August 23 Meeting Summary

Summary of August 23 Meeting

Tim led in thoughts from Paul Brubaker on spiritual fatigue referencing Luke 6.

Galen collected Letters of Recommendation from those who had received them

A) Re-discussion of Critical Question: After discussion of definition and process, we agreed to the following: How do pastors develop and perpetuate Christian missional ministry and lead missional movements?

B) Sharing of personal reasons for interest in this question:

Galen: Has spent most of his life in traditional churches with concern for survival, church business, maintaining the status quo, and not risking ourselves. Trying to break out of myopia which is strangling ourselves and develop missionary strategies. Catch the vision and lead

Jay: Theology informs our actions through the Great Commission. Our identity as Christians forces us to be missional.

Tim: Sick and tired of doing church just to do it. Life is found in mission, it is the purpose why I live.

Dave W.: Desire to get past sermon as the only thing that get’s done as bi-vocational pastor

Rob: Has seen church buried under itself and scared of being missional, Need for purpose and re-learning

David U: Return to the original vision of ministry when God called me

C) Discussion of Objectives: Lead to the following:

1) Define what missional is

2) List obstacles and barriers to development of true missional leadership

3) Identify and characterize two or three Christian missional leaders and communities

4) Each of us should write an original plan (paradigm, description, process) for our own ministry context

5) Develop a community that supports and nurtures each other in developing missional ministries

D) Discussion of Immersion Retreat: Expressed hopes to vist two churches in Hawaii, Mosaic in LA, and one in Grand Rapids. This information to be given to Rob for logistics and feasibility ($$).Dave W. to put together letter and make some contacts. Subsequent conversations confirmed early May 2006 as best time.

E) Discussion of Learning Activities

1) Visit churches in Immersion Retreat and McClaren’s church in Washington, DC, making time to interview leadership

2) Become well-versed in publication of churches visited and books on reading list

3) De-brief with one another after visits and reading

4) Participate in Bible Study of Acts with appropriate aids

5) Field test what we’re learning in each of our congregations simultaneously, and in our own lives

Titles of books and learning resources should be submitted to group

We need to work on Evaluation part.

Next meeting is 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 13 at Cornerstone

Rob Eshelman's Study Focus

B. Study Focus: The congregation needs to look outside their cocoon to the greater community and explore the mission field right outside their own doors. Working in the Youth Ministry I am able to incorporate mission with a purpose into the basic ministry structure. It’s not just nails sweat and mortar, but the relationships they build with their group and the people they serve in the name of Jesus. The adults need to experience this as well. Not for the pat on the back, but by taking the walk with Jesus and planting the seeds that will make His kingdom grow.

K. Recommendations: 2 letters are on the way to me.

Jay McCumber's I

1. Cohort Personnel

Name: Jay McCumber

Address: 105 East Chestnut Street Lebanon, PA 17042

Phone Numbers:
Home: 717-274-6034
Work: 717-733-1229
Cell: 717-203-3934

Email: jaycornerstone@hotmail.com
jayandsheri@gmail.com

Congregation being served: Cornerstone Christian Fellowship

District: Atlantic NorthEast

Education Completed: Bachelor of Theology from Applachian Bible College (May
1999)

Ordained by Vincent Baptist Church, January 2000
Ordination approved and accepted by Church of the Brethren in June 2004

Years of Pastoral Experience
Youth Pastor
Hope Church St Louis, Missouri
November 1999-August 2004
Oversaw and administrated the student ministries of Hope Church.
Oversaw
paid and unpaid staff of fourteen. Led and trained students in various
ministry
settings: weekly student meetings, mission trips, retreats, camps, etc.

Senior Pastor
Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Lebanon, Pennsylvania
September 2004 ? present
Approaching one year in senior pastor ministry. Oversee church
leadership,
paid and unpaid. Set vision and goals for church, administer pastoral
care,
teach regularly, network with local pastors for community ministry
vision.

Continuing Education
March 2000 ? Youth Specialties YouthWorker Conference
September 2000 ? Ministering to Postmoderns
Two Day Training Seminar at Covenant Seminary
May 2001 ? Youth Specialties YouthWorker
February 2002 ? Willow Creek Community Church
Youth Minister?s Conference
January 2004 ? Intimate Allies Marriage Counseling Training Seminar
Two Day Training Seminar - Mars Hill Graduate School
Currently enrolled in the Brethren Academy Program taking Church of the
Brethren Polity and Practice

Senior Pastor at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship:
My ministry context is in the middle of the city of Lebanon, a town of about
35,000 people. I lead the ministry leadership endeavors of Cornerstone to
equip the people of our church to reach Lebanon with the message of Christ.
I meet twice a month with a leadership team of seven elders, and together we
determine the vision, goals and programs of ministry to accomplish the task
of equipping our people well. I also oversee three other staff positions,
one full-time and two part-time. I provide pastoral care and am a part of
the executive team of the Lebanon Valley Ministry Network ? a group of
ministry organizations that meet together regularly for prayer and community
networking in ministry. I teach weekly in our main service and oversee the
leadership of our small group programs, as well as other general pastoral
care.

Dave Weiss' ideas for Learning Activities

D. Learning Activities
1. In Depth study of the first missional church, the Acts church. This church in a very short period of time went from micro church to megachurch, so it shows a wide variety of things, from the persecution from being a small counterculture movement to the struggles that go with inexperienced leadership and immense and rapid growth. We may draw some really interesting parallels.

2. Study of Erwin McManus’ An Unstoppable Force (especially if we go there)

3. Study of Rick Bundschuh’s Don’t Rock the Boat, Capsize It (especially if we go there)

4. Creating a web resource that is informative for others who wish to do missional ministry. We could do this by researching other churches that are really missional, and compiling their links on a web page with articles from our study and other publications. This would serve two purposes, it would quantify our web research into something tangible and it would create a resource we could maintain through ongoing study and research. I would be willing to build and maintain the site if we went this route.

5. Field testing. Create some events for outreaches that are missional. I don’t know what this would look like exactly, but I would be willing to allow New Creation to serve as our own little petrie dish. For an even more scholarly thing, we could do similar events at each of our churches and compare the results of how it works in a micro church, a medium church and a large church. This could really help us to see how “missional” works in a variety of settings and prepare us for our presentation somewhere down the road.

Dave Ulm's B&C

B) Study Focus

This question is appealing to me because my congregation and I have been in dialogue for some time as to how we can substantially increase our ministry in this community. We have taken concrete steps in the form of building plan to facilitate greater ministry, while not having a specific vision of what this ministry will look like (perhaps putting the cart before the horse).

C) Learning Objectives

I want to identify very practical and specific steps I as a leader can take to model and involve my congregation in ministry that is focused on drawing unchurched individuals and families from the community into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and into fellowship with this family of faith.

Dave Weiss' B&C

B. Study Focus

How/why did the group select this focus?
Through this study we hope to learn new ways to lead our churches into a missional focus that is both internal and external, exhibiting both aspects of the great commission: going into the “world” and making disciples. In other words we are seeking to lead our congregants to grow in Christ and that through those relationships they would impact the world around them for Christ. The first step in this process, may well be to increase our understanding of what it means to be a missional pastor and leader, modeling the concept in our own lives for our congregations. If we are successful in this study, the result should be better churches impacting our communities for Christ and a hopeful byproduct would be growth both internally and externally. Another byproduct will be gathered information that we can share with our brothers and sisters in ministry on how to become more missional to their communities.

What issues in your ministries led to your critical question?
As the pastor of a small, new church, growth is a necessity. I have been blessed to see many members of the congregation grow into new ministries, leaving their “comfort zones” to do the work of ministry that needs to be done. This has been good for them and for the church. However, the group is becoming very close knit and while this can also be a very good thing, there is a very real possibility of becoming “impenetrable.” This will impede our mission. I am a bivocational pastor whose time resources are being stretched just to maintain the status quo. Short of major growth, I will remain bivocational and the status quo may be all we get. That is not what I feel God is calling us to do. We are in a fairly affluent community but one with a lot of problems that needs strong churches rising up to make a difference and be the body of Christ.

What assumptions do your ministries bring to your critical question?


How does the ministry context of each cohort member relate to the study focus?
In the contest of my small, two year old church plant, becoming missional to our community is essential to our survival as a congregation. I find myself with the luxury of having nearly every member of the church committed to this, mainly because it was the one thing all the members of the core group were desiring when we set out to do this work. The congregation is willing, but we need to learn how to do what we are setting out to do more effectively if we want to survive and thrive.









c. Learning Objectives.

At the end of the program, the following are my objectives:

1. To identify the needs of the community the questions that they are asking and to lead my congregation to meet those needs, answering those questions and then reach the people in the community (especially within the “postmodern” generation) with the gospel of Christ;

2. To create “real world,” effective ways of making disciples in the context of my community;

3. To lead the people in my congregation to see their community as their single greatest mission field;

4. To establish my congregation as a shining light in my community; a place of healing, comfort, learning, worship, and yes, even fun. To create a church facility that is part community center, part hospital, and a hub for action in meeting the needs of the people in our community, where people can learn to be disciples and use ALL their gifts and talents to the glory of God. The church should be a force for good in the community not just a place to “hang out” on Sunday mornings;

5. To design and implement a mentorship programs that will foster intergenerational relationships and understanding among the congregation.

Rob Eshelman's I

1.Cohort Personnel

Name: Robert D. Eshelman

Address: 20 Lauren Lane - Ephrata, PA 17522

Phone Numbers:

(H) 717-738-0486
(W) 717-733-1229
(C) 717-203-3934

E-mail address - reshelman@ephratabrethren.org

Congregation being served - Ephrata Church of the Brethren

District: Atlantic N.E.

Education completed: High School - The complete13course Brethren Academy Program. Education will never be complete.

Year Ordination – 2005

Years of Pastoral Experience: Approximately 9 months in my present fulltime position as Minister of Congregational Care & Middle School Ministries and 4.0 years in my part time position as Director of Middle School Ministries. Licensed to the Ministry in June of 2000. Worked as a volunteer middle school youth advisor for the Ephrata Church and the Atlantic N.E. Middle School Advisory board from 1996. -2002. Conferences: “Creating a Safe Place, A Community Response to Family Violence”(2005), “Renewing the Church, Reclaiming the Gospel” (2005) New Windsor, Maryland Ministry Formation (2005)

Presently enrolled in the EXCEL Program at Elizabethtown College to complete my Bachelor Degree in Religious Studies. I am in the final stages of completing the following areas in my Training in Ministry Program (TRIM): Polity and the Church, Brethren Experience, scheduled for September 12-16, and the Work Experience element of this course of study. Member of the newly formed Ephrata Youth Aid Panel with completion of 8-weeks of seminars and course study followed by certification. Completed the 13 courses in the Brethren Academy Program

Minister of Congregational Care/Director of Middle School Ministries: I have a pretty wide range from 10 years old to 99 and everyone in between as a mission field. My ministry comprises of visitation (home and hospital), coordinate the Senior Adult Fellowship Ministry, and Directing the Middle School Ministries our congregation. Direct the weekly out reach ministry Youth Club for children in the 4th through 8th grades. Create opportunities for adults and senior high youth leaders to share their gifts with the community through the Youth Club ministry. Provide support and over see the Sonshine Club out reach children’s ministry held on a weekly basis as well. Provide assistance to the senior pastor in preaching, teaching, funerals, weddings, anointing, etc.

Tim Doering's I

I)

Tim Doering

547 N. State St Ephrata, PA 17522

H#- 717-721-3960
W#- 717-733-1229
C#- 7171-917-3039

tdoering@ephratabrethren.org

Ephrata Church of the Brethren

Atlantic North East

Ordained in 2004

Experience: 3.5 years of "full time" associate, 2yrs lay (team) ministry
CEU: Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership courses for ordination, COB
church planting conference "the Next Step" (2002), Beeson Institute for
Advanced Church Leadership (Module 9, 2003), Willow Creek Small Groups
conference "Becoming the Church Next Door" (2004), Easum & Bandy Associates
Convergence (2004), New Life Ministries "Renewing the Church, Reclaiming the
Gospel" (2005)

Pastor Of Discipleship Ministries: My role is to facilitate the spiritual
formation for the adults at ECOB, as well as creating opportunities for them
to experience spiritual transformation. I provide oversight for those who
work for similar things among the children and youth of our congregation.
Specifically, I provide: leadership for an emerging small group network, the
primary creative design for an elective adult education program that is
being birthed, the spiritual oversight for our "Promiseland" children's
ministry, administration for our mission focus (various mission initiatives
focused on Honduras), and vision for a Marketplace Ministry that is in early
developmental stages. In addition I provide support for the senior pastor in
occasional visitation, counseling, preaching...

Dave Ulm's I

I) Cohort Personnel

David Ulm

2099 Mt. Zion Road

Lebanon, PA 17046

Home - (717) 933-5077 Office - (717) 933-4926 Cell - (717) 222-0050



Mt. Zion Road C.O.B.

Atlantic Northeast District

Bachelors Degree plus seminary work to satisfy District requirements for ordination

Ordained July 31, 2005

Pastoral experience - 7 ? years

Continuing Education experiences in last five years

Regular course work at Evangelical School of Theology in MAR program

COB Polity & Practice and COB History, Life & Thought classes at Susquehanna Valley Satellite

Various Seminars including Easum Bandy Convergence, Brethren Ministers Association pre & post conference meetings, denominational ethics training, Promise Keepers Pastors Seminar

Ministry Context - Head pastor of the Mt. Zion Road COB with part-time (10-12 hours weekly) associate. This church is a long-established congregation meeting in some form since 1860. This is a rural congregation which grew from an average attendance of 88 in 1996 to 128 in 2002, and has plateaued in the mid 120's since that time. Active membership has continued to grow to present high of 161. The congregation is in the midst of a building program to add a multipurpose building to facilitate ministry to the community.

K) Two letters of recommendation have been requested

Dave Weiss' I

I. Cohort Personnel

Name: David Weiss
Address: 589 Stone Rd., Mohrsville, PA 19541
Phone Numbers:
Home: 610-926-0488
Office: 610-562-9757
Church: 610-929-5212
Cell Phone: 610-451-4513
Email address: angelprty1@aol.com
Congregation being served: New Creation Fellowship, Reading, PA
District: Atlantic Northeast
Education Completed: 2003
Year Ordained: 2003
Years of Pastoral Experience: Two as “senior pastor” plus five years in volunteer youth ministry
A listing of continuing education experiences for the last five years:
Brethren Academy courses to complete ordination training
Bethany Seminary Church Planting Course Spring 2002
Ashland Seminary Church Planting Course and Assessment- Summer 2004
Numerous one day workshops and courses, in ethics, ministry skills, spiritual formation, etc.
Ministry Context of Dave Weiss
After five years of volunteer youth ministry, I felt the call to plant a new church, so with the blessing of the congregation and the district, a core group of seven people began New Creation Fellowship in September of 2002. The church was designed from its inception to be a missional community of faith, attempting to fulfill both aspects of the Great Commission (going AND making disciples). We have had some success (especially in the latter) but the pressures of bivocational ministry and a syndrome that I refer to as the “overcommitted committed” i.e. people with missional hearts and extremely busy schedules. We are surrounded by a community that (in a lot of cases) has everything but Christ. My goal in this research project is to learn more about how to take what is in my heart and the hearts of my congregation as well as our God given gifts and abilities and place them into action to the glory of God.

What also may be important to this project is that I have been involved in the graphics/communications field most of my life and I have a passion for using the visual arts in preaching, teaching and reaching. I have put this to work in my ministry almost from the beginning and create resources and teach seminars in the field of using the visual arts in ministry. http://www.radicallyreal.com/amok I am also convinced that music can be a powerful tool in reaching people especially youth. As a result of this, I have become a lesson writer for the Christian music based, youth ministry resource, Interlinc.