Immanuel is moving forward intentionally planning for the future and has adopted the following Strategic Priorities. Members of the congregation are invited to share their insight as we plan for the future.
1) We know who is at the center of all we do – Christ. We remind ourselves continually that we are together in the name of Jesus Christ and seek to follow Him and become a reflection of His love in everything we do. We focus on maintaining and deepening a relationship with Him and sharing the Gospel as He calls us to.
2) We welcome, affirm, and celebrate diversity in all contexts as we work toward a fuller understanding of God’s call to justice. We believe that all people are created in God’s image and that God’s imagination for diversity and justice is limitless. We listen to and learn from diverse voices resulting in deeper relationships with individuals within and outside of Immanuel, and with partner ministries. We participate in God’s continuing work of restoration, reconciliation, and redemption for all creation.
3) We have strong engagement within our community. The engagement of members and faith partners is high and broad. We do this by encouraging each member to maintain a personal ministry to help meet the needs within our church and surrounding community. We are demonstrating a love and faith in Jesus Christ through the programs we offer to our members. These programs support our faith and encourage members to seek Christ in all circumstances and situations.
4) We are a growing congregation. We strive to welcome people of all generations, to understand their needs and perspectives, and help them grow in their relationships with Jesus Christ. Our activities and plans reflect a lively, rich, inclusive congregation with a deep and sincere passion for worshipping, learning, and serving God together with people of all ages.
5) We are transitioning staff effectively. Through open, honest dialogue, we are executing against plans to transition a long-term, seasoned team and leadership. The new faces and perspectives are bringing forward new ideas and perspectives that build upon and acknowledge the foundations that have been built. Our systems and processes help attract and retain a strong staff team.
April 12, 2022, By Paul Savereide
The Immanuel Church Council met on Saturday, April 9, 2022, for an all-day retreat at Immanuel. Our task for a good part of the day was to review three of the Five Strategic Priorities to begin moving these priorities from statements to action by the church. We reviewed:
The notes from each of the nine reviews sessions are being compiled. In future Council meetings, we will review these results and prioritize actions and identify resources to put this work into action.
A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.