New Beginnings Update
New Beginnings discussion scheduled June 22nd during our Sunday morning worship service.
Why are we taking worship time to do this? Because our ministry and worship are one. They are not disconnected. The decisions we make, the work we do, are manifestations of our worship of God. Worship will take place in Koinonia Hall. We will be seated at the round tables. Patterned after the very early Christian church, we will pray, sing hymns, discuss, and share communion. It is during this time we will discuss in greater depth our future with New Beginnings. Hopefully, following this discussion, we will be able to schedule a congregational meeting for the purpose of making an "official" decision about our New Beginnings recommendation. We are an incredibly giving, loving congregation. We are not going through this process simply to determine the future of today's membership. We are determining how best this congregation can continue to serve as a mission station in the ministry of Jesus Christ for years to come. --Karen Nye, New Beginnings Leadership Team New Beginnings Compiled by the New Beginnings Leadership Team 1. List some of the things your congregation is Best at. 2. What is your church's main Passion? 3. What kinds of Resources are claimed for your church? 4. Which of the three circles does you congregation rate as the highest? 5. How did you rate your contextual relevance? 6. Which of the three circles does your congregation rate the lowest? 7. Which option did your congregation believe was your best option? 8. What did you identify as significant barriers to change for your congregation? 9. How would you rate the attitude of the congregation at the end of the cottage meeting conversations?
Final Report of Cottage Meetings
April 16 and 21, 2008
€ Hospitality: Within the congregation and outside the congregation
€ Organizational skills/Strong Leadership
€ Community involvement
€ Worship
€ Building/Property
€ Leadership
€ Faithful givers
€ Passion
€ Low-Moderate
€ Resources: dwindling financial base; dwindling membership/
worker base; high maintenance building
€ Modified Parallel Start (with reservations)
€ Giving up control/independence
€ Giving up identity
€ Giving up "old ways" of doing things (worship, mission, etc.)
€ Reluctance to make small changes (pews)
€ We cannot continue to "do it all." We must drop some of our obligations in order to make new beginnings our #1 focus.
€ Cautiously optimistic
