What a time it continues to be for Lutheran Church of Hope! This last Sunday we gathered as a congregation to affirm and approve the next steps in our journey toward fulfilling the vision and mission that we feel God calling us to be and do. Yet this is only a step; we have quite a journey in front of us, but with continued prayer for God’s wisdom and keeping, and thanks to the 46+ years of committed people of LCH, we’re one step further along the path.

 

So what do these two adopted resolutions mean for us? Well the first, approving the concept of a master plan for LCH’s campus is a direction, a vision that creates a place, a ‘tool for ministry’ if you will. It takes into account all the current and proposed ministries that are listed in our strategic plan and puts them into them a concept. It’s important to note that this concept is NOT the final plan; changes and revisions can and will be made as we continue along with the second resolution, the feasibility study.

 

The feasibility study approved by the congregation will gauge two things. One, it will measure and bring to the top what the congregation is committed to in our strategic plan, and it will report to us our financial capacity and commitment to a project in reflection of those top commitments in the strategic plan. How will this happen? Kirby-Smith Associates will conduct personal interviews, research our history, and cast a wide survey amongst the congregation to gather information, stories, and ideas.

 

We’ll then receive a report back, which will be brought to the congregation as well as inform possible next steps in the journey. I firmly believe this is a wise move for us, and continues to show our stewardship of the gifts God has given to this congregation.

 

So who is Kirby-Smith? Kirby-Smith is a church capital fundraising company that has been in business since 1938. Headquartered outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, they partner with congregations in vision setting, feasibility studies, capital campaigns, and assisting congregations with overall stewardship. Our representative who will be working with us is Dr. Gary Kulick, vice-president, and head of the Lutheran division. We are blessed to have such a partner. I encourage you to check out Kirby-Smith’s website at www.kirbysmith.com.

 

All this is happening during the season of Lent. Lent is the time where we as a faith community re-focus ourselves on the promises made in the baptismal covenant. We hear and experience firsthand the stories of God’s deliverance of humanity. And, we look at those promises made by our parents or us in baptism, as we journey to once again affirm that baptismal covenant with the Eastertide to come.

 

So we examine in Lent our faith practices, what those important promises we make in baptismal are. That’s what makes reading FROGS at this point so exciting. As we seek our future facility as a tool for ministry, FROGS is helping us with important pieces for 21st century ministry…being able to talk and share about our experiences of God in our daily lives – and realizing that church is so much more than 1305 W. 10th Ave, it’s about you and me – seniors and teens, young adults and children, empty nesters and adults – walking together on a journey of being redeemed people of God – both at home and in this place we call LCH.

 

So keep LCH in your prayers as we journey through Lent, continuing to discover God’s fingerprints and lily pads all around us in our daily lives. Pray for the feasibility study as we seek to continue to fulfill our vision and mission. Pray for those whom we touch through our many ministries. Pray for those in our community who will receive their first communion on March 21, 2010. Pray for LCH as we continue to read FROGS and discern how our frog legs need and are going to be stretched. Pray for LCH and the whole Christian church as we journey towards Holy Week, the last week of this month.

 

I am praying for you, that this Lent, you’ll experience God in a new place or way in your life.

 

I thank God for you. See you in worship!

 

PScott

Pr. Scott's Blog can be found at PScott's Blog