March 2012 News

Check out Pastor Carolyn's Blog and Pastor Jean's Weekly News for furthur updates!

Ministry Opportunity Shared

On February 26, 2012

An unexpected ministry opportunity was discussed with Faith Lutheran Church members during information sessions following both worship services on February 26. Congregation president Bill Evans shared that the Church Council voted to consider purchasing the former St. Luke Episcopal Church property on Cleveland-Massillon Road (behind the Arbors Care Center) and formed a Task Force led by Council members Paul Skerlong and Rich Yori to investigate this option.

An Open House for FLC members will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. this Saturday, March 3. The address is 565 S. Cleveland Massillon Road.

The property is a 15-year-old building with 26,000 square feet on about 20 acres. The asking price is 1.9 million. There is a large gym and many meeting spaces, classrooms and offices, but no traditional worship space (although a large foyer could be used for a worship service.) The space meets many of Faith’s ministry needs and creates opportunities for new ministries, all of which were shared during the recent Brainstorming Forums. At this point it is being considered as a second campus.

Bill reported that a reason it is possible to consider this opportunity is due to the partnership that was recently formed with Galvin Therapy Center to develop a preschool classroom at FLC for children with autism. Jim Potantus of Galvin had shared with the Council future plans to open a school with grades K-12 for children with Autism. Upon visiting the church on Cleveland-Massillon Road with representatives from FLC, Jim expressed interest in expanding our partnership and leasing three-quarters of the space in the building for the school. Because the building is so large, there still would be significant space for youth and outreach ministries of FLC. Also, other income-producing opportunities, to cover building expenses, are being considered. 

Bill reported that because the Cleveland Diocese of the Episcopal Church, the seller, has received at least one viable offer, time is of the essence.  He noted that in order to “stay in the game” it will be necessary to make an offer soon (with various contingencies, including the outcome of a congregational vote). The Council will make a decision about doing so on March 4, based on the Task Force’s recommendations.

A vote was taken of the congregation members who were present on February 26 and there was overwhelming support of continuing to consider this opportunity, and making a contingent offer.

At the time of this writing on February 27, 2012 a Special Congregational Meeting has not yet been scheduled.

WE HEARD YOU!

REPORT ON BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS

~ Sixty-seven people attended at least one session (several people attended more than one).
~ All sessions addressed the same six questions in the same way.
~ At the end of each session, each person was asked to write down the three ideas generated that they felt were most important.
~ Those responses were compiled into five categories: Mission/Outreach, Youth, Worship, Building, Other.
~ Church Council met and went through a process of prioritization – the results are below and are listed in order of importance.

MISSION/OUTREACH
Partner With Other Churches (Servant Saturdays, Open M, GED Program, Oasis, Blood Drives)
Expand Food Ministries (Soup for Hospice, Soup at Bus Stop, Free Meals or Food Pantry)
Expand Preschool Ministry

YOUTH
New Youth Program (ideas include but are not limited to: Service Projects for H.S. Kids, Host Teen Concerts)
New Youth Facility
New Youth Director/Leader

BUILDING
Make a decision on use of 2B Transformed/Capital Campaign money
Create a Family/Youth Space (see also youth)
Create a New Gathering Space

Please note:
~ We have already begun several new ministries based on input from the brainstorming forums.
~ Church Council forwarded the ideas for worship to Pastor Jean and the Worship Team.
~ Your Church Council is committed to moving forward in 2012 – stay tuned!

February 2012 News

BRAINSTORMING FORUMS

By the time you read this, all three of our “The Time is NOW” sessions will be history. At this writing two have been held and over 50 people have come to share ideas and vision for this congregation. Although you will get a “final report” with all the results of these forums next month, it looks like we have strong support for three areas:

• Expand mission and outreach opportunities
• Expand youth ministry
• Figure out how best to use the 2B Transformed funds and move forward

The staff here at Faith is ready and willing to make things happen but we cannot do anything without your help. Please begin to prayerfully consider which of these initiatives speak most passionately to you and ask God to help you know how you can best help in these efforts. Contact Pastor Carolyn for more information, for clarification, or to share more ideas. We can’t wait to hear from you!

January 2012 News

We have been praying concerning: God’s purpose for Faith Lutheran Church, the use of Capital Funds, changes in, or additions to, our building.

We have tried to listen for God’s guidance and direction.

Now it is time to listen to YOU!

Please join us at a brainstorming forum where you will be invited to comment on the following questions:

• What things at Faith are we currently doing that we should continue to do?
• What things at Faith should we accelerate or augment?
• What things at Faith are we not doing that we should be doing?
• What things are we currently doing outside the church that we should continue?
• What things are we doing outside the church should we accelerate or augment?
• What things outside the church should we be doing that we are not doing?

This is YOUR CHANCE to speak up and be heard! Please join us at one or all of these gatherings:

Wednesday, January 11th 7-9 p.m.

Sunday, January 15th 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. (light lunch provided at noon)

Monday, January 30th 7- 9 p.m.

*Child care provided and , of course, we’ll have refreshments, too!

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Read below if you'd like to see where we started and how far we've come during our Follow the Flame Discernment process!

Follow the Flame in October & November 2011!

PRAYER AND DISCERNMENT - - IT’S WORKING!

As you know, during the past two months the Church Council and other church leaders have been gathering for times of prayer and discernment. The entire congregation was invited to participate as we lifted to God issues in our personal lives as well as three specific areas for Faith Lutheran Church. Those areas were:
     * God’s purpose for Faith
     * How to best use the capital campaign money
     * If and how to implement a possible building plan that was presented to Council.

About three weeks into the process, the church council was presented with a letter stating that some anonymous donors wanted to give $60,000 to build a Youth Space behind our parking lot. This is exciting news, and certainly helps us set a direction for our efforts for the next several months. Please continue to pray. Lift the Youth Space Project and God’s purpose for us as often as possible.

Watch for the following events:
     * periodic prayer and discernment gatherings,
     * focus groups to chat with members about various issues (i.e. young families, mission opportunities, community involvement).

If YOU would like to request a specific focus topic or would like more information about centering prayer and discernment, please contact Pastor Carolyn

Please plan to attend our next prayer and discernment gathering on Monday, November 14 from 7– 8:15 p.m. I promise that you will not have to pray out loud and that we don’t do anything else out of the ordinary! While spending several minutes in silent prayer is new to many of us, those who have tried it have for the most part found it relaxing and inspiring. Please plan to join us on November 14 and if you cannot, pray anyway

From your Council President…

By now you may have heard the exciting news about the possibility of a youth building to be constructed in our back yard. I’m not sure if this is a result of the generosity that is inspired by the More Than Enough efforts our congregation has embraced this and last year… or if it is a direct result of the discerning that has been going on throughout our congregation (or a little of both!), but people have been praying for something to happen at Faith! And the Holy Spirit moved among us!

An anonymous donor or donors have pledged $60,000 for a youth ministry building to be constructed on our property behind the parking lot. A gift of this size can go far to construct a building designed for youth ministry. This would fulfill one of the initial dreams of our 2bTransformed campaign that sought to create allocated space for youth ministry… more space than we can provide within the walls of our church. This would also free up the now designated youth room to be used for other meeting space, which also fulfills part of the vision of our building campaign…to provide more space for adult ministry.

This very generous gift was announced in a letter at the August Council meeting. Council responded with enthusiastic support. Even our Garden Coordinator, Stephanie Short, endorsed the project and believes the garden can work around a building in our back yard. Council appointed Mark Watkins as project coordinator to further investigate the details behind having such a structure on our property.

Just so you all know, Pastor Jean was aware that this anonymous gift might come to Council before she went on sabbatical.

At the September Council meeting, Mark Watkins presented his preliminary findings. A structure measuring 30’ x 50’ with a basement could serve our purposes well, providing space for youth ministry and storage. The cost for such a structure would exceed the initial gift of $60,000. Council discussed the possibility of using Capital funds raised in the 2bTransformed Campaign to complete the project. Council believes this is an appropriate use for a portion of the Capital money since a space for youth ministry was among the three primary goals of the campaign. To be clear, a congregational vote will be needed to allocate any monies from the Capital fund. Because soil testing and other preliminary costs need to be figured, Council was not prepared to bring this before the congregation at the November 2011 Annual Meeting. So a special congregational meeting will need to be called when we have all the financial questions answered and are ready to move forward with a vote.

Council’s prayerful discernment was rooted in trusting God will speak if we seek His will for Faith Lutheran Church. We are trusting that the Holy Spirit has moved among us, and we are committed to following that flame.

More to come. Keep praying!
Dineen Dowling

Follow the Flame in August & September 2011!

As Pastor Carolyn says in the flyer above, discernment takes practice. It is not an instant fix nor will we get instant answers. SO Pastor Carolyn will be conducting several prayer and discernments sessions during August and September. EVERYONE is invited to these 90 minute sessions. Discernment will help in your personal life as well as help direct us as a congregation. You do not need to attend every one, but you are ENCOURAGED to attend as many as you can.

THEN in October we will have a series of cottage meetings to discuss with our members the results of our discernment and possible directions for the congregation.

BE PART OF THE PROCESS….COME AND PRAY!

DATES and TIMES for DISCERNMENT and PRAYER

Monday, August 8:   7- 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 20:   10 -11:30 a.m.

Monday, August 22:   7-8:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 12:   7- 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 17:   10-11:30 a.m.

Follow the Flame in July 2011!

You are invited to attend 5 Sunday Morning Workshops

JOURNAL, DREAMS & SONGS OF PRAISE

Sundays July 10, 17, 24 & 31 at 10:30 a.m.

Bring a journal, notebook, and seeking heart!

Come and join fellow Faith member Kathryn Popio in 3 types of experiences that draw us closer in following the flame.

July 10 JOURNALING BASICS: Setting up a journal with expectancy and purpose to revere events/experiences in the life God has given you.

July 17 DISCOVERING GOD'S CLOSENESS IN SYNCHRONICITIES: Replacing the image of "there's God" and "there's me" by awareness of "God-incidences." Respecting these awesome "happenings" in our lives makes us even more eager to praise Him.

July 24 DREAMS & JOURNALING:Yes, we ALL dream! And God has always used dreams as a way of interpreting our intentions, relationships, and experiences for us.