It was more than a year in the making. Even before I arrived in Helena to become your pastor I began thinking about and planning for a visioning process that would help us listen for God's guidance and direction as we looked to the future for Plymouth Congregational Church. That process concluded on October 29th when 40 of us from the congregation gathered together in the Fellowship Hall for an All-Church Visioning Retreat. We worshipped and prayed together, shared stories, laughed and sang, engaged in lively conversations, filled flip-chart pages with ideas, voted with colored sticky dots, and were inspired by the ongoing presence of God's Spirit. In the coming days I will be distilling and organizing the results of our work together. For now I simply want to offer some pastoral observations and a brief overview of the ideas that emerged from our time together.
I begin by sharing with you my excitement about Plymouth's future. The level of enthusiastic participation in this process inspired me. It is such a joy to be your pastor because you deeply care about this congregation and are committed to helping it to thrive. It is your faithful enthusiasm and the ongoing presence of God's Spirit that will see us through as we seek to transform our vision into concrete reality. We are in this together. No one can make this happen on their own. Each of us will have a role to play. Everyone's gifts will make a difference.
There were three overarching priorities that emerged as our ideas began to coalesce. There is strong buy-in around all three of these priorities.
- We want a congregation where our own spiritual lives are encouraged, nourished, and enriched. Specifically this will find expression through a vital worship life, including vibrant music, and through a variety of opportunities for spiritual and intellectual engagement and growth.
- We also want a congregation that provides opportunities for hands-on engagement with ministries beyond our walls. This will find expression through an expansion of ministries with which we are already involved, as well as through new opportunities as we become aware of them.
- And finally, we want a congregation where children, youth, and young adults are vital and vibrant participants in the life of the congregation. This will begin to find expression as the first two priorities take shape, and as we make intentional efforts to reach out to invite, include, and involve children, youth, and young adults in all of our activities and ministries.
These are ambitious goals. And I believe that they are very do-able. They will require the participation and support of each of us as we work together, with God's help, to bring these inspiring goals to life. Don't wait to be asked. Pay attention to the leading of God's Spirit and step up to volunteer as you feel led. This is an exciting time in the life of Plymouth Congregational Church. I am convinced that God is calling us into a bright new future, and I believe that God will continue to inspire and empower us as we begin to step into that future together.
- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)
