Report to the Synod Assembly

2015

NEW CHURCH RISING

Bishop Wayne N. Miller

Metropolitan Chicago Synod

ELCA

ORGANIZING RESOURCES AND RELATIONSHIPS

The Hub and Spoke Vision

Replaced By…

A NETWORK VISION

Resources Relationships

VISIONS OF TOMORROW

• Imagine a child born today…

• On his/her 21st birthday this child goes to church…

• What will be the same?

• What will be different?

• Will your church be there for this child?

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

• Rediscovering WONDER

• The unexpected is a miracle

• Curiosity about what God is up to

• How do we lead with a sense of wonder?

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

• Intentional Impact Training

• Based on curiosity about what God is up to in another person

• Reproduces leaders rather than filling organizational slots

• Nearly 60 leaders have been trained already

• Moving to network model to continue the momentum forward

LEADERSHIP FOR A NEW CHURCH

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

• Rediscovering FREEDOM

• The capacity to respond to God’s call

• The opposite of freedom is ATTACHMENT

• Living with Open Hands!

• Stewardship is the path to living with open hands

• 1/3 of our congregations have begun this journey

• Expandable treasury of resources

• Opportunities for networking with others

OPEN HANDS OPEN HEARTS

• Rediscovering JOY!

• JOY is NOT the same as HAPPINESS

• Happiness is the avoidance of pain or sorrow

• JOY is what comes when our TEARS…

• Are mingled with GOD’S HOPE

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

• Investing in RESURRECTION

• Not all of our congregations will be here in 2036

• Can we imagine legacy planning as a mission gift for today’s children?

• Synod staff is developing resources

• We need courage, honesty, compassion, and trust in the cross

• Renewal of Mission Vitality

• Fund for Mission Grants

• Turnaround Synod Initiative

• $370,000 given to congregational initiatives

• Development of Affiliated Mission Communities

• Six AMC’s approved

• One “second campus”

EXPRESSIONS OF JOY

ONE VISION OF OUR MISSION FUTURE