Post Covid Church Opportunities for a New Era

January 13th, 2022

Over the Christmas and New Year's Holidays, I was out of my routine and spent some significant quality time with the Lord. One day the Lord placed on my heart four specifics to place on the congregation's heart. I call these "Post Covid Church opportunities for a New Era." I am sharing with you, so these will be on your heart. Perhaps these four areas would stir you to want to respond and help.

1. There is an opportunity to organize our congregation's care system better. Why? The priorities of love, care, compassion, and shepherding received through a congregation are needed now as much as ever. It is the best church response following two years of isolation, uncertainty, and fear. One of the greatest needs of all humankind will be making positive connections with other people. The church is the best option for this need to be fulfilled.

In January, we are beginning to reshape and restructure our Congregational Care system for a Grand Plan. It will include ramping up old systems and forming new systems and teams.
We have ten teams currently identified in caring for our congregation of 2,000 plus members and constituents. These groups will clarify roles in the coming weeks and have a joint meeting to complement the overall new Congregational Care System. A GRAND PLAN!

1. Prayer Ministry
2. Stephen Ministry
3. GriefShare
4. REBOOT
5. Respite Ministry (Joyful Place)
6. Threads of Love
7. Encouragement Card Ministry
8. Security Team Ministry
9. A new area for shut-ins/physically compromised
10. Pastors

2. There is a great opportunity to bring forth the positive message of Jesus Christ for all people. The message of Jesus is good news! Even in difficult times. There is always hope, for God seeks to redeem all circumstances.

Let us make 2022 a year of basking in the positive news of Jesus in all that is involved with Shalimar UMC.
Let's have positivity bounce off our walls on campus.
Let this positivity in Jesus draw in those in our community and world starved for positivity.

3. Let's make disciples and not just members. Let the new standard be: we invite all to be disciples, which means becoming more like Jesus one day at a time.

The Discipleship Plan rolls out Ash Wednesday, March 2nd. (after the congregational care "Grand Plan" is fully operational)
What do we expect of all people? First, we expect everyone to grow as disciples and seconded to be involved in one hour of worship, one hour of service, one hour of small group/study/devotional a week.

4. This priority is remembering God is our audience in all we do. A passage from the Apostle Paul makes this point. "Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Ephesians 6:7

Pleasing all people is not possible, so we seek to please the Lord, which brings people's favor, creating a deeper unity than approval polls can ever bring.
By making God our audience, we will elevate our worship and purpose together!

You will be hearing much more about these four priorities for the "Post Covid Opportunities for a New Era." Would you join me in prayer for Shalimar UMC as we move into the new year with new opportunities!

Shalom,
Philip