Greetings Church!
Over the years, Good Shepherd has engaged in various visioning and strategic planning processes to discern the vision for our church and community. We are coming to the end of the current strategic plan we began in 2016. Through your continued faithfulness, skilled leaders, and God’s Grace, we have strengthened our ministries and embraced fresh endeavors to make disciples to transform the world. So, as a congregation believing that lives are transformed by Grace, it’s natural to ask - what’s next?
You may be aware, the United Methodist Church has Conferences and Districts. Good Shepherd is in the Richmond District of the Virginia Annual Conference and the Richmond District has recognized that our church is a thriving, vibrant, congregation that relies on God’s will and has the ability to sustain and grow fruitful ministries.
We are thrilled to announce that the Richmond District has selected Good Shepherd to participate in Next Level Innovations (NLI).
As Pastor Bryson shared yesterday in his
sermon
“following Jesus requires focus on where you are going and knowing where you are going can only come from looking to Christ.” NLI will offer us tools and space for us to continue becoming who we are called to be as we fall deeper in love with God and neighbor.
Below we’ve tried to offer more information and answers to some frequently asked questions to be helpful.
What is NLI?
NLI is founded and rooted in prayer. It is an investment in medium to large churches and is a 2-3 year process to reach the next level of our potential as a church. The NLI Vision is to equip, train and challenge churches to reach the next level of their potential for making disciples of Christ...to go from Good to Great!
NLI has multiple components including a foundation of prayer, monthly clergy training, two to three laity training events, an intensive weekend of church study, a detailed report and recommendations for innovations specially developed for our church along with follow-up coaching for a year or more. For a deeper look at NLI, visit
here
.
The Richmond District is providing $10,000 toward our NLI process and Good Shepherd has committed $3000 over the next three years to enable us to join 3 other churches in the Richmond and James River Districts to receive coaching, planning, guidance as we, Good Shepherd, cast a new vision for the church.
Church Council approved participating in NLI last year and a team has been meeting to guide the initiative. The team includes Anne Britt, Council Chair, Ellen Smith, Lay Leader, Jenny Fairchild, Scott Gerke, Pastor Bryson, Deacon Lisa, and Pastor Sam. Please keep the team in prayer.
How will NLI affect me?
NLI will help us to discern the direction of Good Shepherd for the foreseeable future. NLI will help us discern how to better serve our community. It will help us take a look at who we are in terms of our organization. NLI will assist us in developing meaningful and effective programs. Your input and participation is necessary because this is your faith community.
What details do I need to hold on to?
Pray.
Prayer is the cornerstone of NLI. Ellen Smith and Pastor Sam are leading a prayer team to cover this journey in prayer. If you would like to know more, contact either Ellen or Pastor Sam. Pray without ceasing for this journey. Your insight is invaluable as you are an important part of Good Shepherd. We will be sharing more about our focus on prayer. We handed out the prayer yesterday in worship, but in case you missed it, we’ve added it here. We encourage you to include this prayer in your daily prayers.
God,
Thank you.
Call us to something new.
Help us hear You.
Allow us to see what You see.
Show us Your Way.
Give us courage to move.
Amen
Participate.
Participate in small group studies and the NLI Innovations Weekend in the fall. There will be more details about this weekend but this is a very important weekend in the NLI process. This is an opportunity for the Innovations Team to meet with the congregation as a whole to listen and understand the church culture and context. Combined with the data gathered about Good Shepherd by the Good Shepherd NLI team, an Innovations Report will be presented for the congregation to vote on within 30 days. Sharing this level of detail about the process enables you to hear about the commitment of the Richmond District and the Good Shepherd leadership.
Provide.
Provide support in terms of participation and prayer. Provide insight, history, ideas, in the weeks and months ahead. Provide a willing spirit and open hands for the work that God will place before us.
We are excited to see where this journey will take us as we continue to grow as disciples of Christ. If you have any questions, please click on the team members names below to contact us.
Grace and peace,
