Church of the Brethren Newsline
August 24, 2018
By Rhonda Pittman Gingrich
As summer gives way to fall, the process launched at the 2018 Annual Conference to help the denomination discern God’s call and develop a compelling vision to guide us into the future is moving into a new phase. Shaped by the conversations that took place at Annual Conference, the Compelling Vision Process Team has designed a two-hour event to engage members in deeper conversation around God’s call for us as a church.
These conversation events have already taken place in the Southern Plains and Michigan districts, and the Process Team is working with district executives to schedule additional events in multiple locations across the denomination. The next scheduled conversations will take place at the Missouri/Arkansas District conference at the Windemere Conference Center in Roach, Mo., the weekend of Sept. 14-15; at Mount Morris Church of the Brethren in the Illinois/Wisconsin District on Sept. 16 (with two additional events to follow in the district in October); and four locations throughout Southern Pennsylvania District the weekend of Sept. 29-30. Districts will be publicizing all scheduled events as plans are finalized.
Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate in an event. In preparation, please: pray for the church and the Spirit’s guidance as we move through this process; visit the Compelling Vision website, and read about the Compelling Vision process (especially if you were not at Annual Conference and are unfamiliar with it); reflect on scriptures that inform our ministry and life together as the body of Christ; and bring a Bible and, if possible, a smart phone, tablet, or laptop to the event.
—Rhonda Pittman Gingrich, an ordained minister from Minneapolis, is chair of the Compelling Vision Process Team.
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