• Congregation has decided to teach instead of proclaim.  Teach = offer knowledge about God; proclaim = entering God’s presence.
  
  
• Senior pastor and interns greeted people at their seats before the service – no pomp and circumstance about their entrance.
  
  
• All participants in the service (even the lector) wore a robe at 8:30
  
  
• At traditional, people bowed before and after approaching the alter
  
  
• Only one lesson used at contemporary service.
  
  
• Only pastors on the contemporary stage.  Many lay people were involved, but none on the raised platform.
  
  
• Vicar Paul sat with his wife during the 11 a.m. contemporary service.
  
  
• At 8.30 a.m. the Gospel was read from the (elevated) pulpit.  The pastor then moved down to the front of the aisle for the sermon.
  
  
• Clearly it was Lent even though they weren’t following the Lectionary – omitted the hymn of praise, purple paraments, etc.
  
  
• No children in the 9.45 traditional (Amy says they are mostly in Sunday School), but very full of adults.
  
  
• During the sermon(s) people verbally answered the pastor’s questions.
  
  
• During prayers of the church, people said the names of those they prayed for out loud from the pews
  
  
• People had the sermon outline in hand but not all were writing.
  
  
• The theme of the sermon was repeated often.
  
  
• In contemporary worship, many people were involved – bell ringers, Spirit Song, liturgical dance.
  
  
• 11:00 worship had lots of families with children
  
  
• Teens all sat together in back rows
  
  
• Power point at 11:00 included famous painting and other visual aids – not just the lyrics to the songs
  
  
• At 11:00 the congregation clapped during a song but not afterward
  
  

Observations about the physical worship spaces:

“Upstairs” where traditional worship takes place at 8:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.

• Built to be a sanctuary
  
  
• All white walls, stained pews, red carpet, tall windows with shutters, center aisle and side aisles
  
  
• Purple paraments used
  
  
• Alter attached to wall:  on alter are
  
  
• Two purple flower arrangements in gold vases
  
  
•   Pastor’s edition of LBW (centered)
  
  
•   Two white candles
  
  
•   Processional cross ion a stand to the right of the alter, baptismal candle in a stand to the left of the alter
  
  
•   Tapestry on the wall behind alter with gold cross mounted on it
  
  
• Communion raining was a square around the alter on three sides (wall on the fourth side) but was open to allow pastor access to alter
  
  
• Everything very symmetrical except for imposing sculpture of Jesus on the cross to the right of the nave – at least 12 feet tall – Jesus looked already dead because his head was wilted to the side
  
  
•   Pulpit is raised above the level of the people (five or six steps up)
  
  
• Alter area is two to three steps up
  
  
•   Both green and blue hymnals were in the pew (although the whole service was printed in the bulletin)
  
  
• Acolyte and vicar sit in pew on left side of nave during service, another pastor and another acolyte sit on right side of nave
  
  
•   Small baptismal font is at the front of the center aisle
  
  
•   Balcony in the back was used for musicians – trumpeter, choir, organist
  
  
•   Beautiful pipe organ
  
  
•   No narthex – small entryway in the back (under the balcony)

“Downstairs” where Contemporary Worship takes place at 9:45 and 11:00 a.m.

• Multipurpose room converted into a worship space
  
  
• Congregation was seated on padded chairs in four sections (three center aisles and side aisles)
  
  
• Alter on a raised platform, bells off to the left, worship band off the other right
  
  
•   Power point screen mounted high up on both sides for easy viewing
  
  
•   Alter was free standing table.  On it were:
  
  
• Asymmetrical candles
  
  
• Gold chalice
  
  
• Hymnal
  
  
• Flowers
  
  
• Tapestry hanging from alter
  
  
• Banners add to feeling of a worship space
  - Four related ones on wall behind alter
  - Banner of the mission behind the alter
  - Two each on side walls
  - One on back wall
  
  
• Small stained glass on top of windows on front wall
  
  
• Cross in middle window
  
  
• Grey carpet on floor

Back to Table of Contents

In the church basement

Grades K-8

Greg and Amy

• Some of the confirmation small groups were girls-only and boys-only groups.
  
  
• The small groups and classes each had 2-3 adult leaders.
  
  
• There is an apparent drop-off of involvement in Sunday morning classes after confirmation:  of the 30+ confirmed last year, only 7-8 8^th graders were part of the 8^th grade class.  There are plans to move to a 3 year confirmation program to take in 8^th graders.
  
  
• All Sunday School classes, from the toddlers up, are built around the sermon topic for the day.
  
  
• The Christian education staff strives for male and female adult leadership involvement.  The amount of adults involved in “Faith Zone” was awesome!
  
  
• The involvement of adults in teaching youth and children is part of the adult discipleship strategy, with adults learning as much as the kids through being given teaching responsibilities.

Back to Table of Contents

Sunday morning 9:45 a.m.

Dawn visited

The Sunday School class met in the living room portion of what is known as The Youth House.  Youth all sat in chairs or on couches in a wide semi-circle. Lynn Rosental, the leader, sat near a fireplace.  Fifteen students attended, although I was told that usually there are more.  A handful of students left for most of the lesson because they were playing bells in the contemporary service.

There was lively conversation when we entered.  It was clear that the youth enjoyed being together.  Only one girl was not included.  It turned out that she was from Ballentine (the second site) and had not yet assimilated into the group.  There were the typical battles, including how loud the music plays out of the boom box, with a girl turning it down and a boy turning it up at least half a dozen times before Lynn turned it off to start the lesson.  Lynn allowed me to ask each of the youth to answer the questions “What do you like about this church?  What makes you come here?”  A few of their answers follow:

Chris, a junior: When I’m here I have the “support of my friends”

Brian, a junior: “I have fun here.  You don’t have to put on a face.  You know, at school you have to put up a front.”

Erin, a sophomore: When we go on trips, like we just had the ski trip, we do Family Time.  We sit and talk and tell each other everything that’s bothering us.  (Brian agreed:  “We share our highs and lows)

Stephanie, a sophomore: The services are really good, “I’ve been to other churches and these are actually interesting.”

Rachel, a freshman: The sermons are easy to understand (the youth remembered last week’s skit)

Erin: As soon as I came I felt really welcome.  I’m involved with the youth group because a friend invited me.

Lauren, a freshman: This is a tight group.  The quality of the people is better than anywhere else, and I’ve been to lots of churches.

Stephanie: This church is really cool.  “It’s really big but everyone knows each other.”

Other answers included coming because of friends and because it’s fun.

The lesson was on the same topic as the sermon.  The youth knew many of the answers and those who had been to church seemed to have listened and understood.  Toward the end, when Lynn got to the point she wanted to make, the group quieted down and really listened to what she had to say. 

It was clear that Lynn cared about the youth.  She knew things about their personal lives (she even wished one youth a happy birthday) and shared a touching story about one of the youth to illustrate her point for the day.

Lynn encouraged the youth to invite people to church: Even if they don’t come, just by inviting them you are sending the message that you think church is important.

Lauren shared that her dad did not even believe in God, but he started coming to this church after he heard her talking about it.  Last month he actually joined the church.

Tim and others said that they invite people to church.

The group ended with Dawn praying.

Back to Table of Contents

Sunday Lunch Interview with Pastors Scott and Sally.

Hal, Dawn, and Greg.

Hal led, Greg scribed.

FF:       It's been a privilege for us to spend this weekend with the people of Christ Lutheran and to hear the rich story of the ministry that is happening here.  We are very grateful for all the work that Amy Daniels has put into making our time so valuable.

Scott:      Amy does a great job of putting things together.  She is skilled at finding new models that are working and implementing them.  Our job as pastors is an easy one as Amy takes care of all of the details and we can just show up and be pastors.

Sally:       Amy plugs the pastors into programs.  She does a great job of engaging both parents and children.

Scott:      Amy organizes Foundations and Connections events.  The pastors just come in and do their bit.

Sally:       It’s too bad you couldn’t see our children’s center when the children are here.  We have children’s chapel at the children’s center twice every week.  The pastors plug in there too, and we rotate our involvement.

FF:       How does pastoral leadership take place?  There is a wealth of empowered laity, and a lot of work has gone into creating that.  What are your thoughts on that?

Scott:      We have done a lot of work with Rick Warren’s Purpose-Driven-Church book.  There has been an intentional move over time here from a chaplaincy style church to a programmatic church to now steering the staff to be resource people for the laity.  The first pastor of Christ Lutheran was very much a chaplain to the people.  The second Sr. Pastor took this church and helped it become a program-oriented church.  Now my task is to move it into a new model where the laity are empowered and the staff is here to support the lay leaders.  When the laity comes to us with an idea, we say ‘great, you’re it’, take the lead and we will resource you to do that mission.  We won’t do the great idea for you – you run with it.  The aim is to have the lay people as the staff, doing the ministry and the church employees as the hub supporting them.

FF:       How long has that transition been going?

Scott:      It began in David’s [previous Sr. Pastor] time.  For me it has been intentional since 1998.  It will probably be a 10-year process.  It is exciting to talk to new members – they are starting here (with no history) and assume that the ministry that they see has always been like this.  It is a process, changing a mind frame of who is “doing” the work of ministry and how we use our resources.

Sally:       We are trying to build ministries around things that lay people love to do and around their gifts and passions.

Scott:      I have learned that whenever I am in a meeting, the focus goes to the senior pastor.  I end up running the meeting and no one else does the work.  They know that I called the meeting, and I have something to say, so then I end up doing the work involved.  People were expecting me to do the work.  For example, when the person who organized the offering plates dropped out, the lay worship helpers came to me and said ‘you need to find someone to do that’.  Now I say ‘you need to find them’. I have stopped saying ‘yes’ so often and am seeking to empower people.

Another thing I have learned is that with so much change taking place, sometimes it can be overwhelming for the congregation.  Some have trouble with the constant change.  I call it the ‘back to Egypt’ problem.  People keep wanting to go ‘back to Egypt’ in the wilderness times of rapid change.  We need to constantly remind people that if they have an idea and passion for ministry, then they are “it” and we will work to support them.  It’s OK to be moving in this new direction.

I have also learned that I need to ‘call the question’ earlier.  While we are empowering people, we shouldn’t let them go on wrestling with questions for too long.  I need to know the best time to step in – and say, “now this is the direction for us” at a time that is not too early, not too late.  If we let them struggle on for too long it becomes discouraging.

Sally:       We encourage teams but we also model it for them.  They see our pastoral team working and that we have fun together.  That gives them permission to do so too in ministry.

FF:       Have you moved your preaching into a teaching style?

Scott:      Yes.  People are not as biblically literate as one would hope.  We have tried to teach people by using series of sermons and it’s been well received.  For instance, we will be teaching a post-EaaHaHster series on ‘Transformation’.

FF:       How do you go about your worship planning?

Scott:      The pastors first go together to Caribou [a coffee shop] to talk about the next series.  We plan 2-3 months out and come up with a basic pattern for a 4-6 week period.  We then get it typed up into a summary and distribute it to the musicians and the family life people.  The family life people then write their own curriculum.  Every Monday then we all get together.  We review the Sunday before for the first hour.  Then the rest of the time, until about 3-3.30, we talk about the next two Sundays.  We think about what visuals aids and dramas we can use, that sort of thing.  We try to ask the questions that people are trying to answer.  To often we get caught up in answering our own questions, and they are not the questions our congregation is asking.  We stretch ourselves to try and focus on their questions.  Then at the Tuesday staff meeting we use the same text with all the staff for our time of study.  We ask them to think about the questions that people might be asking around this theme or scripture.

FF:       How does the pastoral team manage the common pastoral functions?

Scott:      Sally has the pastoral care hat.  She has a strong counseling background.  We divide up the hospital visitations fairly evenly.  For weddings, people contact the pastor they want.  Baptisms depend on the preacher rotation for that given Sunday.

Sally:       We are often altogether at funerals.  Those moments of loss are so powerful.  We have desserts at the pastors’ homes for new members and rotate that.  We rotate most things unless someone has a gift for a particular area.

Scott:      Have you heard about the C.O.R.E. series for new members?  They meet on Sunday afternoons.  They are half-day seminars for all who join the church.  We all teach, taking different parts of the series.  At the new member classes we set expectations – for example about worship attendance, tithing and small groups.  We tell people straight up that if they are in town and unless they are sick or something, we expect them to be with us in worship.  We have become more bold with people – ‘raising the bar’. People respond by jumping higher.

FF:       What are some of the other processes you have in place?

Scott:      The capital campaign.  We are also bold about where we are and where we are going.  In the new members classes I say ‘I’m 40 years old and I’m going to retire here’.  If you don’t like something, I’ll probably outlast you here.  It’s fun to do new member classes.  They’re ready to get on board.  In the last group 40% were under 35.  We also had 45 baptisms last year.  The milestones ministry is another process – that’s a great example of lay involvement.  It’s going really well.

I find that a quarter to one-third of new members come from un-churched backgrounds.  The whole liturgical format and the lectionary are not so important to them.  The contemporary service is very liturgical but they don’t know that unless they come from that background.  We decided early on not do a prayer-praise song-bible study format.

Sally:       We reinvent the wheel here at least every 6 months.  I worry about that sometimes.  It’s a lot for people to absorb.

Scott:      We are doing constant self-evaluation.  We are doing really well in family ministry and music.  Areas we need to do better in are new member assimilation; co-ordination of small groups; small groups for discipleship; and youth ministry.  We will get to the time when we’ll need more than one youth worker – possibly one for junior high and one for senior high.

FF:       What piece of each of your calls has God taken as a gift and really made use of at Christ Lutheran?

Sally:       I came here as a first-call, fourth career person.  I had a heart for being part of a team – God really heard that and answered it.  We are a dynamic staff as partners – we work collegially and as mentors for each other. We each come with specific kinds of gifts.  Together with the gifts of others, we are more than the sum of our parts.

Scott:      God has prepared me since junior high for this call.  Every step along the way I was being prepared for this.  When I got here in 1998 I felt it was the culmination of what God had been preparing me for at all the stages of my life.  This place matches my interests and passions.  The first two years I was on a learning cycle, as being a Sr. Pastor North Carolina is very different than being an Associate Pastor in Minnesota.

People are used to the ‘gatekeeper’ model, where the Sr. Pastor had to be involved in every small decision from what insecticide to use or whatever. It was as though I was expected to know everything that was going on.  But now when I come to church and I see lots of cars and I have no idea of what is going on I say ‘this is how it is supposed to be.’  I want people to create this place themselves; I want them to define it.  I love their trust and I love trusting them.  There is a high level of trust bestowed on the staff also. After three years, now they are saying ‘Oh, I’m it’.  Repetition of that message is time consuming but we are beginning to see the clear benefits that come from empowering our people.

Back to Table of Contents

Angela (milestone ministry):

• “Pastors say – ‘if you want to see this happen, you’re it!’” (23)

Brainstorm team:

• B: “Getting the basics - without the basics their foundation is nothing.” (51)
  
  
• D: That’s one thing our church does is empower people – always active, there’s always something going on. (52)
  
  
• J: “[our church] draws on the experience and strength of its members. We’re fortunate to have incredible leadership that allows the involvement of the laity.” (52)
  
  
• D: Variety of ways of worship, but still get the same message across. (52)
  
  
• FF:Pulling off new stuff means you have to have a fair amount of failure.
  
  
• D: We’ve had that! Like the one where kids had electives. It seemed like a great idea. I don’t know why it didn’t work. We don’t let failure discourage us. (53)

Diane Doak and Lynn Rosenthal:

• D: “I’m Lutheran by birth he’s Lutheran by Bach” (regarding herself and her husband)J (27)
  
  
• L: You don’t hear, “We’ve never done that before.” (29)
  
  
• D: This is the most evangelical Lutheran church I’ve ever been a part of. The call committees were committed to getting and eclectic staff with a shared vision… This would all fall apart if we didn’t have leadership that saw this as a mission for God. (33)
  
  
• D: “We are the church, and the pastors support us” (33)

Donna Hanna:

• “Leadership skills have been honed here in an atmosphere of love acceptance, patience, support and encouragement.” (15)
  
  
• “Very first Sunday my husband and I came by ourselves, I remember feeling like “oh, this is what its supposed to be like” the sense of worship, the sense of the presence of God.  God is truly present in this place and influences everything we do in a powerful way. The people know that, we ask for his support, his direction, his help. Very intentional in making sure that is what we’re all about.” (16)
  
  
• “This place is what church is all about to me.” (16)
  
  
• “I think there’s a sense of call – among the staff but also among the congregation - to serve God and do what he has called us to do.” (16)
  
  
• “This is not a job, I would do this for free – especially worship. It’s such a privilege.” (17)
  
  
• “Other than my children this place has been the biggest blessing in my life.” (17)

Evening Group (staff and spouses):

• FF: We’ve heard so much about lay empowerment how does that happen?

• Group: preached from the pulpit – Scott encouraged and empowered it. (44)
  
  
• SB: “The spirit of God is what’s directing the way we are moving. God is directing no hidden agendas, we are being blown by the spirit.” (42)
  
  
• SM: It’s uncanny the way they are able to get you involved – it’s impressive. (43)
  
  
• SL: We came and felt at home – even though it was in a time of turmoil and change 2^nd campus was opening etc. In the midst of that it felt really stable- like “chaos is ok here” normal constant. (43)
  
  
• DL: “It’s not just a job to the staff.”
  
  
• SB & SL:  “Its an adventure!”
  
  
• JM: I agree with that – we love what we do and we have fun doing it. It’s our passion; it’s hard work and frustration but a lot of joy. (43)
  
  
• PN: Contemporary [worship] is highest quality of any I’ve ever seen and theological quality is the best I’ve seen. (44)
  
  
• SB: I love the spirit here – there’s rarely a Sunday I don’t feel like dancing out to my car. (44)
  
  
• PN: We all have freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. Freedom to make mistakes and move on. Look back and laugh
  
  
• SM: “The congregation expects it.” (44)
  
  
• KD: We continued to grow with the interim pastor. Didn’t slow down a bit. Gives credit to the rest of the programs and the other staff who were running the place. (44)
  
  
• PN: Senior pastors keep the vision in front of the congregation constantly “This church exists for the sole purpose of the person who is not here.” (45)
  
  
• SB: The kids lead us in evangelism.
  
  
• NL: They bring kids not just because its fun but because they say its someone that needs to be here. (45)
  
  
• SL: You can see the Holy Spirit moving on people’s faces on Sunday morning. (46)
  
  
• SL: During the passing the peace you don’t have time to say it to all the people you want to say it to. (46)

Friday afternoon group:

• JW: This church is a place to come home to. (35)
  
  
• JD: I remember the first time I understood [Pastor Scott’s] sermon  - the way they do their sermons makes it so easy to understand. (37)
  
  
• SS: [Scott and Jeff’s] sermons are very contemporary without being charismatic. Always meaningful for me. I never slept or daydreamed during a sermon. I am interested and want to listen. (37)
  
  
• SS: The music here is so great it makes the hair stand up on your arms. (37)
  
  
• JW: [there’s lots of activities] so you can praise God even if you’re not musical. (37)
  
  
• SS: From the first time I walked through the door I felt like I could do this. Anyone could come here and maybe start again, be a part of the community. We have a table now [at Wednesdays together] and if someone’s missing we say, ‘where’s such and such?’ (38-39)
  
  
• H: Holy moments are… SS: Wednesday nights when I don’t have to cook. (39)

Laurie Dykes (Communications):

• “No Lutheran Seminaries teach contemporary worship – that is unconscionable!” (19)
  
  
• “At contemporary worship it’s ok if the kids want to dance in the aisles, and run free – it’s their space.” (19)

Louise (Council member):

• [regarding church council] “We’re now visionary, where previously we focused on nuts and bolts problems solving. Now we empower others to do the ministry and we look ahead to see where we’re going.” (21)
  
  
• “God is working in a lot of areas in this church. Pastors who are visionaries, not willing to listen to the status quo…That is our call as people to continue to learn and grow.” (21)

Pastor Jeff:

• “I love this church. They trust us – the staff, I mean. Sometimes we are too creative, we change things all the time, add things, we are trying to program people into a life of faith.” (57)
  
  
• “Good enough never is.” (57)
  
  
• [Dressed as Moses]  “This church has a lot of energy, positive feeling, really high level of trust. ‘Lead us to the Red Sea, we’re ready to go’ kind of thing. ‘Just don’t make us go first – you lead the way’.” (58)

Back to Table of Contents

• Came to the church because the pastor remembered their names and called them by name, modeled a tradition of genuine personal care and hospitality
  
  
• Being here reminded me how church should be / this felt like home
  
  
• Strong sense of team amongst the leadership
  
  
• Without exception, staff and key leaders value youth and family ministry – that is unique
  
  
• Value and take pride in empowering lay leadership
  
  
• All unbelievably excited about worship and certain we will love it
  
  
• No bashing of the other style (contemporary vs. traditional)
  
  
• Leadership values purpose, intentionality, prayer and visioning
  
  
• Sense of, “Let’s look at the expert and see how this applies to us.” A boldness of taking another model and shaping it to fit their setting/making it their own.
  
  
• Lay people write all the curriculum for grades 2-8. Stunning!
  
  
• “Take it and make it happen” culture. People freed and enabled to go and get involved in a mission which is on their heart.
  
  
• Very upper class area – lots of professionals. They are used to showing initiative.
  
  
• Active spirit of humor among staff members
  
  
• People knew the core mission of the congregation and had a sense of what that meant – it belonged to them.
  
  
• Music communicates the presence of God – connection between that and the Holy Spirit.
  
  
• Youth music as a medium for ministry
  
  
• There’s an expectation of change
  
  
• Enough is never enough/ Raising the bar
  
  
• Willing to face failure in order to grow.
  
  
• Members trust the staff – even during pastor transitions the level of trust remained high.
  
  
• Staff members have interlinked areas of responsibility and work together as teams on major projects – Synergy!
  
  
• Amy is the glue, and she’s humble about it
  
  
• Lay staff leadership is recognized and appreciated by the membership
  
  
• They have taken lay members onto staff who have a passion for the congregation and for that particular area of ministry.
  
  
• They recruit from within a lot – necessary because of cultural context? Contributes to longevity?
  
  
• Expectation that parents take a role in educating their kids in the faith
  
  
• Able to have key staff leave and maintain a sense of normal
  
  
• A lot of transition in pastor and youth ministry personnel, yet youth and family ministry maintained momentum. Sustained innovation and growth
  
  
• View faith formation as a journey that they seek to do intentionally with the kids and youth.
  
  
• They seem to think they don’t do senior high well, even though senior high are involved in all aspects of ministry.
  
  
• In their understanding, doing senior high well means a big youth group that does events.
  
  
• The idea that anyone could get together a team and do something has filtered into the senior high kids
  
  
• If you have a passion for ministry, create a team and we’ll support you.
  
  
• Children and youth and their ability to contribute is taken seriously, they are given key opportunities to do it.
  
  
• Their boldness to take traditional structures (like confirmation, Sunday School) and re-invent it.
  
  
• Contemporary worship contains the same liturgical elements as traditional
  
  
• Staff and pastors see themselves as there for the long term
  
  
• Valued quality in worship in both kinds
  
  
• The staff would do this work for free- it’s their passion
  
  
• Lots of participation in worship from different age groups
  
  
• Ministry is membership generated
  
  
• Have a history of preaching that teaches – makes you think, something to take home
  
  
• Council’s role has changed from watchdog to setting the vision and giving permission
  
  
• Conscious visioning move from a Chaplain-oriented congregation, to a programmatic church, and now to a “Lay empowered, Staff as resource” congregation.

Back to Table of Contents

1. A trust-filled church culture which values, recognizes, affirms and promotes ministry by laypeople.

2. A church culture which asks for commitment and values quality ministry.

3. The congregation believes that the work and movement of the Holy Spirit is leading them toward a future hope. That awareness has created a welcoming, accepting, and expectant atmosphere.

4. A strong sense of call and mission throughout the congregation, driven by visionary leaders who are committed to change and innovation for the sake of the Gospel.

5. A strong, talented, cohesive leadership team that has a shared common commitment and models “team” to the congregation.

6. Apowerful “system” of effective ministry (preaching, Christian education, faithful adult role models, welcoming atmosphere) which provides a solid foundation for youth and family specific programming.

7. The congregation values its young people as equal members of the faith community and gives them meaningful opportunities to live out their Christian faith.

• A trust-filled church culture which values, recognizes, affirms and promotes ministry by laypeople. 
  
  
• ‘Pastor David said get involved, get your feet wet, decide what kind of ministry you like and we’ll get you into it’ – Amy Daniels, director of family ministries (9)
  
  
• ‘Now all the non-pastor staff are lay people who were once volunteers here’ – Amy Daniels (13)
  
  
• “But we invite people to step forward and get involved – to use their gifts.” Amy Daniels (13)
  
  
• ‘Lots of opportunities to get involved here.’ – Donna Hanna, staff, assistant music minister (15)
  
  
• ‘Leadership skills have been honed here in an atmosphere of love, patience, support and encouragement.’  -  Donna Hanna (15)
  
  
• ‘Now we empower others to do the ministry and we look ahead to see where we’re going.’  -  Louise Welchonz, lay person, council member (21)
  
  
• ‘Our approach is clearly a team-based ministry.  Membership generated when people get involved.  The staff is very supportive of members who want to start outreach ministry or some ministry of their own.’  -  Louise Welchonz (22)
  
  
• ‘Pastors say – if you want to see this happen, you’re it.’  -  Angela Powell, lay person in charge of Milestone Ministry  (23)
  
  
• ‘Have and idea, get a team.’  -  Diane Doak, lay person who emcees Faith Zone  (29)
  
  
• ‘The leadership believes in what we’re doing. … We are the church and the pastors support us.’  -  Diane Doak  (33)
  
  
•  ‘One thing our church does is empower people.’  -  Dan, lay person, part of Brainstorming Team (52)
  
  
• ‘Our church draws on the experience and strength of its members.’  -  Jeanne, lay person, part of Brainstorming Team  (52)
  
  
• ‘This church has a lot of energy, positive feeling, really high level of trust.  ‘Lead us to the Red Sea, we’re ready to go’ kind of thing.  ‘Just don’t make us go first – you lead the way.’’  -  Pastor Jeff (58)
  
  
• ‘There has been an intentional move over time here from a chaplaincy style church to a programmatic church to now steering the staff to be resource people for the laity. …  Now my task is to move it into a new model where the laity are empowered and staff is here to support the lay leaders.  When the laity come to us with an idea, we say ‘Great, you’re it, take the lead and we will resource you to do that mission.  We won’t do the great idea for you – you run with it.  The aim is to have the lay people as the staff, doing the ministry, and the church employees as the hub supporting them.’  -  Pastor Scott (67)
  
  
• ‘We are trying to build ministries around things that lay people love to do and around their gifts and passions.’  -  Pastor Sally (68)
  
  
• ‘I want people to create this place themselves.  I want them to define it.  I love their trust and I love trusting them.  There is a high level of trust bestowed on the staff also.  After three years, now they are saying ‘Oh, I’m it’.  Repetition of that message is time-consuming but we are beginning to see the clear benefits that come from empowering our people.’  -  Pastor Scott (70)

• '… we have raised the bar …’ – Amy Daniels (11)
  
  
• ‘We are about being the best we can.’  -  Stacie Loizeaux (45)
  
  
• ‘We have a saying around here – maybe you’ve heard it.  ‘Good enough never is.’’  -  Pastor Jeff (74)
  
  
• ‘Now instead of ‘what do you need?’ we can say ‘what are your spiritual goals?’’  -  Pastor Jeff (59)

• ‘There was the spirit and the truth and the enthusiasm and the love here – even 13 years ago.’  -  Donna Hanna (17)
  
  
• ‘At contemporary service its OK if the kids want to dance in the aisles and run free -  it’s their space.’  -  Laurie Dykes, staff, communications director (14)
  
  
• ‘We snuck in the back at worship, the pastors noticed us and invited us back for the next week.  The next week Pastor Dave welcomed us by name and we said ‘We’re home’, not a lot of cognitive choice, we fell in love with it.’  -  Diane Doak (27)
  
  
• ‘Approachable, non-threatening.  Not what I grew up with.  From the first time I walked through the door I felt like I could do this.  Anyone could come here and maybe start again, be a part of the community. …  Everyone wants you to be involved. … Very accessible regardless of what level you’re on with relationship with God.’  -  Sandy Salisbury, lay woman, confirmation small group leader (38-9)
  
  
• ‘During the passing of the peace you don’t have time to say it to all the people you want to say it to.’  -  Stacie Loizeaux, staff, assistant for Alpha  (39)
  
  
• “The spirit of God is what’s directing the way we are moving. God is directing no hidden agendas, we are being blown by the spirit.” Stephanie Burke, staff, assistant for Christian Ed. (42)
  
  
• “The Holy Spirit is vital here – I’m talking about programs because I think they’re transferable. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not something you can tell others how to find, it’s something to pray for.”  - Amy Daniels (12)

10. A strong sense of call and mission throughout the congregation, driven by visionary leaders who are committed to change and innovation for the sake of the Gospel.

• 'I think there's a sense of call- among the staff but also among the congregation- to serve God and do what he has called us to do' - Donna Hanna(16)
  
  
• ‘There is a congregational atmosphere of moving forward, changing, growing.’  -  Louise Welchonz (21)
  
  
• ‘We have pastors who are visionaries and not willing to listen to the status quo.’  -  Louise Welchonz (21)
  
  
• ‘You don’t here ‘we’ve never done that before’.’  -  Lynn Rosenthal, lay person, senior high Sunday school teacher (29)
  
  
• ‘This would all fall apart if we didn’t have leadership that saw this as a mission for God.’ – Diane Doak (33)
  
  
• ‘We all have freedom to make mistakes and learn from them.  Freedom to make mistakes and move on.  Look back and laugh.’  -  Paul Nynas, intern pastor (44)
  
  
• ‘Senior pastors keep the vision in front of the congregation constantly.  ‘This church exists for the sole purpose of the person who is not here’.’  -  Paul Nynas  (45)
  
  
• “Sunday School was dying so we killed it and decided on a different format.” Amy Daniels. (9)
  
  
• “One of David’s teaching moments was whenever someone left – he said ‘It’s an opportunity’” Amy Daniels (13)
  
  
• “6-7 years ago we started writing our own curriculum.  We have a brainstorming team of lay members who work on that.” Amy Daniels. (9)

11. A strong, talented, cohesive leadership team who have a shared common commitment and model “team” to the congregation.

• ‘Anyone who comes in and feels part of the team thrives and survives’ – Amy Daniels (11)
  
  
• ‘We like each other; we don’t get to spend enough time together … That kind of feeling transfers into the congregation. …  I feel very supported.  There’s no territoriality.’  - Amy Daniels (12-13)
  
  
• ‘Talented lay staff – that’s where we are successful.’  -  Diane Doak (33)
  
  
• ‘We are a dynamic staff as partners – we work collegially and as mentors for each other. … Together with the gifts of others, we are more than the sum of our parts.’  -  Pastor Sally (70)

12. A powerful “system” of effective ministry (preaching, Christian education, faithful adult role models, welcoming atmosphere) which provides a solid foundation for youth and family specific programming’

• ‘I don’t see family ministry as working well here, I see ministry working well here’ – Amy Daniels (12)

13. The congregation values its young people as equal members of the faith community and gives them meaningful opportunities to live out their Christian faith.

• ‘(God is here and this is exciting)It’s there to be gotten – we’ve got something to give them.’  -  Donna Hanna (17)
  
  
• ‘Totally student driven – they do it all.’  -  Donna Hanna (15)
  
  
• ‘A lot of kids who come up through THE EXPERIENCE and now do adult activities rather than attending Sunday School.’  -  Diane Doak (29)
  
  
• ‘I know the youth programs are awesome and they mean something.’  -  KG, 7^th grade girl (39)
  
  
• ‘[The youth] are part of what we do at this church’ – Paul Nynas.  ‘They expect to be part of this church.’  - Stacie Loizeaux . ‘The kids lead us in evangelism.’  -  Stephanie Burke  (45)