Visioning Team to begin work

An eight-member team from New Life and Falcon Heights churches will soon begin a community discovery process to help us discern a vision for our newly merged church. Members of the Visioning Team are Ruth DeYoe, Judi Klotz, Joyce Griffin and Jackson Gienger from New Life; and Jeanie Morrison, Conee Biggs, Brian Knapp and Larry Schumacher from Falcon Heights. Rev. Rick and Pastor Riz will also participate in the committee in a supporting role.

The process, guided by facilitator Emily Meyer, is expected to start in October and to take at least a month. After training, the team will conduct interviews with people in the congregation and the community, listening carefully and being sensitive to assumptions, Meyer told church leaders at a retreat last weekend. The team will also gather demographic data and identify assets of our congregation and the neighborhood.

The team will pool what has been learned, seek to discern where God is calling us to engage with our neighbors, and begin considering a draft of a mission statement that will guide the planning for the new church.