On February 11-12, our Leadership Team and Ministry Chairs gathered at Pilgrim Center Camp at Green Lake to get to know one another, share meals and fun, and to engage several emerging ‘big questions’ in the life of our congregation. After a year and a half of focusing our energy on raising money and remodeling our building, we felt it was time to look forward to the exciting things that lay ahead. While no specific decisions were made, it was an energizing weekend of thoughtful conversation and brainstorming.
Questions we discussed included
* How do we faithfully build on the strengths of our emerging and bulging program for children and youth? Tammy Martens laid our our vision and invited discussion on how we might move forward.
* How do we more deeply welcome and integrate those new to the church. Ken Pennings invited reflection on our own experiences and helped us consider anew what an authentic welcome looks like to newcomers.
* Planning for Winton Boyd’s sabbatical. Winton will be taking a sabbatical from July through early October. He laid out several goals for that time and invited input. Later, the leaders continued the discussion without the pastors.
* Embracing our Capital Campaign mission gift. This year will see significant effort put into deciding how to distribute approximately $150,000 (a tithe from our capital campaign).
* Worship expansion. Winton shared several insights and ideas for expanding worship opportunities – either through another service or with additional access to the current service from the Friendship Hall. Hearty and creative thinking ensued.
This year’s Leadership Team:
Mary Bucknell (moderator), Rich Hamann (moderator elect), Becky Yeazel (Clerk), Lori Miller (Treasurer), Helene Nelson, Dick Rossmiller, J McLellan, Sally Allen, LuAnn Greiner, Doug Piper (past moderator).
Ministry Chairs:
Ministry of Adult Faith Formation: Pat Fellows and Cheryl Diermyer
Ministry of Christian Witness and Service: Barb Hummel
Ministry of Congregational Life: Teri Hedges
Ministry of Resources: Ralph Peterson
Ministry of Youth Faith Formation: Barbara Stretchberry
