Pastor's Message
May 2010
To the People of God:
On April 18th, nearly a third of our average worship community participated in an event after worship to discern how God wants to work with Emmanuel over the next few years. This particular process began on February 20, 2010. It was lead by a team from A Renewal Enterprise and subsequently by Emmanuel’s Transformational Ministry Team during the midweek services for Lent. You will find what has been discerned as God’s purpose for Emmanuel as well as Internal and External Strategic Directions.
The Internal Strategic Directions (ISD) are the areas in which Emmanuel will need to evaluate and put meat on within its own communal life. The External Strategic Directions (ESD) are the areas Emmanuel needs to evaluate and put meat on in order to connect with and minister to the community of Ypsilanti and beyond.
In the next few months the Transformational Ministry Team, the elected parish leaders and other leaders will need to reflect upon the ISDs and ESDs. We will need to seek to find ways to bring these directions into reality and to enjoy our partnership with God as we live into these directions. It is an exciting time foe all of us as well as a bit scary as we begin to look very intentionally at how we can grow these directions into fruit bearing plants of life.
We are Emmanuel. God is with us and each of us can bet our lives on that truth. God is the faithful one who has opened the tomb allowing Jesus to be on the loose. Alleluia! Let the church feel the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
Come Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of your faithful!
One of Christ’s servants,
Pastor Dave - Child of God
God’s purpose for Emmanuel is: To be a faith community that welcomes all to love, pray, serve, worship, care and learn.
Internal Strategic Directions:
- To do a facelift of the physical facilities which include expansion and improvement in the area of technology.
- To intentionally increase the Christian Educational opportunities for all ages.
- To periodically have one worship service to promote the sense of community among the people of Emmanuel.
External Strategic Directions:
- To seek intentional ecumenical participation in order to better serve the community of Ypsilanti.
- To develop better means to interact with, to cooperate with and to know people in the local neighborhood.
- To develop and promote special events that will be designed for people within the community