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01/21/2020

Thrive! eBlast for 1.21.20

Amazing Campaign at Emmanuel, Germantown!

“When people see hope for the future and an opportunity to make that hope become reality, there is nothing they cannot do!”

That appears to be the viewpoint of the gracious people at Emmanuel, Germantown, who concluded their Thrive! campaign on December 15th. This small but mighty congregation, with an average worship attendance of about 30-35 people, committed to giving $5,440 to Thrive! And all we can say is, “Wow!”

The results at Emmanuel exemplify the excitement the Thrive! Mission Campaign is generating, and how hopeful people become as they learn about the campaign goals and see the benefits of initiatives already being launched. We cannot thank the members of Emmanuel enough for their amazing support and helping to set the pace for the rest of us.

 

New Thrive Training Date Set

Another opportunity to train “Congregation Leaders” to lead your Thrive! campaign has been scheduled for:

Saturday, February 22nd
Zion Lutheran, 10 N Breiel Blvd, Middletown
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

This training is necessary for your designated Thrive! Congregation Leader(s) if you plan to take part in the Thrive! Mission Campaign.

Please register in advance so that we may have adequate amounts of Campaign Manuals, brochures, bulletin inserts, and other printed Thrive! materials on hand for your congregation.

To register, please email Thrive@SouthernOhioSynod.org and include:

  • the name and address of your congregation
  • the email address and preferred phone number of the Congregation Leader and any others who will be attending

Pastors and Stewardship Team members are encouraged to attend the training so that they may use the knowledge gained for future special needs and/or stewardship campaigns of the congregation.

Update!

Over 120 Congregation Leaders from 54 congregations across the Synod have now been trained to conduct Thrive! campaigns, and over $405,500 has been committed by individuals and congregations across the Synod.

Thanks for helping our Synod thrive!

 

Clarification for Retired Rostered Leaders and Spouses

Retired rostered leaders and their spouses may give their Thrive! contributions to their congregation, designate them for Thrive, and have the congregation pass it on to the synod OR they may send donations directly to the synod, payable to the synod and designated for Thrive. Either way is acceptable although we suggest directing donations through congregations. Appropriate IRS charitable contribution acknowledgments will be provided in either case.

 

Register for “Effective Congregation Council” Training

Generous advance gifts to the Thrive! campaign are allowing us to move forward now in implementing some campaign initiatives, including a return engagement of:

Effective Congregation Council Training

February 18th
Epiphany Lutheran Church, Centerville
6430 Far Hills Ave, Dayton
7:00 -9:00 p.m.

The goal is that Council members reflect on their time of service on the Council as the highlight of their service to the church. Yes! Really! This workshop can help lead to an effective council that positions the church to thrive in today’s world.

Who Should Attend?

Council members, pastors and other church leaders should attend Effective Congregation Council training to increase skills in:

  • Developing and working from a strategic plan
  • Focusing on fiduciary, governance, and generative issues
  • Making the best use of time with consent agenda, a purpose for every meeting, and other tactics
  • Having the meeting itself be spiritually fulfilling
  • Leadership development

ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Send an email with the name, phone number, email address and leadership role (e.g. President; Council member) of each attendee to: Thrive@SouthernOhioSynod.org.

Here’s what one participant at the Worthington workshop said:

I was blessed to attend the Thrive! Effective Congregation Council Training this past fall.  I was not sure what to expect.  I knew going in that my home church could always improve, but how? I was blown away by how informative and relevant the concepts were for my professional and church worlds.  My time at the training flew by so quickly.  I wanted to know more and could have stayed longer to learn more.  I have come to embrace these adaptive leadership concepts and skills and am applying them as I walk with my church in forming our new “Vision Council”. 

Alissa Yakali, Council President, Trinity Lutheran, Marysville

 

Workshop leader:

Mike Ward, CFRE—Partner with GSB Fundraising.  Mike is a 1997 graduate of Trinity Lutheran Seminary and has served on the board of the ELCA Youth Ministry Network and on the ELCA Church Council.  Mike studies best practices of non-profit boards and applies those practices to congregation councils. His passion for this topic is related to his desire for organizations to thrive in their fundraising, and that without effective boards leading the organization, the funding of those organizations will naturally struggle.

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