Dear Members of St. James Lutheran Church,
We are thrilled to share with you the exciting progress we have made as a congregation in our journey of spiritual discernment and planning. Over the past year, St. James has embarked on a transformative partnership with the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) in the Ministry Clarity Process.
Through deep reflection, prayer, and engagement with the congregation, we have completed the Visioning phase of this process. Our primary objective during this phase was to gain insight into God’s plan for our congregation. With your prayers, your input and God’s direction, we discovered our Mission Pillars: Healing, Community, and Restoration. These pillars, along with our guiding statement, “Together we have found healing and hope in Jesus Christ and welcome others to experience these same Gospel promises,” serve as the foundation upon which our ministry endeavors are built.
Having completed the Visioning Process, we have now transitioned into the Ministry Planning phase. This stage has been marked by active participation from our congregation, facilitated through congregational events, surveys, and fervent prayer. With the guidance of a dedicated planning team, we have meticulously defined the priorities of our ministries and identified the unique strengths of our congregation. Above all, we have embraced our collective desire to follow God’s roadmap as we craft a Ministry Plan that reflects His will for us.
This Ministry Plan is a comprehensive 3–5-year roadmap for St. James’ Ministry, has been constructed through the analysis of congregational input and unwavering trust in God’s direction. It will serve as a guiding light for our leadership, enabling us to track our progress towards our goals and remain accountable to the vision we have set forth.
In the coming weeks, we will embark on a journey to explore each Mission Pillar and its respective goals in depth. Through various channels including direct mail, email, online platforms, sermons, Bible study, and prayer, we will engage with each pillar intimately, seeking to deepen our understanding and commitment to our ministry objectives.
Ultimately, the adoption of this Ministry Plan will be presented to the congregation at a formal voters’ meeting. Your feedback and input are invaluable to us as we continue to refine and implement our plan. Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Ministry Planning Team.
Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to the mission of St. James Lutheran Church. Together, let us continue to journey forward in faith, guided by God’s grace and inspired by our shared vision.
St. James Ministry Planning Team
Eric Robinson, Nic Schatte, Joe Rathert, Stacey Staake, Shanna Covarrubias, Cheryl Schnicker