Naji Umran, Minister of Outreach Report - Nov 2007
Council Report for July-October 2007
To be brief is more difficult and time consuming than to pour out on paper all of the stuff that’s in your head in an undisciplined way. I can usually take the easy approach, but this time, as I write my report I’ve had to compact 4 months of reporting into the already tight format of a single page of the council-packet.
To begin with I’m going to give you the point-form version of many of my activities over the past few months, and then I’ll end with a ‘circle of outreach’ and my prayer-requests.
Outreach Events and Planning:
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Splish Splash events – especially successful because of the great volunteer leaders
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Basketball summer camp – Josh Baron, Judy Ko, and volunteers led these
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October Harvest/Halloween Party – I’m working on this one with Judy Ko
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Christmas Outreach Musical Drama – Lynn Nelson and others are working at this
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County Wide Food Drive – Jane Lang: phenomenal with all the Food Pantry stuff
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Thanksgiving Banquet – I’m hoping to have core leaders in place by November 4
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Christmas Presents to St. John’s Home – 26 kids to give gifts to this year
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Christmas Presents for Angel Tree – new partnership: Calvin / Prison Fellowship
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Christmas Caroling – we may / may not do this: Greg and I have talked, we’ll see
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100 Christmas Baskets – partnering with Heritage (Ridgepark) Charter Academy
Mission Action Committee Work:
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Benevolence Requests: Fall’s a busy time, many needs: new Residents helpful
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Prison Ministry trip to South Dakota – visiting prison congregations, plan to start by planting one at Ionia Prison with other congregations and CRC denomination
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Dave Ramsey – Bob DeJonge did preview to offer again, but insufficient interest
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RTF ministry – successful PARA event, helping orchestrate car-donations and the move of a refugee family in church, other needs are pressing and overwhelming
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Burmese, Sudanese and others joint worship October 14 – Greg and I together
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ESL classes (over 100+ enrolled in AM/PM) – out of my hands except budgeting issues, overall though the new leadership is excellent and things are going well
Classis/Community-Partnerships/Ecumenical Work:
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Classis / Classis Home Missions – limited activity, leading Evangelism committee
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Classis Renewal – many meetings, our event canceled b/c of Tornado Watch
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CTS Middle East Connections – some limited activity in multiple meetings here and in Cairo, Egypt – Anne’s dad was here: our presentation to seminary faculty
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Ethiopian Church – somehow I’m a semi-liaison – many questions/complications
Discipleship/Inreach for Outreach:
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Dunamis – dovetailing with denomination/Synod’s discussion of the Holy Spirit, I’ve been leading a pilot-group-study in understanding/experiencing the HS with a bifocal goal of seeing renewal at the levels of community and mission/evangelism
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It’s continued to help me to stay in touch with people and with God to be regular in my attendance/involvement of the Men’s Bible Study, Weekly Prayer meeting, Isaiah study (less), and leadership of Evangelism Adult-Ed and practice sessions
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I’m also having regular ‘mentor’ meetings with the Residents and Tony Westrate
Administrative/Communication:
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New Deacons’ Teams ministry/responsibility grids for strategically planning, this transition to a new structure has been helpful, but more work than I’d anticipated
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Website Work - facilitating communication through internet via gmail groups and calendars linked into our website calendar
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Prayer guides – thanks to Brion who wrote/published September’s in my absence
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Newsletter – I began to put another together, not focused on Outreach, but found coordinating, editing, etc. too difficult to get off the ground – we need more/better ways for the staff and committees to communicate with the congregation
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Ministries Brochure (available at the council-meeting) – my attempt to address a communication issue: even though it could be useful (introducing staff with our pictures, showing our shared vision, encouraging involvement in areas of gifting) it has been too time-consuming and I’ve been told it’s not professional enough, so really it points to a possible need for a more expert/devoted/part-time staff person
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Mobile Food Pantry – special discussions revisiting COS’ commitment to this
There’s a lot to digest here, but as I look back on these activities myself, I know it’s been during this time that I’ve been able to put my finger on one bigger theme of our ministry together. Probably more will emerge, but here’s what I’ve seen and want to see grow…
The Circle of Effective Outreach:
Whether or not we want to grow in the area of outreach, it’s our calling. But it’s not easy. It has great potential to be very energy-intensive draining work. After thinking about this and the congregational survey, and considering our needs as a church in a neighborhood, I’ve come to believe that In-Reach and Out-Reach must go hand in hand. This involves a view of effective outreach that is circular. It starts with a healthy congregation and people whose relational, spiritual, social needs are being met in a loving community where God is worshiped, glorified, and central to their life together. Such a community is energized to be outward focused, to reach out, to go out to the streets, and to serve. So, when we are healthy we are excited about reaching out to help others, we want to invite them to join us and see our friends—and, when we are healthy, and people come to visit, they’ll be met, welcomed, and hopefully will sense that this is a place to become healthier, where God is present, where religion is authentic and true, and so people will join us and grow and will become part of our community, and our attractiveness will grow. Perhaps it’s ideal, but in light of our strategic planning process, I think it’s worth a thought.
My Prayer Requests:
Clearly the above is a prayer-request in itself. I also need your intercessory support to be able to accommodate, communicate, publicize, and coordinate these many things and at the same time to be wise and discerning in the use of my time, in leading, and in helping address the questions our deacons and all of our outreach groups face as they do ministry.
Areas I need to find time for in the coming month will be meeting with individuals from our congregation and the community, and doing more in the area of publicity, especially b/c of upcoming events: the Thanksgiving Banquet, Christmas Gifts for Angel Tree and St. John’s Home, the Musical Drama which we’re partnering with East Paris CRC on (to be held there December 14-15), and the 100 Christmas Baskets.
Posted by: Administrator
