August Elder Congregational Update
We want to welcome new Life Church members Brian & Susan Schlueter and Greg & Kim Wollan. A member of Life Church includes voting rights and the ability to participate in standing ministry. If you are not currently a member and would like to know more about the process please reach out to the office at office@lifeonline.church.
Church membership remains in effect as stated in Article V of the by-laws. Membership is maintained when a member moves out of the area unless that member expresses the desire to resign as a Life Church member.
As stated in our face mask statement we as elders are honoring the state requirement for face masks but are not policing individual adherence. Our face mask statement can be found by clicking here.
Elder representatives to the NVMT Matt McGuire, Dave Fournier, and Ken Rostad have provided updates at each elders meeting on the process in the search for a Youth/Young Adult Pastor. Multiple interviews as well as an outside assessment were conducted leading up to Mason and Taylor Rozean visiting and sharing on Wednesday night and Sunday morning. This process is still ongoing.
A request was submitted for the elders to consider renaming and rebranding the church. This request was considered and discussed. This type of change would require an amendment to the by-laws and would need a two-thirds majority congressional vote. It was decided that at the first business meeting in January 2021 will include a vote to determine if the congregation would like the elders to explore a name change that would occur after the hiring of a new pastor.
An elders retreat was held on August 21-22 and was a time of seeking the Lord and was a great opportunity to continue to get to know one another. Before the retreat elders and staff completed a core values assessment and during the retreat these core values were discussed. Based on the discussions from that retreat and input from staff below are what was identified as Life Churches core values:
· Priority of Worship: Attributing worth to God in praise and worship, creating an atmosphere that welcomes His presence and draws hearts to Him.
· Bible Based: Making the teaching of Scripture the preeminent source of truth for our function as a church and daily lives as believers.
· Spirit Led: Dependency upon and responsiveness to the Holy Spirit’s leading and encouraging the use of His gifts in an orderly fashion for edifying the Body and spreading the Gospel.
· Priority of Prayer: Making prayer the foundation and ongoing expression of our reliance upon God in all we do.
· Discipleship: In response to Jesus command to make disciples we are committed to training and equipping believers in Christlike character through one-on-one relationships, small group structures, and full body ministries.
· Fully Devoted Believers: We believe the pursuit of becoming fully devoted and fully developed followers of Jesus Christ, who love God intimately and love others intentionally is normal for every believer.
· Authenticity: Being a church where it is a safe place to be authentic and be known for who we really are - freely sharing feelings, weaknesses, doubts, and fears while also being committed to growing in Christ-like character in our relationships and Christian witness to the world.
· Loving Relationships: Committed to providing a welcoming fellowship where love, acceptance, and forgiveness are freely expressed, diversity is embraced, and the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace is maintained.
· Family Ministries: Providing Biblical tools and a support network to encourage and equip marriages and parents for Godly success while also providing Biblical training for their children and youth to know and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
· Team Ministry: We believe serving and ministering together as a group while utilizing one another’s unique gifts, makes for the most effective way to accomplish God’s work.
· Stewardship & Generosity: Supporting the work of the ministry through good stewardship, tithing, and investing generously as a church in local church ministry, alms giving, outreach, and missions for the furtherance of the Gospel
· Missions and Outreach: Reaching out to nonbelievers by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through meeting practical needs, friendship, prayer, and proclamation beginning in our community to the ends of the earth.
As elders we want to publicly state that we are in favor of displaying crosses inside and out of our church and are considering additional display options to be put into effect as soon as possible.
It was decided to maintain the churches subscription to Right Now Media due to the number of individuals and ministries that use the service. Right Now Media is a video based resource that gives you access to Bible based teaching and is free for anyone who attends Life Church. If you have not signed up for this service please send an email to office@lifeonline.church to receive your invitation.
It was decided that Life Church would participate in the “The Return” which surrounds the National and Global day of prayer and repentance. This will include daily prayer services held at the church each evening starting Sunday evening Sept. 20th and leading up to a full day Simulcast of the National Event in Washington D.C. at the church on September 26th culminating with a service at 6 PM.
A group elder photo was taken and will be added to the church website along with contact information. Life Church elders can be contacted by emailing elders@lifeonline.church
A copy of the meeting minutes from each approved elders meeting are available upon request by reaching out to the church office via phone at 218-739-3886 or email office@lifeonline.church.
A copy of the full finances of Life Church are available upon request by reaching out to the church office via phone at 218-739-3886 or email office@lifeonline.church.