ADDENDUM - cnh-lcms.org(1) In Mission, (monthly newsletter) (2) Utilize In Touch (pointing towards...

CNH Board of Directors Meeting

June 12th, 2015

ADDENDUM

Contents

Changes in the District

Future Meeting Dates

Administrative Report

Mission Agency Report

Revitalization

Rural and Small Congregations

Education

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FUTURE MEETING DATES

Sept. 12, 2015 Sept.10, 2016 Sept. 9, 2017

Dec. 12, 2015 Dec. 10, 2016 Dec. 9, 2017

Mar. 12, 2016 Mar. 11, 2017 Mar 10, 2018

June 11, 2016 June 10, 2017 June 9, 2018

CHANGES WITHIN THE DISTRICT

CALLS ACCEPTED:

REV. JOSHUA BROWN, Messiah, Valdosta, GA, to St. Luke, Reno, NV, as senior pastor.

REV. JOHN DOOLITTLE, candidate, to St. John, Petaluma, CA, as pastor.

REV. MICHAEL HALL, Trinity, Exeter, CA to Faith, Vista, CA, as pastor.

REV. KOU SEYING, St. Paul, Merced, CA, associate pastor, to Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,

MO, as Associate Professor of Practical Theology.

REV. LENNY SZETO, Our Savior, Fremont, CA, to Zion, San Francisco, CA, as pastor.

MICHAEL GLOWINSKI, St. Luke, Santa Rosa to Zion, Victorville, CA, Pacific Southwest

District (PSW) as Principal/Teacher

ANNA HU, St. Peter, Lodi, CA to West Portal, San Francisco, CA, to English District, as

Principal.

DAVID WITTING, Trinity, Wahiawa, HI, to Lamb of God, Las Vegas, NV, PSW as Teacher.

MARSHA WITTING, Trinity, Wahiawa HI, to Lamb of God, Las Vegas, NV PSW as Teacher.

CHANGE IN STATUS:

RYAN SCHULTZ, Candidate, to English District

PLACEMENTS:

NATHAN (BUCK) P. LEGRECO, St. Louis, to St. Mark, Elko, NV, as pastor.

JUAN G. VALLEJO, St. Louis, to Trinity, Watsonville, CA, as pastor..

VICARAGES:

PHILLIP J. ALLMANN, Ft. Wayne, to Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Cupertino, CA.

KEVIN P. BELTER, Ft. Wayne, to Trinity, Palo Alto, CA.

JACOB T. DEAL, Ft. Wayne, to Light of the Hills, Cameron Park, CA.

KEVIN M. FOLEY, Ft. Wayne, to First, Placerville, CA.

CHRISTOPHER J. YAEGER, Ft. Wayne to Zion, San Luis Obispo, CA.

PASTORAL VACANCIES:

Lutheran Church of Arcata, ARCATA, CA

Bethany, BAKERSFIELD, CA

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Grace, BAKERSFIELD, CA

Light of the Hills, CAMERON PARK, CA (Associate pastor)

St. John, CLEARLAKE, CA

Shepherd of the Sierra, COARSEGOLD, CA

St. Mark, FERNDALE, CA

Good Shepherd, HEALDSBURG, CA

Christ, HILO, HI

Our Savior, LIVERMORE, CA

First, LUCERNE, CA

Our Redeemer, REDWOOD CITY, CA (Senior pasor)

Canaan, SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Faith, SEASIDE, CA

Mt. Olive, SEBASTOPOL, CA

Peace, TAFT, CA

Bethany, VACAVILLE, CA (Senior pastor)

Executive Director Mission Awareness and Awareness -- Michael Lange Mission Agency and Board Report -- June 2015 (End of Triennium)

Brothers and Sisters, I regret that I am not able to be with you personally at the end and the beginning of a new triennium. I am blessed to be able to celebrate the 2nd wedding of the “next generation” in my wife’s family. We will be in the great vacation lands of Oklahoma City. (“no singing the musical them please, we will date ourselves.”) It is my hope in this report to … • summarize the triennium (according to Board Outcomes) • comment on the strengths we discovered as well as those areas that are growth areas. • share hopes and vision for 2015-2018 triennium. All that we do and all that we are must be submitted before the cross of Christ. We offer our best and persevere in His mission responding to the sacrifice, freedom and direction he has provided as Lord of the church. “The son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” We are the body of Christ, and by grace we are active participants in the the mission of Jesus for the sake of the world. Report towards Board Outcomes 1) Church Planting and Mission Advancement -- The CNH District will work together

with its congregations, clergy, professional workers, and laity to promote mission awareness, advancement, and education which will culminate in new mission outreach from existing congregations and new church plants within the CNH District.

Strategies and Metrics:

A.) We will form a CNH Mission Agency whose primary purpose is to reach those who do not know Christ. This agency will:

i) Highlight mission outreach through print and social media.

(1) In Mission, (monthly newsletter)

(2) Utilize In Touch (pointing towards events, writings and videos)

(3) Missional leadership, (periodic e-magazine)

(4) Semi-monthly CNH Prayer Newsletter

(5) Mission Pages (on web-site, also archives the above periodicals)

(6) Social Media including CNH Acts 17 Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds

ii) Assist in providing ongoing oversight for new work, including providing assistance in supervision of missionaries, counsel in “funding the mission,” vision planning, and strategic review training to the Congregations, Mission Societies and Circuits receiving mission loans and grants

(1) Mission Counselor supervision and counsel including but not limited to …

(a) Assistance in the formation, planning and funding which has allowed LINC Bay Area to enter the incubation stage under the umbrella of LINC Houston.


(b) Support and oversight to our DCE’s and Youth Leaders to assist and encourage their work in Mission and with the next generations.

(c) Ongoing mission coaching -two or more Missionaries

(d) Meet and set vision and facilitate direction for Hispanic Counsel and Hispanic Mission Counselor Asst. Enrique Vallejo

(e) Worked with other staff and CV and others to assist First in Hanford, CA; Our Savior in Chester, CA; First in Greenville, CA; and St. Matthew’s in Kauai to enter or consider mission revitalization/replant efforts.

(f) Assist the Oromo Language group at Good Shepherd in officially becoming a satellite mission ministry of Good Shepherd.

(g) Assist Missionaries in development and review of mission plans: Clarence DeLude, Dawit Bokre, David Chan, Tesfai Tesema, Berhanu Didanu, Dr. Kou Seying and Vicar Doua Xiong,

(h) Working with Grace El Cerrito in consideration of an intentional mission revitalization (Replant) at their location.

(i) Assist St. John’s Bakersfield and Trinidad Castaneda in mission satellite St. John’s Valley of Faith in Arvin CA

(j) Interview seminary candidates and field candidates for purpose of finding “good fits” for CNH missions and congregations

(k) Process Mission Loans

B.) Six new faith communities will be started in this triennium Faith Communities and Congregations planted (updated)

1. Addis Kidan, San Francisco - presently worshipping/ ministering in three locations in

San Francisco and Oakland 2. Faith Lutheran, (chinese language and 1.5) - So. San Francisco 3. St. John’s Valley of Faith (St. John’s Bakersfield)

In the incubation/ Launch Stage

(1) He-Nani-Pu Aloha in Waianae, HI (Hawaiian indigenous work in partnership

withLutheranIndianMinistries);(2)GoodShepherdinHayward(1.5GenerationMillenialMosaicChurchPlant)‐nowassociatedwithLINC(3)Lutheran(Oromolanguagegroup)meetingatGoodShepherdinHayward;(NowassociatedwithLINC)(4)JoyofHarvestHmongmissionwork(So.Sacramento,GreenhavenLutheran;andatStockton,St.Andrew’sLutheran


(5)DavisEthiopianministryatOurFaithDavisalsosponsoredbyTownandCountry,Sacramento,CA(6)LINCBayAreaisalsointheincubation/launchstageinpartnershipwithLINCHoustonunderthepart‐timeleadershipofRev.AaronPutnamandthesupportofPrinceofPeaceinFremontaswellastheCNHMissionAgency.

In Study/ Activity leading to potential launch

1. Sanger (Emmanuel Clovis) 2. Morro Bay, (Peace, Arroyo Grande) 3. S. Lake Tahoe, (Bethlehem, Carson City) - leadership left (no longer active) 4. Other potential “ripe” opportunities

a.) Yuba City Hmong b.) Reno - english speaking plant

Intentional Mission Revitalizations (Re-Plants) 1. St. Matthew in Kauai — planned for October 2015 2. Chester/ Greenville - (Nevada Circuit and CNH partnership) - launched 06/22/14 3. Hanford congregation - Set for April 11, 2015 C.) Build, equip and encourage a solid network of mission-minded professional church workers and lay leaders dedicated to the planting of new faith communities. i.) Through an annual energizing and encouraging mission conference experience

(2) Two Mission Conferences held. (A third planned for Spring 2016)

iii) Through Missional learning communities developed in each region

(1) Learning communities with Dwelling 114 have been established in Hawaii and 2 in Sacramento.

(a) New locations opening South and North in CA in 2016

(b) missional community activities in some congregations in Sacramento.

(2) Pursuing other avenues of Congregational Mission Extension from congregations with 4 congregations utilizing 3DM Model (MISSION EXPANSION)

iv) Through three “Hands on Mission” opportunities each year within the District this triennium. (the purpose of these events is to bridge experience and learning in contextual mission involvement to God’s people around the CNH District)

Hands on Mission Events - (Building Bridges in Mission Activity, Learning, and Partnership) Held events at 1st Mission Conference, 2014 Youth Gathering, Grace in Gridley. Upcoming this summer 2015: Event at the Reconcile Conference and the Mission View Tour in July and August respectively


D.) We will deliberately raise resources through prayer, people and funding Missional resource events will be offered at least once in every circuit in the District by the District Convention in 2015

(1) Missions Conference was utilized to accomplish this purpose and touched every circuit.

(2) “Taste of CNH Events” 2 events held in 2013 and 2014, (we now use Congregational Mission Sundays)

(3) Congregational Congregational Mission Sundays (43 congregations visited)

Recruitment of Partners in Mission including

(4) Mission Communication leaders appointed for each circuit

(a) training planned for September 2015

(5) Prayer Partners one in each congregation

(a) Will be combined with Mission Communication leaders September 2014

(b) CNH Prayer Partner newsletter published semi-monthly since December 2013

(6) CNH Mission Donors (100 pledged to designate regular gifts to CNH mission agencey)

(a) 82 total donors engaged

(b) Assisting Mission Awareness and Mission Development Part-time staff will be brought on staff as part-time consultants this calendar year - see upcoming

(7) Donor Funding -- $150,000 by end of triennium

(a) $42,273.00 received in 2013. $81,765 raised in 2014. $29,593 raised through 2015 by 05/31/15. TOTAL: $153,622 raised from congregations & individuals as of 05/31/2015.

(b) Mission Advancement staff (2) originally planned for January of 2015 now slated to be in place August 2015.

E.) We will challenge and assist congregations, mission societies and circuits to plant faith communities that focus on reaching those who do not yet know Christ.

(8) 7 mini-grant applications were processed in 2014.

(9) 8 mini-grant applications have been approved through June 8, 2015.


(10) Developed the CNH Church planting vision, which includes multi-cultural opportunities, by December BOD Meeting 2013

v) The CNH Church planting vision and reporting will be shared with 40 congregations, every circuit, and interested individuals by April 2015

(1) 42 congregations have have been visited in this triennium to date (Mission Sundays)

Other Notable Staff contributions between August 2013 and June 2015

• Assist District President in identifying individuals at Seminaries and from the field for call lists and placement.

• Contracted and assist in Overseeing the Communications staff for CNH District

Matt Newton (part-time In Touch editor & Doug Benton: (Communication’s Assistant)

• Other as assigned by president and/or in team with District staff

STRENGTHS and GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES discovered

Strengths

Team: The primary strength for Missions in the CNH District is found in “who we ALL are together as the District engaged in the Mission of God where we worship, live, and work.” The CNH is all 180 plus congregations pulling together in prayer, action and witness in each specific congregational location and in new opportunities God grants. (Ideally these are birthed and owned by God’s people in each area).

God has been at work: One of the unexpected strengths we discovered in the first two years of the Mission Agency was that there were many circumstances “ready-to-go” that needed someone to pay close attention. Some of these had been nurtured by former staff members, and others were simply God’s timing, brought to the surface by faithful leaders, lay and clergy alike. Mission plants like Addis Kidan, and S. John’s Valley of Faith had been worked on prior to the beginning of the triennium by staff members, congregations and circuit counselors. We watched God use the efforts of the Mission Agency to walk alongside these mission ministries to assist them into a greater bloom. Revitalization replants in the Lake Almanor region and in Hanford were the fruit of Revitalization and Circuit Visitor (leaders). We in the mission agency are pleased to see that our efforts are truly the “wider District” working together in Mission.


People’s Hearts were prepared: The Mission Agency assisted by encouraging, inspiring, communicating, funding, and coaching Mission opportunities as they have surfaced. We see the fruit as the Mission Agency work in circumstances like Faith South San Francisco, the two new plants at Good Shepherd in Hayward, the incubation and launching of LINC Bay Area, the partnership with LIM: (Lutheran Indian Ministries) in Waianae, Oahu. We see further examples as we experience new traction in language and culture specific ministries among the Hmong, Hispanic, Eritrean and Ethiopian groups. We are privileged to be able to serve as a facilitator for training and encouragement through Mission Conferences, Congregational Mission Mini-grants, partnership with Dwelling 114 and the Center for US Missions.

Growth Areas:

Structuring the Network for growth: Our Mission Agency needs a clear structure and lines of authority that help it to function and do not need to be closely administered by any one person.

Enable God’s people to engage: God’s people desire to engage in mission in meaningful ways so that they might see and experience how their part is a valuable piece in God’s Mission.

Engaging New Generations: It is imperative that the efforts of the mission agency directly seek to partner with the new generation(s) that God has raised up and is revealing.

Presenting a Clear and Dynamic Purpose and Means (Case): President Newton’s CNH Mission Vision was well received by the 70th District Convention. This Mission Vision must be clearly and winsomely stated so that God’s People in the CNH might see and hear a calling to invest their time, energy, and resources both in what we do together and in our specific congregations

Planting Churches that Plant Churches: While God has opened the door for a variety of church plants, we want to be watchful and strategic in regards to those opportunities to develop strong “church-planting” churches in a variety of language and cultural groups.

Hopes and Vision for next Triennium: (My thoughts)

1.) A culture of church planting has a foothold in every corner of our CNH District

2.) A leadership training pipeline for mission leaders in our District has been identified and engaged.

3.) A strong foundation for support of the CNH Missions has been established: (Resources, Leaders, Education)


4.) The Vision for CNH Missions and its Mission Agency (attached below) is owned by the baptized, lay and professional within the CNH and spreads spontaneously into new areas of influence because it has become part of the culture of our District.

The CNH District . . .a new generation planting the Gospel.

Built on the Cornerstone of Christ and the witness of faithful Christians, a new generation of Christ

followers in the CNH District is planting the Gospel among those outside Christ’s Church. In this new era under the grace of God,

¥ Missions Agency: The CNH Missions Agency ensures a deliberate focus directed towards inspiring,

networking, equipping and releasing the baptized who generously invest themselves and their resources in the mission of Christ.

¥ Strategic Alliances: Strategic Alliances with our brothers and sisters in the PSW and NOW and with

identified entities in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, and beyond bring about a continuous dialog challenging the CNH District to more fully understand its place in the global mission movement and bring about. . .

¥ Training of Professionals: expanded and enhanced missional training of our pastors and

commissioned workers (especially our new graduates); ¥ Equipping of the Baptized: the equipping of the baptized (male and female) as “laborers for

the Harvest;” and ¥ Revitalization of congregations and Schools: the revitalization of congregations and

schools to engage in speaking and living the Gospel in their (local and global) communities ¥ Planting Faith Communities: Lay leadership, commissioned workers, and pastors actively plant new

faith communities. ¥ Intercessory Prayer: The baptized of the CNH District devote themselves to daily intercessory prayer

(corporate and personal) for the nations, the church, and for the coming of Christ’s kingdom in the lives of all people.

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Triennial Board Report June 5, 2015

Ted Hartman, Executive Director of Revitalization/Mission Education

1. Accomplishments over the past three years

a. Continuing of “Transforming for Mission” diagnostic consultations Since July, 2012, eight

Transforming for Mission consultations were held in the District. All eight of the

congregations accepted the report and have been actively involved in implementing the

prescriptions with a variety of paces.

b. Recycling of early Transforming Congregations as they adjust to new eras of ministry

Transforming for Mission began in our district in 2008. Over the past triennium, six

congregations from 2008, 2009, and 2011 have recycled with specific consultation needs.

These individual consultations served to build on or refocus the prescriptions from their

previous team consultations.

c. Development of “Sustainable Mission” congregations “Sustainable Mission” is an

individual consultation to assist congregations in developing connections within their

communities. It does not focus on internal issues but on external options and choices. Two

congregations have made extensive use of this process in developing outreach actions in

their communities.

d. Development of MAP Ministry Application Practice (MAP) was initiated this past year in

collaboration with NOW and PSW Districts. This process provides training, mentoring, and

support systems for pastors and wives beginning their first call. A training session was

hosted at CNH last fall for our first call pastors over the past 2 years. A follow-up session will

be held this November with the addition of the newest first call pastors. New pastors have

access to NOW pastoral application curriculum and have regular contact with District

Mentor/Coaches. The first time through, I have been handling most of the mentor/coaching

to determine what issues and needs emerge.

e. Specific consultation projects There have been a number of specific consultations centered

in governance, re-visioning, strategic planning, resource sharing, and staff development.

Participating in a number of national conferences within the larger Christian church allows

me to share resources that most pastors don’t have the time or money to seek out. An

example would be APEST (Five Fold Ministries from Ephesians 4: 7, 11-13). This inventory

and subsequent personal application to calling has been very helpful to several

congregations. This probably wouldn’t have been developed by most pastors because of

time constraints.

f. Coaching With a number of consultation roles, MAP, and other pastoral relationships,

coaching has been an active part of my ministry. I average between 20-25 coaching

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appointment per month. These focus on developing specific goals as well as providing

personal support and encouragement.

2. Observations on Current Situations

a. Readiness As Evert Rogers reminds us in his book, Diffusion of Innovations; changes in

thinking and innovation take time. (See “Controlling Scurvy in the British Navy”…150 years

from cure to application). I am experiencing more readiness by congregations to see more

realities in their congregational situations as well as more opportunities to innovate in

response to our changing culture. Their access points seem to be their children and

especially their grandchildren. They are asking themselves, “Why aren’t our kids involved in

our church?” Individuals seem less defensive and more open. They are still frustrated and

confused, but it seems that they are more open to invest in solutions and strategies rather

than just debunking and wringing their hands in despair. Perhaps they are just shinning me

on, but there seems to be more of the view of the role of District as a positive partner

rather than a judicatory threat.

b. Capacity The younger pastors with whom I work (MAP) seem to have a great commitment

to the Gospel mission and really want to care for their flocks as well as reach out into their

communities. One young pastor, spoke emotionally about experiencing the Spirit of God

leading someone to faith and baptism through his ministry over the past year. This young

man is “hooked” on the power of the Gospel. There is tremendous capacity here as they

work through what they learned in Seminary and now doing real ministry in local situations.

I have seen capacity growing with some retired pastors doing interim/vacancy work. There

is a growing separation between those who retire to comfortable vacancy work, and those

who use their extensive experience and gifts to move the Kingdom forward. Some of these

interim guys engage, lead, and move congregations ahead during pastoral transitions.

c. Religious Piety and the Gospel In a quick reflection on our cultural situation, I experience a

growing contrast between religious piety (“who sinned, he or his parents”) and the

Kingdom of Grace. There seem to be lots of “Christian” people who are in the judgment

business, which distorts how we in the Kingdom of Grace business are perceived. Even

more so than in the past, we need to help each other be very clear in our Gospel

proclamation and Gospel living. The Gospel still works; the scripture is still the word from

God; and the Spirit of God still brings people to faith and gathers them into communities. It

is just quite different in how we do our part of that.

d. How safe are our circuits? I am picking up a low level anxiety relative to how safe some

pastors feel in their circuits. A few have stopped coming to circuit gatherings, and others go

but are reserved in their participation. A couple of pastors have talked about being

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criticized for expressing some points of view that are not standard thinking in LCMS. I don’t

know what that means, but the sense of being alone and isolated seems a bit more

prevalent.

e. The Lord is up to something This is an entirely intuitive point of view. There is something

positive and life-giving going on in the Kingdom of Grace as I experience it—a growing

mission (Grace filled) spirit; an openness to creative options; a growing capacity of pastoral

leadership; a sense of adaptability for congregational situations; and a clarity of what is

really important in the Kingdom of Grace. This is quite intuitive; however it feels very

positive and very strong.

3. Recommendations for 2015-2018

a. Transforming for Mission Consultations I think that there is a need to continue to

provide high quality, positive, and honest diagnostic consultations for congregations.

This tool can be very helpful for congregations to get some “outside eyes” to reflect

back to them realities and directions. It can be especially helpful in transitions to

prepare for new eras of mission. There are currently two congregations actively

considering consultations this next fall.

b. Congregational Services I think that there is a need to continue to offer congregational

services such as assistance in re-visioning, governance, strategic planning, staff

development, and the like. Some pastors aren’t trained in these areas and can use a

boost. For others, having someone come in from the outside can reinforce what the

local pastor has been saying all along. The goal of these services is to remove obstacles

from congregational mission and nurture.

c. MAP I think that there is a need to continue to invest in our first call pastors and their

wives. Providing mentor/coaching relationships is a starting point, but these need to be

augmented by gatherings with local supportive pastors and wives.

d. Support System for Pastors and Wives I think there needs to be a system developed

for pastors and their wives outside the circuit and circuit visitor. It is difficult to be a

pastor and a pastor’s wife these days. There are significant issues facing our pastoral

families, such as lack of clarity of roles and boundaries; unexpressed expectations by

both congregations and pastor/wife; questions of calling; financial pressures; and

cultural confusion of professional church workers and their spouses. This system needs

to include relational and educational components.

e. Prayer as fabric rather than an accessory of the congregation I think that there needs

to be an intentional effort to make prayer an important part of the fabric of at least 30-

40 of our leading congregations, if it is not that already. One of the criticisms of

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Transforming for Mission is that it has been available to congregations of all sizes and all

situations of health. Some have suggested that more resources need to be focused on

the productive churches with a “fire in the belly” for mission and ministry. Developing

and/or encouraging 30-40 praying congregations from the most healthy in our district

could provide significant spiritual growth not only for those congregations, but for the

District as well.

f. Mission Agency I think that there is a need to provide encouragement and support to

the newly formed Mission Agency. This arm of the District has gotten off to a good start

with the initial Mission Conference of 2014; the Mission conference integrated in the

District Convention last spring, and the initiatives begun with new starts, restarts, and

mission grants. While the mission focus of the agency can’t be diluted, there needs to be

continued communication and collaboration with the other District functions as we

approach the mission/ministry of the Kingdom of Grace from some different entrance

points.

g. Special Resources I think there is a need to discover and make special resources

available to our congregations and professional workers. For example, there are

resources in worship, music, leadership, care ministries, that can be shared through

networking with congregations/schools, special workshops, and/or invitations to

national training. The “Music That Makes Community” is being rescheduled for fall of

2015. “Emerging Leadership” is a process led by Les Stroh which we working to schedule

for later this year and into 2016 in collaboration with NOW and PSW.

h. Coaching I think that coaching is a wonderful tool to encourage and develop all of us.

It is a tremendous advantage to have a trusted relationship to be yourself and at the

same time to be challenged to fulfill the vision of life and ministry that you have been

given. Having a growing cadre of excellent coaches available, as well as an environment

that encourages the coaching process, would be helpful.

i. Collaborative Services I think that more functioning between the Pacific Rim Districts

of NOW, PSW, and CNH can be helpful for all to do mission and ministry in our unique

West Coast setting. We have been working with NOW for a number of years for deacon

training. We have been in conversation with PSW on providing Transforming for Mission

consultations with them. Other areas such as education, youth, out-each strategies,

multi-cultural ministries, leadership development are also possibilities.

Blessings in all things!

Ted Hartman

End of Triennium Report Rural/Urban Small Ministries To President Newton / From Rev. John Whaley

Triennium Report Rural/Urban Small Ministries

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The 2012 District convention passed a resolution calling for the District to allot resources towards the smaller ministries of the District. The District BOD responded to the resolution by establishing Board Outcome #4, “The CNH District will provide support and resources to rural/urban small ministries to help build ministry capacity of Christ’s mission.” I was asked by President Newton to take this Outcome as part of my ministry portfolio serving the District. For the first two years of the triennium I worked between 1/2 to 2/3 time of my time towards this outcome. The third year was approximately 1/2 time.

Accomplishments

I began the task by trying to visit with as many pastors/lay leaders as I could to see what, if anything, they held in common - both challenges and blessings; to determine what issues they faced in their ministry context. I was able to meet with 47+ different pastors (many multiple times) who were associated with rural or urban/small ministries, including many of our pastors doing language specific ministries.

My learnings or take-aways from these many visits still are the same things I identified in my September 2013 report to the BOD:

All have a love for their Lord

All are engaged in some way in service in their community, although many don’t necessarily see it as direct ministry

Most all have concerns regarding finances, and many congregations do rely on endowment funds and rental income to help off-set expenses

Many will not be able to financially support a full-time pastor when they do have a vacancy in the future. Many today are paying well below District salary scale

A number have deferred maintenance issues with their properties, but due to finances, the needs get ignored (many do not have any plan to address)

Many do not realize the assets that they do have that could be used in ministry (facilities or human resources)

There does not yet seem to be much conversation with Circuit brothers (or others for that matter) for partnerships in ministry



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I was able to hold one circuit/regional event in Circuit 12 in which we invited Synod’s Department for Rural Ministry to partner with us. We provided information on gathering and identifying community demographics, asset mapping, and ways of community engagement. Nine CNH congregations and one ELCA congregation participated with a total of about 40 people in attendance. Many of the congregational leaders in attendance did take back to their congregations the learnings, and began to implement ideas locally.

I also worked with three areas to establish Word/Sacrament ministry where it was not being done, or about to become vacant. (1) Pr. Kevin DeHope from St. John/St. Luke Oakdale now also serves St. James, Newman on Sunday afternoons. (2) Pr. Mark Airey form LCOP, Bakersfield helps relieve Pr. James Tyler once a month at Bethany, Oildale, and (3) Pr. Wayne Riddering, Associate Pastor at Peace, Arroyo Grande serves 3 times a month at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atascadero. In addition to this, I also helped put in place Deacons to serve at First, Lucerne; Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atascadero; and Brownsville along with a vicar from the Hispanic Institute at Trinity, Watsonville. All to say, examples of how more and more of the smaller ministries may be served in the future.

Observations

In looking at the strengths and weaknesses of our smaller/rural ministries, I think it is pretty clear what faces so many of them . . . smaller communities with an aging demographics; very limited financial resources with aging facilities; and often limited human resources.

The strengths, though, are people dedicated to their faith wishing to serve the Lord and have strong bonds of fellowship with each other, and often with the community.

What I learned after the first year of my visits was the challenge that presents itself is often answering two hard questions; (1) who are we here for, and (2) is what we are doing here really worth the life of our Lord? Or maybe another way to ask it is what I heard just recently from one of our pastors wrestling with the future of his congregation’s ministry, “If we closed our doors tomorrow, would the community even notice?”

Some, if not a majority, do need to rediscover a sense of their mission so they remain passionate being about what Christ has called them to be. To quote Leonard Sweet, “The church does not define its mission, God does. It is God’s mission in the world that connects the church, not the other way around.”



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Recommendations

Some staff resourcing does need to be available, as District provides resourcing to all of our ministries. However, I don’t believe the resourcing requires a full-time staff, but either a part-time (as part of a larger portfolio), or in collaboration with a task force to existing staff as was recommended at the recent District convention. This collaboration work could look at ways the smaller, rural congregations could address future ministry needs, i.e.

Future Word/Sacrament ministry - maybe partnering with other ministries through a dual-parish arrangement to support a pastor, or by training more men in the role of Deacon;

Continuing to help identify current community needs that ministries may be able to plug into;

Helping connect with our CEF for funding of deferred maintenance issues; Looking for mission opportunities outside of “their ministry” – ways even the

smaller congregation can support the broader church; and To help conclude ministry in areas where God’s Spirit has completed its work

through the LCMS. To help pastor and people understand a ministry’s life cycle, and understand the opportunity for a legacy of ministry, and be able to “conclude with dignity.”

End of Triennium Report Office of Education

Joel Koerschen

Outcome One: Continuing Education

Contributions

I developed and taught six six-hour workshops for church workers and lay leaders designed to strengthen their governance, leadership, and administrative skills as they participate in Christ’s mission to the world.

• Ten Principles of Effective Governance• Strategic Planning for Congregations• Project Management for Church Professionals• Building High Performing Teams• Improving Personal Productivity (Getting Things Done)• Beyond Behavioral Interviewing: Hiring for Attitude

Observation

The workshops were well-attended and ratings from participants averaged above four on a five-point scale.

Recommendation

With some modification, most of these workshops could be offered again during the next triennium. In addition, I am presently working of three additional workshops; one will be offered this fall.

Outcome Two: Revitalization

Accomplishments

Many of the congregations that participated in Transforming for Mission consultations were encouraged to evaluate their governance structure and consider the Accountable Leadership model. For the congregations that decided to make the transition, I provided leadership training and facilitated the writing of new constitutions, bylaws, and policy manuals. In some cases, I also led a strategic planning process.

In addition, I consulted with and trained the boards of congregations that implemented Accountable Leadership in previous trienniums.

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Observation

While the Accountable Leadership governance model (also referred to as Policy-Based Governance) is not a panacea for leadership issues within a congregation, it is telling to note that none of the congregations currently using Accountable Leadership have gone back to the Abdon model.

Recommendation

There are 30 or more congregations in CNH that are presently using or considering transitioning to the Accountable Leadership model of governance. Ongoing board training, strategic planning facilitation, and leadership consulting will be needed.

School Executive Contributions

Much of what I do is not connected to a specific outcome, but is vital to the health and well-being of the district’s congregations.

• I regularly consult with pastors, lay leaders, principals, ECE directors, and teachers experiencing ministry challenges or opportunities.

• I work with the District Reconciliation Team (pastors Lon Haack and Ron Youngdale) when they are consulting with congregations that have schools.

• I meet with our ECE directors and school principals four times each year. While the events often feature professional development they also offer the opportunity to build relationships.

• I play an intricate role with our Parish Schools Committee is planning our Lutheran Educators Conference (fall) , Spring workshops, and New-Teacher Orientation.1

• I facilitated the coming of TEC21 to the CNH District.TEC21 is a unique professional development strategy that connects Lutheran educators at local, regional, and national levels by assisting teachers to effectively integrate technology into the learning environment and encouraging and equipping TEC21 participants to become peer resources in their schools. TEC21 begins this fall.

• I sit on the board of the California Association of Private School Organizations (ICAPSO). CAPSO is a consortium of pre-collegiate, independent and religious school organizations striving to promote excellence in education and to preserve philosophical and religious values as well as the spiritual dimensions of life.

• I prepare call lists.

This coming fall will be our second Lutheran Educators Conference in conjunction with the 1

Pacific Southwest District.

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Observation

Ongoing professional development for our teachers and administrators is vital to the well-being of our school ministries. Unfortunately, schools experiencing financial challenges often cut professional development from their budgets.

Recommendation

CNH should continue to offer high-quality and cost-effective professional development for our teachers and administrators.

Conflict between congregations and their workers or conflict between workers themselves is damaging to effective ministry. Providing effective conflict resolution is crucial to the health of our congregations.

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ADDENDUM - cnh-lcms.org(1) In Mission, (monthly newsletter) (2) Utilize In Touch (pointing towards...

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