Saturday, October 23, 1999, 9 a.m.—1:30
p.m.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bolivar
As a result of the work of 46 persons from throughout our synod
who came to share the joys and struggles of rural and small town congregational
life, the following areas of concern will be addressed by the Small Town and
Rural Task Force:
1. Change and how to positively confront it.
2. Leadership, especially training and empowering lay persons in
their congregation.
3. Visioning and the need for strategic planning.
4. Aging of the congregation members and how to utilize the
gifts of older persons.
5. Cooperative Ministry as an option for the future of some
small town and rural congregations.
6. Conflict resolution and how to use it early in disputes.
Next Steps
The Task Force will be compiling information from other synods
and churchwide regarding ways to address these concerns on a long-term basis.
Their next meeting is Monday, December 6, 1999, 6:30 p.m., St. Paul’s,
Bolivar. Visitors are welcome! Please call Pr. Ron Zoesch at 330-253-1500, ext.
26 to let us know how many will be there from your congregation.
We Value...
our rural and small-town congregations and will develop
strategies to address their needs. We want all of our congregations to be
healthy mission outposts.
Your servants in ministry,
Wally Anderson, Matthew Diehl, Jonathan Eilert, Bonnie Gerber, Ken Hacker,
David Hammel, Julie Nolletti, Dan Schaefer, John Seng, Roger Thompson, Ron
Zoesch.
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