Pastoral Vision and Goals for 2008I. Worship:
- Continue Word and Sacrament as the means that God delivers his grace to us in the twenty first century. Likewise, continue to offer relevant Christ centered sermons and Bible Studies to feed God's people.
- Continue to offer a third Saturday Service for those unable to come on Sunday. Explore othe possibilities for Saturday worship.
- Offer a Lenten Sermon Series focused on Christ. Lenten services will involve youth reading and in a readers theater.
- Offer a Summer Sermon Series on a topic of the congregation's choice. A survey will be offered in February with possible choices.
- Offer campground worship services four times this summer.
II. Education
- Work with the Board of Christian Education/Youth to come up with ways to reinvigurate Adult Christian Education at Emmanuel through Small Group Ministry.
- Work to establish covenants within various groups that promote healthy Christian Education and Peace Making.
- Continue to promote Mission Education in Sunday School.
- Emphasize the Office of the Keys and the Apostles Creed in Confirmation this year.
- Offer a special Bible Study during Lent.
- Offer a special Evening Bible Study during Summer.
- Offer another adult confirmation class this winter.
- Continue to promote Faith as the Anti-drug.
III. Mission
- Have two Mission Speakers give presentations to the congregation and Sunday School.
- Promote short term mission trips for members.
- Encourage members to invite friends and family to special services.
- To intentionally use Christmas and Easter as Evangelism Opportunities.
- Intentionally encourage individuals to give special offerings to various missionaries and organizations throughout the Synod.
- Be involved with the Circuit Mission program at Mission Central in Late Spring.
IV. Outreach
- Outreach starts by in-reaching to members who are no longer coming. As such, the elders and pastor will intentionally seek to restore gently those who have fallen away according to Matthew 18.
- To intentionally visit and write letters to those who are curious about Emmanuel.
- To offer tapes, CD's, written copies of sermons to shut-ins, truckers, and others who ordinarily are unable to receive God's Word on Sunday morning.
V. Fellowship
- Continue Fellowship time after church.
- Continue LYF and JIF activities.
- Work to establish covenants within various groups that promote healthy Christian Fellowship.
- To have 3-4 men's fellowship activities each year.
- Continue to promote World Relief Quilting and other LWML activities.
VI. Stewardship (Time, Talent, and Treasure)
- Work to make use of the new Synodical Resourses for Stewardship and seek to implement them throughout this year into 2009.
- Make sure offering envelopes are available for all congregation members.
- Confirmands will receive offering envelopes as part of their instruction on stewardship.
- Continue to encourage youth and adults to use their gifts and abilities in worship (playing an instrument, playing in an ensemble, reading scripture, participating in a skit, working on a mission project, etc.)
- Prepare a stewardship statement to be included with the end of the year financial statement. The purpose of this statement is to show that stewardship is more than financial giving.
- Encourage the Endowment Fund Committee as they seek to educate the congregation concerning its purpose and use.
