Two years ago, we as a church engaged in the denominational health process called the Vitality Pathway. The Vitality Pathway is a compilation of resources to help a congregation in their journey toward becoming healthier and more missional. The Pathway educates us and helps us to grow and assess our congregation’s culture and life stage, as it compares to our ultimate target, a healthy missional church. By “healthy”, we mean pursuing Christ. By “missional”, we mean pursuing Christ’s priorities in the world. With the leadership of the Vitality Team (which ended last Fall), we have moved through the steps of the Pathway which include the Navigate, Veritas, and Epic workshops, a Service of Consecration, the Pulse Survey, and the Dream Again workshop.
The Ministry Planning Team, as the final step of the Vitality Pathway, started meeting in late 2018 and has continued to meet monthly in 2019. We have been praying and seeking God related to the “monumental change of heart” necessary to move us from a stable church to a healthy missional church. As part of this journey, we have been reading through the book, Necessary Endings, by Henry Cloud to assist us in our thought process about change. Through those discussions, the Pastors have created three themes we are proposing to the Council for consideration for the direction that will lead us toward the monumental change of heart we desire. These three themes (to be presented to the congregation this Fall) represent the passions of our three Pastors and are fully supported by the Ministry Planning Team. Following the discussion with the Council, we will work toward developing a launch plan for the Fall. In addition, we will be evaluating all programs, facilities, and staff to ensure alignment with the themes and the desired monumental change of heart.
Please continue to pray for us as we listen to God, humble ourselves before Him and prepare to go where He leads us.