St. John

Lutheran Church

of Prairie Hill

Strategic Plan

for Ministry

2008

I.Who we are

a.Mission statement

b.Demographics

c.Values

II.Our Vision

III.Recommendations for ministry

IV.Ministry Organization

Part I: The congregation of St. John Lutheran Church of Prairie Hill

A)Purpose

As members of Saint John Lutheran Church, we share with all the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ the mission of the Great Commission, as we were commanded to:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

We firmly and passionately believe that this is the mission and the purpose to which God has called us, as individuals and as a congregation.

B)History

Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church of Prairie Hill has a rich history.  We were founded in 1877, and have been carrying out our ministry here in this place for 130 years.  For many of us, this is the church of our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.  Such a heritage is a great gift, and shapes our ministry and mission.  Thanks be to God for such a rich heritage!

In planning for the future – thinking about the hope for the heritage we will leave for our own children and grandchildren – this great gift is an important factor.  We honor our fathers and mothers in the faith here in Prairie Hill, seeking ways to remember them while continuing their mission and ministry of proclaiming the Gospel.

C)Demographics

Our current membership is 466, and we have an average worship attendance of approximately 170.  For many of our members, ours is the “family church,” and it is not uncommon to worship together not only with parents and children, but also with cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.  However, our members come from all walks of life, and include single adults, widows and widowers, and single parents.  Regardless of family background, these are all a part of our extended family of Saint John Lutheran Church.

For the last twenty years, we have been an aging congregation.  Currently, our average age is 51 and we have approximately 40 members who are in long-term care facilities or are homebound.  Many of our members are retired.  Yet it is not uncommon to see young children at worship, as more and more young families are taking part in the life of our congregation.

We are a predominantly Caucasian community, mostly of German descent. While we seek to welcome all persons of faith into our family, we are also aware that our shared cultural heritage shapes our identity as a congregation.

We are also a rural church.  Most of our members still live outside of town, and many are involved in farming and ranching.  This contributes a great deal to our congregation.  Our church year is influenced by the agricultural seasons of planting and harvesting.  We tend to be conservative – that is, we value our heritage and are often cautious about adopting change.  And we place a high priority on the importance of family and caring for one another.

D)Values

We believe that how we live out the Great Commission as congregation is shaped by our values – by the things that we hold most dear.  Our most important value is our shared faith in the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Other shared values that shape our mission and our vision for the future are:

·The importance of family – both our home families and our church as a family

·Our heritage as Lutherans

·Our identity as a “country church”

·The importance of taking care of one another

E)Mission Statement

Bearing in mind the purpose given to us in the Great Commission, our rich heritage and history, the demographics of our congregation and its community, and our shared values, the Strategic Planning Committee believes that our mission as a congregation can be most clearly stated as follows:

St. John Lutheran Church of Prairie Hill:

A family of faith Gathering around Word and Sacrament,

Forming disciples,

and Proclaiming the Gospel to the world.

We believe that we are a family deeply rooted in our shared faith in the Gospel:

that we are called to Gather around Word and Sacrament (“baptizing all nations”);

called to Form disciples – both young and old – through learning about our faith (“teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you”); and

called to Proclaim the Gospel in all that we do, word and deed (“make disciples of all nations”)

Thus, we recommend that the congregation adopt the following as the official Mission Statement of our congregation.

St. John Lutheran Church of Prairie Hill:

A family of faith Gathered around Word and Sacrament,

Forming disciples,

and Proclaiming the Gospel to the world.

Part II: Our Vision

A)Rooted in our Identity & Mission

As a Strategic Planning Committee, we have sought a vision for this congregation that honors our history, our shared values, and our identity.  The heart of our Vision for this congregation is what it would look like if we fully live into our mission, as described above.  This vision is supported by specific short-term and long-term goals to help us as a congregation move toward our shared vision.

B)Vision Statement

The congregation of Saint John Lutheran Church will be a vibrant and exciting family of faith.  Our life together will be centered around at least two growing, uplifting worship services, where God’s Word is boldly proclaimed in sermon, song, and liturgy, and where God’s sacraments of grace are shared.

The family of Saint John will lovingly care for all of its members.  Those who cannot be present when we are gathered on Sunday morning will regularly be included in the congregation’s ministries through visits by both lay persons and clergy.  In order to form deeper bonds of connection, we will gather together not only for worship, but also for times of fellowship and recreation.

We will provide opportunities for all members of the Church of Christ – both young and old – to learn more about the faith.  Through a dynamic Christian Education program for all ages, Confirmation, and Bible Studies, we will explore our Lutheran heritage, the Scriptures, and all aspects of the life of discipleship.

The family of Saint John will gather in facilities that encourage our ministries to grow and expand.  These facilities will be functional, useful, and also beautiful.

We will seek to reach out beyond our walls, ministering to our community and the world.  Following the example of our Lord, we will find opportunities for service, sharing the Gospel message and the love of Christ.

Grounded firmly in Scripture and the Lutheran tradition, Saint John Lutheran Church of Prairie Hill is a community of faith prepared for the twenty-first century, and for the opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world.

Part III: Recommendations for Ministry

In order to faithfully live out our mission, and move toward our vision, the Strategic Planning committee makes the following recommendations.

A)Gathering around Word and Sacrament

1)Immediate

·Appoint a committee to draw up a job description for a part-time Director of Worship and Music.

·Hire part-time Director of Music and Worship.

2)Short-term (1-4 years)

·Continue worshiping at two services.

·Seek out ways to worship in a broader range of styles of music and liturgy.

·Move toward two distinct liturgies: one traditional and one contemporary.

·Institute an organized plan for ushers and greeters.

·Seek ways to coordinate worship assistants.

3)Long-term (5-10 years)

·Consider the possibility of additional worship services

B)Forming Disciples

1)Short-term (1-4 years)

·Continue our current Sunday School program

·Continue participating in our cooperative educational opportunities: Co-op Confirmation and Co-op VBS.

·Increase the number of adult educational activities

2)Long-term (5-10 Years)

·Increase the space for adult education

C)  Proclaiming the Gospel

1)Short-term (1-4 years)

·Form a Building Committee to consider the functionality of our current facilities and the possibilities for expansion or renovation

·Appoint a committee to draw up a job description for a part-time Visitation Pastor.

·Seek to improve our outreach to the unchurched in our community.

·Seek to improve our outreach to inactive members of our family.

2)Long-term (5-10 years)

·Find additional ways to serve our community.

·Hire part-time Visitation Pastor.

Part IV: Ministry organization

Because we feel that our mission statement is the best possible expression of the tasks to which we have been called as a congregation, we feel that it would be helpful to organize our ministries around the major themes of that mission statement.  The following is a proposal for such organization.

Gathering around Word and Sacrament

·Worship Committee

·Director of Music & Worship

·Musicians

·Fellowship Events

·Ministry to the sick & homebound

Forming Disciples

·Christian Education: Youth and Adult Sunday School, Confirmation, Bible Studies

·Women of the ELCA

·Men in Mission

·Lutheran Youth Organization

Proclaiming the Gospel

·Evangelism

·Social outreach

·Property & Building

·Finances & Stewardship

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