Living Hope Lutheran ChurchAnnual Congregational Meeting

AgendaMay 5, 2013

10:00 am

1. Opening Prayer – Pastor Michael2. Approval of January, 2013 Business Meeting Minutes3. Council Election4. Financial Update5. Council Report

a) 25th Anniversaryb) Focus for the coming year

6. Pastor’s Report1. Living Hope’s Renewal/Mission path2. LH Website Walk-through3. Programmatic Vision Going Forward

7. Ministry Team Reports8. Lord’s Prayer

Agenda

Council Election

Financial Update Q1-2013

Income Actual Q1 Budget Q1 Variance

Contributions 41,731 43,325 (1,594)

HWG Mortgage 12,450 12,450 0

Rental Income 203 0 203

Total 54,384 55,775 (1,391)

Financial Update Q1-2013

Expenses Actual Q1 Budget Q1 Variance

Benevolence 1,875 1,875 0

Education 973 2,130 1,157

Mortgage 11,756 11,636 (120)

Payroll Exp 31,462 31,683 221

Utilities 1,821 2,161 340

Other 5,286 9,712 4,426

Total 53,173 59,197 6,024

Here We Grow Preschool & Childcare Center

• Fair Compensation: Current Wage Range $8.30 - $12.35

• Teachers required to earn college credits each year

• Top paid teachers – employed since 2001

• No Health Insurance/Benefits to offer

Challenges/Goal

Here We Grow Annual Report

• Directors– Beki Tetzlaff– Dawn Zirtzlaff– Karen Krueger– Chris Lear– Pastor Michael

• Stats– 65 Families– 20 Staff members

Serve

• Spring Cleaning• Church Basement

Cleaned• New Kitchen

Counter-top• New Folding Chair

Rack• Cross Removed

from Roof

• Heart to Hands• Food Pantry• Crop Walk• ELCA World Hunger

Appeal• Feed My Starving

Children• Lutheran World Relief• Soup Kitchen• Habitat for Humanity• Relay for Life

Hearts to Hands

• Celebrating 6 Years• Inventory of 193 items• Donations to Hope

Christian Schools• Delivered 9 Prayer

Shawls• Provided 6 baptismal

gifts• Donated 25 newborn

hats to Wheaton Franciscan Hospital

• Successful 2nd Annual day-long retreat

Celebrate

• Annual Summer Picnic

• Fish Sticks Comedy

• Planning 25th Anniversary

Children’s Ministry

• Outstanding Teachers– Sunday School Coordinator: Chrissy Curran– Pre-school 3 & 4 yr olds – Lindsay Nelson & Sue

Dobberpuhl– Kindergarten & 1st Grade – Alison DeVillers-Burke

& Roxanne Colwell– 2nd & 3rd Grade – Chris Koss & Lisa Schulze– 4th & 5th Grade – Tori Haydin & Carrie Drewiecki– Children Choirs – Mary Seboldt & Jen Eason

VBS

• HayDay Weekend – focus on kids growing their friendship with Jesus

• Confirmation students will help with VBS

Youth Ministry

• Study Focus: Creating the early Christian Church

• Service Project: Feed my Starving Children

• Excursions: Youth Quake• Goal: Development of a

strong Confirmation & High School Youth Program

High School

• Fund Raisers– Souper Bowl Sunday– Pizzas– Car Wash– Movie Passes

• Synod Wide Gatherings• Retreat Day• NOLA Family• New Orleans

Music Ministry

• Cherub Choir• Living Hopefuls

Children’s Choir• Adult Choir

Relationships…

Relationships…

Relationships…

Renewed Mission-Minded Congregations

Congregational renewal is a Biblical journey by which congregations deepen their understanding of the word of God,

expand their practice of the word into the world, and share with others the beauty

of the word and its relevance for the Christian walk into the world. The journey will result in a more active engagement

in God’s mission and an increase in their capacity for multiplying ministry

in the world.

ACTS 1:1-14

Spiritual Transformation

WAITING

Spiritual Transformation

DEEPENING OF FAITH

Spiritual Transformation

SENSE OF

HOLY

URGENCY

Spiritual Transformation

INVITATION TO

ADVENTURE

Spiritual Transformation

PRAYER

Transformational Ministry

Congregational renewal or transformation process– Seeks to equip congregations to become

growing centers for evangelical mission– Renewing/transforming the church from its

Lutheran core– Planting the seeds of renewal in any context– Deepening congregational roots in a diverse

context out of its missional identity

The Changing Church

“Communities of care”

“Missionaries of grace”

Dr. Alicia Vargas

Laity infiltrate through vocation

Transformational Ministry

Transformational Ministry

=

Returning to Our Faith Foundations

(Bible study/discussion, prayer, discipleship)

+

Re-rooting in the Community

(Relationships, Relationships, Relationships)

VISION at LIVING HOPE

• Every member-disciple is a missionary

• The pastor is a mission director

• The congregation is a

“mission base camp”

31

–to live among God’s people, –to hear God’s word & receive God’s sacrament, –to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word & deed–to serve all people, following the example of Jesus–to work towards peace & justice in the world

Baptismal Covenant

3 Characteristics of Healthy ELCA Congregations

• Identity/Purpose – A collective sense of what God wants them to do. Always contextualizes the “missio dei” and points to the world

• Willingness to Change – So committed to God’s purpose that they will change what they do to get it done

• Leadership – laity and clergy who work together as a team – Priesthood of all believers – everyone knows that all of

life is ministry and service to God and happens 24/7 – not just in a church building or when we are “religious”

It takes all of these to make it happen!

BIRTH

GROWTH

STABILITY

REDEFINITIONREDEFINITION

REDEVELOPMENTREDEVELOPMENT

REBIRTHREBIRTHDEATH

DECLINE

DECLINE

DECLINE

The Congregational Life CycleThe Congregational Life Cycle

• ..\

Demographics/Trend Reports

2005 to 2010 Change in Average Worship Attendance

• Declining: 6,563 congregations (65.6%) • Stable: 1,860 congregations (18.6%)• Growing: 1,585 congregations (15.8%)

Growing: AWA growth by more than 5%; Declining: AWA decline by more than 5%; Stable: AWA change between -5% and +5%

OWNERSHIP/

BUY-IN to the

JOURNEY PLAN