Important Decisions to be made at
Leadership Team Meeting
Tuesday, Feb 23, 2010
All member & regular attendees encouraged to attend
I. Introduction
The year, 2010, will be a pivotal year for Glynlea Grace United Methodist Church (GGUMC). It has brought us some opportunities that could transform the congregation and make us more relevant to the surrounding community. The result of this would be growth and kingdom building. During the February Leadership Team Meeting (Tuesday, February 23 7PM) we will discuss these opportunities and make decisions that night. Please prayerfully read this paper, attend the leadership team meeting (It’s an open meeting) and help us discern God’s will in these matters.
The opportunities that have become available to us can be divided into two sections:
1) ‘Outward Focus Initiative’
2) ‘New Realities’
I’ll discuss each section separately and then go over the options in front of us. When I go over the options, I’ll clearly illustrate the necessary sacrifices. Yes, in order for us to grow and fulfill the great commission (Mat. 28:19-20) and great commandment (Mat. 22:37-39) we must be willing to sacrifice. This is what Jesus was getting at when he said, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mat. 16:24)
II. ‘Outward Focus Initiative’
Over the last four months, the Lord brought us some ministry opportunities that could transform us into a passionately outward focus church. It started when a group from our church attended a grant writing workshop at the district office. We learned about grants but, more importantly, we developed a relationship with the Director of the Northeast District Community Outreach Agency (COA), Pam Hall. She began to help us discern how we can better use the church property to reach out to the community. As a result of several meetings we came up with two opportunities. They are: ‘Upward soccer’ and ‘Summer free lunch program’.
‘Upward’ is a nation wide ministry that uses sports (soccer, basketball, flag football and cheerleading) to introduce kids (1st to 6th grade) to Jesus Christ. Winning and keeping score are de-emphasized while team work, respect and love are emphasized. The practices have devotional time built into them. The Upward ministry provides the devotional material and memory Bible verses for us to use. This is a well established ministry. Mandarin UMC has a successful Upward sports program.
We have already determined that our big grassy field is big enough to accommodate 2 big soccer fields for the older kids and 1 small soccer field for the younger kids. Our next step is to send a team to the next available Upward Training Conference. The next available training conference is March 19-20 in Pompano Beach, FL.
The ‘Summer free lunch program’ would be a partnership between the Jacksonville Children’s Commission (JCC) and GGUMC. They would provide the free lunches and we would provide the fellowship hall and volunteers. This is a way to ensure that all kids have at least one decent meal a day. The volunteers would be free to also offer arts, crafts, music or any other activity that teaches the gospel message – a great opportunity to invite the children and families to church.
In addition to these two outreach endeavors, we are also looking at the possibility of bringing back the Crossroad School. We could possibly set up a mentor program with this school and help with their chapel service. (Of course, the added income from the school wouldn’t hurt.)
The last initiative is developing the ‘Sunday Night Praise Fire’ into a live concert that involves multiple bands and a large crowed from the neighborhood.
In summary, the ‘Outward Focus Initiative’ includes 1) Upward soccer, 2) Summer free lunch program, 3) Possibly bringing back the Crossroad School and 4) Developing the Sunday night praise fire into a high energy praise service.
II. ‘New Realities’
‘New Realities’ is an appreciative discernment process that could help us become more unified as we discern God’s will for us. By the end of this process we should be a more unified congregation with a vision of what God wants us to do. It is a very intensive 12-18 month process that involves the entire congregation. The pastor, church leadership team and the rest of the congregation would have major roles to play. The required commitments are:
- Pastor – 11 workshops with other participating pastors
- Church leadership team – 11 meetings with a coach for training and planning
- Congregation – 8 workshops that will focus on individual and congregational discernment
Obviously, this process requires a big commitment from the congregation. In order for this to be successful, almost the entire congregation must be committed to this. Think and pray about this. If we do this, we want it to be worth our time and effort.
‘New Realities’ is expected to start in May. The people running the ‘New Realities’ process will need a definite answer by the end of February. This means we must decide if we are going to do this at the leadership team meeting scheduled for February 23, 2010.
III. The options in front of us
When it comes to the ‘Outward Focus Initiative’ and ‘New Realties’, we have two options. We could either decide to do just one or we could decide to do both. Either choice will require us to make tremendous sacrifices.
I believe we can do both, if we are willing to make the necessary sacrifices. Both options require a significant commitment of time and resources. In order to do both, we must become totally focused on them throughout 2010. This means clearing our calendar of all the other church wide activities that we normally do every year. The following is a list of church wide events I propose we do not do in order to pursue the ‘Outward Focus Initiative’ and ‘New Realities’.
- Easter Egg Hunt
- Vacation Bible School (Our children can attend at Spring Glen or St. Paul UMC)
- Pumpkin Patch
- Craft Festival
- Chinese Auction or Fashion Show (The fundraiser we usually do around September-October)
- Halloween Alternative Party
- Family Promise (We would participate in Family Promise for the month of March and then suspend our participation during the ‘New Realities’ process)
We would do the Lenten and Easter activities that are already scheduled. (These are the events we have on the calendar for March and April 2010.) For Christmas, we would do the cantata and Christmas Eve service. There is a praise concert scheduled for June 27 that we would still do. This is an event to raise money for a badly needed sound system renovation in the sanctuary. We would also continue the quarterly visits to the Riverwood nursing home because it is a commitment we made as a church. These should be the only events we do as we focus on the ‘Outward Focus Initiative’ and ‘New Realities’.
I believe it is in our best interest to do both. We need to become a unified congregation with a common vision. ‘New Realities’ will help us do that. We also need to become radically focused on reaching out to the community in new ways to meet people’s needs. This will help to bring people into the church. The ‘Outward focus Initiative’ will help us do that. Together, they could make us more effective in fulfilling the great commission and great commandment.
If we decide to do only one, we should consider doing the ‘Outward Focus Initiative’. As stated earlier, in order for the ‘New Realities’ to be successful, we will need almost the entire congregation committed (See section II). The ‘Outward Focus Initiative’ would not require as big of a commitment. The ‘Outward Focus Initiative’ is also badly needed in order to invite families and children to the church.
Please prayerfully consider these opportunities. Discuss them with each other and attend the leadership team meeting scheduled for February 23 at 7PM.
May the Holy Spirit guide us on what we should do.
In Christ,
David L. Charlton |
