For several years now, our Resurrection family has gathered for its semi-annual meeting on the first or second Sunday in Advent. It is sometimes known as “the budget meeting,” since it is at this meeting that we always approve our ministry plans for the following calendar year. It is appropriate, then, that we do so in Advent, at the very beginning of the church year, to remind us that our lives are marked by a much greater purpose than merely being voluntary “members” of any other organization with officers, budgets, and committees. We prayed today, “Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way for your only Son. By his coming...shed light on our path through the darkness of this world.... Amen.” A good prayer for a new year.

For some time now, our Resurrection family has also been grasping a new way–really the oldest way– of “being church.” “Church” can be seen as one option among many worthwhile organizations for personal fulfillment. I’m a “member” of the YMCA because it keeps me in shape and my “membership dues” entitle me to certain privileges. I have a friend who recently told me he wanted to drop his AARP membership because of his disagreement with the organization’s politics, but will remain a “member” because of certain financial benefits.

I’ve heard people say, “I’m a member of this church because it does ________ for me.” I recall that old ad: “Membership has its privileges!”

In contrast, here at RLC, we have been attempting to renew and recapture the biblical model of church: a community of disciples, people who follow their Lord Jesus, banded together not so much for mutual benefit (although that does happen), as much as for mutual mission in the name of Jesus, for the sake of the world.

In that spirit, then, the December semi-annual meeting and the budget for 2004 can be seen in a different light. What has God been doing in and among us this past year? Better said, what has God done through us this past year? Even better, what is God now calling us to do among, in and through us this next year? The Board reports in the meeting packet give us a brief summary of 2003 and a snapshot of what is to come, reflected also in the ministry plans in our proposed 2004 budget. They all reflect the mission statement of our congregation:

Welcome

A few weeks ago, Resurrection welcomed 46 new disciples into our congregation, including 13 children! Several other families and individuals are worshiping regularly with us, but did not yet officially join with that group. A community of about 50 Christian Chinese immigrants who were looking for a temporary place to worship, after a visit one Sunday morning, dared to ask if they might use our facility on Sunday afternoons, because, as one of them put it in his very poor English–“This is friend people here...many smile.” Obviously there is something going on here! In the past, visitors almost always told me how friendly and welcoming RLC was. Visitors still consistently tell me that their first impression of RLC is that we are a spirited and vibrant community of faith. Do you hear the challenge? As our numbers increase, how can we hold on to our winsome, warm, and welcoming culture? How will the 46 new sisters and brothers be not just new “members” but find a true welcome into the body–how can we assimilate them into the very DNA of our community? How will they make meaningful connections and establish relationships with others? Our leadership will be proposing some organizational adjustments to our by-laws this year that will help in that task, but I call on us all to put our creativity and individual effort to work.

I also believe that 2004 calls us to practice very intentional hospitality at Resurrection. I challenge us all to take seriously that first “w” of our mission statement. That means, for example, a lot more of us helping in the nursery. Young families experience neither welcome, nor our professed valuing of children, when they visit and find the nursery un- or under-staffed. When you sit next to someone in worship, or see someone standing alone in the narthex, do you assume that they may be a searching soul, visiting for the first time? Eye contact, a welcoming word, and a friendly smile can literally be the opening for the presence of Christ in their life. Afraid that you might be embarrassed if they turn out to be a longtime “member”? Don’t be! (Hint: Don’t ask someone if they are visiting. Simply confess that you don’t recall their name or know if you’ve met before–they will usually then tell you if they are visiting, and even a member will be glad to meet someone they don’t know!) Again, all of us can add our creativity and best effort in looking around and seeing where we can do a better job at intentional hospitality–so that we can truly “welcome all people into the body of Christ.”

Nurture

Our mission statement also calls us to nurture people in faithful discipleship. “Church” is not showing up on Sunday in a building, it is a 24/7 way of life. That doesn’t happen magically. It takes nurture. We have been using the “marks of discipleship” identified by the acronym “PoWeR SuRGe” to help us all grow in that way of life. How delighted I was last month at a Lutheran Hills retreat, when a visiting ELCA executive was lamenting to the hundred or so junior high students gathered there, that many Lutherans don’t know what faithful discipleship looks like....and several of our RLC kids’ faces lit up and recited to her: Pray daily...Worship weekly, Read the Bible regularly, Serve others, be in Relationships for spiritual growth and outreach, and Give generously of treasures, time and talents!!!! Our kids are being nurtured!!

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For 2004, then, I would like to highlight two important ministries of nurture that also are reflected in budget plans: youth education and the 40 Days of Purpose campaign.

I think our Sunday School is outstanding. Especially with our space challenges, our staff of teachers and helpers, led by Martha Andersen, Kathi Haman and others, are finding creative and faithful ways to nurture our children in faith. Lynn Wolff led an absolutely amazing staff in S.C.U.B.A., without a doubt the most Spirit-filled and successful Vacation Bible School ever at RLC–and they are already at work for 2004's!! Scott began our “Kid’s Club” fellowship ministry a few years ago that has become a can’t-miss-highlight-of-the-month for many of our children. All of these programs depend on adults, willing to give of themselves, and practice the art of nurturing, mentoring, setting an example of the Christian life. The leaders have been very hard at work shaping models that maximize impact on youth and minimize long-term commitment and the resulting burn-out of adults. 2004, especially in our Sunday School because of space, will need to be restructured in a way that will call for more persons, but less time. If you have not stepped forward to teach Sunday School or help with VBS or Kid’s Club, thinking you were going to be “signing your life away,” please think again. Our kids need you.

The other significant “nurture” ministry in 2004, which I believe will have a major impact on the life of this congregation, is the 40 Days of Purpose campaign. Based on the best-selling book A Purpose-Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren, we will adapt the campaign for our own Lutheran congregational setting in the 40-day season of Lent. Lent, we always say, is a time of repentance, renewal, reflection, and re-prioritizing our lives. This year we will be very serious about doing just that–in a way that literally thousands of Christians have found to be engaging, fun, and even life changing. More details will follow, but here’s the basic plan: We will provide a copy of the book for each member/disciple of Resurrection. Everyone will then be on the same reading plan--a daily brief section of the book and be in personal prayerful reflection throughout the day. Each Sunday in Lent will introduce the basic theme of the week. In addition, each person will be encouraged–for these 40 days–to meet in a small group once a week, to better learn and grow in that relational setting. Many small groups may meet at church on the Wednesday nights of Lent, others on other days or nights either at church or in homes. Is not this an important question: What am I here for? What is God’s purpose for my life? Imagine all of us together, focused as a community on those questions in Lent, coming to the climax of Holy Week and Easter...

Equip

Equipping is an essential part of our mission if we are to be successful. Troops sent into battle without training or specialized assignments or equipment may fight valiantly, but will suffer greatly. 2004 will see a continued emphasis, then, on the Spiritual Gifts Discovery course. Offered in as many modes and times as we possibly can, our goal is to have each person at Resurrection discover how God has individually equipped them in a special way. This will help us more effectively “match” people with ministries and projects at Resurrection, let alone help better equip them for daily life–the real test of discipleship.

Ministry Teams will be another emerging focus in 2004. The present structure of Parish Planning Council and nine Boards, formed by by-laws approved over ten years ago, has served us well, but could be improved. Over the years, many council members have expressed frustration with wearing the “two hats” of leading their board on the one hand, and being responsible for leading the “big picture” of council on the other. In addition, several boards over the years have been frustrated with either too much, or too little by-law defined responsibilities. And no one has ever expressed delight with by-law mandated meetings!!! Our Parish Planning Council has been looking for some time at focusing the council’s work on the “big picture” and creating a new way for boards–or something like them–to be freed to do the work of ministry. Better, a new way for spiritually-gifted disciples with an idea and a team to be properly equipped to do ministry! Quick example: why should talented, passionate folks involved with Vacation Bible School have to be on the “Education Board” twelve months a year? We need to match people’s gifts and interests in ways that energize and give them life–not burn them out. Detect a theme here? As the council puts “flesh on the bones” of a revised structure that will make creative use of ministry teams, we will share these ideas with the congregation in hopes of revising our by-laws by the end of 2004.

Finally, one of the most effective ways of equipping is how we do it for each other in small groups. Our ministry plans for 2004, reflected in our budget, call for renewed attention to building and growing our ChristCare small group ministry.

Serve

The last “compass point” in our mission statement is “Serve others in the name of Christ.” Without doubt, the highlight of ministry in 2003 was the GroupWorks camp that Resurrection sponsored in Indianapolis this summer. Who would have ever imagined that our high school youth, returning from a GroupWorks camp in Utah several years ago, would have so sparked the imagination of first John Eaglesfield, and then this entire congregation? Those of us who were at the closing service were overwhelmed to see the smiles and tears of the families of the 70 homes that were repaired–not to mention the smiles and tears of the nearly 400 youth and volunteers from across the country, whose lives were transformed by the power of serving in the name of Christ.... It was an awesome experience!

Who knows? Here we go again! This summer, our high school youth will embark on the first ever international mission trip in our congregation’s history. 20 disciples from Resurrection, youth and sponsors, will rehab housing in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Puerto Rico. Sweat, smiles, tears, and the very presence of Christ will again mark this serving. I can only imagine what unforseen transformation will take place among us all as a result of this service.

The budget also reflects the fact that our Social Ministry Board will continue its strong mission leadership into 2004 as well. GroupWorks connections are only the beginning. Look to their report in this meeting and know that the Spirit will be leading us into many new relationships and prospects for service and mission.

Scott Mikkelson, as a part of his internship project, will be working with them and our Sunday School in introducing a long-overdue Global Mission presence at Resurrection, including “Operation Bootstrap.” These kind of service projects will also be perfect ways to gradually grow into living the “ministry team” way of structuring our ministries.

That All May Know God’s Love

Many “membership” organizations with budgets, by-laws and committees do good, helpful, and even wonderful things. Our mission statement, however, points us to the reality that ultimately discipleship deals with eternal things. We do all that we do, that all may know God’s love. Is not this the real bottom line?

As we meet today, as we celebrate 2003 and plan for 2004, and yes, as we approve this budget, let us do so with our mission statement pulsating through every breath, every word, every action. “Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way for your only Son.....”

– Pastor Dave

RLCIndy.org . . . .

We are continuing to add features to the www.RLCIndy.org website. Please login and check out new items. Sign-up Sheets: if you are planning an event for which you would like people to sign up online, drop Rich Hoffmann a line. You can create your own sign-up sheet collecting only the information you need. The sheet administrator will also be able to see and copy all the information from those that have signed up for use on their own computer. (If you’d like to see how, email Rich Hoffmann and he will set you up as an Admin. on the bogus sign-up sheet so you can see it.)

Discovering God’s Vision for Your Life: You and Your Spiritual Gifts . . . .

There will be additional offerings of the Spiritual Gifts Discovery Course beginning in January – including the possibility of a weekend retreat format. Watch the posters at church and the weekly blue announcement sheet for more information.

The Spiritual Gifts Lead Team:

Pastor Mitch, Team Leader

Townsend Schnabel, Assistant Team Leader and Recordkeeping Coordinator

Pat Hamby, Course Leader Coordinator

Ann Buie, Ministry Advisor Coordinator,

Tim Ropp, Ministry Description Coordinator Stacie Fruth, Public Relations Coordinator

Faithful Voices,

Faithful Choices . . . .

Faithful Voices, Faithful Choices is an I-K Synod Gathering to study and discuss matters of human sexuality held on Friday, January 16-Jan. 17, 2004. The featured speakers are Rev. Dr. Craig L. Nessan, Professor of Theology, Wartburg Theological Seminary and the Rev. Dr. Daniel L. Olson, Professor of Pastoral Care, Wartburg Theological Seminary. It will be at Christ the Savior Lutheran Church, 10500 E. 126^th St., Fishers. The registration is $35 per person, which includes Saturday lunch.

More information can be found on the bulletin board outside the church office.

Mark Your 2004 Calendars

June 21 - 25 Vacation Bible School

July 11 - 17 Yth. Mission Trip to Puerto Rico