CHURCH COUNCIL VOTES TO GO INTO FRUIT BUSINESS FULL-TIME

God has this thing about living things bearing fruit.  In the story of creation (Genesis 1 & 2) the Hebrew account talks about “seed bearing plants and trees” and “trees bearing fruit with seed.”  In the 15^th chapter of John, Jesus says he is the “true vine”, and we are vines who can bear fruit only if we abide -stay connected- to him.

Today I listened as a member of our community talked about how their experience at The Open Door put their peace back together.  “The welcome, the music, the sermons…I was in pieces and I was put back together.”  That’s fruit!

Sarah Sparks-Franklin told us last Sunday about the youth mission trip to Detroit.  She said as our youth and adults repaired homes they had one God moment after another.  That’s fruit!

On the evening of the 25^th our Church Council voted unanimously to participate in a UMC-sponsored 2-year “team-based, leadership development discovery process” to help us clarify our understanding of our identity, our mission and our priorities.

Fruitful Congregations will include a First Stage in which 12-16 members of our congregation participate in a Shared Learning Experience (SLC).  They will work through 8 readable books on healthy, vital, fruit-bearing congregations.  They will meet seven times with laity from other congregations.  The group will also meet monthly together with our pastors here at FUMCB/The Open Door.

During this first stage the congregation will enter into a prayerful dialogue about our life.  The SLC group will share what they have been reading.  They will have sessions where you can talk with them about their “ah, ha!” moments.

Stage Two of Fruitful Congregations will include an assessment process.  We will work together and with an outside team to assess our strengths and weakness, to identify the opportunities before us.  There will be a weekend when the report of the assessment team will be received with strategic prescriptions for actions that will move us towards greater health, vitality, faithfulness and fruit bearing.  Our congregation will vote to accept or reject the steps to health.  That will be up to us!

The Third Stage of Fruitful Congregations will involve -if we vote to go forward- an implementation stage.  We’ll work with an outside coach and pursue these strategic steps towards health and greater vitality.

As we move forward I would encourage you to do the following:

1.    Pray.  Pray for our leaders, the FCJ process, and our congregation.

2.    Be in worship this Sunday as Tom Bunger and I talk about why the Church Council has taken this step, what it might mean for us, and how you can participate.

3.    If you know of someone who you would like to nominate to be one of the 12-16 SLC laity, please send an email to Courtney at FUMCB, Tom Bunger or me.

We’re looking for people who love Christ, love and are involved in this faith community, pray, love to learn, are open to new truth, are good at teamwork, a balance of pragmatists and visionaries, 2-3 persons who can teach the FCJ insights to groups and the congregation, and can attend 75% of the seven monthly sessions (on Saturday mornings from 9-1).

Watch The Chimes and Just a Thought or Two and our web site for more information.

Join us in worship for a conversation about all of this.

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says that people perish without vision.  Over the next 18 months we are going to be letting God clear our eyesight and give us a compelling, unifying vision for the next chapter of our life together!  Join our leaders in leaning into the future God is preparing for us…

See you in the orchard!

In Christ and for Christ,

Mark