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Centered Ministry
In early August, Val Farmer had an article in the Fargo
Forum about the role of family in passing on the faith.
He wrote: The spiritual strength of every new generation
has its roots in parents and grandparents, in families.
Prime relationships deserve prime time.
We have come to understand and appreciate that faith is
passed on, shared, and encouraged through relationships,
especially relationships located in and through the home
and family.
With this in mind, Dilworth Lutheran began asking parents
and mentors to share the gifts of time and faith through
their involvement in the various educational ministries
of the church. In seventh and ninth grade, mentors made
up of grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, friends,
and congregation members share their gifts of faith and
time. In the 8th grade, parents and other home members participate
in a "Bible Basics" class. In both cases the involvement
of home has been a blessing. We have also implemented Milestone
Ministries that ask families to gather at various life events
from Baptism through 12 grade. It is wondrous to watch as
parents and extended family gather, support, and encourage
God's children of every age.
This fall we will begin something new… and yet not
new at all. "Gift: Generations in Faith Together"
is simply an outgrowth of what we have been doing over the
years past. GIFT is a weekly opportunity for all the generations
in the church to gather together for learning, support,
and service. GIFT will begin in October and will happen
at the same time that Sunday School used to happen; on Wednesdays
from 6:10 to 7:20 PM and Sunday's from 9:10 to 10:20 AM.
However, and this is the big change, children come with
their family or with an adult mentor and will joint with
other members/disciples from the congregation. In other
words, everyone in the congregation, from the oldest to
the youngest is not only welcomed to attend, but encouraged
to attend… and why… because each of us has been
given gifts for the building up of the body of Christ…
each of us; pastors, aims, parents, children, members, singles,
retired, middle aged…everyone has gifts to bring,
in fact "Every age has gifts we NEED and Every age
has NEEDS we gift."
Seven years ago I shared a vision for ministry. The vision
was simply this; to encourage faith in the homes of our
congregation and that by doing so we would bless not only
those homes but also homes around them as well as the community
itself. Since that time I have come to believe that such
an approach not only blesses the children, the parents,
and the grandparents, but I am more convinced now than ever
before, that we will also bless the grandchildren, the children
yet to be born, the generations yet to come. With that goal
in mind, I want to invite every home in the congregation
as well as others in the community to participate in GIFT,
as well as Milestones, as Mentors, to our Bible Basic course,
as well as the many other opportunities available in and
through the congregation. For more information, contact
either Pastor Mark or Dawn.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark
This past week I heard
an interesting statistic. For the first time in our nation’s
history there are more non-traditional homes (blended families,
single parent families, non-married families) than traditional
homes (married coupled households).
So what does it mean? I wish
I was bright enough to figure it out, but I am not. However,
what I do know is this: faith tells me that God wants to
bless the home, every home, my home, your home… us.
What seems clear from the Bible
is that God desires that we live in relationship with one
another and with him. In fact, God created us for relationships
with one another and him, from Adam and Eve to Abraham to
us. It is also clear that it is God’s desire to bless
us, our relationships, and our homes.
Oh, I realize that the “church”
is often see as an institution, a place just for Sundays
or even Wednesdays, but faith, faith is about more, faith
has to do with what we believe, our values, our relationships.
So what do “we”
believe, what do we hold to be true? What values most define
our lives and our relationships? I have often asked ‘homes’
within our congregation to list the values most important
to them. What would you list? I suspect the values most
closely related to relationships would rank the highest;
compassion, honesty, trust, and not the least love.
Dr. Leonard Sweet, professor
and author, writes:
“The difference between
an object-based church and a relation-based church is the
difference between a church that sells itself versus a church
that brings people into a living, lifelong relationship
with Christ and one another. A relational-based church is
less a place where creeds are dispensed and adherents conscripted
than a place where people can connect with God and with
one another, and where their faith journeys can be encouraged
and enabled.”
For over seven years, Dilworth
Lutheran has engaged in home focused, relationship-centered,
discipleship not membership ministry, a place where faith
journeys can be encouraged and enabled.
Our ‘whole home education’
emphasis which now includes “GIFT” is a continuation
of this focus. Instead of asking a teacher to prepare a
lesson for 40 minutes on a Sunday morning and share it with
a classroom of children, we are encouraging every home within
our congregation to engage in sharing faith and its values
with each other.
“Every night in every
home” is not simply a slogan, instead it is a reminder
that the most important relationships in our lives are most
often anchored in and through our homes and that God not
only wants to bless those relationships, to bring hope,
joy, and peace to those relationships, but he also wants
to be a part of those relationships as he calls us not into
membership, but into discipleship.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark
Worship
Sunday
Morning 8:30 AM Traditional Liturgical Communion Worship
Service
Sunday
Morning 10:30 AM Contempory Communion Worship Service
Wednesday
Night Communion Worship Service - 6:45 to 7:25 PM (Beginning
Oct 3rd)
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