Wesley United Methodist Church

A Look Forward to 2018

            Now is the time for the age-old tradition of the New Year’s Resolution, when people choose ways to become better in the new year. I’m resolving to become more physically fit and to drop twenty pounds. Importantly, I’ve been talking to friends about it and actually making some plans about how I’m going to accomplish this goal. I know from past experience that if I just make the resolution to myself and don’t have anyone to hold me accountable to it, it’s likely that I’ll fail in staying committed to my goal. I can’t do it alone. I need other people to help me become the best that I can be.

Wesley UMC has resolved to become a healthier church in 2018. Our leadership has decided that the church will enter into the Healthy Church Initiative, a conference program that will give us consulting, coaching, and accountability to fulfill our resolution. We’re blessed to be selected to participate in this program. Only three other churches (St. Paul’s UMC-Mendota Heights, St. Francis UMC-St. Francis, Grace UMC-Paynesville) were invited by Bishop Ough to be a part of this year’s cohort, who particularly cited the strength of our lay leaders as a major factor in the decision to include us.

Just like with my personal resolution, our church needs this outside help and encouragement to hold us accountable to our goals. As a result of the Healthy Church Initiative, our congregation is expected to become:

• more prayerful,
• more inviting and hospitable,
• more passionate in our worship,
• more generous,
• more committed to healing a broken world,
• and better equipped as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Steps are already being taken to initiate Breakthrough Prayer in our church, so be prepared to start working towards a better prayer life in the next few months. We will also begin a Self-Study assessment of our congregation and community, including interviews with community leaders.

Our church is scheduled to host a consulting team on the weekend of October 12-14, 2018. This team will spend the weekend meeting with members of the congregation, interviewing lay leaders, and worshipping with us on Sunday morning. Please mark this weekend on your calendars and plan to be present! Together with the Self-Study data, the consulting weekend will give the basis for several strategic recommendations for Wesley UMC from the consulting team. If we choose to accept these recommendations, we will get ongoing coaching to guide us in achieving our goals.

Other happenings in January:

• Our Wesley Wednesdays after-school program will resume on January 3^rd and will now be open to children at Greenhaven, in addition to Washington and Lincoln schools. We have committed to providing bus transportation each week from these schools to our building through May 16^th and we anticipate adding 10-15 new children to the program as a result. If you have been thinking about volunteering with the Wesley Wednesdays program, I encourage you to get in touch with Connie Bloom to get added to the schedule. You will be blessed!
• Start signing up for Lenten small-group studies! This year, we are making three different studies available: Half Truths by Adam Hamilton, Talking with God by Adam Weber, and The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen (one of my personal favorite books). The studies will take place following our Wednesday Lenten soup suppers from February 21-March 28. More information and sign-up sheets will be available at the church beginning this month.
• The youth group is planning to sell sub sandwiches on Super Bowl Sunday as a fundraiser for upcoming activities. Be on the lookout to buy sandwiches for your viewing party!

Pastor Andy