New Vision Initiatives at GRACE - You in?

Hard to believe it has been a year since this transition:

Staffing Structures and Team Updates (part 1 of 5)

And now we are into a year of new Vision Initiatives at Grace.  Derek spoke about these HERE.  Everyone has a chance to be a part of these and help move them to the next level of development.  Which one gets your attention?

Personal Vision - Helping to define your mission, vision and purpose? Check this event out for NOV 1st!

Reaching - Check out the date for these conversations!

• November 8 - Vision Initiative #1 - 3 more multi site locations.  RSVP by 11/7 to join this conversation and be notified of location. 
• November 12 - Vision Initiative #2 - 50 local churches serving the Erie community.  RSVP by 11/11 to join this conversation and be notified of location. 
• November 16 - Vision Initiative #3 - 2 global church to church partnerships.  RSVP by 11/15 to join this conversation and be notified of location.

Family - 936 (# of weeks from birth to 18)

• For more information on how we are partnering with parents for 936 weeks contact Aaron. 
• But check out THIS and THIS 

Discipleship - 212 (#boiling point)

• To be a part of this discussion on how we are bringing the temperature of discipleship to 212 degrees, contact Aaron. 

We are so pumped about where we are being led these next few years and would love any participation you may want to have in helping to get us there. 

For a better understanding of our staff structure over the last year, check out the following

Weekend/Creative Team Update (part 2 of 5)

Operations / Stewardship Team Update (part 3 of 5)

Family Team Update (part 4 of 5)

Next Steps/Elder Team Updates (part 5 of 5)

E.T. phone home

Text, Twitter, Facebook, Chat......With the latest and greatest forms of communication, have we lost the art of when it's appropriate to just make the call?

God has really been pushing me in this area. Because people matter (Thanks Mark), we need to meet them where they are at during specific times. Certain things just require a phone call and nothing else (other than in person). I have leaned too far away from phone calls and need to move back.  Phone calls mean more to people in certain situations and you will get the best response when asking something of someone.

In you ministry, business, family:

• What times/issues do you need to be more sensitive to making a phone call and not send an email?
• Who on your team needs your attention this week over the phone?
• Who in your congregation or organization needs to hear from you in a different form than text?

So don't make the phone an alien form of communication.  Remind yourself to make some phone calls each week even if it may take more time.

Now, if you get a voice mail and they never call you back, that's another conversation ;-)

Hey GRACE! What about the Kids and Teens?

WE NEED YOU!  That simple.

One of the things we struggle with in a church like Grace that feels called to serve the community is finding the balance in what areas the church serves the church.  There is always much healthy debate.

One area you just can't debate is with our Family Ministry.  In a world where, children and youth are being pulled so many directions and need their church family to help with everything from changing diapers - to singing them songs - to mentoring - to teaching - to sending them onto adulthood well equipped to be ready for this world. 

We have 936 weeks with a child from birth to adulthood.  If there is a place where the church is going to band together to pour into the church, that place is GraceKids and GraceYouth.

• It is a common misconception that we have enough people serving in these areas.  
• Yes, this is more important that PTA and the soccer team you coach for your kids, etc.  But we also need more than just parents; this isn't an I served my time kind of area.
• We need your help in the following areas:
• Youth (McKean and Harborcreek)
• Fun, energetic and outgoing adults who have a desire to work with Middle School kids (6-8th grades) and High School students 
• Men to help plan and facilitate the game/activity time in the fall 
• Specifically could use some strong male leaders, but are looking for female as well.
• Contact Kristin with interest and/or questions 
• Kids (McKean and Harborcreek)
•  TOP NEED - Preschool and Elementary team members (worship, storyteller, skit leader, small group leaders
• Event helpers
• Nursery workers
• Contact Jess in McKean and Erin in Harborcreek

Volunteering in a ministry is an important step in anyone’s faith journey.  What a way to do it impacting a child's growth into adulthood.

Let's Talk About Sex, Baby - no really let's talk.

Sunday night our youth at Grace had an interesting night to have discussions about sex, how its affects them and compare what the world tells them about it vs. what God's word says about it. 

After getting input and feedback from Kristin, our Youth Director about the night, I am still dumbfounded by what was was most shocking part of the night.

It wasn't that they asked questions about if homosexuality is a sin and how to act towards others, it wasn't that they had questions about masturbation, it wasn't that they had questions about addictions to sex; none of that, although those questions were asked.
Instead, the most shocking learning from the night was that MOST of them have not had any conversations with their parents about the subject of SEX.  What?!?

I'm not an expert in parenting as I only have 2 children under 7, but I know I need to have the tough, uncomfortable, the awkward conversations with my child or teen before they hear it on the playground, the lunch room, the Internet or at their friends house.  We have already begun this at our boys early age and I probably need to get better as well.  It is also not the church's job to completely do this "dirty work" for you.  It is our job to partner with you in this and help resource and equip you to have these conversations.

The Family Team at Grace is here to partner and equip you in this.  If you are looking for resources or want to have a conversation about this and how to talk about this at different age levels, please contact Larry Shallenberger or any of our other Family Team members. 

But by all means, talk to your children and teens about SEX or someone else will and you may find yourself talking after the fact instead of proactively.  Its a conversation not a "get it out of the way" moment.

One Day Staff Retreat

What is happening on staff at Grace you ask? Last Thursday, the staff had our one day spring retreat. It is great to get around this team and talk:

Vision: Heard from Derek on what God has been laying on his heart for the future at Grace. We talked about what excites us, what scares us, what isn't clear, what's missing and how vision guides us. We looked at Acts 20-21 and had each staff member pare down 2-3 measurable vision statements for their department that they could not be dissuaded from.

Remember, vision leaks so fill the buckets often~

Momentum Gaining and sustaining it. Sometimes coming out of a momentum filled time (like launching another campus) its easy to fall back into cruise mode. But it is key to continue to sustain momentum when working with the hearts of people in the community. We looked at Exodus 18:17-26 and the importance of having the right leaders around you to accomplish your vision for momentum on your teams, in your ministry area and how are you developing them.

Remember, If you don't learn to lead under, you probably won't have as many opportunities to lead over. (wish I could remember who said this)

Systems, Processes and TEAM'S We watched Stanley's talk on Liberating your Organization. This isn't about creating systems for people to pursue a relationship with Christ better. It's about having a quality foundation for your teams to lead and for ministry to happen effectively. Its about systems that free you and not restrict you as a leader so the day to day can be efficient and time can be spent walking with others as God changes their hearts.  Ultimately, there are so many other factors that come into this at the global church level involving hearts and the Holy Spirit.

Remember, its the staff's job to create the right environment for "things" to happen., but God still is the one moving the hearts.

So it was an awesome day, God wins every time.