Every Fall St. Peter’s takes time to gather for a Town Hall meeting to catch up on news of the church, ministry initiatives, and mission support.
When and where is the Fall Town Hall?
The Fall Town Hall is this Sunday, October 21 at 9:15 am in the Sanctuary.
What is a Town Hall?
A town hall is a gathering of the congregation, and is less formal of a gathering than the Annual Congregational meeting (which will be November 11 at 10:30 am). Town Halls usually take place during the Sunday School hour.
Beginning 5 year ago, St. Peter’s leadership promised to have two semi-annual town halls. One takes place in the Fall and one in the Spring. The town halls are a way to gather and hear from leaders, get mission support and financial giving updates, and for leaders to share ministry information with the congregation.
What’s on the agenda for the Town Hall?
2019 Budget
Get a sneak peak at what the budget entails for the coming year. This is a great time to ask questions about how the church plans to serve God and the community.
Capital Needs
During last year’s Annual Meeting some suggestions were offered from the congregation regarding property, safety, and programmatic needs. The suggestions expanded beyond the scope of an annual budget, and pointed toward the need for a Capital Campaign. Come and hear an update on a possible campaign, the capital needs that are being addressed, and how a campaign would benefit the church as a whole.
Constitution Update
During the November Annual Meeting the congregation will offer its first of two votes on an updated church constitution. The town hall is a great place to ask questions about any changes made or the procedure as to how the document gets changed.
Mission and Vision Update
The Mission Statement Draft team has written and proposed a mission and vision statement. They have been working on the creation for over a year and included deliberate conversations with the congregation. The mission and vision statement will be formally approved at the November 11 Annual Meeting. The proposed Mission Statement and Vision Statement are:
OUR MISSION
Building a community of faith by God’s grace.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
-John 15:12
OUR VISION
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church will exhibit our love for God, our love for neighbors, and our desire to make disciples.
Because we love God, we will:
- Worship and pray together.
- Help each other develop a meaningful relationship with God.
- Model our faith to children, youth, and others.
Because we love our neighbor, we will:
- Serve one another, especially the unseen and under-served within our congregation.
- Support those in need in our Lancaster community and in the world through our ties with the Lower Susquehanna Synod and the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. - Love others boldly in a diverse and changing world, deepening our relationships with our neighbors.
Because we desire to make disciples, we will:
- Seek to teach God’s love through adult education, our children and youth programs, and our preschool.
- Offer small groups that connect God’s Word to our everyday lives and create communities of faith.
- Share the good news in creative and authentic ways, with St. Peter’s family and with neighbors in our community.
