Long Range Planning Update!

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God."
Philippians 1:9-11

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20

As we end one year and look to the next, I couldn't help but return to the two passages above that begin the final report of the Long Range Planning Team to the Council. For me, these represent much of what the Long Range Planning Team has tried to do this past year - listen and discern the ways we as a congregation are being called to take on the challenge to "make disciples" in our time and place. As you may recall, the team has listened to the congregation, named our strengths and weaknesses, reflected on our vision and mission statements and concluded that now is the time to move forward with some specific actions. Council has taken this information and is in the process of leading us through the next few steps of the journey.

Or to describe it another way could be to liken the process to the creation of a piece of art: The Long Range Planning Team has provided the frame, Council is preparing the canvas, paints and brushes, and soon the congregation and the various teams will be sketching and painting our piece of art. To that end, the Church Council's preparations have centered around these areas put forward by the team: 

• Membership Growth: sustained membership growth is key and will require both an increased focus on youth and family ministries as well as sustained support for ministries desired by more senior members of the congregation.
• Spiritual Growth: personal spiritual growth remains a primary desire among members of Christ the King.
• Physical Growth: plans to address the staffing needs and outstanding mortgage of the congregation will support the membership and spiritual growth of the congregation.
• Relational Growth: strengthening our ties to the Christ the King

Preschool and the broader Lutheran church will help us share our gifts and further the congregation's understanding of what it means to be a community of faith.

As 2016 arrives, I pray we will all grab a brush and join in as we are able in painting the masterpiece. For with some inspiration, hard work and the Spirit guiding, there's no telling the beauty God has in store!

Grace and Peace,
Pr. Erik