Vitality Update 09.27.19
Posted on September 27, 2019.
Messiah Church,
Why are we talking about and participating in this “VITALITY PATHWAY?”
Messiah’s church council, seeking to offer leadership in the spiritual growth of our congregation, chose to use tools offered by the Evangelical Covenant Church. Numerous congregations have used and are using these tools or a Vitality Pathway. Many churches report new movements of the spirit ignited as participants gathered in focused prayer and discussion.
Our council’s concern was that the last decade brought much change at Messiah – including a pastor’s retirement, a pastoral search, a new pastor called, a move from two services to one, a decline in attendance/finances/volunteers. We’ve maneuvered these huge shifts with some grace and some grief.
We are at a new place as a congregation. It’s time to look carefully at where we’ve been, where we are, and where we need to be. Quite frankly the council was overwhelmed to know where to begin that process. After much prayer and discernment we decided to start with the Vitality Pathway tools.
A Journey of Life!! That’s what we desire for Messiah Church. New missional traction. New responses to the Holy Spirit that energize our individual spiritual lives, that energize our worship together, that energize our living out the Great Command and the Great Commission.
We are very excited and thankful for your response and participation in our very first steps of conversation and reflection. Our day together in Veritas revealed many things for which we praise God. It also revealed that we, indeed, are at a critical moment in the life of our church. The PULSE survey looked more specifically at our strengths and challenges. Our day of looking into scripture for a story that reflects Messiah Church today provoked thoughtful interaction and intentional handling of scripture together.
As we continue walking this pathway together we anticipate our conversations to be lively, challenging, and productive. We will have opportunities to talk with one another and with our God. Our keen desire is that we will walk together in a lively journey with God, a pathway in and to vitality – a VITALITY PATHWAY.
Marilyn Humphrey
Messiah Council Chair
Member Vitality Team