Four Core Ministries Have Emerged

Jenny Buckley
Council President

Getting Ready for the Annual Meeting: Part 1 of 5

In this day and age we often hear churches and businesses use words like vision and mission, often interchangeably. At Shepherd of the Valley, we use the term vision as “what we aspire to be” and the word mission as “why we exist.”

WHAT: Our Vision 

As a congregation, we aspire to be a church that invites “...all people to experience the welcome, transformation, and sending of Jesus Christ.” Over the last few months, several pastors, staff, and lay leaders have considered what each part of the vision actually means:

• Welcome: We invite people in all stages of their faith journey to experience Jesus through our ministries in Christian community.
• Transform: We are changed as we experience Jesus through our relationships and ministries.
• Send: We are inspired to apply our faith daily by loving others and sharing the Good News of Jesus. 

The Year of Welcome: Beginning this fall, we will embark on a three-year cycle of “welcome, transform, and send” where one component of our vision will receive special emphasis and targeted initiatives each year. A leadership team began meeting last fall to prepare for the first year of “Welcome” and a new team focusing on the following year of “Transform” is currently being assembled.

WHY: Our Mission 

As with the vision, several people have met to discuss and develop a clear mission for our church. Their discussions led to the conclusion that as a community we exist to “discover, grow, and live into our individual relationships with Jesus Christ.”

With a strong vision and mission in place, it is only natural to consider how the programs and ministries at our church can best support our mission. As a result, four core ministries have emerged as ways to support faith formation:

1. Worship: We praise God, and are spiritually fed, through God’s Word, music, prayer, and sacraments.
2. Learn: We grow our Biblical knowledge, enrich our understanding, and apply our faith to daily life. 
3. Connect: We develop and strengthen relationships in our congregation, local community, and global community through invitation and service. 
4. Care: We offer compassion, companionship, and faith affirmation throughout life’s journey. 

The goal of the church leadership in the coming months is to take these words from the page and let them breath life into the decisions we make. We will consider how programs and staff can be aligned to these four core ministries and create a meaningful experience for all. One example of this already occurring is the call for a new pastor.

Next week, I’ll explain how we are adapting our structure, including our ideal pastoral structure, to align with these four core areas of ministry. 

In the meantime, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Post questions and comments below or e-mail us at council@sotv.org.

Blessings,
Jenny Buckley-Church Council President