You are invited to be a part of the discussion on the following report.  Please plan to attend the January 9th Congregation Assembly.  Devotion time will begin at 6:15 p.m. with the meeting to start at 6:30 p.m.  (An optional meal will be served at 5:30 p.m.)  Your ideas are invited as we dialogue about the findings of the Task Team - please join us!

November 21, 2011

The deliverable

to the

Council and Congregation

of

First United Lutheran Church

from

The New Missions Task Team

Our Mission Statement:

Sharing God’s Word

Strengthening Faith

Serving Community

New Mission Task Team Members:

Wayne Homstad

Tina Kieckhafer

Sara Larson

Debbie Schneider

Pastor Todd Smith

Rob Thomas

Jim Van Akkeren

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Introduction:

 The New Mission Task Force was formed in the Fall of 2011 to explore New Missions for First United Lutheran Church.  Throughout the past three months,  the team has collected information and evaluated the current needs of our congregation, community, and worldwide church so that our recommendation to Council can be made on the future focus of First United.  Our deliverable is outlined as the following:

1.      Provide a summary to Personnel Committee, Finance Committee, and Church Council by November 21^st for input on establishing a job description for an Associate Pastor.

  2.      This summary will be used as a communication tool to the Congregation as part of the Annual Congregation meeting on December 4 ^th.

3.      Once Council approves the job description, and receives feedback from Personnel, Finance and the Congregation, then this will move to a call committee.

We began our evaluation by looking at the MET report, Missions Statement Goals, staff roundtables, and Task Force reports (oldest history).  The group then began brainstorming internal and external needs keeping in mind our mission of “Sharing God’s Word, Strengthening Faith, and Serving Community.”  After these initial reflections, we discussed core competencies of the person hired or volunteers in which this mission will need to bring First United into the future: “We Believe in Tomorrow.” (Stewardship Drive from Sunday).

The following pages summarize our findings.

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Every church member should support the mission of expanding our role in Social Ministry within our Congregation and in the Sheboygan area because of the following rationale: 

Because First United Lutheran Church is...

 Rationale #1  ...Currently involved in the Laundry of Love, spending approximately $350 per month.

Rationale #2 ...Currently involved in donating food items and financial resources to area food pantries.

Rationale #3  …Currently assisting Rainbow Kids through volunteers and facility space.   

Rationale #4 ...Currently offering a free community meal six times per year.

Rationale #5  …Currently supporting Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization financially and through volunteering.

Rationale #6  …Currently involved in a growing Adopt-a-Family program.

Rationale #7  ...Currently studying the issues of homeless families in the Sheboygan area.

Rationale #8  …Currently involved in the Crop Walk.

Rationale #9 …Currently financially supporting the HOFF (Household of Faith Fund), a Discretionary Fund to help people in need.

Rationale #10 ...Currently blessed with many gifted and talented members in the areas of education, medical professionals, and a genuine passion for helping those in need.

Rationale #11 ...Currently receiving a bequest expected to be in excess of $300,000.

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Every church member can support the mission of expanding our role in Social Ministry within our Congregation and in the Sheboygan area by participating and being involved in the following understandings:

 Understanding #1         We are called by God to serve those in need.  Those who have spiritual, economic, emotional, or relational needs.  Christ calls us to help heal a hurting world.

 Understanding #2         First United Lutheran Church has always been compelled to expand our ministries because of our commitment to Christ.

Understanding #3         Expanding the Laundry of Love, Food Pantry, Community meals, and helping with the issue of homelessness would require an off-site property purchase.

 Understanding #4         Expanding and creating more ministries to strengthen our Social Ministry emphasis would require more staff (Associate Pastor) and lay volunteers.

 Understanding #5         The scheduling of tutoring or medical clinics would be determined by the availability of our volunteers with a realistic time commitment on their part.

 
Understanding #6         Our current operating budget has a deficit.  Any new mission would require members to make a commitment of expanding their financial giving and transferring their contribution from the building debt allocation to the new mission.

Understanding #7         The Council and the members of our Congregation will be responsible for the decisions to expand our Social Ministry within our Congregation and in the Sheboygan area and to add an Associate Pastor.

Understanding #8         With a long history and strong passion of participating in many Social Ministry programs, we would be building on our strengths at First United Lutheran Church.

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