REGIONAL MINISTER’S MOMENT
Rev. Dr. Teresa Dulyea-Parker
Communication, Mission First and SLAM!
So, where are we in the Study and Discernment process, you ask?
We have identified two areas of work as high priorities: communication and youth/camping Ministry. The focus on communication is very specific: helping our congregations tell their stories through new media. We envision a “story corps” type ministry to collect and tell stories of our Life Giving/Life Changing ministries. We will also produce video/imaging about our congregations and for our congregations to use in social media. Look for a new website to contain those stories called: LifeGivingLifeChanging.org. Our task group is very excited about the possibilities!
Youth/Camping Ministry will probably become known as Mission First—honoring the priority of our General Church. The focus of this task group is to bring wholeness to our Youth and Camping Ministry. To promote spiritual formation for all ages, but specifically focusing on ministry with children, youth and young adults. (You can see images of our 2017 Camping season, and read about our upcoming Youth Summit in other articles in this Christian.)
The two task groups are currently working to clarify vision, set direction, bring unity, and write job descriptions. These will be presented to our Personnel Committee and then processed by the Regional Church Council, Oct. 28. Keep praying for good outcomes.
We will also begin a new ministry group called SLAM—Service, Leaming and Mission. The dream is to have regional service, learning and mission locally and globally, that engage our values. We will embrace spiritual pilgrimage—moving beyond our comfort zones to engage God in other cultures. Rev. Bill Kerns has agreed to lead this effort. Our goal is to launch a five-year plan at our Oct. 19-20, 2018 Regional Assembly in Bloomington.
In the meantime, we welcomed the Rev. Jeff Zimmerman as our New Church Ministry contract staff person. Jeff has been the Chair of the New Church Ministry Committee for the last year. He brings insight, clarity and organizational savvy to the position.
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Teresa