Pastoral Report

 

Significantly increased lay leadership and involvement in the church’s ministries

Building upon the ministry plan for 2009-2012, we have created 5 primary Ministry Teams. Meeting regularly, the Team leaders and members establish and pursue their respective goals in support of our Church’s vision. The Council is the coordinating body providing authorization and accountability.

Vision Team proposed a Vision Statement that has been adopted by the Church Council highlighting our three (3) ministry priorities as a congregation: Children/Families, Music in Worship, and Missions.

Our Trustees oversaw the refurbishing of our Fellowship Hall, with repairs done to the dishwasher and disposal in the kitchen, new carpeting, new window treatments, new lighting and wall paint in the hall.

We sold the parsonage in September, with the hard work of our Trustees and Finance Teams paying off the mortgage and a second loan and improving our cash flow over $2,000 per month in 2012.

We will finish 2011 with a budget surplus. Thanks to all, especially to you who contributed to second mile giving

We held the first annual Greg Schrimpf Memorial Mission Dinner. A tremendous success, the dinner raised over $7,000 for missions.

Over $50,000 was given to support community, national and world-wide missions

Music in worship is enhanced with an expanded Praise Team and monies budgeted for outside musicians every other Sunday for Traditional worship.

Our youth and youth leaders experienced a very successful Youth Mission trip and Sr. Hi Youth (state-wide UMC) Convo experience.

We had a vital Vacation Bible School this summer with 40 children from church families and our Little Lambs Christian Learning Center. More children are attending Sunday School today than any time in the past several years.

Our Study/Building Team has been approved and authorized by the Council and is meeting regularly according to the UM Discipline to address the options relative to the City’s offer to purchase our property.

 

As we move into 2012, I am grateful to God and to you the people of Good Shepherd, for the growth we have experienced together through the past year. Today, we are a stronger congregation than last year and we are moving in the right direction. We have unifying vision. Our Ministry Teams are coming to a clearer understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities and are enlisting other members in serving and sharing the ministry. Our finances are improved and our processes and reports more timely and efficient. We are working more with Wisconsin Conference staff of the United Methodist Church especially with regard to leadership training, our Study/Building Team and in Finance.

Of course, the discernment process about our future building possibilities will be before us all. We are moving for-ward effectively with accountability to the UM Discipline, working with district and conference leadership. As previously stated, the entire congregation will be given voice and vote at various points in the process. This is certainly a matter of prayer and listening for God’s leading. It can be an exciting time of looking forward to the future in faith.

We are unapologetic in saying that our intention is to grow as a church, - to reach out to others with the Good News of Jesus Christ, especially through outreach to Children and Families, through excellence in Music in Worship and Missions.

We will invest time in training this year as Ministry Teams and leaders. We will always strive as a church to function in healthy ways as an organizational system. We will implement Safe Sanctuary procedures in the New Year, and on May 6, 2012, we will celebrate 175 years of ministry as Good Shepherd.