H O O R A Y Welcome to the “new” newsletter! In our continuing evolution, we are making the shift to combining Leaven Project’s newsletter with the monthly Redeemer Reporter. Hang on tight! As you know, Leaven Project actually came out of the imagination, hope and wisdom of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Not only are many of the people in Leaven Project also Redeemer members, but much of our funding and support has come from this very congregation. While we have always envisioned creating a “larger, more mixed and powerful community,” we have also known that the heritage of Redeemer Lutheran will remain in our midst. Meanwhile, some things have stayed the same: In particular, there has continued to be a Redeemer Reporter that gets “snail-mailed” out to people each month. While this is wonderful and informative for some who can’t always come to Redeemer’s Sunday service, it hasn’t meant that everyone is up to date on what’s happening with Leaven Project. On the same token, Leaven Project has been e-mailing out its newsletter to folks who signed up to get it. We’re aware that not everyone uses e-mail, and it’s also meant that some Leaven Project folks don’t stay up to date on Redeemer news. Yeah. It’s bananas. We’ve decided to end this madness and integrate! Because seriously, that’s the whole deal anyway – found in 2013 as a community organizing non-profit with a Lutheran congregation in its chewy center. Everyone gets to be a member of the non-profit, and membership in the congregation will be a special “bonus offer” to those who dig the church thing. A win-win. It’s time to apply the “win-win” to our newsletters, yes? Now to be mailed AND e-mailed for all to read and savor. Tally ho! Leaven Project News & Redeemer Reporter ‘Splaining this newsletter Some of you may be wondering: What’s with this newsletter? We’ll fill you in. Page 1 Listening Campaign We’re in the thick of it, re-rooting ourselves in the community by having one-to-one conversations with people we may not even know yet! Page 2 Fun, free events you can partake of Computer not working? Feeling isolated from others in your gender? Wanting to now more about what Martin Luther was up to way back when? Have we got the community for you. Page 3 Other Leaven news An update on our shared secure lending pool project, new life and our vision statement Page 4 Campaign Flyer, Birthdays, Baptisms, Prayers & Concerns Folding the Redeemer Reporter into this new format, you won’t have to miss some of the “classics,” including Redeemer Lutheran celebration, lament and prayer offerings to one another and the world. Pages 5–7 Pastors Reflections & Imagination for the Future Pastors Moe and Reed share their thoughts, hopes and vision for the upcoming sabbatical. Pages 8–10 The Combo Newsletter! Because Doubling the Effort is Just Silly Ali, don’t be scared! You’ll still get all the news fit to print AND e-mail.
Transcript
H O O R A Y
Welcome to the “new” newsletter!In our continuing evolution, we are making the shift to combining Leaven Project’s newsletter with the monthly Redeemer Reporter. Hang on tight!
As you know, Leaven Project actually came out of the imagination, hope and wisdom of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Not only are many of the people in Leaven Project also Redeemer members, but much of our funding and support has come from this very congregation.
While we have always envisioned creating a “larger, more mixed and powerful community,” we have also
known that the heritage of Redeemer Lutheran will remain in our midst.
Meanwhile, some things have stayed the same: In particular, there has continued to be a Redeemer Reporter that gets “snail-mailed” out to people each month. While this is wonderful and informative for some who can’t always come to Redeemer’s Sunday
service, it hasn’t meant that everyone is up to date on what’s happening with Leaven Project. On the same token, Leaven Project has been e-mailing out its newsletter to folks who signed up to get it. We’re aware that not everyone uses e-mail, and it’s also meant that some Leaven Project folks don’t stay up to date on Redeemer news. Yeah. It’s bananas.
We’ve decided to end this madness and integrate! Because seriously, that’s the whole deal anyway – found in 2013 as a community organizing non-profit with a Lutheran congregation in its chewy center. Everyone gets to be a member of the non-profit, and membership in the congregation will be a special “bonus offer” to those who dig the church thing. A win-win.
It’s time to apply the “win-win” to our newsletters, yes? Now to be mailed AND e-mailed for all to read and savor. Tally ho!
Leaven Project News& Redeemer Reporter
‘Splaining this newsletterSome of you may be wondering: What’s with this newsletter? We’ll fill you in.Page 1
Listening CampaignWe’re in the thick of it, re-rooting ourselves in the community by having one-to-one conversations with people we may not even know yet!Page 2
Fun, free events you can partake ofComputer not working? Feeling isolated from others in your gender? Wanting to now more about what Martin Luther was up to way back when? Have we got the community for you.Page 3
Other Leaven news
An update on our shared secure lending pool project, new life and our vision statementPage 4
Campaign Flyer, Birthdays, Baptisms, Prayers & ConcernsFolding the Redeemer Reporter into this new format, you won’t have to miss some of the “classics,” including Redeemer Lutheran celebration, lament and prayer offerings to one another and the world.Pages 5–7
Pastors Reflections & Imagination for the FuturePastors Moe and Reed share their thoughts, hopes and vision for the upcoming sabbatical.Pages 8–10
The Combo Newsletter! Because Doubling the Effort is Just Silly
Ali, don’t be scared! You’ll still get all the news fit to print AND e-mail.
L E A V E N P R O J E C T
We’re in the middle of a Listening Campaign! Our goal: 200 one-to-one conversations between April 1 and May 31.
The Organizing Team is on hiatus and has re-formed to be the “Relational Work Team” with its eyes on getting ourselves re-rooted in this wonderful neighborhood we call “Vernon,” plus establishing new relationships with people in our own networks. For instance, meetings with people connected to: The Alberta Street Co-op; the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods; parents at King and Vernon schools; PTA and Site Council members of said schools; local business owners; home owners; etc.
We have check-in meetings every other week for folks who have committed to having one-to-one meetings and they have turned out to be wonderfully fun, supportive and informative. If you can make it to any of them, they come highly recommended! (May 5th & 20th, check the website for details.)
Currently committed to having one-to-one conversations: Andrew Wenzlaff, Erika Spaet, Matt Smith, Derek Fenwick, Darcy Malloy, LaVeta Gilmore-Jones, Nick Fenger, Jenny McColpin, Shelley Cotrell, Wendy Hall Curtis, Pr Melissa Reed, Bea Gilmore, Dory Schutte, Ben Webb, Cheryl Lohrmann, Lois Jordahl, Dustin Riggs, Jocelyn Furbush, John Rodgers, Christy
Halbert, Laura Goble, Tess Waechter, Ty Adams, Ali Ippolito and Pr Terry Moe.
If you get a request to meet with any of those folks, say Yes. Also, be prepared to be invited to a “Guess to Who’s Coming to Dinner Party” at the end of May/early June. (Our version of house meetings.) Stay tuned!
On the Conversation Tree, each leaf represents a one-to-one meeting. As people have their meetings, they glue their leaves to the tree.
L E A V E N P R O J E C T
(Some) FREE Events & Happenings in MayManSummit
Thursday, May 3rd6:00 to 9:00 pmLucky Lab 1700 N Killingsworth
ManSummit is a monthly gathering of inter-generational men who have grown weary from their isolation from other men and want to get at real issues like what it means to be a man of integrity, standing up to the many pressures tearing at the fabric of manhood, family, neighborhood.
You do not need to have come to a previous ManSummit to participate. Feel free to just show up… no RSVP is necessary.
If you do have questions (like, how to find us), thoughts, etc. contact Matt Smith at (503) 406-1465.
Bras, Bibles & Brew
Tuesday nightsMay 1, 15, 297:00 to 9:00 pmLucky Lab 1700 N Killingsworth
(Look for the group of lively women-types in the east room)
This is a feminist approach to scripture and other spiritual writings. By feminist we mean that we intentionally enter into conversation and relationship affirming and respecting all experiences.
Bring your story, bring your questions and let’s see what it has to do with us as women.
No need to be Christian to come. In fact, we are hoping some of you aren’t. It’s better that way. We all learn more.
*Beer is optional. Many snacks and sips available.
Drop-In Computer Repair Lab
Thursday, May 10th6:00 to 8:00 pmRedeemer Lutheran5431 NE 20th Ave“Sun Room”
This is ours second workshop/repair lab run by Joe Rowe (not pictured below). At our last workshop, Larry brought in a new laptop that he had written off as beyond repair and use. By the end of the evening, he had a perfectly running laptop computer that he could take home and use again!
Drop in anytime
between 6:00 and 8:00 pm to get the help and expertise of Joe for your ailing, slow or mysteriously stubborn computer or laptop for FREE.
Please RSVP to Joe Rowe, ojoe22 (at) gmail.com or (503) 282-769x where x=3
Morning Meditation in the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Every Friday7:30 to 8:30 amExhale Yoga Studio4940 NE 16th
A simple meditation practice including mindful movements, sitting, walking and discussion. Everyone is welcome and no experience is required. Small donations welcome.
Questions? Call Peggy at 621-9776.
Introduction to the Heart of Lutheran Faith (Sundays)
May 6th12:00 to 1:30 pmRedeemer Lutheran5431 NE 20th Ave
May 20th5:00 to 7:30 pmPr Moe’s House5844 NE 30th Ave.
Who should attend?
•Anyone curious about the Lutheran way
•Anyone wanting to engage the Lutheran tradition more deeply
•Anyone desiring to express their commitment by joining this transforming congregation!
Led by Pastors Moe and Reed and other community members.
Feel free to contact Pastor Moe at [email protected] with questions.
I N O T H E R N E W S . . . Shared Secure Lending Pool Update
Those of you who are not local or attending team meetings may not know where we are in terms of launching a lending pool, so here goes:
About two months ago, the research team had come up with a structure for the lending pool that was presented to Advantis Credit Union.
It looked like things were a go until a couple of weeks later, when we got a call from the VP of Marketing telling us that it wasn’t going to work for them to do it the way we structured it. (This is the short version of the story.)
We realized that we hadn’t done a really good “power analysis,” meaning, we had not figured out who the decision makers were and thus we hadn’t gotten any conversations with them, only with folks who weren’t the ultimate decision makers, who were happy to say yes to us without knowing for sure if it was ultimately going to happen.
Timing was a bit in our favor, though, because a few weeks later Advantis had their annual meeting, at which their Board of Directors, various VPs and the CEO were present. We met various people, had conversations and found out a LOT about how Advantis operates. A very successful visit!
We have our work ahead of us to re-group, and part of that re-grouping is putting together a broad-based team: Meaning, not only are folks from Leaven Project going to be on the team, but folks from other institutions in MACG (hopefully about four or five others institutions, including churches, synagogues and maybe a non-profit or two) in order to build power and capacity to do this right!
If you’re interested in this particular project, contact Wendy Hall Curtis and she’ll get you in the loop. (503) 290-6107 or [email protected]
We Had a Leaven Baby!Okay, we didn’t have the baby, Cheryl and Dustin had the baby (and come on, really CHERYL had the baby), but we’re still thrilled to bits to meet Leo. Cute as a button. No surprises there.
Leon (Leo for short) Lohrmann-Riggs was born on Friday, April 20th, 2012 at 11:23 a.m., weighing in at 7 lbs, 8 oz and twenty inches in length.
If you would like to visit Leo and his parents and bring them a delicious dinner, contact Melissa Reed and she’ll hook you up – [email protected]
Coming in June...Wednesday Gatherings are resting up until June, when we will return with money stories! Stay tuned.
Also, Save the Date for June 2nd, which will be a Building Spruce Up Day, where we will de-clutter, de-junkify, paint, clean and generally make the building more hospitable for not only others, but ourselves. Mark your calendars!
Leaven Project Vision
To build a vibrant, mixed and powerful community that:
Honors the experience, creativity and imagination of all generations, genders, ethnic and racial groups, and the broad fabric of our community;
Relates, listens and acts through spiritual practice and the telling of stories;
Is rooted in the Lutheran tradition of grace and justice while embracing complementary spiritual expressions;
Responds to cultural, economic and ecological inequity through the arts and practices of organizing.
Listening CampaignLet’s get to know who is in the community....
April 1 – May 31, 2012
Who haven’t we met (yet)?
Let’s re-root ourselves in this neighborhood by meeting with others and hearing their stories!
“All real living is meeting.”
- Martin Buber, theologian
We Need YOU!
Why We’re Doing a Listening Campaign
• Meet new people, invite their stories
• Hear peoples’ passions and interests
• Empower the community
• Prepare to work for the common good
• Community/neighborhood transformation
• Invest in relationship building in order to
found a more mixed community in 2013!
Having one-to-one meetings? Get ongoing
support at our “check-ins:”
Saturday, May 510:30 to noonRedeemer Lutheran5431 NE 20th Ave.
Sunday, May 20 Noon to 1:30 pm
Redeemer Lutheran5431 NE 20th Ave.
S E Q U O I A C L U B
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Birthdays and BaptismsMAY BIRTHDAYS 2 Glen Fors 3 Darrel King 5 Kevin Francis Brittany M Lucus 7 Michael Sloan 8 Trever Skinner10 Bonnie Fackre-Cochise11 Adreanne A Alderson12 Ted Haller13 Deborah Marttala14 Carla Vaida Mildred Mankin16 Twila Jordahl19 Mike Starosciak Wendy Hall Curtis21 Sarah Sloan Tracey Barber Kristen Ingram22 Helen Olson24 DaVonni Flint25 Eric Moe Mark Schnetzky27 Kenneth Hooper28 Robin Wicklander29 Alice Francis
MAY BAPTISMS 2 Marvin Barber Trina Barber 6 Hope Bowes Loni Bowes11 Benjamin Hugeback Lilja Finzel Marcus Williams, Jr.12 Sarah Phelps Paul16 Rachel R. Daniels17 Virginia Mulbey Marvin Yates22 Christa Maunu Sharnell L Brown26 Becky Greer29 Rayshawn Williams30 Robert Barner
Prayers and ConcernsHEALTH CONCERNSAfton Car ter, Manuel Gonzalez , Nehemiah Isaiah Trujillo, Ruth Wentzien (Muriel Wentzien’s mother-in-law), D o r o t h y L i n d h o l m , K i m G r e e n (Christina’s Preschool Academy), Paul Fox’s brother, John, facing prostate cancer, Stan Polley, Rich and Ori’s son, suffering from blood clots in his leg, Neil Camplair (Nancy and Lonnie’s Nephew) recovering from severe injuries,, Craig Deshazer, David Larson’s nephew, Mary Payne, following surgery, Laura Barber following surgery, Al Francis recovering from a broken ankle.
HOMEBOUND OR IN RESIDENTIAL CARE Sally Phelps, Rosa Richardson, Erin Hunt, Bev Hunt, Josie Schneider, Joan Lepley at Georgett ElderCare, Ann Christian, Cab Callaway
IN PRISON, ADDICTION, RECOVERY OR REENTRYHanoi Acosta, Ravi Nelatury, Danita (nee Flint)Trujillo, the Flint family, Paul Spann, Arthur Hayes, the Miles family, Paladin Dyer, Antonio Vaida, John Rodgers, David Eshoo, Marcello Vaida, Sam Phelps, Rian Struckman, Bill Leissner, Mario Trujillo, Laurel Whiting, Kira Phelps’ mother.
GRIEVING THE LOSS OF LOVED ONESFamily and friends of Ruth Calhoun who died 8/19/11, Bev Edman and family at the death of Bruce Edman, 10/21/11, Scott Brazieal and the family of Paul Estes, who died 11/13/11 in Santa Cruz, Kim Green and family at the death of her father, Lee Robinson, 12/11/11, the friends and family of Ala Eshoo, who died January 21, 2012, Adele Tom and family at the death of her father, Bob Pierce, 3/6/12 in Washington State, the family of Margaret Finseth at her death on 4/7/12.
PEACEFor peace with justice in Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan and in the world. Bat Nha Temple in Vietnam under persecution, Chris Murray and Lonnie Phelps’ nephew, Rob Stansell deployed to Afghanistan, The people of Japan suffering the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami which struck March 11, especially Atsuo Utsumi, The people of Joplin, MO and others affected by disasterous storms, the people in the wake of Hurricane Irene, for our city, occupy leaders, police and business people.
OTHERRev. Dave Brauer-Rieke, Bishop of the Oregon Synod, the Bethlehem Vagabond Lutherans as they discern God’s call, Tanja Moe and family, Jim Francis at the birth of a grandson, the MTPLUM Lutheran cluster, Eastside Coalition, as relationships deepen toward mission discernment.
Redeemer Lutheran Birthdays, Baptisms, Prayers and Concerns
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Pastor Moe’s ReportI can see the light at the end of the tunnel—and it is a new dawn of a new community arising from the push of our experience as a declining congregation and the pull of a vision to a larger, more mixed and powerful spiritual community. We aren’t there yet, but I can see the whole next phase from now through my sabbatical (July-December 2012), to the six months post-sabbatical (January-June 2012) until my retirement to the months beyond as one piece, one big step, one process of acting on our resurrection faith!
In my last reflection I spoke mostly about the sabbatical from my perspective with the hope that you all would begin to also see the opportunity it presents. I’m not trying to minimize the struggle I feel as sabbatical leads to retirement, but only to open up to the Spirit’s prompting to new life in all things and most especially in this intentional, prayerful transition time. That said, I want to reflect more deeply on the opportunities before us.
In my view we are moving in our vision laid out over the past 5 years from a struggling congregation to a larger, more mixed and powerful spiritual community. We are moving. And we are moving with purpose. And we are moving with ongoing discernment, prayer and input.
Recently I met with my spiritual director, who is now 86 and walking with a walker, though sharp as ever in her insights and advice, which over the 25+ years I have met with her she only offers occasionally and always with grace. But this time, when I walked in, she had the Bible opened on her lap, and I thought, “Hmm…I wonder what I did—a nun with a Bible opened in her lap could be a dangerous thing!” She read to me from Isaiah 55: 8-13:
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
In addition to being reminded where our closing worship song, “The Trees of the Field Shall Clap Their Hands” comes from, I was led to reflect with her on the certainty of God’s purposefulness—as certain as the rain and the snow! As certain as the seed and the harvest! As certain as God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts! So shall God’s purposes be accomplished! Blessed assurance for those of us on the road!
Later in the conversation I was describing how I saw the sabbatical working out, my plans for my next phase of leadership with regional organizing through the development of a Transformational Leadership initiative for IAFNW (the regional organizing network made up of MACG, Spokane Alliance, Sound Alliance, Greater Vancouver, BC Alliance, and Great Edmonton, Alberta, Alliance). In the middle of a sentence she interrupted me—something she rarely, rarely ever did—raised her finger—a rare gesture of emphasis from a very gentle spirit—and said, “Terry, two words are coming to my heart as you speak: stability and movement. You have been in one place for over 30 years—that’s stability. And you have been in constant change—that’s movement!” Indeed, I thought to myself. Indeed.
So out of that prayer and reflection (and many others…) I have come to see how
the purposes of God are being forwarded, and can be nurtured in the next 14 months and beyond. Not that the course of the congregation follows lock step with the course of its pastor even after a long, long relationship, and at the same time there is a certain symmetry to the paths I and you have traversed. Stability and movement are two words for our community as well as for me, if I may raise my finger and speak boldly from a gentle spirit. As I see the next 14 months unfold I see stability and movement in a graceful dance toward the new reality we and God have envisioned and begun to work toward.
By the founding of the new community made up of a new ELCA congregation , yet to be named, that will include Redeemer members and new members AND a new public benefit non-profit organization which will include all members of the new ELCA congregation and all who desire to build community and work for justice in this new configuration without joining the congregation, we have our work cut out for us as a Leaven/Redeemer community pregnant with the new community, in order to give birth by May 2013. And it is mostly relational, community-building work, work with which we are familiar and most usually good at. We have been well prepared for the journey ahead, and are well positioned for this next phase.
You are invited to engage and process together this exciting journey (by paths as yet untrodden…through perils unknown…) in a couple of ways:
1.First Sunday Spirit in Action gatherings: May 6th, together with new members of the congregation, Noon to 1:30 pm with light lunch. June 3rd, together with many Leaven leaders to address the sabbatical opportunities for our community and to welcome Leaven members to join in building toward the founding of this new unified community.
2.Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Parties? YOU! We are organizing a
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series of dinner parties in people’s homes just to get acquainted young and old, newer and more seasoned, congregation members and leaders from larger Leaven Project. Please accept your invitation to meet and eat, to learn each others’ names and stories very informally in the comfort of one anothers’ homes. You will be receiving a phone call to invite you to dinner toward the end of the month, or the first part of June. If you would like to host a dinner party, you can contact Pastor Rodgers (503 473-6410) or myself (503 702-5453.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in
hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.Romans 15:13
With Great Love and Hope! Pastor Moe
“Emptiness and Imagination”by Pastor Melissa ReedThis year, the ancient images of Easter offered by wise spiritual ancestors have embedded themselves in my mind's eye – the women making their way together in grief and the empty tomb standing wide open, breathing new life and possibility. The loss was real; and so was the breaking open of the future. I feel the heavy loss of the systems and literal bodies we have relied on for so long; and the breath of promise that whispers through the hollow spaces: this is not nearly the end...
Just as marriage does not begin with the wedding, our transition time through Pastor Moe's sabbatical (July-December 2012) to our founding as one new community does not begin when Pastor Moe leaves on July 1. We are in the thick of transition, and have been. If sabbath means "to stop," we have been stopping business as usual and prayerfully considering new directions for awhile now. So, we are in sabbatical, in many
forms, already; however, sabbatical is about to get thick.
This sabbatical time will mean grief and growing pains, as well as great opportunity to imagine and discover new vocation, leadership development, and depth of trusting relationship. We are losing a full-time pastoral leader of deep integrity with a wealth of gift, trust, and relationship, both internally and in the wider community. The intention behind the scenarios outlined in this writing are to allow 1) acknowledgment of our loss while providing support through Pastor Moe's absence and our transfer of leadership, 2) continuity of work with strength, 3) while intentionally further embodying our core values (deep listening; connection; relationship; authenticity; openness; intentional spirituality; collective power; tradition and creativity; meaningful action; and transformation) as we live into the vision we have cast together as our ONE Community of a founded non-profit membership-based organization that includes a radically transforming ELCA worshipping congregation.
The main areas of opportunity for growth and transformation, as well as will need leadership strength are: pastoral presence and care; proclamation of the Word and worship leadership on Sundays and beyond; the congregational transition and transformation process; and administration. In consultation with the interim Coordinating Team (Pastor Moe, Karen Werstein, Bea Gilmore, Ryan Palmer, Organizer Wendy Hall, and Lois Jordahl), for your consideration, I offer the following working groups and circles to form during this interim transitional time (team names are not set in stone!), to be evaluated toward the end of the sabbatical season for further discernment and reorganization as we move toward founding:
Congregation Transformation TeamRole: Responsible for organizing and execution of worshipping community transition/transformation process of the current congregation and interested new
people into a transformed mission congregation at founding May 2013.
IMAGINE the Transition Discernment Process our TDT led last summer, taking place this summer around the question: who are we called to become as a congregation that is part of this larger, more mixed and powerful spiritual community? Imagine this team of young and old, life-long Christian leading us to ask what does our baptismal call of death and resurrection as the Body of Christ look like embodied here among our community in our worship, our life together in study, prayer, process of decision-making and leadership?
Ministry of Presence Circle (pastoral presence and care)Role: Responsible to grow one another's attention to God and to those in our community who are struggling, facing crisis, and needing the reflection of Spirit's healing presence in their lives; to organize the community to surround those people with such presence and offer care; to work and be in communication with Pastor Reed about the pastoral needs of the community.
IMAGINE a circle of leaders called lead our community in attending to and reflecting sacred presence to those in our community - both members of the congregation and of the whole community - struggling, grieving, in pain or in discernment. These leaders come together monthly to reflect and make-meaning together, to be sure we are attending to those in need. Imagine you are in the hospital and Pastor Reed, along with others from the community, visit you, listen to your soul, and reflect - you are not alone!
Living Word Circle(preaching and worship leadership):Role: to offer monthly lay-led exploration and proclamation of the Word during worship and to support Pastor Reed in organizing lay leadership of worship.
IMAGINE on Sunday morning, once-a-month, a lay leader who has deeply been discerning the Word alive in our midst from the ancient stories of Scripture with other lay and pastor-preachers, shares the good news for us in fresh ways! Imagine that this circle
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Redeemer Lutheran/Leaven Project First Combined Issue!
of preachers meets monthly to journey together around the questions of Scripture, theology, and every-day-real-life. Imagine the fullness of the Word in our midst!
Administrative Team(communication and office):Role: to integrate, organize and execute the administrative life of our ONE Community (newsletters, phones and messages, websites, communication and paperwork related to ELCA and Synod and other legal entities, keeping the documents of the community including membership and financial)
IMAGINE moving toward our ONE new community through the integration of our newsletters and communication - you get one newsletter, rather than 2 (as you did today!). You can find everything about all aspects of our community on one website. You call the church's phone number and you are greeted during designated hours by leaders who can direct your call to where it needs to go and answer your questions. Novel, I know!
This is a vision and your consideration and input will be welcomed on Sunday, June 3rd at noon, in Redeemer's Sunroom, as we imagine our sabbatical transition more specifically!
