NEPA LUTHERAN MISSION PARTNERSHIP Meeting Minutes for August 21, 2010 Peace Lutheran Church, Scranton In attendance: Frank Shylkofski (St. Paul, Tunkhannock), Rev. Gerald Grim (St. Peterʼs), Marilyn Wright and Rev. Kristian Bjornstad (both of Peace Lutheran). I. II.
OPENING PRAYERS CONGREGATIONAL MISSION REPORTS A. St. Paulʼs Tunkhannock 1. Record VBS attendance this summer! 2. Continuing Angel Food ministries a) Social ministry outreach seems to be energizing the congregationʼs desire for gospel outreach. B. St. Peterʼs Lutheran, Wilkes Barre 1. VBS was held successfully 2. Pastor Erickson and the congregation is in the beginning stages of the Districtʼs “Congregational Transformation” program to help the congregation to continually renew itself in Godʼs mission. C. St. John, Pittston 1. Held its second VBS successfully. D. Peace Lutheran, Scranton 1. Summer VBS held with good attendance 2. The Lutheran Academy has been instrumental in the baptism and Christian nurture of four of its students and their family members! E. Faith Lutheran, Easton 1. Their own VBS had an attendance of over 200 2. They sent a team of teachers to enable St. Johnʼs Lutheran, Hazelton, to do THEIR VBS! Praise the Lord! F. On a sad note we read an email from Family of Christ, Bloomsburg indicating that they will be voting in October to close their congregation in Feb. of 2011. They were volunteering their church equipment and supplies to any mission start. We discussed how we as a circuit might be able to remedy their situation. Pastor Bjornstad will contact them. III. FINANCIAL REPORT: A. It was noted that it was never intended that the partnership have a lot of money or fund mission. B. The bank account stands at $2118.78 IV. MISSION PLANNING: A. It was decided that the following mission opportunities should be pursued and not neglected for the coming year. Perhaps we might not get big groups for all of them, but we should not be discouraged. Even small groups of 3 or 4 individuals can do fabulous work. 1. New Orleans in January 2011 2. Alaska VBS in the summer of 2011
B. NEW initiative: Building Hope and Homes in Haiti 1. Very exciting new initiative by LCMS World Relief and Human Care 2. We would like to challenge our circuit churches to sponsor the building of 2 houses of $8000 each in Haiti. One this year and one next year! We can go down with a team and actually build them ourselves if we want. C. Local Mission Congregation: just not enough time or participants to proceed in any discussion... really need a special meeting for this. V. NEXT MEETING DATE: 10 am, Saturday, December 4th at St. Peter始s Lutheran Church, WB VI. CLOSING PRAYERS