faithPoints ... engaging possibilities, enriching discoveries: Charge Conference 2007--Imagining Stockwell (2 December 2007)

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Charge Conference 2007--Imagining Stockwell (2 December 2007)

Visioning Exercise--Identifying Our Publics

Whom we serve (the direct and primary recipients of resource and programs delivered through time, money, staff):

Car Show
Children
Christmas Jubilee & Harvest Baskets
Community
Conference
Congregation
Craft Show
Elderly/Shut-ins
Family Game Nights
Funeral Dinners
Harvest Baskets
Ice Cream Social & Fall Gathering
Men’s prayer breakfasts and outings
Missions
Pastor
Pioneer Clubs
Spring Fling
Treat Night
UMW (United Methodist Women)
Vacation Bible School
Youth Group

Who are our key partners (those individuals, groups, and organizations depended upon, who provide resources, where things are done jointly, etc.:

Car Show
Christ
Community Youth
Connectional UMC (United Methodist Church)
Each Other
Egg Hunt
Election
EE (Evangelism Explosion)
4-H
Fire Department
Habitat
John and Ruby Parks Foundation
LUM (Lafayette Urban Ministry)
Missionary
Pastor Jim & Sandy
Pioneer Club
Play Ground
Scouts
Treat Night
VBS (Vacation Bible School)

Who else is there we consider (individuals, groups, and organizations that are members of the larger community where it is important to us that they know us and are supportive:

Contacts though outreach programs
Geographic Area
Hispanic community
New Residents

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Welcome to faithPoints ...

We're glad you're here. Whether you're here to contribute or just want to look around, please stop by often to this virtual community.

So, just what is faithPoints? It's a multidimensional platform upon which many people can link resources to build their own understanding of how their lives can be enriched by the Gospel of Jesus Christ everyday in very practical ways.

This blog is obviously a virtual community with asynchronus delivery (a big term that means it's here when you want it--at your convenience).

There are real time convenings usually twice a month from 11-11:45am at the Stockwell United Methodist Church (6941 Church Street, Stockwell, Indiana, about 10 minutes southeast of Lafayette).

Whether you access faithPoints online or realtime (or both); whether you're a blogger, looker, or seeker; and whether you drop by frequently or sporadically our earnest expectation is that you'll discern God's love with those who are touching this platform journey together.

faithPoints will triangulate (another big word that means drawing from three areas) the Morning Worship Service Pastor's teaching (what some know as sermon), wisdom from a group of five books (known as the Bishop's Bundle of Books), and the everyday challenges, success, opportunities, and responsibilities we all have and share, e.g., our personal journies. These books will be used during faithPoints October 2007-March 2008.

During Faith-in-the-Grove a/k/a faithPoints (June-August 2008), Robert Schnase's Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations will be used.

October 2008-March 2009 Cultivating Christian Community, by Thomas Hawskins, is planned to be used.

How to jump in ...

A guide to what will be presented in the Morning Worship Service will be posted the Friday preceeding the Sunday gathering. It can be used for reflection regardless of your interest in attending.

On the Sundays when faithPoints meets realtime, a synopsis of the overall and small group discussion will be posted. That's a good place to chime in with your perspective and questions.

On the other Sundays one of this blog's moderators will post some thoughts about how the teaching applies on a practical level.

Peppered througout will be references the books in the Bishop's Bundle of Books.

We will focus on certain books during certain months. These are jump starting resources and by no means exclusive. You may know of others that apply and we encourage you to please share them.

Watch for the action steps that will appear in a separate post each week. These will be the meat of our experience. You may want to try them, vary them, suggest your own, keep a journal, post your thoughts.

Just as the action steps are the meat of our journey, your sharing will be the dessert, that we can all enjoy (even if we over indulge)!

Just what is the Bishop's Bundle of Books?

During each of the two Indiana United Methodist annual conferences sessions, Bishop Mike Coyner asked laity clergy of the Indiana Area to read and discuss these five books during the 2007-2008 conference year. Dan Gangler, Indiana United Methodist Communications Director, will also review them in HUM Together:

The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living with a Grande Passion by Leonard Sweet (September review)
Blog at http://www.gospelaccordingtostarbucks.blogspot.com/

Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism by Martha Grace Reese (October review)
Blog at http://www.unbindingthegospel.blogspot.com/

Provocative Grace: The Challenge in Jesus' Words by Robert Corin Morris (November-December review)
Blog at http://www.provocativegrace.blogspot.com/

The Book of Hard Choices: How to Make the Right Decisions at Work and Keep Your Self-Respect by James A. Autry and Peter Roy (January review)
Blog at http://www.bookofhardchoices.blogspot.com/

Keep the Call: Leading the Congregation Without Losing Your Soul by Jill Y. Crainshaw (February review)
Blog at http://www.keepthecall.blogspot.com/

These books can be ordered from Cokesbury by calling toll-free 800-672-1789 and are available online at http://www.cokesbury.com/.

Some of the above referenced blogs contain additional information and resources like author appearances, recommendations and reviews.

Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations (by Biship Robert Schnase) was given to all lay members of the 2008 North and South annual conferences. A related web site is http://www.fivepractices.org/.

Information about Thomas Hawkins' Cultivating Christian Community is available at http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/description.asp?item_id=154949

faithPoints ... engaging possibilities, enriching discoveries