Glen Avon Presbyterian Church

To Do and Be
by Rev. Lon Weaver

A group of twenty-seven members of the Glen Avon congregation gathered on November 1st at the offices of the Presbytery of Northern Waters to take our latest step in discerning God’s direction for our church. The group gathered was composed of thirteen members of Session, thirteen members of the congregation at-large, and Co-Pastor Robyn Weaver. At our November 23rd congregational meeting, Mission Discernment Team members Claudia Welty and Bonnie Jorgenson reported on the outcomes of this day and Session’s actions arising out of it.

First, Session approved the following mission/vision statement:

“We see Glen Avon as a vibrant, Christ centered community that:

Reaches out with the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ;
Connects young and old to God’s love, nurturing each in a faith journey, through worship, music, teaching, and service to those in need; and
Welcomes all and cares for each other, finding joy in fellowship together.”

Second, to give concrete shape to this vision, Session approved the following strategic initiatives—two of them build on recently begun projects, two are newer emphases:

Use small groups to connect people to each other and God’s love;
Offer two worship services to connect people to God’s love in different ways;
Offer congregational care to connect those in our community to the church; and
Launch a new outreach campaign.

Third, to provide a framework for these initiatives, Session approved the following process:

The discernment team will communicate with congregation via focus groups, provide opportunities for involvement, form project teams in collaboration with standing committees; and
Project teams will tackle individual strategies with action plans to share with Session and congregation.

Now, the task becomes yours and mine as disciples of Christ at Glen Avon. Everyone in the congregation is invited to be a part of focus groups to discuss the shape of our ministry, building on our existing strengths and addressing our present weaknesses. Each person in our community can participate in project teams. The fundamental ongoing goal of this process is to enable every follower of Christ at Glen Avon to match his or her passions and gifts with concrete ways to serve Christ.

Isaiah 9:6,7 reads as follows:

“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

As we anticipate and celebrate the birth of the Christ child, let’s anticipate and celebrate the opportunities to follow Christ in joyful service.