Acts 29

In our worship throughout January and February, we’re looking at some of the questions God asks us. For the past few months, the Vision Team has been wrestling with some questions as well. Those questions have included:

What is our unique calling at High Street?
What’s next in the life of High Street?
Who is God calling us to be and what is God calling us to do?

Over the next several months, High Street will embark on a journey that we are calling “Acts 29…Our Next Chapter.” The book of Acts in the Bible has been called “The Gospel of the Church” because it tells the story of Christianity that continues after Jesus’ resurrection. As you read the Bible, you’ll notice that there are 28 chapters in the book of Acts. The 29^th chapter in the story of the church remains to be written. What is the next chapter in the story of High Street United Methodist Church?

Our Acts 29 journey will enable us to discern where we are headed for “Our Next Chapter” as a church. Along the way, we will take a look back and see how our history informs our future, we will assess our current strengths and challenges, and we will evaluate the impact God is calling us to make within the Springfield community. In our January meeting, the Leadership Council approved the plans for this journey and commissioned the Vision Team to do the detail work that will guide our journey. A basic outline of the process is as follows:

Understanding High Street	- Reflect on our history as a congregation and how it might inform our future - Collect & review statistical data (membership, attendance, finances) - Assess and summarize our strengths and our barriers to growth - Opportunities for congregational discussion and input	January-April
Understanding our community context	- Identify trends in the wider culture - Evaluate community context using a demographic profile - Conduct interviews with Springfield community leaders - Opportunities for congregational discussion and input	April-July
Articulate vision & calling	- Prepare draft statement of the congregation’s calling and plan for further action - Opportunities for congregational discussion and input - Finalize plan for the future	July-August

While the Vision Team and the Leadership Council will be responsible for much of the homework, there will be several opportunities along the way for the entire congregation to be involved. The first of these opportunities is Saturday, February 11, from 8:30 a.m. – noon. Join us as we kick off our journey together, and take a stroll down memory lane as we review our congregation’s history! Please RSVP for this event by contacting the church office or clicking here.

We want to be careful not to rely exclusively on our own wisdom and power to guide and shape this journey. Therefore, we will be inviting the entire congregation to participate in a small-group Lenten book study. Watch for more information on this study in the coming weeks. The Vision Team has also committed to a regular practice of prayer and discernment throughout this journey.

As we move forward in this journey together, please feel free to contact the members of the Vision Team or the Leadership Council with your questions, comments and input. Members of the Vision Team include Jeff Allen, Sandi Allen, Carolyn Bode, Walt Brooker, Chris Moore, & Ginny Slack.

It truly is an exciting time to be a part of the High Street family! Our ministries are growing, our finances are sound, and our future is bright! What a journey this will be as we discern where God is leading us in this next season of our life together.