Next Steps

Summer has been a whirlwind of activity at Southminster. We hosted presbytery. We had great worship services week after week. We enjoyed wonderful potlucks together. We began to plan for the fall. We celebrated my installation on August 7. And we did all of that in the midst of so many vacations, staycations, international trips, and weekend excursions. In the church or out, summer is often a time to slow down and relax. Instead, our lives have been joyfully full of activities.I spent the majority of summer getting up to speed about the history and ministry of Southminster. I read through years of session minutes, shared meals with many of you learning about the church, and enjoyed many conversations getting to know members. I have appreciated getting to know so many of you over the last few months and getting to learn so much about the church.As summer gives way to fall (if only in the church calendar), we will mark the occasion with our annual Celebration Sunday on September 11. We will have donuts, juice, coffee, and balloons before Sunday School that day. Classes that took a break for the summer will reconvene. A new Feasting On The Word curriculum for Sunday School classes will be offered for preschool and grade school age kids, youth, and adults. This curriculum utilizes a common bible passage for all learners, making it easy for families to learn and live out their faith together. My hope is you will take advantage of one of our new or ongoing Sunday School classes as you continue to grow in faith.Celebration Sunday will also mark the beginning of an important next step for Southminster. At its July meeting, the session approved a Mission Plan Process that will take place over the next year. The result of this process will be an actionable Mission Plan that will guide decision making and goal setting, ministry and mission for the next three to five years throughout the church. This is designed to be a collaborative process. The entire church will be involved in the first stage which is a series of conversations that will take place at the monthly potluck lunches in September, October, and November. Each of these three conversations will be guided by session members and a series of questions meant to gather information, feelings, hopes, dreams, perceptions, goals, history, and more from the congregation. God has a bright future for Southminster. We just need to discover and discern what it is. I encourage you to actively participate in these discussions at the monthly potlucks. More information about these first three meetings and the rest of Mission Plan Process will be available in the near future.I am looking forward to the fall and I hope you are too. Let’s start it off right on Celebration Sunday!