vision statement

Zion Lutheran Church:A welcoming community

equipped to grow and reach out to all with the good news of

Jesus Christ.

Vision StatementVision Statement

Our Vision is acted outOur Vision is acted out::•Through uplifting worship

Our Vision is acted out:

Our Vision is acted out:Our Vision is acted out:•Through uplifting worship

•By teaching and learning

•Through faith active in mission

•By accepting change and moving forward

•By leading with vision and passion

•By promoting Christian values

Mission StatementMission Statement

Our mission is to tell the story, deepen our knowledge of the Gospel

and provide the means of Grace to all ages through worship and learning experiences.

We will do this by developing the gifts of people and equipping

them to lead so that the world will know Jesus.

Mission Statement

Objectives & Strategies

Objective #1

That families will increasingly worship, learn and play together.

Objective #1

That families will increasingly worship, learn and play together.

Strategies:

•Create learning and play situations and opportunities that intentionally put people in different age groups together.

•Build an attitude toward intergenerational ministry where people automatically include all ages in planning activities and events.

Objective #2

That members have a better understanding of leadership roles and are more willing to become involved.

Objective #2

That members have a better understanding of leadership roles and are more willing to become involved.

Strategies:

•Educate all members about committee’s responsibilities and functions.

•Create task-specific committee structure.

•Encourage 8 – 10 member committees.

•Give committees decision-making authority.

Objective #3

That Christ’s presence is clearly felt by members and our role as Children of God is understood.

Objective #3

That Christ’s presence is clearly felt by members and our role as Children of God is understood.

Strategies:•Provide a variety of experiences in which the community of believers shares love, acceptance, and belonging.

•Provide ways of articulating the gospel (Christ’s presence) for people during crisis or joy.

•Provide as many age appropriate resources as possible for learning the faith.

Objective #4

The core beliefs of the faith are clearly understood by all ages.

Objective #4

The core beliefs of the faith are clearly understood by all ages.

Strategies:•Promote the preaching of the Word.

•Promote Bible study and other learning opportunities in a variety of ways that meet people’s needs and schedules.

•Develop ways to encourage attendance at worship.

Mid-Sized ChurchAdapted from: Christian Education and Evangelism

for the 21st Century, Fall 2000

Definition:

Average weekly attendance

100-300 per worship

Mid-Sized Church: Definition

Zion’s Attendance Zion’s Attendance RecordRecord

Seven Struggles of the

Mid-Sized Church

PrioritiesPastoring

ProgrammingPersonnel

ParticipationProcedures

Property

Mid-Sized Church: 7 Struggles

Mid-Sized Church

PrioritiesMid-sized congregations are torn between the competing priorities associated with small and large congregations. In smaller congregations, relationships are the highest priority. In large congregations, performance is the key to ministry success. Members of mid-sized congregations expect both relationships and performance as priorities!

Mid-Sized Church

PastoringMembers of mid-sized congregations often want the same kind of pastoral attention typical of pastors and members in smaller congregations. The increasing demands on a pastor’s time, however, makes this an impossible expectation to meet! In larger congregations, members expect to know their pastors through large gatherings like worship services, weddings, funerals, and newsletter articles. Discomfort comes for a mid-sized congregation, when members want the best of both worlds.

Mid-Sized Church

ProgrammingMid-size congregations demand more programming and ministries than smaller congregations. As a result, leadership needs to grow.

Mid-Sized Church

PersonnelCongregations struggle with the personnel changes necessary to move from a heavy reliance on lay volunteers, typical of smaller congregations, to great numbers of paid part- and full-time staff who assist members to accomplish ministry.

Mid-Sized Church

ParticipationAt mid-size, tension often builds around participation issues. People begin to pick and choose the church events and activities they want to attend, rather than participating in every event hosted by the congregation. This often causes concern among long-time members when they don’t see the faces of everyone at each congregational gathering.

Mid-Sized ChurchProcedure

Procedure questions arise at mid-size! Unless a congregation’s organizational skeleton changes appropriately, competing expectations of control and involvement arise. Members of smaller congregations expect their high involvement to give them strong ownership and control of decision-making procedures. Members of larger congregations expect to delegate a great deal of authority to the senior pastor, staff and elected church council members. At mid-size, members tend to want “both a participatory democracy and a representative democracy.”

Mid-Sized Church

PropertyProperty issues create new tension at mid-size. In small congregations, members expect people to treat the church building as they would care for their own home. In large congregations, the church building is seen as a public institution where many people gather and maintenance costs are high. Mid-size congregations operate with both expectations!

Ten Handles Necessary for Mid-Size Vitality

•Multiply hospitality ministries•Strengthen community outreach and evangelism•Ground growth in prayer-filled planning•Expand and diversify worship•Create additional internal, lay-led caring ministries•Expect conflict and deal with it constructively•Adapt your congregation’s organizational structure•Staff for growth•Move from a “volunteer” to a “minister” mentality through spiritual gifts•Expand Christian education and youth ministry

Mid-Sized Vitality: 10 Handles

Theological Basis for

Christian Stewardship Christian stewardship IS a response of faith The motive is love and gratitude to God The purpose is to glorify God through the salvation of souls The guide is the revealed will of God The measure of stewardship is ability, emulating the sacrificial spirit of Christ The efficient cause is not our own will but the power of God’s Grace within us The reward is a good conscience and the anticipated “well done” of the Lord

Theological Basis for Christian Stewardship

Zion’s Giving HistoryRegular Offering

1998 1999 2000

$83,808

1998 1999 2000

$83,808 $90,340

+ 7.8%

1998 1999 2000

$83,808 $90,340 $109,504

+ 21.2%

Benevolence Giving(YTD as of October 7, 2001)

Leadership Responsibilities

When congregational leaders give a significant portion of their income

(a tithe or more) to the work of the church,

the following is accomplished:

The core group has an investment in the congregation and its future.

They will also experience the spiritual benefits of generosity in their own lives.

They are able to ask others to be generous.

They have provided a good model for others.

A significant amount of money is available for ministry.

So, who’s leading the way in

financial stewardship?

So, who’s leading?

So, who’s leading the way in

financial stewardship?

So, who’s leading?

You are, Leader.

You are!

So where does the money go?

Your regular offering

Our Congregation

Zion’s ministries

Our synod & its ministries

Our Congregation

Zion’s ministries

Our synod & its ministries

Our churchwide organization

& its ministries

vision statement

Documents

vision statementour

uplifting worshipour

missionour vision

learningour vision

forwardour vision

passionour vision

uplifting worshipby

learningthrough faith