Resurrection Bell Ringer

Days of Grace

Death: Received by our Lord Jesus Christ to her eternal joy in heaven was Linda Wilson. May the comfort and hope of Jesus’ resurrection sustain Phil and all who mourn her death.

In Our Prayers

Hospitalized - Don Newswanger

Recovering from Hospitalization: Chester Spillman, Matt Kryger

Prayers for healing: Joyce Schmelzer

Cancer Treatment: Marvin Tatum

Active Duty: Dan Dibble

In Sympathy: Candy Arthur, for the loss of her father

Moved into a nursing home: Dorothy Pearcy, 6510 Forrest Creek Commons, Indpls., IN 46227

Heifer Project Update . . . .

Pucker up Pastor Dave! Pastor Dave and several other members of this congregation will be kissing a cow this spring! The Sunday School program’s support of the Heifer Project enjoyed great success during December. The Christmas card sale plus Living Gift donations and the kids donations brings the grand total for the first semester to over $2,500. This is a Sunday School record! We will continue supporting the Heifer Project for the second semester and who knows . . . maybe we can fund an entire ark!?

From the Staff . . .

"But as for you, continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood have known the Holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."          2 Timothy 3:14--15.

In one of the courses I have been taking at Christian Theological Seminary we have been studying ways in which faith develops in our children and youth. An important part of that faith development is the involvement of the parents with the spiritual life of the child. But a surprising fact was the influence of other adults that are involved within the life of the child. When a youth has caring concerned adults that take an active interest in what is happening in their lives, these youth will be less likely to participate in high risk behaviors, such as explicit drug use, sexual promiscuity and alcohol abuse.

             In the past years we have been made aware of the need that we have in this country, and even more importantly the greater community surrounding Indianapolis, of some specific assets that children and youth have in order to have a more promising and successful transition into adulthood. The "success" that is measured is in no way related to a financial success. It is much more relational in its meaning. The Search Institute in Minneapolis has identified 40 developmental assets which can promote positive youth development. The more assets a youth has the more likely he/she will participate in positive helping behavior. The fewer assets a youth has the more likely it is that he/she will participate in at-risk behavior. In a survey of over 120,000 youth from around the country it was shown that the average number of assets our youth have is 16. That is less than half of what is needed in order for our youth to become successful. Of these 40 assets many involve building relationships with caring adults. This includes parents and others from their community or congregation.

             Why bring this up in this letter? It is two-fold. First to let you know what is happening at Resurrection to help in the development of these assets. A relationship with adults is very important but a relationship with Jesus Christ is eternally important. As adults working with our children and youth in the congregation, we are actually helping both of these aspects. We have numerous adults who have taken time to be with and around our Senior High youth. Each year our eighth grade confirmands choose a mentor to spend time with them as they develop and write their faith statement that is shared on their day of Affirmation of Baptism. Our FaithBuilders confirmation program has a great group of adult leaders who are building relationships with our youth and are role models for them. The Sunday school teachers are also sharing their lives and faith as they bring God's word into their teachings. Parents are strongly encouraged to be a part of the confirmation program by attending the four week confirmation classes with our elementary students which will again be offered in February and March.

             Secondly, I would like to challenge each of you to find a way in which you can share your life and faith with the children and youth of Resurrection. In most cases faith development in the lives of adults has been greatly impacted in their childhood by a Sunday school teacher or another caring adult. Was your faith encouraged by an adult as you were growing up? If so, would you be willing to make a difference in the life of a child by becoming a part of their faith development? Let us not forget what we have learned in our childhood and do all that we can to nurture and encourage the faith of others during their childhood.

             As you can see building relationships with our young people and sharing our faith in Jesus Christ is so vitally important in the world today. It will not only affect a young person's life here on earth but it can affect his/her faith in Jesus Christ which will last forever.

Spiritual Gifts Ministry Update

Pastor Mitch led several meetings during December for those who are interested in helping to develop the ministries for Spiritual Gifts Discovery and Ministry Matching here at Resurrection. So that the whole congregation can have a sense of how we hope things will transpire, below is a summary of what will happen as we head into 2003.

•    In January, Pastor Mitch will lead those who are interested in helping to develop the ministries for Spiritual Gifts Discovery and Ministry Matching through the “Discovering God’s Vision for Your Life” course. At the completion of the course, we will use the spiritual gifts discovered during the course and people’s interests to divide up into the roles necessary to develop these ministries.

•    In February the teams will begin to work on the tasks necessary to be ready to offer the “Discovering God’s Vision for Your Life” course to the whole congregation. Among the things to be done:

            Course Leaders will begin studying the course materials and preparing to lead.

            Publicity information will be developed.

            Ministry Mentors will be trained.

            Ministry Descriptions will be developed for all of our ministries.

Record Keepers will begin working with our church management database to determine the best ways to track information regarding spiritual gifts and ministry involvement.

•    In the spring we hope to test drive the “Discovering God’s Vision for Your Life” course with the Parish Planning Council and members of our ministry Boards.

•    We may be ready to offer the first session of the “Discovering God’s Vision for Your Life” course during the summer.

•    Beginning in August and September, we will offer the “Discovering God’s Vision for Your Life” course in a variety of different formats: retreats, two Saturdays, one evening four weeks in a row, eight Sunday School sessions, and whatever else would seem to work. At the conclusion of each course, the participants will meet with a Ministry Mentor to explore where they might find a good fit to serve in one of Resurrection’s ministries or with an organization out in the community.

Anyone with questions about the spiritual gifts ministry, or who would like to be a part of developing these ministries, is invited to talk to Pr Mitch or send him an e-mail at prmitch@resurrection-elca.org.