• Visiting churches in Greater Minnesota and throughout the Twin Cities

• Walking alongside church leadership teams as they navigate difficult waters

• Growing relationships, serving alongside and leading our NCD staff and board of directors

• Preaching and teaching throughout the district

• Having strategic conversations with pastors and church leaders about what God might accomplish through their churches and in their communities

• Connecting with leaders from EFCA National and our sister EFCA districts

• Serving on the boards of Elim Care and Trinity International University

• Empowering current district pastors and church leaders to greater service and recruiting new leaders for the NCD and the broader EFCA family

We are so grateful for your generous financial support! Here are a few categories to keep in mind as your church gives in the coming year.

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We encourage North Central District churches to give 1-2% of their annual budget to support our ministry of serving pastors, church leaders and churches.

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Please remember to consider giving to support NCD staff members who raise individual support (Steve Austvold, Kelley Johnson, Dan Moose, and Glenn Olson).

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We encourage our NCD churches to contribute 1% of their annual budget to our EFCA National Office.

• In early 2019, our NCD churches and broader denominational family needed us more than we anticipated.

• We chose to prioritize their needs over our 2019 infographic production schedule.

• This is what we mean when we say we keep “churches first”.

• We will publish it in June.

Lessons we are learning and steps we encourage in light of increasing concerns related to how churches and other institutions have responded to sexual abuse allegations.

• We strongly encourage you to understand and implement Minnesota statute 604.20, which requires you to inquire about past sexual exploitation offenses when hiring to a ministry role.

• We have been reminded that every church needs to develop a security policy protect the vulnerable, especially children.

• Likewise, we always encourage churches follow mandated reporting laws when a person is credibly accused of sexual abuse (Minnesota Statute 626.556).

Lessons we are learning and steps we encourage in light of increasing concerns related to how churches and other institutions have responded to sexual abuse allegations.

• We encourage initial and ongoing background checks for all church staff.

• We recommend every church regularly seek input from your insurer regarding resources, tools, and best practices for your congregation.

• We strongly encourage you to require EFCA ministerial credentialing of all eligible staff members. This is the best way we can help you protect children and strengthen church integrity.

• Finally, please consider implementing a compassionate and principled response and protocol to reports of abuse.

Last week, our EFCA District Superintendents visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, AL.

- I am wrestling with how to share what we learned and how to allow this experience to help us continue to move forward in our ministry among all people.

- On May 8th, Steven Weathers (EFCA Director of Multicultural Ministry) will lead an All People Round Table for our district. (10:00 am-2:00pm at the EFCA National Office)

• Help us keep “churches first” and move forward in five key areas of opportunity

• Focused on commitments, priorities, and new initiatives.

• Will be updated and refined in the coming years, keeping it simply enough to use and flexible enough to change as God leads us.

we will always prioritize the needs of local churches

strengthen our commitment to the Gospel and the Scriptures

greater impact among people of color, singles, and older adults

develop and gather next generation church leaders

support and resources to help our congregations thrive

increase our practice of personal evangelism

We will invest 80% of our energy in our primary services (Church

Multiplication, Pastoral Care, Placement, Credentialing, Church Resources, Church Revitalization, Student Ministries, and Missions

Mobilization) with the goal of strengthening and empowering

our churches to fulfill their gospel-shaped mission.

We will continue to serve with an awareness that district

staff members are the best resource we can offer.

Programs help, tools are important, but it is the direct support, encouragement, and partnership of our district staff

that makes the biggest difference for our churches.

In partnership with the Center for Transformational

Churches, we will hold a Resilient Ministry Cohort to help church leaders pursue

long-term health.

In September 2019, our district will host a 10-month personal evangelism cohort

in partnership with EFCA National and the Billy

Graham Center.

Because preaching matters, we will invite Dr. Greg Scharf to lead a preaching cohort in

2019/2020 that seeks to sharpen our pastors as they

proclaim God’s word.

In 2019/2020, we will establish the North Central

Foundation, seeking to make a major investment in our churches in both church revitalization and church

multiplication.

We will seek out and empower a Director of Church Revitalization.

- Part-time position

- Helping churches in crisis

- Developing revitalization pathway, providing coaching and resources