Mission Task Force Report, December 5th.

Mission Task Force Report

December 5, 2011

Leaders: Dave Patti & Linda Breckenridge

The Mission of Upper Dublin Lutheran Church is:

To invite and welcome all people to know Jesus, to provide spiritual nourishment and to join in God’s ministries so that we will be strengthened to serve.

The Vision Statement of Upper Dublin Lutheran Church is:

We seek to become faithful servants glorifying God, by leading people to Jesus, by ministering to our community and world with good works, and by empowering disciples for Christ.

Mission/Identity/Lutheran Linkages Tasks	From ELCA Guide for Lay Leaders
What are our most vital ministries?	Look objectively at congregational strengths and weaknesses
How are we fulfilling our mission and vision?	Redefine the purpose and direction of the church
What could we be doing to better fulfill it?	Orient toward the future
Where is the Spirit leading us?	Reconnect with ELCA and synodical resources and programs
What are we doing with other Lutheran congregations and organizations?	Reflect on Lutheran theology and tradition as it affects mission and ministry

Attendees:   Karen Adams (Prayer and Discernment) Linda Breckenridge, Doris Brown (Prayer and Discernment), George Clark, Dee Coyle, Karla Grafton, Kent Griswold (Transition Team), Kiersten Harrington, Judy Rosenwinkel, Cheryl Rozinski, Jody Sprague, Livvy Steffens, and Sandy Silbiger

 Accomplishment:     Attendees compiled the responses submitted by 37 UDLC members to the questionnaires we distributed.  A summary of the responses begins on the second page of this report.

Plans:  Pastor Detweiler gave us three pages from the Ministry Site Profile. (see page 4 of this report.)  Each attendee received copies and has agreed to read the questions, pray about them, and jot down ideas about them between now and our next meeting.

We will meet again on Thursday, December 15, at 7:00 PM to write our answers these questions.

Summary of Responses

 1.  What are our most vital ministries?

Our most vital ministries are Worship, Education, Youth, and Outreach

Our worship ministry includes our three very different worship services, our band, choirs, and organ, our Christmas Eve, Lenten and Holy Week worship services, and the many worship assistants who make these services possible.

Our education ministry includes Sunday classes for all ages, a large catechetical program, weekly Bible studies, small study groups, retreats, and our weekday nursery school.

Our youth ministries include Tween, Junior,and Senior youth groups with their large variety of activities and ministries.

Our community outreach includes OHAAT Beds for Kids, Chosen 300, Community Cupboard, Loaves & Fishes, Parish Heath Team, Appalachian Service Project, Hospitality Network, Troop Packages, Financial Peace University, Marriage Ministry, Prayer Shawl Ministry, and the Flea Market.

Our global outreach includes the support of ministries in Tanzania, China, Egypt, Libya, Haiti, and Kenya.

2.  How are we fulfilling our mission and vision?

We invite people to know Jesus with genuine caring and personal contacts, with our signage and website, and by sharing our facilities with community groups.

We welcome people by greeting visitors with genuine caring, by offering coffee and snacks at our coffee bar, and by providing comfortable and attractive facilities.

We provide spiritual nourishment with three unique weekly worship services, youth and adult education classes, inspiring music, small interest and study groups, Bible studies, and fellowship on Sunday mornings. 

We join in God’s ministries with our community and global outreach programs.

That we empower disciples for Christ is evident in the number of leaders and  member-started ministries and small groups we have in our congregation.

3.  What could we be doing to better fulfill our mission and vision?

We could better invite by having a coordinated evangelism program to attract new members, by reinstating our “Sunday caller” program, and by improving our ability to frequently update our website.

We could better welcome by providing cleaner facilities and more parking, and by wearing name tags regularly.

We could better nourish by using a variety of media to communicate with members, by providing more fellowship opportunities for people to meet and know those who attend different worship services, by contacting members whose attendance has dropped off, by plugging new members into committees, small groups and ministries, and by creating more small groups for members with specific interests and needs.

We could better join in God’s ministries by working with local disaster relief efforts, and by publicizing our various ministries so that members are more aware of them.

4.  What are we doing with other Lutheran congregations and organizations?

With Cathedral Church in Tanzania, we support a scholarship program, the widow’s group, the six sub-parishes, our ELCA missionary, and visitations.

With St. John’s Lutheran Church  in Mayfair  we support a community cupboard.

With Gloria Dei Lutheran Church we share youth activities and OHAAT responsibilities.

With St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Lafayette Hill we support their Boars Head Festival with our attendance and share a quilt day.

With The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia we attend retreats, gatherings, worship services, and learn from their professors in Adult Forum.

With Southeastern PA Synod we attend conferences and gatherings.

With Lutheran Children and Family Services we sponsor refugee families.

With ELCA we support world hunger and global mission events.

With LWR we send money to Egypt, Libya and Haiti.

5.  Where is the Holy Spirit Leading Us?   We have yet to be so bold as to answer this question.

These are the seven questions from the Ministry Site Profile.   Please study and pray about them before our meeting on December 15.  We must answer each in 250 words or less.

1.  How does this congregation understand its reason for being in light of God’s call to mission and service?  Who are you?   Why are you here?

2.  What are your gifts and resources for fulfilling this purpose?  What are the congregation’s top three assets and how are they being used?  Are there obstacles that must be overcome to be able to use these gifts and accomplish the mission?

3.  Describe your congregation’s current programs for mission and ministry.

4.  If there is a Strategic Plan in place for the congregation, what are the primary goals to which you are committed?

5.  What is your congregation really excited about right now?

6.  How does this congregation see itself as a member and active participant in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the synod?

7.  In light of the way you have described your ministry context in this Ministry Site Profile, what are the top three mission priorities which, if accomplished, hold the most promise for the continued development of this ministry?