| GLC Vision Explanation 1. Note that the vision, along with the mission and ministry emphases, incorporates suggestions made by the congregation at the first presentation on January 11, 2026. From the beginning of the Seeking God’s Will process, we have sought to listen to each other AND the Holy Spirit through prayer and God’s Word. The suggested changes were seriously considered by Pastor Scott, Elder Mike, and the facilitators and have now been adopted by the congregation on February 22, 2026. - First, the vision statement was shortened to make it easier to memorize. - Second, the word grow was added to the first two mission and ministry emphases. The growth we anticipate will be spiritual and numerical if God so blesses. - Third, we added a fifth mission and ministry emphasis. · This is not to imply there is something wrong with our current worship services. · Rather, this emphasis recognizes that, if we are going to grow (numerically), we need to consider what appeals to non-Lutherans. Worship will likely not draw people to church, but what they experience (the love of the members and the worship) once they attend will be what brings them back. · Within a 15-minute radius of GLC, there are many liturgically traditional LCMS worship services offered. There are also at least four churches that provide non-traditional alternatives, including contemporary (Concordia, Kirkwood, St. Paul, Des Peres, and Christ Memorial), and one blended (Webster Gardens). If GLC were to seek a worship niche that serves our members and those seeking something different, what would it look like? We don’t know. We need to be in prayer, asking God’s guidance. · Hopefully, our new music director will be able to offer suggestions regarding traditional and non-traditional ways to worship our Lord. 2. Some may say we are already loving like Jesus, often in courageous and sacrificial ways. What is different about this vision? What exactly are we seeking to be as a congregation? (a) In January 11’s presentation, we acknowledged that the congregation and individuals are loving sacrificially and courageously. As you recall, we listed some of the ways. And certainly people are loving like Jesus in personal and private ways. (b) This vision emphasizes courageous and sacrificial loving by the congregation as well as by individuals. If we adopt this vision with its mission and ministry emphases, we can expect to be stretched as a congregation. How exactly we do not yet know. - But, for example, thus far, whenever an opportunity has arisen to assist a person or ministry with a sizable financial gift, the money has been taken from the bequests. We have not been asked to dig into our personal pockets. - What if God were to bring people into our congregation who look different, talk differently, or whose needs are different? It is possible that we, as a congregation, would be asked to love in ways we haven’t previously considered. (c) This vision also emphasizes loving in abundantly evident ways, especially to outsiders. - What we are doing needs to be creatively posted on our website, Webster-Kirkwood Times, etc., where outsiders often go to discover what a church believes and is about. - What does lavish loving look like? We are about to find out. - Wouldn’t it be an incredible blessing if we – as a community of believers – became known as the church that goes out of its way to love? (d) This kind of love is appealing and inviting, especially to those who are mission-minded and inclined to love and give of themselves. It is likely also to appeal to those in need of love. If by God’s grace we attract people to GLC, they will experience the Gospel, the love of Christ, and by God’s grace, some will receive Jesus as their Savior. (e) How exactly we will be directed to love sacrificially and courageously beyond what we are already doing will be revealed by the Holy Spirit. (f) But if we embrace this vision, we need to prepare ourselves prayerfully! 3. The vision and emphases will be posted everywhere. We need to be reminded from the pulpit, in Bible studies, and in print, that God has given us this vision to seek and live. 4. Important Note: The energy and focus of the future will be on implementing the mission and ministry emphases. The vision is a picture of the future. The mission and ministry emphases are the guiding values that will lead us to the vision. The initiatives or action steps (as some call them) will be the activities that grow out of prayerful and creative consideration of the guiding values (principles, roadmap). 5. Most critical will be the selection of the team or leadership group responsible for overseeing the implementation of the mission and ministry emphases as we move toward realizing the vision. 6. What will GLC become in five years? The specifics are not spelled out because God has not yet revealed them. We know that trusting the Holy Spirit’s guidance is not how the world plans. 7. But we will not proceed without planning. The leadership team will prayerfully seek God’s direction for each of the mission and ministry emphases, bring those ideas to the Elders or Church Council, and then to the congregation. 8. It should be noted that although the current mission statement lives within the proposed mission and ministry emphases, the congregation voted to retain it. | 
