05/14/2019

Thrive! Equipping a Vibrant Church Together 5.21.19

Thrive! Equipping a Vibrant Church Together

Have you noticed a common word used in both our Synod vision and the Thrive campaign slogan? PAC member, Bonnie Gerber, has. It’s one of the reasons she is excited about Thrive!

What excites me about Thrive! Equipping A Vibrant Church Together is the opportunity it gives us to work together as a synod. Many things in this world seek to divide us but Thrive! has the potential to unite us regardless of our calling or our size. Thrive! has us all seeking to do God’s will in the Southern Ohio Synod territory. This campaign grew out of the visioning process begun several years ago. Our vision, Stronger and Better Together: Joining Jesus in the Restoration of the World, brings great possibility for our Synod to move into God’s preferred future as we share the Good News of Jesus Christ in the world. God blesses us by calling us together in such a time as this, to spread the gospel.

Yet, to do that we need resources. Indulge me please. Our vision, Stronger and Better Together, is the vehicle we will use to witness to the world our faith in Jesus. We, therefore, are the drivers of God’s vision. In order to make the vehicle move there must be fuel. Thrive! Equipping A Vibrant Church Together, is the fuel necessary if we are to put God’s vision into play. No matter where we are as congregations, we have the capacity to give gifts large and small so that God might multiply them.

I am excited that the word together appears in both our vision and our campaign. May we recognize what unites us as a community in Christ as we join Jesus in the restoration of the world!

Pastor Bonnie Gerber (Lead Pastor, All Saints, Worthington)

  

Thrive Campaign Goal 5

Enhancing Worship Practice: “Engage all congregations across the Synod to enhance their own worship and music opportunities, and share their resources and knowledge to assist other congregations.”

One way we envision reaching this goal is to aid congregations in building their music ministries to children. Why should we invest in this goal? Here is what one worship leader in our Synod has to say:

Why should the Southern Ohio ELCA Synod invest in children’s music? It takes a village to raise a child and a congregation to raise a choir! Lutheran congregations have a long tradition of singing adults teaching their children great hymns, knowing that faith-filled lyrics ride a melody into ears and hearts. In a time when our children may not be hearing those hymns in worship every week or receiving much music education in school, it is important for kids to have a choir where they can learn to use their God-given treble voices to embrace both heritage and contemporary Lutheran music, and work in Christian fellowship to enhance worship for the entire congregation.

Robin Stevenson (Director of Children’s Music, Prince of Peace, Loveland)

  

For further information about Thrive!, please contact Pastor Larry Donner, Thrive! Campaign Manager, at Thrive@southernohiosynod.org, or click on the Thrive Quicklink on the Synod’s website!