be regularly reminded of the central task of Gospel
proclamation and encouraged to highlight such mission-oriented aspects of the texts that are studied.
Senior Adult Ministry
Ministry Team Leader: Don Kamps
Staff Liaison: Mary Doering
We will connect fifteen (15) older adults to Christ and His Church.
Know and Enjoy God
As God blesses our ministry, fifteen (15) additional people will be involved in weekly worship.
Strategies:
Recruit two additional people to provide communion visits to the homebound.
Provide worship helps to the homebound as they request.
Sponsor two “Senior Sundays” in 2010.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
As God blesses our ministry, fifteen (15) additional people in our ministry area will read and reflect on Scripture 5+ days a week.
Strategies:
Develop a list of congregational members who are 65+ years old.
Identify seniors who are not in a small group or spiritual life ministry group or who are inactive so that we can connect with these older persons.
Make available large-print Bibles.
Develop or obtain devotionals written by or for the older person to be shared with members, unchurched friends and relatives.
Serve and Share the Gospel
As God blesses our ministry fifteen (15) people in our ministry area will serve in the community and five (5) people will share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with someone else.
Strategies:
Identify and recruit an older person to serve on every ministry team.
Sponsor one workshop on issues of concern for the older person and encourage members to invite unchurched friends or relatives.
Publicize/provide four (4) serving opportunities in the congregation/community.
Supporting Ministry Teams
The supporting ministry teams will provide support for the core ministry teams in order to connect people to Christ and His Church.
Connections Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Steve Gaertner
Staff Liaison: Pastor Eric Gledhill
The Connections Team will support core ministry teams and their goals, our pastors and staff by guiding young adults, adults and older adults who are attracted to worship service and outreach events at Webster Gardens. (Children and youth are typically shepherded directly by their core ministry team.) This includes efforts to contact guests, welcome them and offer connections to the people, ministries and activities that will help them take the appropriate “next step” to know and enjoy God. With those committing to membership and attending Discovering Webster Gardens (DWG) class, we further emphasize opportunities to know and enjoy God, and to read and reflect on scripture. We specifically equip each DWG graduate with an understanding of his or her spiritual gifts and personality profile. We then guide them to areas of interest where they can serve and share the Gospel in the WG church family and beyond. Team members maintain a relationship for about three months, providing encouragement to the new member and feedback our pastors, staff and others.
Partner with other teams and groups to accomplish mutual goals, especially Spiritual Life, Small Group Leaders, Worship, Evangelism and those who organize and host outreach events.
Know and Enjoy God
Strategies:
Transition from three to four DTF/DWG classes each year, offering additional opportunity to connect people in our community to Christ and His Church.
As they work with new members, team members share how they’ve come to know God and enjoy his presence. Team members continue equipping each new member with an understanding of their God-given spiritual gifts and personality profile.
During the new member reception, incorporate a lay leader’s testimony explaining how they improved their knowledge of God and enjoyment of his presence.
Reevaluate our response to event and worship guests in light of small team size and minimal support from congregation for the Connection Partner process.
Emphasize guest identification, meaningful follow-up and sharing of information.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
Strategies:
1. During the DWG process, team members echo this part of the curriculum,
highlighting various options and resources, while seeking commitment to a personal or family program 5+ days a week.
During the new member reception, incorporate a lay leader’s testimony involving the benefits of regular reading and reflection on scripture.
Include this topic in post DWG follow-up process.
Serve and Share the Gospel
Strategies:
During the DWG process, continue helping new members combine their spiritual gifts and personality profile with their inventory of interests and skills, guiding them to specific areas where they can serve and share the Gospel.
Continue support of our Sunday morning Coffee Fellowship, 9 to 9:30 AM. Help staff and lay leaders develop an accessible, updateable database of possibilities for serving and sharing the Gospel.
Include ministry teams (primary, support, ad hoc); other groups, activities, classes, outreach events, etc.; leaders and contact information.
Improvements Needed: (Prioritized)
Implement the new and revised strategies listed above.
Complete updates to DWG handouts and improve administrative processes.
Revise the post DWG follow-up process so we can better analyze for trends and problems.
Grow the team to about twelve members, including young adults and men.
Provide ongoing opportunities for team members to serve in leadership roles.
Review our New Member Reception in consideration of possible smaller classes and adjust the process as necessary.
In partnership with our office staff, other interested team leaders and CPH, monitor the planned “Shepherd Staff Online” software package to help them field an effective tool that will support our desired response to worship and event guests.
Evangelism Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Scott Walburn
Staff Liaison: Pastor Joel Biermann
Ministry Focus: Verbal articulation of the Gospel of our Lord
This ministry exists to promote the task of the church—the verbal articulation of the Gospel so that those who are not part of the kingdom are joined to Christ and His church. To this end, the evangelism team will concentrate on training 30 additional members of LCWG so that they are confident and able to speak God’s truth to others and actually do so.
Know and Enjoy God
Those involved in evangelism training spend much time in prayer and in learning more of God’s truth—tremendous communion with God, indeed.
Strategies:
The new course, Vo-Tech Evangelism, as well as Pass It On lead participants more fully to rely on God and His grace.
Involvement in evangelism training brings people into close contact with the reality of the Gospel on a regular basis thus enhancing participants’ appreciation for God’s grace to them.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
Those who participate in either evangelism training course are immersed in God’s Word, memorizing and learning to incorporate it into their daily conversations.
Strategies:
Vo-Tech Evangelism places a premium on the study of God’s Word encouraging members of LCWG to consider what God’s Word teaches about our vocations and our responsibility to share the gospel within those vocations. Vo-Tech Evangelism will be offered in the fall of 2009.
Pass It On evangelism focuses on the Word as the Holy Spirit’s means of bringing people to faith, and leads participants to recognize the practical relevance of God’s Word for Christian living. Pass It On will be offered in the spring of 2010.
Serve and Share the Gospel
This is essentially self-evident. The raison d’être of the evangelism team is the proclamation of the Gospel.
Strategies:
1. Vo-Tech evangelism and Pass It On both provide opportunities for participants to actively and intentionally proclaim the truths of their faith.
The team also intends to keep the task of the Gospel’s proclamation central in the life of the congregation by generating interest and enthusiasm for the task through word of mouth and by providing encouragement and help to other ministry teams who desire to more intentionally to highlight the Gospel.
The evangelism team will communicate with those implementing various service efforts so that a clear articulation of the gospel is intentionally incorporated as an aspect or outcome of these works of service.
4. The team will take the lead in visiting new residents in the community and inviting them to join us at Webster Gardens.
5. Training will be provided for those willing to make these new resident visits.
Training could be Vo-tech, Pass It On, or a short seminar.
6. Work with Core Ministry teams and other support teams to equip their leaders and key people to be able to confidently articulate their faith.
Human Care Ministry
Ministry Team Leader: Sherry Mitchler
Staff Liaison: Rita Moss
Know and Enjoy God
Provide opportunities for people in the congregation and in the community to be touched by the love of Christ through the actions of others.
Strategies:
Develop and implement support services to address the needs of the unemployed. The specific services will be based on the needs identified by members who are currently unemployed through a survey to be completed fall 09.
Expand the awareness of the Human Care Committee within the congregation to allow members to recognize it as a resource, and to increase participation on the committee and various projects.
Strengthen the connection between members of the community who contact the church for assistance and opportunities for them to visit/join.
Serve and Share the Gospel
Provide opportunities for our members to serve others through various collections and the distribution of collected items.
Strategies:
Human Care Committee members will explore ways to increase witnessing opportunities and will work with the Evangelism team to further contact with community members seeking assistance.
Work with Properties Team to assist those who have financial challenges and need assistance with home repair projects.
Continue to collect food items, coats, and items for other basic needs to distribute to those in need.
Missions Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Mike Muhlhauser
Staff Liaison: Pastor Joel Christiansen
Our Focus: To welcome and care for all people who do not know or have a relationship with Christ. The focus and mission of the Ministry Team is to help bridge the connection with people who do not know Jesus as our Savior and to promote a Christ centered life by boldly teaching and proclaiming the Gospel to all people in our community, our country and in our world.
Our Goal
To connect 1,000 people to Christ and His word by providing guidance and support to at least 100 LCWG members on mission/servant trips in 2010.
It is the desire of the Missions Team to embrace the focus culturally, locally and worldwide within means of the church body. We continue to support our worldwide missionaries and work to raise-up members of our congregation and faith to connect Christ and His word. There are many servant events, organizations and churches that we support through our strategy methods.
Know and Enjoy God
Strategies:
Encourage those in our congregation who know and enjoy God to share their love of Christ with those who do not.
Embrace and encourage our local mission outreach including International Student Ministry, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Chai v’Shalom, Lutheran Blind Mission, Light of Christ Chinese Mission and Humanitri so that they too may experience the joy of knowing and enjoying a relationship with Christ.
Continue communication with our missionaries via Skype so to hear their testimonies and share in their witnessing to those in Turkey.
Continue to encourage short term mission trips and share with the congregation the experiences those who share the message of Christ.
Build up our outreach and support to Chai v’Shalom, Light of Christ Chinese Mission and Humanitri by encouraging and sending members to serve in these mission fields.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
Strategies:
Provide the space and support the outreach into our community through English as a Second Language by sharing the Word with those who attend.
Giving support and volunteering at the Lutheran Blind Mission which prints Christian material in brail that is shared with those who cannot see.
Serve and Share the Gospel
Strategies:
Financially and prayerfully support our long-term missionaries: in Papua, New Guinea; in Vietnam; and in Ankara, Turkey.
Encourage members to be open to the call of serving the Lord by sharing the Good News on short-term mission trips abroad and internationally.
To find, partner and financially support a career missionary in Central America as well as send two short-term mission teams annually.
Spiritual Life Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Keith Odegard
Staff Liaison: Pastor Joel Christiansen
Overall Goals
Connect new members to the church by assigning them to a spiritual life ministry partner for the first six months.
Strategies:
There will be at least one face-to-face meeting with each new family.
There will be at least monthly phone calls. Monthly phone calls will be a platform for developing relationships and encouraging new members to worship, read Scripture and become involved in ministry.
Each family will be invited to Adult Bible class and small group.
Gather for monthly call nights from church to touch those members who (a) are going through a crisis, struggle or transition or (b) have had a change in worship attendance. Our goal is to make 100 phone calls each month.
Help spiritual life ministry team members grow in Christian maturity by (a) providing training to pray with those who come to the altar after worship and (b) assisting pastor with “people support” tasks on Sunday/for the week.
Know and Enjoy God
Strategies:
When we contact people, we will be intentional about asking if there are barriers to worship attendance and intentional about helping to overcome them. We will invite them to worship with us.
We will ask and encourage active attendance in adult Bible study and active small group membership. We will follow-up on our personal contacts to build in accountability. The measure is the number in Bible classes and/or small groups.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
Strategies:
When we contact people, we will be intentional about asking if there are barriers to reading the Word daily and intentional about trying to help overcome them.
We will be able to personally relate what we have learned in our daily reading to encourage others. We will measure the number of people who read and reflect by churchwide survey.
Serve and Share the Gospel
Each of our spiritual life ministry team partners will engage in service and/or share the Gospel of Jesus this year.
We will encourage intentionally acting on what we believe by serving and witnessing to others. When we contact people, we will be intentional about asking if they have had opportunities to serve anyone and share the Gospel with someone. This will be a measurable number.
Worship Ministry (8:00 am)
Staff Contact: Joel Hieber
Know and Enjoy
It is the goal of the Worship Team to increase the worship community by adding participating adults in worship in the 8:00 am service through excellent music.
Strategies:
Bring in children’s ensembles monthly to help lead worship through music in the 8:00 am service.
Grow the adult choir by 15 new members in 2010.
It is the goal of the Worship Team to increase the worship community by adding participating adults in worship and Bible study by providing excellent hospitality and guest services.
Strategies:
Hospitality teams will be trained to be intentional in identifying guests and to be intentional about connecting them with a member for worship.
There will be continued training and recruiting for Welcome Center staff so that (a) worship guests are identified as they enter, (b) a connection is made with them before and/or after worship, and (c) information gathered about guests is compiled and disseminated to appropriate staff.
Read and Reflect
It is the goal of the Worship Team that every person who is involved in any area of worship ministry will be reading and reflecting on Scripture at least five times a week.
Strategies:
Knowing that one of the best ways to encourage others in a particular behavior is to demonstrate and model the desired behavior, leaders of each worship team (Choirs, Instrumentalists, Welcome Center, Hospitality) will regularly share their own experience reading and reflecting daily on Scripture. Each will answer the question, “How does this change me?”
Others within each worship team will be asked to regularly share their own experience with the worship group.
Properties Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Ken Gideon
Staff Liaison: Edie Grieshaber
Ministry Focus: We support the staff, core and support ministries of the congregation, and the ministry of Christ Community Lutheran School by insuring that the facilities that God has provided for us are safe, clean, attractive, and well-maintained for current and future ministry needs, consistent with the vision of the congregation. Furthermore, as stewards of His resources, we engage and equip others to use their gifts and talents in the hands-on ministry of the team.
Know and Enjoy
We believe it is critical that the facilities are well-maintained and attractive to encourage the congregation, guests, school children, and the community to grow in their knowledge of God as they worship and fellowship with other Christians and those who are not yet connected to Christ and His Church.
Strategies:
To that end, these areas of the property have been targeted for emphasis in 2010.
Updating the heating/cooling system in Friendship Hall that is more appropriate for the space and more cost effective than the current boiler and chiller.
Develop a plan for the ongoing maintenance of the building that will include the upgrade/replacement of equipment on a regular, annual basis.
Continue work that was begun in 2008 on the landscaping and broadened in 2009. Identify key areas for landscaping/sprinkler system for 2010 and each year
thereafter until the plan is complete and all areas of the grounds are serviced by a sprinkler system.
Read and Reflect
Knowing that daily reading and reflecting on God’s Word is critical to spiritual growth, we will encourage the members of our team and members of the congregation and community to spend time reading and reflecting on Scripture.
Strategies:
We will encourage the members of our team by beginning each meeting/event with a time of sharing the ways that God is speaking to us as we have read and reflected on His Word.
For the congregation and community, it is our plan to get bids and award a contract (as funds are available) for the LED sign at Watson Road on the campus. Daily Scripture verses may be incorporated into the messages that are on the sign as well as other information that will encourage people to be a part of the life and ministry of our congregation.
Serve and Share the Gospel
As we respond to God by using our gifts and talents for Him, we will serve someone in our community and share the Gospel of Jesus with that person/family.
Strategies:
We will partner with Human Care or community agencies to “adopt” a family in the community that we can serve by doing small home repairs that the person cannot afford or cannot accomplish because of physical limitations.
As we respond to God by using our gifts and talents for Him, we will serve someone in our community and share the Gospel of Jesus with that person/family.
Strategies:
We will partner with Human Care or community agencies to “adopt” a family in the community that we can serve by doing small home repairs that the person cannot afford or cannot accomplish because of physical limitations.
Those involved in evangelism training spend much time in prayer and in learning more of God’s truth—tremendous communion with God, indeed.
Strategies:
The new course, Vo-Tech Evangelism, as well as Pass It On lead participants more fully to rely on God and His grace.
Involvement in evangelism training brings people into close contact with the reality of the Gospel on a regular basis thus enhancing participants’ appreciation for God’s grace to them.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
Those who participate in either evangelism training course are immersed in God’s Word, memorizing and learning to incorporate it into their daily conversations.
Strategies:
Vo-Tech Evangelism places a premium on the study of God’s Word encouraging members of LCWG to consider what God’s Word teaches about our vocations and our responsibility to share the gospel within those vocations. Vo-Tech Evangelism will be offered in the fall of 2009.
Pass It On evangelism focuses on the Word as the Holy Spirit’s means of bringing people to faith, and leads participants to recognize the practical relevance of God’s Word for Christian living. Pass It On will be offered in the spring of 2010.
Serve and Share the Gospel
This is essentially self-evident. The raison d’être of the evangelism team is the proclamation of the Gospel.
Strategies:
1. Vo-Tech evangelism and Pass It On both provide opportunities for participants to actively and intentionally proclaim the truths of their faith.
The team also intends to keep the task of the Gospel’s proclamation central in the life of the congregation by generating interest and enthusiasm for the task through word of mouth and by providing encouragement and help to other ministry teams who desire to more intentionally to highlight the Gospel.
The evangelism team will communicate with those implementing various service efforts so that a clear articulation of the gospel is intentionally incorporated as an aspect or outcome of these works of service.
4. The team will take the lead in visiting new residents in the community and inviting them to join us at Webster Gardens.
5. Training will be provided for those willing to make these new resident visits.
Training could be Vo-tech, Pass It On, or a short seminar.
6. Work with Core Ministry teams and other support teams to equip their leaders and key people to be able to confidently articulate their faith.
Human Care Ministry
Ministry Team Leader: Sherry Mitchler
Staff Liaison: Rita Moss
Know and Enjoy God
Provide opportunities for people in the congregation and in the community to be touched by the love of Christ through the actions of others.
Strategies:
Develop and implement support services to address the needs of the unemployed. The specific services will be based on the needs identified by members who are currently unemployed through a survey to be completed fall 09.
Expand the awareness of the Human Care Committee within the congregation to allow members to recognize it as a resource, and to increase participation on the committee and various projects.
Strengthen the connection between members of the community who contact the church for assistance and opportunities for them to visit/join.
Serve and Share the Gospel
Provide opportunities for our members to serve others through various collections and the distribution of collected items.
Strategies:
Human Care Committee members will explore ways to increase witnessing opportunities and will work with the Evangelism team to further contact with community members seeking assistance.
Work with Properties Team to assist those who have financial challenges and need assistance with home repair projects.
Continue to collect food items, coats, and items for other basic needs to distribute to those in need.
Missions Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Mike Muhlhauser
Staff Liaison: Pastor Joel Christiansen
Our Focus: To welcome and care for all people who do not know or have a relationship with Christ. The focus and mission of the Ministry Team is to help bridge the connection with people who do not know Jesus as our Savior and to promote a Christ centered life by boldly teaching and proclaiming the Gospel to all people in our community, our country and in our world.
Our Goal
To connect 1,000 people to Christ and His word by providing guidance and support to at least 100 LCWG members on mission/servant trips in 2010.
It is the desire of the Missions Team to embrace the focus culturally, locally and worldwide within means of the church body. We continue to support our worldwide missionaries and work to raise-up members of our congregation and faith to connect Christ and His word. There are many servant events, organizations and churches that we support through our strategy methods.
Know and Enjoy God
Strategies:
Encourage those in our congregation who know and enjoy God to share their love of Christ with those who do not.
Embrace and encourage our local mission outreach including International Student Ministry, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Chai v’Shalom, Lutheran Blind Mission, Light of Christ Chinese Mission and Humanitri so that they too may experience the joy of knowing and enjoying a relationship with Christ.
Continue communication with our missionaries via Skype so to hear their testimonies and share in their witnessing to those in Turkey.
Continue to encourage short term mission trips and share with the congregation the experiences those who share the message of Christ.
Build up our outreach and support to Chai v’Shalom, Light of Christ Chinese
Mission and Humanitri by encouraging and sending members to serve in these mission fields.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
Strategies:
Provide the space and support the outreach into our community through English as a Second Language by sharing the Word with those who attend.
Giving support and volunteering at the Lutheran Blind Mission which prints
Christian material in brail that is shared with those who cannot see.
Serve and Share the Gospel
Strategies:
Financially and prayerfully support our long-term missionaries: in Papua, New Guinea; in Vietnam; and in Ankara, Turkey.
Encourage members to be open to the call of serving the Lord by sharing the Good News on short-term mission trips abroad and internationally.
To find, partner and financially support a career missionary in Central America as well as send two short-term mission teams annually.
Spiritual Life Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Keith Odegard
Staff Liaison: Pastor Joel Christiansen
Overall Goals
Connect new members to the church by assigning them to a spiritual life ministry partner for the first six months.
Strategies:
There will be at least one face-to-face meeting with each new family.
There will be at least monthly phone calls. Monthly phone calls will be a platform for developing relationships and encouraging new members to worship, read Scripture and become involved in ministry.
Each family will be invited to Adult Bible class and small group.
Gather for monthly call nights from church to touch those members who (a) are going through a crisis, struggle or transition or (b) have had a change in worship attendance. Our goal is to make 100 phone calls each month.
Help spiritual life ministry team members grow in Christian maturity by (a) providing training to pray with those who come to the altar after worship and (b) assisting pastor with “people support” tasks on Sunday/for the week.
Know and Enjoy God
Strategies:
When we contact people, we will be intentional about asking if there are barriers to worship attendance and intentional about helping to overcome them. We will invite them to worship with us.
We will ask and encourage active attendance in adult Bible study and active small group membership. We will follow-up on our personal contacts to build in accountability. The measure is the number in Bible classes and/or small groups.
Read and Reflect on Scripture
Strategies:
When we contact people, we will be intentional about asking if there are barriers to reading the Word daily and intentional about trying to help overcome them.
We will be able to personally relate what we have learned in our daily reading to encourage others. We will measure the number of people who read and reflect by churchwide survey.
Serve and Share the Gospel
Each of our spiritual life ministry team partners will engage in service and/or share the Gospel of Jesus this year.
We will encourage intentionally acting on what we believe by serving and witnessing to others. When we contact people, we will be intentional about asking if they have had opportunities to serve anyone and share the Gospel with someone. This will be a measurable number.
Worship Ministry (8:00 am)
Staff Contact: Joel Hieber
Know and Enjoy
It is the goal of the Worship Team to increase the worship community by adding participating adults in worship in the 8:00 am service through excellent music.
Strategies:
Bring in children’s ensembles monthly to help lead worship through music in the 8:00 am service.
Grow the adult choir by 15 new members in 2010.
It is the goal of the Worship Team to increase the worship community by adding participating adults in worship and Bible study by providing excellent hospitality and guest services.
Strategies:
Hospitality teams will be trained to be intentional in identifying guests and to be intentional about connecting them with a member for worship.
There will be continued training and recruiting for Welcome Center staff so that (a) worship guests are identified as they enter, (b) a connection is made with them before and/or after worship, and (c) information gathered about guests is compiled and disseminated to appropriate staff.
Read and Reflect
It is the goal of the Worship Team that every person who is involved in any area of worship ministry will be reading and reflecting on Scripture at least five times a week.
Strategies:
Knowing that one of the best ways to encourage others in a particular behavior is to demonstrate and model the desired behavior, leaders of each worship team (Choirs, Instrumentalists, Welcome Center, Hospitality) will regularly share their own experience reading and reflecting daily on Scripture. Each will answer the question, “How does this change me?”
Others within each worship team will be asked to regularly share their own experience with the worship group.
Properties Ministry Team
Ministry Team Leader: Ken Gideon
Staff Liaison: Edie Grieshaber
Ministry Focus: We support the staff, core and support ministries of the congregation, and the ministry of Christ Community Lutheran School by insuring that the facilities that God has provided for us are safe, clean, attractive, and well-maintained for current and future ministry needs, consistent with the vision of the congregation. Furthermore, as stewards of His resources, we engage and equip others to use their gifts and talents in the hands-on ministry of the team.
Know and Enjoy
We believe it is critical that the facilities are well-maintained and attractive to encourage the congregation, guests, school children, and the community to grow in their knowledge of God as they worship and fellowship with other Christians and those who are not yet connected to Christ and His Church.
Strategies:
To that end, these areas of the property have been targeted for emphasis in 2010.
Updating the heating/cooling system in Friendship Hall that is more appropriate for the space and more cost effective than the current boiler and chiller.
Develop a plan for the ongoing maintenance of the building that will include the upgrade/replacement of equipment on a regular, annual basis.
Continue work that was begun in 2008 on the landscaping and broadened in 2009. Identify key areas for landscaping/sprinkler system for 2010 and each year thereafter until the plan is complete and all areas of the grounds are serviced by a sprinkler system.
Read and Reflect
Knowing that daily reading and reflecting on God’s Word is critical to spiritual growth, we will encourage the members of our team and members of the congregation and community to spend time reading and reflecting on Scripture.
Strategies:
We will encourage the members of our team by beginning each meeting/event with a time of sharing the ways that God is speaking to us as we have read and reflected on His Word.
For the congregation and community, it is our plan to get bids and award a contract (as funds are available) for the LED sign at Watson Road on the campus. Daily Scripture verses may be incorporated into the messages that are on the sign as well as other information that will encourage people to be a part of the life and ministry of our congregation.
Serve and Share the Gospel
As we respond to God by using our gifts and talents for Him, we will serve someone in our community and share the Gospel of Jesus with that person/family.
Strategies:
We will partner with Human Care or community agencies to “adopt” a family in the community that we can serve by doing small home repairs that the person cannot afford or cannot accomplish because of physical limitations.