Congregational Meeting Feedback Welcome

Big 2005 Annual Congregational Meeting here at Grace last night. Quite a blur for me. I think I am still recovering this morning as I dive back into Matthew's Gospel, chapter 12. If you missed it, you need to at least get a copy of the 25 page annual report. Just email me or call the church office.

We welcome your feedback. What did you think? What did you hear as you talked with others? How might we improve our annual meetings in the future?

Here are few of my own impressions. . . .

• Everyone did a great job presenting their pieces. We have such a great group of people involved in leadership.

• We had a good turnout, lots of families represented. I wish we had provided some childcare.

• I was encouraged by the many new folks present for their first Grace Congregational Meeting. A good sign.

• We went a little long on time, but I'm not sure what I would cut.

• I am very glad we took the time to pray at the end. I think that was a highlight.

• The Pastor Ken Transition was the biggest surprise for most.

• It's going to take time for folks to get used to 3 services. There is loss, but I don't see an alternative.

• I heard good feedback from those I talked with. No one seemed shocked, rather most were very "matter of fact" about where we are going.

And here's a "cut and paste" from my "Looking Forward by Faith in 2005" report. . . .

5 ways we can live by faith in light of God's faithfulness to us:

1. Pursuing our Vision & Mission: We need to “excel still more” in our understanding and application of the Gospel. We need to work it into our lives and then work it out of our lives. We need to believe that it is the power of God for salvation and life transformation (Romans 1:17). We need to pursue more ways to put feet on the Gospel in this community though sacrificial service to one another and to others. We need to be the people of God proclaiming and practicing the Gospel. Growth Groups are the building block of Grace Church’s future and the key to making a large church feel like a small church. Growth Groups provide an opportunity to be in a true Christian community, a small group of people with whom we can learn and live the Gospel. This will undoubtedly require personal faith and a reordering of priorities and schedules. Make a commitment to get in a Growth Group this year!

2. Adding a 3rd Worship Service this Fall: Have you noticed how full our services are these days? While there’s still some room in the 9:00 AM service, we believe that we are going to continue to see numerical growth in the days ahead. We want to proactively prepare. After a thorough review of the options, we’ve concluded that adding a third Sunday morning worship service is the best option for Grace at this time. So, this Fall, on September 25th, the week after our 2005 Fall Kick-Off, we will make the leap to 3 services with new service times at 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 AM. This is going to require faith and flexibility on the part of all. Start praying and preparing now!

3. A Transition for Pastor Ken: After nearly 25 years of working with youth and 15 years serving formally and faithfully as the Pastor of Youth Ministries, here at Grace, it is time to work toward a transition for Pastor Ken Peet. This is a move that we have been planning for more than 2 years and the time has come. Our vision is to see Ken become our Pastor of Family Ministries who will give oversight to Youth and Children’s Ministries and staff, as well as pioneer some new areas of Family Ministry. We anticipate this transition involving the hiring of a new full time Pastor of Youth Ministries and the conversion of the current Youth Intern position into a part time Jr. High Director. Obviously, the selection of a new Pastor of Youth Ministries is a crucial one for Grace, as we do not want to see our youth ministries compromised, but rather advanced. This transition will require the faith of many. Our desire is to fund this ministry expansion for the second half of this fiscal year and beyond beginning January 2006.

4. 75th Anniversary Celebration: 2006 will officially be our 75th Anniversary and a unique opportunity to celebrate God’s continuing faithfulness to Grace Church over these many years Preparations are being made for a 6 week celebration beginning Easter Sunday 2006 and climaxing Memorial Day Weekend 2006.. Our desire is to see folks from the rich and storied history of Grace Church, scatterd throughout the country and the world come again and join us for this wonderful celebration as we look back in reflection and forward by faith. So set aside the whole Spring and plan to here with us. Steve Potratz and Pastor Al have assembled and are leading an excellent and diligent 75th Anniversary Committee who are actively planning NOW!

5. Annex Renewal: It is time to move forward toward the renewal of our Annex Building and a renenew Osos Street entrance. This has long been a component of our Facilities Master Plan. This will create improved circulation and access throughout our facility and new multi-use space for our growing ministry in the present and in the years to come. We believe this project is an essential part of our Vision and Mission in these days, and our desire to be a church in the community serving the community.


Now don't you want a copy of that Annual Report?