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From: Pastor Scott Last Sunday was our vision event and it was great. We had fifty members gather in the gym around tables. Pastor Dan Gilbert of Lutheran Church Extension Fund led us in a devotion. He remarked that based on our surveys he expected to receive a friendly welcome when he and his wife arrived that morning. That is what he got. He felt affection and greeting the moment they stepped in the building. We lived up to the words we professed in our surveys. After a Psghetti’s lunch of sandwiches, pasta and salad, Pastor Gilbert showed us demographic data about the two mile radius around the church. The residents are affluent (150k average income), and well educated. The retired are growing. Top life concerns are social and political tensions, health, racism and social justice. The reasons given for not going to church are judgmental people and fallen pastors. Vision team members Mimi Schaeffer, Oliver LaMie, Jon and Stephanie Chapa, John Steele, Steve Phelps and Joel Hempel led their tables in a discussion about our neighbors identity. We also talked about opportunities to serve our neighborhood. Pastor Gilbert described a vision statement as “An identity phrase with a purpose clause.” It answers “Who are we, Lord? And Lord, why do You have us here?” Pastor had us discuss the following questions” What is your greatest hope for our communities? Who are we (right now) in relationship with as a congregation? Who SHOULD we be in relationship with? Then he shared the survey results from the 73 submitted. What is the one thing Glendale Lutheran does best? Friendly, welcoming 26 responses, Caring both for members and non-members 14, Pastor 7. If resources were not an issue, what could GLC add to its ministry? Outreach 18, Youth, young families, DCE 14, Expanded music 7. Human care, mercy ministry, assistance to people in need 7. If GLC did not exist today, how would the surrounding community be impacted? Loss of CCLS, huge loss for families 22, Loss of positive gathering place for AA and many others 14, People would need to find new church home 7. Think of the community surrounding GLC; what do you see as their greatest need? Knowing God through Jesus, the Good News, Word of God 24, Many others: care for elderly, disabled, disadvantaged, minorities; youth; preschool; mental health; addiction; spiritual illness; a place where people can feel they belong. What is the critical issue facing GLC? Almost all were in these categories: Youth & young families, Need to grow, Ageing membership. What is the greatest opportunity facing GLC at this time? Overwhelmingly, the top was: REACH YOUNG FAMILIES. About what aspect of Glendale Lutheran Church's ministry would Jesus say, "Well done!"? Care and love for each other, both internal & external 31, God’s Word, the Good News of Jesus, the Lord’s mission 15 . We finished by writing vision statements for our church. Every person wrote one and turned it in. The vision team is meeting next week and reviewing them. The team will process the survey and vision event and turn things over to the ministry team so we can begin new ministries at Glendale. Thank you for contributing to God’s work at GLC.
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