Reflection Survey Refresher New Sunday school program Sunday

Reflection Survey Refresher

New Sunday school program! • Sunday School will be held at 10: 10 a. m. during the new contemporary worship service • Kids preschool through 4 th grade will attend • Curriculum will mirror the narrative lectionary so kids and parents can share conversation • The first Sunday of the month, children will remain in worship with parents and play an active role in the service • Registration is open now; as of this writing, more than 30 children have already signed up! • Teachers are needed; contact Kelly Kinnan

New Sunday morning Worship schedule: 7: 30 a. m. Coffee Fellowship 8 a. m. Traditional Worship 9 a. m. Fellowship Breakfast 10 a. m. Contemporary Worship 10: 10 a. m. Sunday School • The new Sunday morning schedule does not house an obvious space for adult ed without making folks opt out of fellowship breakfast= opportunity to get creative! • Wed. evening worship at 7: 30 p. m. begins 9/23 • Saturday evening worship at 5 p. m. begins 9/26

Other Worship progress: • Our Father’s will now host 4 worship services each week! • Length of Sunday service will be somewhat regulated by new schedule • Announcements exist at the end of service allowing people to step out if needed • Announcements have been reduced with help of new Gather & Serve distributed after worship

Finances: Operating fund status • At the end of 2014, the Operating Fund was in a deficit of $12, 957 • By the end of March 2015, the deficit had been reduced to $5, 327 • As of the end of June 2015, the Operating Fund is in a surplus of $12, 157

Summer fundraiser • On May 10 th, a fundraiser was announced in support of the Operating Fund • As of July 12 th, $22, 160 has been raised • This represents 74% of the stated Fundraiser goal of $30, 000 • Thank you for the many generous contributions! • Please consider visiting the mountain display in our Fellowship Hall and make a supplemental donation to help us reach our goal!

Finances: Building / mortgage fund • At the end of June, the Building/Mortgage Fund has a reserve of $15, 736 • This is approximately 5 months worth of mortgage payments! • Thank you for the continued robust health of this fund.

Other Financial progress… • New QR code giving option allows you to donate using your smartphone • How are we Building Christ’s Community with funding from outside our walls? : • Go Fund Me sites: Sewing ministry & Harvesters of Hope • Lunch Box Fever grant from the Synod • Frugal spending and fewer incidentals • Energy audit • Small group/individual fundraising opportunities

Coming in 2016: year-round stewardship!

Key theme: Desire for adult ed • Tuesday morning Bible study at 10 a. m. Currently studying the book Sabbath • Rebekah Circle: Women’s Bible study second Wednesday of the month at 1 p. m. • Men’s Group: First Sunday of the month at 7: 30 a. m. • Following Jesus? Let’s Talk! Exploring Christian media Sunday mornings at 8: 30 a. m. • Daring Greatly book study: Wednesday evenings at 8 p. m. • Restless: Because you were made for more book study: Sunday mornings at 11 a. m.

Anyone can lead adult Ed! Got an interest or passion? Here’s how to get started: 1. Pick your theme/focus 2. Set a start date 3. Invite others to join you! 4. It is good… Thanks be to God!

Key theme: Concerns about lack of volunteers and participation • Karen Sangren is pioneering a new volunteer coordinator role to help us connect people with opportunities to serve; Connection Survey will help her and others make those connections • Watch for more short-term opportunities to serve • New and evolving ministries are springing up • People are lending their God-given talents: Landscaping by the old tower, little lending library (coming soon)…

Key theme: Leadership listening, communicating, taking action • Quarterly meetings help us all stay informed • Three monthly “leadership” meetings are open to anyone who wants to attend: 1 st, 2 nd and 4 th Tuesday of the month at 6: 30 p. m. Join us!! • Meeting notes can now be found in the black rack • Placing a priority on communication with help from Tiffiney • Revisiting this survey to ensure we are making progress • Exploring the possibility of an evolved statement of purpose • New communication tools are in the works to help facilitate open and honest dialogue

Closing Prayer “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ” Philippians 3: 12 -14 Heavenly Father, You are so good to us. This update is full of examples of ALL OF US—your church—coming together in your name to build a bright future at Our Father’s. But God, we also recognize that things like the mechanics of our Sunday morning schedule, the progress of our summer fundraiser, how we draw volunteers in to do the work of the church— while these are all important and good, you are calling us to do so much more. You invite us to rely on you, to love you more deeply, and to embrace and love our neighbors as ourselves. To boldly reach outside our walls and tend to your children in need, and to grow in our relationships with each other. And God, you made us human, so as we read in Philippians, we will not do it perfectly. But we will press on! Help us, God, to strain forward to those places where you want us to go. Give us courage to listen for you, and to follow you, and to spread love and forgiveness wherever we go in this journey forward. --Amen