One of the most difficult subjects for the church to address is the issue of congregational stewardship – not how much you give as members, but how we, as the leadership, handle the tithes and offerings you give to be used to support the work of the church. It can be a very touchy subject because everyone, and I mean everyone, puts a different value on a dollar. What one person would spend their money on, another person would never think of spending money on. This is why we have taken some time to pray over and determine a long-term stewardship strategy for Crossroads.
With our perilous economic times, it is even more critical that we have a solid, wise, and long-term strategic plan for the church finances. We believe we have such a plan that addresses our current situation and will make our position better in the future. It incorporates a lot of expert advice and wise counsel. It is based, in part, on Dave Ramsey's “Financial Peace” principles of money management.
The strategy can be understood best as a five-legged stool that is well-balanced on all five legs, where each leg supports the weight on the stool. The five legs of this stool represent our five stewardship priorities. These priorities have been prayerfully and carefully established in a specific order.
1.Tithing to Missions
We are committed to tithing ten percent (10%) of our general fund income to support missions. We cannot ask our members to tithe of their income if we, as a congregation, are not trusting God by doing so ourselves. We believe this ought to be our first priority and that God's blessing will follow our faithfulness.
In the future, we will carefully consider increasing this percentage, but only after we are fully funding our other priorities. It is a mistake to believe that simply increasing this percentage arbitrarily demonstrates our spirituality. As our congregation grows so will our income, and in turn, so will the amount we tithe.
2. Reducing our Debt
We are committed to putting three percent (3%) of our general fund income toward additional mortgage principal each week. It is extremely important that we eliminate our debt as quickly and responsibly as possible. With our recent refinance, we did lower the rate of interest and our payment. We want to use part of that savings to accelerate our repayment.
If we can maintain our weekly offering of $4,000 or more, this three percent (3%) applied to the principal of our mortgage would shorten the term from twenty years to fifteen years. It would also save us over $110,000 in interest over the life of the loan. This is money that could be used for expanding our ministry, as well as funding the final phase of our master building plan.
In the future, we will carefully consider increasing this percentage, but only after we are fully funding our other priorities. We cannot starve our ministries for resources, because they produce the growth in our congregation. There is no wisdom in paying off a building that will be empty.
3.Proper Financial Management
Properly managing the finances of the church is critical. The leadership team must submit a budget that demonstrates wise and thoughtful planning. It must take into consideration past giving trends and current financial conditions. It must be rooted in the practical realities of our community. It must be an attainable goal for our congregation.
Having a reasonable budget is only half of the equation. There also must be a reasonable system established to handle the appropriation of the funds when they are received. Not everything in the budget is of equal importance. Just as in your own personal or family budget, there are essentials which must be paid FIRST. Only after these have been funded will funds be made available for discretionary spending. Every dollar must be spent carefully and effectively, and never before it has been received.
Meeting and exceeding the budget will be seriously pursued by the leadership and the ministry teams. As God blesses, any funds received in excess of the budget will NOT be considered a surplus until the end of the budget year. At that time, the leadership team will determine the best use of the funds for the good of the congregation.
To support proper money management, we have created a "contingency fund" of $5,000 for emergencies. Should the church need funds for an unplanned expense, these would come from the contingency fund. At that point, funds going toward debt reduction would be diverted to the contingency fund until it reached the previous balance, at which point the funds would go back toward debt reduction. This eliminates scrambling for funds in an emergency.
4. Separate Funding for Benevolence
As a Christian Church, we believe that the budget of the church must be funded by the tithes and offerings of the membership. We do not have fundraisers to pay salaries or the utilities or the mortgage. These are the operational expenses of God's church and therefore the responsibility of God's people. God's work is not the responsibility of the unbelieving.
However, in the case of benevolence, all the funds spent are for the benefit of those who are NOT members of the church. This is why the decision was made to establish a separate fund for community benevolence. This way, we can raise money through various means to build up resources for benevolence requests.
Each year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, ALL of the money received on that day will go to support our benevolence ministry "My Brother's Keeper." We will report to the congregation on the number of people that have been helped and how they were helped. The objective is to build up enough resources that when times are tough and money is tight in the church budget, we will still be able help those in serious need.
5. Special Projects Funding
Our recent special offering on Easter Sunday demonstrated the kind of generosity God can provide through His people. We have decided that every Easter, we will have a large special project or several small projects that we want to ask the congregation to give a sacrificial offering to cover. These projects would include, but not be limited to, capital improvements in the building and grounds.
The goal and the project(s) will be announced in time for members to prayerfully consider and make such personal sacrifices as they deem necessary to give generously. The proceeds of the offering will be used strictly for that purpose and that purpose alone. However, it will give one and all the opportunity to give as the Lord leads.
We believe that by having and following this stewardship strategy with dedication, Crossroads will continue to be financially strong and able to meet the challenges of the future successfully. With God's blessing and your faithful generosity, we will have the resources to achieve our mission and fulfill our vision.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
What is "My Brother's Keeper" ministry?
What is “My Brother’s Keeper” ministry? It is the benevolent ministry of Crossroads Christian Church. In the past, benevolence, assistance given to non-members of the church, has been handled through the general budget. Often, this would mean that funds were not available when the needs would come in. This resulted in our missing opportunities to reach out into our community with the love of Christ.
This is why we have decided to handle benevolence through a separately funded ministry called, “My Brother’s Keeper”. Through this ministry, we will able to respond to financial needs in the community by developing several funding streams in addition to the funds provided by the church.
Funds for the ministry will come from three possible sources. First, the church itself will contribute directly to the ministry two ways. One will be through a special offering we will receive on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. This will become our annual “Benevolent Sunday”. Our service that day will be centered a round our responsibility to care for the needy in our community. We will also report to the congregation on what the ministry has done in the past year.
Another way that the congregation will contribute to the ministry will be through our annual church garage sale. This event has been used to fund several different missions and projects in the past. However we would like to focus this event on raising funds to help the needy in our community. The event is a great outreach ministry as well. Currently, we are in need of someone to direct this event this summer.
Besides direct giving, My Brother’s Keeper will be funded through secondary giving by leveraging our spending. For example, if you shop at Payless or Marsh, there is a way that five percent (5%) of what you are already spending can be donated back to our benevolent ministry through using gift cards. There are several other such programs that we will talk about on May 31st when we launch the ministry.
I hope you will come and hear the exciting possibilities of this ministry and God can do through you. The movie is great, and the evening is free to all. Bring your family, neighbors, and friends on May 31st at 6pm to see a "One Night with The King" and hear more about My Brother's Keeper Ministry.
This is why we have decided to handle benevolence through a separately funded ministry called, “My Brother’s Keeper”. Through this ministry, we will able to respond to financial needs in the community by developing several funding streams in addition to the funds provided by the church.
Funds for the ministry will come from three possible sources. First, the church itself will contribute directly to the ministry two ways. One will be through a special offering we will receive on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. This will become our annual “Benevolent Sunday”. Our service that day will be centered a round our responsibility to care for the needy in our community. We will also report to the congregation on what the ministry has done in the past year.
Another way that the congregation will contribute to the ministry will be through our annual church garage sale. This event has been used to fund several different missions and projects in the past. However we would like to focus this event on raising funds to help the needy in our community. The event is a great outreach ministry as well. Currently, we are in need of someone to direct this event this summer.
Besides direct giving, My Brother’s Keeper will be funded through secondary giving by leveraging our spending. For example, if you shop at Payless or Marsh, there is a way that five percent (5%) of what you are already spending can be donated back to our benevolent ministry through using gift cards. There are several other such programs that we will talk about on May 31st when we launch the ministry.
I hope you will come and hear the exciting possibilities of this ministry and God can do through you. The movie is great, and the evening is free to all. Bring your family, neighbors, and friends on May 31st at 6pm to see a "One Night with The King" and hear more about My Brother's Keeper Ministry.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
God is GREAT!
God never ceases to amaze me. When the leadership team determined the goals for our Easter Sunday, I believed that only with God's help could we attain them. I know many of you prayed daily for God to move us, and He most certainly did. Six (6) new members, over twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) in a single offering, and over two hundred in attendance at worship (204), are clearly a demonstration of His presence in our church.
Most of you are aware of the challenges faced by our congregation in the past twelve months. However I believe we have turned the corner on those difficulties and that the accomplishment of these goals is evidence of that reality. You see, struggles are not always all bad. God often uses them to test our faith and commitment. He will use them to cause us to grow in ways that we are either afraid or unwilling to grow in. They make us reassess our motives and our beliefs. They make us stronger in the end.
This is not to say that we still do not have more challenges to work through. However we now have a true spirit of unity and cooperation in which to deal with them. With God's guidance and help, none of them are beyond our ability to work through. Some of them will require that more changes be made in the way we do things. We will need greater commitment from all of our members, including those who serve in positions of responsibility within our church.
On that subject, I want to express my appreciation to a man who has served as an elder in this congregation from its very inception, Neil Anderson. During my eight years, Neil has served continuously as an elder, with the exception of an accident-forced sabbatical. He has worked in both leadership and service. He has served in shepherding and in oversight. He has stood strong in the face of criticism and of difficulty. He successfully led us through three building campaigns. It is no exaggeration to say that Crossroads would not be where it is today without Neil Anderson.
Recently, Neil has stepped down from serving as an elder. He will continue to serve as the coach of support ministries and wants to focus his energies there. This is the ministry that deals with the maintenance of our facilities. As you might imagine, as our building has grown, so have the responsibilities for taking care of it. Neil, along with his wife Jennifer, has recently taken on the task of cleaning the church each week. This is no easy task, with all that we are doing through the week as a congregation. I am sure he would love to have more volunteers.
The leadership team will be looking to add more elders in August. We will be speaking to several men in the meantime about this. Please be in prayer for Scott Thatcher, Dave Nordhielm, and myself, as we continue to lead Crossroads.
Most of you are aware of the challenges faced by our congregation in the past twelve months. However I believe we have turned the corner on those difficulties and that the accomplishment of these goals is evidence of that reality. You see, struggles are not always all bad. God often uses them to test our faith and commitment. He will use them to cause us to grow in ways that we are either afraid or unwilling to grow in. They make us reassess our motives and our beliefs. They make us stronger in the end.
This is not to say that we still do not have more challenges to work through. However we now have a true spirit of unity and cooperation in which to deal with them. With God's guidance and help, none of them are beyond our ability to work through. Some of them will require that more changes be made in the way we do things. We will need greater commitment from all of our members, including those who serve in positions of responsibility within our church.
On that subject, I want to express my appreciation to a man who has served as an elder in this congregation from its very inception, Neil Anderson. During my eight years, Neil has served continuously as an elder, with the exception of an accident-forced sabbatical. He has worked in both leadership and service. He has served in shepherding and in oversight. He has stood strong in the face of criticism and of difficulty. He successfully led us through three building campaigns. It is no exaggeration to say that Crossroads would not be where it is today without Neil Anderson.
Recently, Neil has stepped down from serving as an elder. He will continue to serve as the coach of support ministries and wants to focus his energies there. This is the ministry that deals with the maintenance of our facilities. As you might imagine, as our building has grown, so have the responsibilities for taking care of it. Neil, along with his wife Jennifer, has recently taken on the task of cleaning the church each week. This is no easy task, with all that we are doing through the week as a congregation. I am sure he would love to have more volunteers.
The leadership team will be looking to add more elders in August. We will be speaking to several men in the meantime about this. Please be in prayer for Scott Thatcher, Dave Nordhielm, and myself, as we continue to lead Crossroads.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Church Membership
In recent weeks, the subject of church membership has come up in different conversations. For example, just yesterday, I received a call from a Christian organization asking about a person in our congregation. Their question was, "Are they a member in good standing?" Ironically, that phrase, "member in good standing," is one that I have given a lot of thought to lately.
Membership is a word that can have different meanings. In some situations, membership is one-sided. For example, someone can buy a membership at a health club or gym, which then entitles them to come and use the facilities when they want to. As long as they continue to pay their fees, they get to keep their membership. Whether or not they actually use their membership does not affect whether they keep it. In this context, "member in good standing" simply means you are current on your dues or fees.
In other situations, membership is two-sided. Sometimes, the group to which you belong has requirements or expectations of its individual members. When a member fails to maintain the requirements, the group then removes that member from their membership. Thus, the term, "member in good standing" here means that you are actively engaged in the group and meet the requirements.
What about church membership? Is it one- or two-sided? If it is a two-sided relationship, who decides what the expectations or requirements are? I have met people who thought that church membership was simply one-sided. They believe they are a member of the church until they decide not to be. To some, church membership has no connection to their actual participation in the congregation itself. This means that in some churches, there is a large gap between the number of people attending on Sunday morning and the number of people on the membership rolls.
The question of church membership has prompted some congregations to eliminate the whole concept of membership. If you come, that is all that matters; if you don't come, then that's okay, too. There is no accountability at all by the leadership for those people. Other churches have enacted very strict membership policies. I recently read an article advocating that ALL members be REQUIRED to tithe and to prove it.
At Crossroads, we have a membership covenant which we talk about in the Discovering Crossroads class. Every member signs a copy when they join, so they know what the expectations are for membership. In the covenant, it states that members are to be "attending faithfully" the services of the church. I used to believe that you did not have to specify to people exactly what "faithfully" meant, but recent events have caused me to reconsider that opinion. I have never been a big fan of restrictive policies and rules because they replace authentic relationship and actual accountability. I am not sure reducing membership to numbers and percentages helps individuals to grow into mature disciples. This is, of course, the goal of membership, or at least, it ought to be.
Membership is a word that can have different meanings. In some situations, membership is one-sided. For example, someone can buy a membership at a health club or gym, which then entitles them to come and use the facilities when they want to. As long as they continue to pay their fees, they get to keep their membership. Whether or not they actually use their membership does not affect whether they keep it. In this context, "member in good standing" simply means you are current on your dues or fees.
In other situations, membership is two-sided. Sometimes, the group to which you belong has requirements or expectations of its individual members. When a member fails to maintain the requirements, the group then removes that member from their membership. Thus, the term, "member in good standing" here means that you are actively engaged in the group and meet the requirements.
What about church membership? Is it one- or two-sided? If it is a two-sided relationship, who decides what the expectations or requirements are? I have met people who thought that church membership was simply one-sided. They believe they are a member of the church until they decide not to be. To some, church membership has no connection to their actual participation in the congregation itself. This means that in some churches, there is a large gap between the number of people attending on Sunday morning and the number of people on the membership rolls.
The question of church membership has prompted some congregations to eliminate the whole concept of membership. If you come, that is all that matters; if you don't come, then that's okay, too. There is no accountability at all by the leadership for those people. Other churches have enacted very strict membership policies. I recently read an article advocating that ALL members be REQUIRED to tithe and to prove it.
At Crossroads, we have a membership covenant which we talk about in the Discovering Crossroads class. Every member signs a copy when they join, so they know what the expectations are for membership. In the covenant, it states that members are to be "attending faithfully" the services of the church. I used to believe that you did not have to specify to people exactly what "faithfully" meant, but recent events have caused me to reconsider that opinion. I have never been a big fan of restrictive policies and rules because they replace authentic relationship and actual accountability. I am not sure reducing membership to numbers and percentages helps individuals to grow into mature disciples. This is, of course, the goal of membership, or at least, it ought to be.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Miracle On Easter
Most of you have already heard about MOE, or more accurately our "Miracle On Easter" campaign. The Leadership is challenging the congregation to pray and work toward accomplishing goals in three key areas.
The first area is that of finances. You are all well aware of the financial difficulties through which our community is going right now. Layoffs have hit several members in our congregation, and this has impacted the church. The leadership team has been proactive and has made a number of difficult decisions to address the situation.
We believe God is bigger that the current economic situation. We believe that He is able to do far more than we can ask or imagine. Therefore, we are praying and believing that He is going to provide through His people a $10,000 plus offering on Easter Sunday.
These funds will be put to good use. Primarily, a $5,000 emergency fund would be provided to be held in reserve in the event the church would need to make a quick repair or deal with a financial emergency. For example, just this week, we discovered that someone had stolen two of our air conditioning units; they cut the lines and took them away. While we do have insurance coverage, there is still a deductable. There will be other such expenses in the future. Our original building is in its 18th year under a 15-year-old roof. The original furnaces are also 18-years-old, with blower motors that could go out at any time. Our water needs are served by a well with a pump that could fail at anytime. It is wise to prepare for such "emergencies" with a reserve fund.
The rest of the offering would be used in our general fund, so that we can begin to accumulate resources toward our ministries. There are programs that need to be funded, such as VBS and our children's ministries. However, we will be very cautious in our expenditures to maximize the effectiveness of every dollar given.
Some might think such a goal is too ambitious, given the current circumstances. As I said, that is why we call it a miracle – because it exceeds our human potential. Yet some of our current offerings have caused me to question whether I set the goal too low. God is truly blessing us through your generosity.
I want to encourage everyone to think about ways of sacrificing something until Easter in order to give that little bit extra. Everyone's participation is critical in order for us to achieve our goal for God's glory. Do not let the devil convince you that your gift will not make a difference. Every dollar given can be multiplied by God.
The second goal is to welcome ten (10) new members into our congregation on Easter Sunday, whether through transfer or baptism. We have many folks who worship with us on a regular basis but, as of yet, have not become members. We are having our membership class "Discovering Crossroads" on Saturday, April 4th at 10:00 a.m., to answer any questions you may have. Those considering membership are encouraged to attend.
Our final goal for Easter is to have over two hundred (200) people in attendance. This is not a difficult goal to accomplish. It only requires that EVERY member of Crossroads commit to being here that day, and to inviting as many others as possible. Easter is a great time to invite friends and family to visit our services.
The key to realizing these goals is praying for God's intervention. Miracles still happen if believers will be unified in prayer and commit to being used of God. Pray for MOE every day, several times a day if you can. Ask God to show you want you can do to be an instrument of His will to make this miracle on Easter happen.
See You Sunday,
Mike
The first area is that of finances. You are all well aware of the financial difficulties through which our community is going right now. Layoffs have hit several members in our congregation, and this has impacted the church. The leadership team has been proactive and has made a number of difficult decisions to address the situation.
We believe God is bigger that the current economic situation. We believe that He is able to do far more than we can ask or imagine. Therefore, we are praying and believing that He is going to provide through His people a $10,000 plus offering on Easter Sunday.
These funds will be put to good use. Primarily, a $5,000 emergency fund would be provided to be held in reserve in the event the church would need to make a quick repair or deal with a financial emergency. For example, just this week, we discovered that someone had stolen two of our air conditioning units; they cut the lines and took them away. While we do have insurance coverage, there is still a deductable. There will be other such expenses in the future. Our original building is in its 18th year under a 15-year-old roof. The original furnaces are also 18-years-old, with blower motors that could go out at any time. Our water needs are served by a well with a pump that could fail at anytime. It is wise to prepare for such "emergencies" with a reserve fund.
The rest of the offering would be used in our general fund, so that we can begin to accumulate resources toward our ministries. There are programs that need to be funded, such as VBS and our children's ministries. However, we will be very cautious in our expenditures to maximize the effectiveness of every dollar given.
Some might think such a goal is too ambitious, given the current circumstances. As I said, that is why we call it a miracle – because it exceeds our human potential. Yet some of our current offerings have caused me to question whether I set the goal too low. God is truly blessing us through your generosity.
I want to encourage everyone to think about ways of sacrificing something until Easter in order to give that little bit extra. Everyone's participation is critical in order for us to achieve our goal for God's glory. Do not let the devil convince you that your gift will not make a difference. Every dollar given can be multiplied by God.
The second goal is to welcome ten (10) new members into our congregation on Easter Sunday, whether through transfer or baptism. We have many folks who worship with us on a regular basis but, as of yet, have not become members. We are having our membership class "Discovering Crossroads" on Saturday, April 4th at 10:00 a.m., to answer any questions you may have. Those considering membership are encouraged to attend.
Our final goal for Easter is to have over two hundred (200) people in attendance. This is not a difficult goal to accomplish. It only requires that EVERY member of Crossroads commit to being here that day, and to inviting as many others as possible. Easter is a great time to invite friends and family to visit our services.
The key to realizing these goals is praying for God's intervention. Miracles still happen if believers will be unified in prayer and commit to being used of God. Pray for MOE every day, several times a day if you can. Ask God to show you want you can do to be an instrument of His will to make this miracle on Easter happen.
See You Sunday,
Mike
Monday, March 9, 2009
First Congregational Forum
The first our congregational forums is behind us. The meeting was well attended and there was a diversity of members there. The purpose of the forums is to provide another means of receiving input from the congregation on matters that the leadership is considering. This particular meeting, however, was an opportunity to address any questions or discuss any issues members had.
As you would imagine, many of the questions received were about the recent change to one service and the type of service we have been doing in terms of worship style. For example, someone asked, "What is a blended service?" Several people afford their prospective on the question and gave suggestions. Tyler shared that his goal in designing the service is that everyone would find, at least one element of the service that connects them to God in worship.
Another subject that came up in several different forms is how the make-up of the church has changed over the last five to ten years. This will always be true of growing congregations. Our demographics have changed. Our talent pool has changed. We have different musicians with different talents. This affects the type of blended service we can provide with quality.
While the discussions were, for the most part, good, I was disappointed in the fact that much of it was focused on the past and on the negative. This was to be expected since we did invite members to share their questions and concerns. A certain amount of "venting" is healthy and even beneficial. However, I now believe the time for that is over. We need to put the past behind us, and move forward together.
I did not say much at the meeting because we wanted to hear from the congregation. What I did say was that while it is true we are a different church than we were eight years ago, I firmly believe we are a BETTER church than we were then. I also believe that eight years from now, we will be an even better church than we are now. We are growing as a congregation both numerically and spiritually. We have a committed and united leadership that is truly focused on our mission as a church. We positioned to reach this community during this time of difficulty as never before.
Future forums will be more focused on specific ideas or plans that the leadership team is considering. Congregational input is critically important to our success as a church. Their focus will be on the great things God is doing through us to reach the lost and build His kingdom through Crossroads.
As you would imagine, many of the questions received were about the recent change to one service and the type of service we have been doing in terms of worship style. For example, someone asked, "What is a blended service?" Several people afford their prospective on the question and gave suggestions. Tyler shared that his goal in designing the service is that everyone would find, at least one element of the service that connects them to God in worship.
Another subject that came up in several different forms is how the make-up of the church has changed over the last five to ten years. This will always be true of growing congregations. Our demographics have changed. Our talent pool has changed. We have different musicians with different talents. This affects the type of blended service we can provide with quality.
While the discussions were, for the most part, good, I was disappointed in the fact that much of it was focused on the past and on the negative. This was to be expected since we did invite members to share their questions and concerns. A certain amount of "venting" is healthy and even beneficial. However, I now believe the time for that is over. We need to put the past behind us, and move forward together.
I did not say much at the meeting because we wanted to hear from the congregation. What I did say was that while it is true we are a different church than we were eight years ago, I firmly believe we are a BETTER church than we were then. I also believe that eight years from now, we will be an even better church than we are now. We are growing as a congregation both numerically and spiritually. We have a committed and united leadership that is truly focused on our mission as a church. We positioned to reach this community during this time of difficulty as never before.
Future forums will be more focused on specific ideas or plans that the leadership team is considering. Congregational input is critically important to our success as a church. Their focus will be on the great things God is doing through us to reach the lost and build His kingdom through Crossroads.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Deeper Look
When the decision was made to return to a single service format, there were many reasons to do so. One of the biggest reasons was to provide the ability to return to having a Sunday school hour. With our two service format, we were limited in terms of classroom space for adult classes. Since returning to a single service, we have re-launched a full hour of Sunday school called "Deeper Look".
We have seen the number of people coming to Sunday school grow each week. We have three (3) adult classes along with classes for high school, middle school and younger. The women's class is already filling the classroom where it meets. My class has already been discussing some very interesting topics as we study Romans. Mike Dunn and Jerry Mathews are continuing their class on the minor prophets of the Old Testament.
Something else NEW at Crossroads is our congregational forum coming up March 6th at 7pm. This is the first of, what we hope to be many, such forums where members can discuss concerns and questions with the leadership team. We will also use this time to communicate with our plans for the future as well as the current condition of the church. Please make an effort to attend the forum.
Here are the guidelines for the forum:
1. Those who have questions for the leadership should provide those questions prior to the meeting so that we can have an opportunity to provide full and accurate answers.
2. Those who wish to speak at the meeting will need to let the leadership team know in advance so that we can keep the meeting to a reasonable length of time.
3. Those who speak need to talk about positive solutions as well as problems and concerns.
4. Comments and discussion must be focused on the topic, and should not be personal in nature, but respectful of others and their views as well.
5. The meeting will be limited to discuss only. There will be no debating, negotiating, problem-solving, or decisions made.
6. The moderator will control the length of discussion on any single topic, and will change the subject when all points of view have been heard.
7. The meeting will begin on time and will end on time. We will have other such meetings and other opportunities for congregational input. The meeting will be limited to ninety (90) minutes so that members can arrange for appropriate childcare and return home at a reasonable hour.
You might be asking, "Why have guidelines?" The answer is that we want the forum to be both positive and productive. As a Leadership team, we want to give members the opportunity to provide input and feedback to us on the church and future plans.
Finally, I am going to be writing a new blog post every week from now on and I would like to invite you to send me your questions or subject you would like me to address. In this way, we can continue the discussion and communication within our congregation.
In Christ,
Mike
We have seen the number of people coming to Sunday school grow each week. We have three (3) adult classes along with classes for high school, middle school and younger. The women's class is already filling the classroom where it meets. My class has already been discussing some very interesting topics as we study Romans. Mike Dunn and Jerry Mathews are continuing their class on the minor prophets of the Old Testament.
Something else NEW at Crossroads is our congregational forum coming up March 6th at 7pm. This is the first of, what we hope to be many, such forums where members can discuss concerns and questions with the leadership team. We will also use this time to communicate with our plans for the future as well as the current condition of the church. Please make an effort to attend the forum.
Here are the guidelines for the forum:
1. Those who have questions for the leadership should provide those questions prior to the meeting so that we can have an opportunity to provide full and accurate answers.
2. Those who wish to speak at the meeting will need to let the leadership team know in advance so that we can keep the meeting to a reasonable length of time.
3. Those who speak need to talk about positive solutions as well as problems and concerns.
4. Comments and discussion must be focused on the topic, and should not be personal in nature, but respectful of others and their views as well.
5. The meeting will be limited to discuss only. There will be no debating, negotiating, problem-solving, or decisions made.
6. The moderator will control the length of discussion on any single topic, and will change the subject when all points of view have been heard.
7. The meeting will begin on time and will end on time. We will have other such meetings and other opportunities for congregational input. The meeting will be limited to ninety (90) minutes so that members can arrange for appropriate childcare and return home at a reasonable hour.
You might be asking, "Why have guidelines?" The answer is that we want the forum to be both positive and productive. As a Leadership team, we want to give members the opportunity to provide input and feedback to us on the church and future plans.
Finally, I am going to be writing a new blog post every week from now on and I would like to invite you to send me your questions or subject you would like me to address. In this way, we can continue the discussion and communication within our congregation.
In Christ,
Mike
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