MEET JOSH

Have you met Josh and Kara Gillanders? They married in 2009. Kara is one of Emmaus Road's earliest members from the late 90's; Josh recently decided to join the Road Crew, too. After talking through the Milestones to Membership, and what it means to be a committed, participating member of Emmaus Road, I invited Josh to answer a few questions that would help others become a little better acquainted with him.

1. Life Beyond Sunday: What sorts of ways do you spend your time, in work, family, and other pursuits?
My life consists of spending as much time with my wonderful wife, Kara, exercising, going to school two nights a week, working a full time job that includes every other weekend being on call, skiing in the winters as time permits, and spending as much time as possible with my family. When Kara and I are able to, we also try to travel.

2. Emmaus Road: when did you begin coming to worship? What led you to join the Road Crew?
I started coming to worship at Emmaus Road shortly after meeting Kara in 2006. More likely early 2007. Faith and God are an important part of who Kara is and as I got to know her better, their importance in my life also increased, as did my understanding. What led me to join the Road Crew was in part my upbringing in the church and Emmaus Road's overall atmosphere: one where people are welcome regardless of their background, non-judgmental, and acceptance of you no matter what. This stands in stark contrast to a lot of churches out there and why I did not attend church for a long time.

3. Faith: is there anything you could share about what you have been learning about God, yourself, or faith?
I have learned and re-learned just how powerful and loving God is. How He accepts you and loves you unconditionally without judgment. He holds you accountable to be sure, but always forgives. As a result of this, I have learned and am continuing to learn the value of patience, love, and what it means to be a Christian and how it influences my daily life as well as my interactions with family, friends, and co-workers/colleagues. I have learned and am continuing to experience just how tough "having faith" can be, but with God, it's much easier to remember what it takes and that He will never give me more than I can't handle.

BECOMING ROOTED & LINKED - A NEW BRANCH

Have you ever read Romans 16? Paul names a long list of people and places linked together as churches who belong to THE Church; households and congregations linked together, who support one another. Though they were rooted in a certain part of Rome, or some other region, or are identified with particular host or leader, there was a sense of connection between them.

What does this have to do with Emmaus Road? One of the nine ROOTS & BRANCHES our church discerned as a ministry priority is for us to grow beyond our sense of "rootedness" to becoming more "linked". Our sister churches of the Christian Reformed Cluster in Seattle, our neighborhood partners in the Belltown Covenant, our colaborers in the Gospel for whom we intercede, and others - these are like the people and groups listed in Romans 16 in our context. How can we support one another, collaborate, and share, for the sake of the Kingdom?

How do envision Emmaus Road could be more linked? Is this an area of growth that interests you? Let your pastor know.

Check out the ROOTED & LINKED video.

YOUNG EMMAUS ROAD COUPLE SEEKS HELP

Rob & Kristin ask Emmaus Road for help. Expecting a new child soon, they know Kristin's maternity leave will end by the beginning of February. Daycare at her place of employment is for 1 year olds and up; this first year, they need to find someone trustworthy and reliable to watch their infant for 10 to 16 hours per week in their home.

Hours: mon-fri from 4pm to 7:30pm at the latest
Pay: about $10 per hour

If interested, contact Pastor Likkel who can provide Rob and Kristin's phone numbers.

ROAD CREW MINUTES, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Meeting over lunch following worship

Goals of Meeting:
1. Presentation: Time to Try Some New Things:
• Children’s Ministry; Parenting Beyond Sunday
2. Invitation to participate
3. Blessing on leaders, volunteers

NOTES

PRESENTATION: TIME TO TRY SOME NEW THINGS

INTRO:

Throughout year of listening, Pastor able to interview about 90% parents.
• Affirmations: parents/kids participating in Godly Play program report positive experiences w/Matt and Godly Play stories; parents also grateful for relationships between various adults from congregation and children; Groundworks Sunday projects important to children, as well as adults
• Shared concern: from several parents, desire for something during sermon & prayer times on Sunday mornings to be offered for children not quite ready to stay/participate through entire worship service; current Godly Play program during worship great, but geared to younger children (roughly pre-school through 1st/2nd grade); TIME TO TRY SOMETHING NEW
• Regarding Parenting Beyond Sunday, couple specific issues emerged; few ideas for us to explore.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY; HOW WE ARRIVED AT THIS POINT; WHERE WE GO FROM HERE
After considering concerns voiced during parent interviews, Pastor convened small brainstorm group in July, including Children's Ministry Deacon Teresa Elenbaas, Godly Play team member Rennie Araucto, and Children's Ministry volunteer Angie R.; proposal from this group offered to Council, August 4; Council's main concerns included possible burnout among parent volunteers, since this is a NEW program added to other Children's Ministry activities; Council also affirmed that Emmaus Road values participation of children/youth during worship. Those concerns voiced, Council approved launch of this program on trial basis.
• Program was announced in August eWeeklies
• Sunday, September 18: Godly Play will resume, but only session for younger children during service; the 9:30AM session formerly prior to worship will be suspended, at least temporarily, as we try new program for older kids during worship. Angie R. will lead Big Kids’ Bible Workshop (current name of new program) on trial basis, every other Sunday for several months.

Important: this program is a trial only; Angie and Teresa need help and welcome further input and participation; many details are still being determined. This program can only move forward if a strong handful of volunteers come together as a team.

PARENTING BEYOND SUNDAY
Pastor Likkel listened to Emmaus Road parents talk about how they nurture their children's faith beyond Sunday, as well as ways they remember their own parents modeling faith in Christ; a couple issues emerged. Addressing these issues like nurturing spiritual "roots"; will help strengthen families and church.

1. One issue is that of recognizing our role as Christian parents; we are called to care and pray for our children, and communicate faith in word and deed at home and throughout life together in our families. This role not always acknowledged; often parents tempted to turn over faith development of children to others.
2. Related to this, other issue for us to address as a church is how our own relationship with God can become transparent to our children; we cannot answer all questions, nor live perfectly as disciples, nor model sainthood always, but we must reveal to our children how Gospel of Jesus, our personal redemption, and presence of his Spirit, impact our lives and relationships

What do we do about these two issues; how do we nurture these roots? Few things we can explore:

1. sharing of stories, what seems to be working (or not) in our homes; sharing of favorite resources, books, film, etc.;
2. learning events, such as Children in the Faith Community: Continuing the Conversation, Thursday, October 13, 11:30am - 1:30pm, Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Seattle and Children, Youth and Family Ministry in the 21st Century, Monday, October 24 · 6:30pm - 9:00pm, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Lynwood.

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
Rather than engage in large group Q&A after the presentation, Pastor Likkel invited anyone interested to come over to the front table to discuss the new Children's Ministry program with himself, Deacon Teresa Elenbaas or Angie R. following the prayer and dismissal.

BLESSING of LEADERS, VOLUNTEERS
To close the meeting, Pastor Likkel invited each of the Children's Ministry leaders, volunteers, parents, grandparents, and finally the entire "spiritual family" of Emmaus Road to stand; a prayer asking for blessing, spiritual support, and guidance was offered as we launch into a new season of ministry.

ROAD CREW MINUTES, JUNE 12, 2011

12:10 Road Crew welcomed; pizza was served; agenda was stated

12:05 Pastor presented NINE SIGNS OF GROWTH, or NINE PIECES OF VISION (see details in agenda):

Rooted/Linked (see video)

Visibility

Evangelism Beyond Sunday; 1 Peter 3:15

Dads/Dudes multiplied

Parenting Beyond Sunday

Church Big instead of Big Church; Joshua 17:14-18

$ Discipline

Deacons – more

Get To versus Have To

12:40 Pastor explains how church will pursue these changes:

Each/every church member encouraged to discern how personal passions, gifts, experience overlap with one or more area; communicate back to Pastor/Council

Council to organize, launch teams of members to oversee and cultivate each area of growth.

Pastor commits to keeping NINE SIGNS visible, recasting vision(s), keeping them in Council agendas, and reflecting these from pulpit and in liturgy on Sundays, too.

Q&A

Not many comments/questions; one member appreciates Pastor's pledge to keep NINE SIGNS visible in front of church so they do not fade into "flavor of the month" forgotten words.

Financial update showed improvement in monthly income/expense ratio; no cuts currently advised (picture below); if giving remains consistent through summer, outlook for next year brighter.

12:45 Reminder to sign up to participate; members also asked to make Elder nominations by next Sunday, June 19.

Next Road Crew - September 11, 2011; Agenda = Children's Ministry and Parent Ministry launch; $ update.

Final prayer offered; Road Crew dismissed.

ROAD CREW AGENDA JUNE 12, 2011

Goals of Meeting:

1. Receive Council Proposal
2. Q&A
3. Sign Up to participate

_______________________________________

12:00 WELCOME ROAD CREW; STATE AGENDA

12:05 PRESENTATION: NINE SIGNS OF GROWTH

12:20 PROPOSAL: NEXT STEPS

Road Crew; Council; Pastor

12:25 Q&A re: PROPOSAL

12:45 SIGN UP; DISMISSAL

NINE SIGNS OF GROWTH, or NINE PIECES OF VISION: Details

Rooted/Linked (see video)

· Cooperate w/churches, ministries, for greater programming, training, community service, fellowship, administrative efficiency, church planting, etc.

· Leverage established relationships w/Seattle CRC Cluster; Belltown Covenant partners; Parish Collective; other?

Visibility:

· Improve access to church community/ministry; not about niche marketing, pen switching, sheep stealing

Evangelism Beyond Sunday; 1 Peter 3:15

· Embrace story of our name, Emmaus Road; acknowledge how introducing people to Jesus begins “out there” with EACH OF US, even if it someday leads to Sunday

· Embrace evangelism/discipleship among “non-churchable”

· Gospel transparency among each of us; have hope; be prepared to explain

Dads/Dudes multiplied

· Social activity of Emmaus Road as important as worship, bible study, community development

· Should be multiplied for women, parents, other groupings?

· Simple “structure” and low expectations seem to help it happen

Parenting Beyond Sunday

· Families need to be equipped for evangelism/discipleship @ home

· As Mon-Sat. faith development strengthened, Sunday programs put in proper perspective

· Generations of neglect/passivity in church culture requires persistent challenging

Church Big instead of Big Church; Joshua 17:14-18

· Different measurements of ministry yield insight into how “small” churches can make significant impact in people’s lives; God multiplies

· Related to vision of Emmaus Road becoming more Rooted/Linked

$ Discipline

· Continue changing culture of complacency into culture of urgency around $ generosity, sharing, faithful tithing

· Embrace sacrificial giving as important part of every Christian’s response to Gospel (get to, not have to)

Deacons – more

· Beyond current Elders and acknowledged Deacons, there are others who could benefit from joining leadership Council, working not as isolated, occasional responders, but regularly contributing, equipped leaders

Get To versus Have To

· Changing experience, feelings, and perceptions around serving and ministering, from “I have to do my duty” to “I get to participate in God’s work with my gifts/resources”

· Address specific issues, including:

- isolation

- stuck in thankless role; under appreciated

- feeling over-extended; saddled with multiple layers of responsibility

- Nursery/Godly Play volunteers missing out on worship

- Misperceptions of magnitude; a look at actual numbers of Sundays assigned may reveal load to be lighter than one thinks (e.g.; only 12 Sundays of Godly Play this upcoming fall)

· Discern how to evaluate support/equip each other to thrive in service

· Carefully set expectations, rather than blindly inherit

· Celebrate what we get from giving, what we learn in serving

ELDER CANDIDATE POOL

Finally, Road Crew, I am able to furnish a list of potential Elder nominees:

Cornell Blackwell, Mike Elenbaas, Biff Gaitan, Erin Fullner-McCready, Dan Ruiter, Reba Ruiter

Road Crew members, pray and discern, by Sunday June 19, two people you will nominate from this list to step into the Elder role at Emmaus Road, serving from summer 2011 through summer 2013 or beyond. I will receive your two nominations via email, in person, on a slip of paper folded up in the white box, by telephone, or any other discreet means you would like to employ. After receiving all of your nominations by June 19, I will talk to the individuals the church is affirming and discern with them whether they are ready and willing to accept this leadership role. I hope to have clearly identified Elders by Sunday June 26. Pray for the Lord's guidance throughout this process; it is a collective effort that God wants us each of us to carry out in faith.

Incidentally, if the list seems like it could be longer and more inclusive, consider the following: the Elder candidate pool begins larger, but then is paired down to Road Crew members who

- are not currently serving as an Elder (or recently stepping away from Elder role)

- are not married to an Elder

- have not requested having their name removed from the list of potential Elder candidates

Read more about this process.