Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It was a joy last Sunday to welcome a new child of God into our church family. I'm not sure why, but whenever I get to be the voice and hands of God pouring water over the baptized's head and saying those claiming words, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," I feel warmed inside. I like to think that it is because the Spirit is working there in baptism to bring all of God's love to that person.
You are all God's voice or hands each day to bring God's love to another. I see it among you - parents and children communicating with love and respect, spouses being so present to one another, doing your work faithfully and looking out for the ill, the aged, or the grieving. Your ministry actions are many. Thank you.
I want to encourage you in your ministry of being the voice, the mind, the hands, the heart of God to those near you and also to the whole world
With that in mind, to encourage you in Christ's ministry, John Top, Chuck Juntti and I attended a Mid-Sized Congregation's Transformation Project launch event in Groton on September 21 & 22, sponsored by the SD Synod - ELCA. It was the beginning of a journey to discover the ways our congregation can more fully reach out to local neighbors and invite them into faith in Jesus Christ.
The event presented ten "handles" for growth, i.e., ten ministries which can make a significant difference in the mission of ALC. The handles have been determined by sound research conducted recently in the ELCA. I think five of these handles stood out as I listened and thought of ALC: multiple hospitality ministries, strengthen our community outreach, ground growth in prayer-filled planning, create additional lay-led caring ministries, and move from a "volunteer" to a "minister" mentality through spiritual gifts.
The three of us gleaned twenty items, and because the church can't do everything at once, we narrowed it down to three specific goals.
Do a congregation-wide Spiritual Gifts inventory to help individuals and the church know what a person's gifts and interests for ministry are. Then an effort would be made to match people to ministries, old and new, to which they would enjoy doing and be good at.
Develop and use a "Welcome Packet" to be given to new people in the Castlewood area.
Build a "prayer and concern ministry" which would pray for people in a need of some kind (illness, grief, etc.) and also follow up with phone calls, visits, and acts of helpfulness as appropriate.
Also, we can less formally put into place a few other ideas like a church website, prayer practices, greeting visitors, etc.
Our Outreach Committee, which we would love to have you help on, has begun to pray, plan and prepare for these goals.
We ask your prayers and that you respond in Christ's freedom to God's extravagant love with ministry using the gifts God gives you.
Joy. Peace.
Pastor John
