Christ Community Lutheran Church

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Christ Community Lutheran Church

FOCUS-2010! United in One Lord

 

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:2-6, 14-16

"2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. 14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love."

Song Reference:  “One Bread, One Body” (WOV 710)

Focus-2010 starts with the belief that the first step to mission is to unite the people. True unity comes from the heart, and in church we are united through the continuing shared experience of God, starting with engaging Sunday worship, then spiritual nurturing, fellowship and servant-hood, spreading the Good News in our daily lives throughout the week.

Our focus for the next 12 months will be on the spirituality of church life. By connecting with others through our experiences, promoting spiritual growth and building each other up, we can appreciate the good work God is doing through us and all around us.

 

What We Will Experience:

WORSHIP

    • Engaging all senses and all ages.

    • Renewed focus on traditional Lutheran liturgy.

    • Continuing with praise music that speaks to our hearts and unites us.

EDUCATION – Spiritual nurturing and development; growing in faith together

    • A fresh look at Lutheran theology through the ELCA’s Book of Faith initiative and creating more adult Bible study opportunities.

    • Continue with the development of children’s ministry on Sunday mornings.

    • Build vibrant, active faith initiatives with our youth through a volunteer, Faith-In-Action (FIA) Coordinator and the ELCA’s Youth Ministry Certification program.

OUTREACH – Caring for and serving one another

    • Building Christian relationships with each other and our surrounding community, neighborhoods and local charities through hosted fellowship events.

    • Continue to create an open and welcoming environment to visitors, inviting those we meet in our daily lives.

    • Lift up and support Christ Community’s Bread Ministry.

    • Lift up and support our community Christian Day Care and Pre-school.

    • Support world mission efforts through the ELCA, multiplying our impact.

 
ELCA BOOK OF FAITH INITIATIVE
 
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has made a commitment to encourage all members of our congregations, from children to adults, to dig deeper into our book of faith, the Bible.  The Book of Faith Initiative recommends a new model for our church—a grass-roots approach embracing a common vision in which all are invited to open scripture and join the conversation.  Each community is encouraged to decide how the Book of Faith Initiative will become a vital part of its own ministry.

For many of us, the encounter with Scripture is limited to the excerpts that are read on Sunday morning. Many of us—and many of our neighbors—are biblically illiterate, unsure of how to engage Scripture. Many of us are unaware of the rich Lutheran insights that have been helpful in understanding the many ways that God engages us through the Bible. The challenge of Book of Faith is to address these realities directly and to experience more fully the power of the Word.

The Goals

Individual members, congregations, synods, agencies, institutions and the churchwide organization will:
  • Learn together about Lutheran approaches to Scripture which have been so helpful over the centuries
  • Enter fully into a conversation which is deep and broad, reaching across all ages and the many cultures that inform who are as a people of God and...
  • Experience more fully the power of the Word.
    •  
The Book of Faith Initiative encourages and enables deeper and broader conversation about Scripture at the grassroots level. The Book of Faith Initiative is an invitation to do what we have always claimed we do: read, study, reflect, and meditate upon the Bible together.  Book of Faith is designed to initiate a conversation in your setting about how to get people to do what the tag line says: Open Scripture and Join the Conversation.
About the Initiative

The Challenge

For many of us, the encounter with Scripture is limited to the excerpts that are read on Sunday morning. Many of us—and many of our neighbors—are biblically illiterate, unsure of how to engage Scripture. Many of us are unaware of the rich Lutheran insights that have been helpful in understanding the many ways that God engages us through the Bible. The challenge of Book of Faith is to address these realities directly and to experience more fully the power of the Word.

 
To read more, check out the ELCA Book of Faith website at: www.bookoffaith.org