Vision

Focusing on...

Learning to speak of the expressions of the church first as the people themselves, as well as the congregations, synods, churchwide, and other agencies and institutions.
Speaking as easily and concretely about the ministry by all the baptized in daily life as we currently do about the ministry that happens in and through congregations.

Shifting the center of gravity for our living out missional church from what we do as the church gathered to what we do as the church scattered.

Understanding ministry that grows from what pastors do and what we do as the congregations to include the love and service that is lived out in our everyday roles and relationships.

Becoming practiced at counting and reporting ministry in terms of the impact we are making in our homes, workplaces, schools, local communities, and around the world, not exclusively in terms of money received and numbers of participants.

Resulting in...

All of us, from children to adults, will be able comfortably and confidently to speak and live the faith in our daily lives.

Burdens will be lifted from pastors when they are no longer seen as the ones primarily responsible for the ministry of the congregation; they will find joy and fulfillment as ministry multiplies through the lives of all God’s people.

“Church” will no longer be in competition with the activities and responsibilities of members, and “ministry” will multiply beyond our wildest expectations without having to ask people to add something more to their busy lives.

The gathering rite of worship will be expanded to better receive people after a week of ministry, allowing them to report “God sightings” and to receive forgiveness for failures; the sending rite will be expanded to better commission and send people for the coming week of ministry.

When faith is connected to life, congregations will experience renewal in purpose and vitality.