Summer here @ first 2017

united methodist church

here@

FIRST Summer 2017

Believing in the

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FUTURE

here@

FIRST

SUMMER 2017 Distributed by First United Methodist Church

IN THIS ISSUE 3

EXECUTIVE STAFF Senior Pastor Bob Ruedebusch Executive Assistant Pam Knuth

Letter From Pastor Bob

CONNECT @ FIRST

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Minister of Children, Youth & Family Andrea Johnson High School Coordinator Curtis Mittendorf

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Calendar of Events

Children’s Coordinator/Kidstop Director Kassidi Smith

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Where Have I Seen Jesus

Connections Director Lynne Jones

WORSHIP @ FIRST Modern Worship Director Pastor Taylor Johnson Traditional/Unity Worship Director Kelby Fode Organist Marcia Klimes

CARE @ FIRST Minister of Pastoral Care Pastor Bill Schmeling

SUPPORT STAFF Director of Administration Tami Prostrollo

@firstchurchsf

Financial Administrator Sarah Callahan Receptionist Jeri Floyd

@firstchurchsf

Administrative/Foundation Assistant Jill Johnson

SiouxFallsFirstUMC

Librarian Cynthia McConniel

www.sfumc.org

FACILITY MANAGEMENT Facilities Director Jacob Forstein

firstchurchsf

Custodians Don Jones, Tovia Forstein, Donna Plank

@firstchurchsf

United Day Care Director Judy Jacobs

A sanctuary of Christian hope, love and encouragement in the heart of Sioux Falls.

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EQUIPPING the SAINTS with Senior Pastor Bob Ruedebusch Church Consultative Initiative (MCCI). It is hard to believe it has been three years!

For we who have lived in South Dakota for many years’ summer is a season rich with celebrating life in the outdoors. Summer is a season of relaxation, family gatherings and outdoor activities.

We have had some very wonderful and positive outcomes. In other areas, we have needed to tweak I am thrilled to announce we have reached our and rethink the ways Pastor Bob goal of $1.3 million with our Beyond the Building: we addressed the Believing in the Future!!! Praise be prescriptions. For the next six to God! Thank you for each gift months, our Church Council will be and pledge given to help us in our Thank you for each reviewing our prescriptions to set ministry of hospitality and spiritual gift and pledge goals and ministry opportunities growth. given to help us for the next three years.

This summer our sermon series in June and July will look at Romans chapters 5-8. As you enjoy the summer take the time to read and pray through these chapters for your own spiritual health.

You may remember that the $1.3 in our ministry of We continue to use our million will only finance half of the Prayer Initiative to hospitality and Breakthrough improvements for which you as a invite the Spirit of God to guide congregation expressed a desire. spiritual growth. us and lead us as we continue to We would love to be able to say move forward to be a sanctuary of we have raised enough money to cover the entire Christian hope, love and encouragement in the $ 2.4 million needed to complete all those projects. heart of Sioux Falls. Enjoy your summer and don’t A couple of the items that we would love to put forget to worship! back on the list are a facelift for the Sanctuary and an updated nursery in the Memorial Room. It isn’t Blessings, too late to pledge or give a one-time gift to help include these projects.

In this issue of here@first, we are focusing on the evaluative report of our three-year Missional

Pastor Bob

It is in deep gratitude and praise to God that I can announce that a charitable remainder trust gift of $842,200 has been made to our church by William “Bill” Leopard’s family. Bill and his family have a 70-year relationship with us. His request is that ½ of the gift be used for the general expenses of the church and the other ½ to support the Church Library. Our Bequest Committee is working on final plans for use of the funds to be approved by our Church Council. Praise God for servants who offer God glory and praise through their giving to God.

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Churchwide Mission Alignment  Equipping the Saints Churchwide Missional Alignment to be referred to now as “Equipping the Saints” Prescriptions

• To ensure that staff time and energy is most efficiently aligned to support recommendations.

• To provide the staff skills to empower, train and involve more laity for ministry.

Successes

• Moved from an organizational structure with one Senior Pastor and one Associate Pastor, to one with a Lead Pastor and specialized staff to include an Administrative Director, a Minister of Children, Youth and Families and an Executive Secretary.

• Better implementation of our current technology.

• Children and youth ministry leaders are better equipped.

• More attentive to the needs and desires of the congregation.

Improvements Needed

• Better equip and train the congregation on making disciples.

What Is Next • We will implement a plan to track the involvement of our members so we can measure the success of how we are equipping God’s people.

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“We Love Our Neighbors” Missional Partnership Making a Difference in Our Neighborhood We love our neighbor’s missional partnership to be referred to now as “Making a Difference in Our Neighborhood” Prescriptions

• Form a Task Force whose work will create a signature missional partnership that will engage all ages in the congregation with hands-on opportunities to love and serve specific needs of the neighborhood.

• Every First UMC committee, group and ministry will choose one or more ways to serve and contribute to the First UMC missional partnership.

• Year end all-church celebration to celebrate the partnership.

Successes

• Built a relationship with our neighbors at Summit Heights by serving an evening meal every 3 weeks.

• Prayed for each child by name, helped purchase books and served as mentors at Lowell Elementary.

Improvements Needed

• Provide opportunities for everyone to participate at Lowell or Summit Heights.

What Is Next

• The Serve First Ministry Team will work to redefine the mission of this prescription.

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Door to Core  Introducing Others to Christ’s Love Door to Core to be referred to now as “Introducing Others to Christ’s Love” Prescriptions

• Identify a Newcomer Readiness Lead Team to spearhead the processes needed to welcome, connect with and assimilate guests as effectively as possible.

• Development of signage inside the building.

• Website improvement to enhance appearance, usability and technical capability.

• New and relevant “branding” for all First UMC publications and other materials.

• A strategy to address safety needs for those coming to and going from the church building in the evening.

Successes • • • • •

Developed an outstanding Connections Team.

Upgraded directional signage.

MayDay Sioux Falls in the spring.

Epic Block Party in the fall.

Live @ First concerts throughout the year.

Improvements Needed

• Our Connections Team needs to be available not only at the beginning of the event but also at the end of the event to help direct people out of our building.

What Is Next

• Create a better method of follow up on our guests.

• Add better directional signage to our restrooms and possibly our Sanctuary.

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Believing in the

FUTURE

We reached our foundational goal of to improve our facility so we can new disciples of Jesus Chris

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E

f $1.3 million n make st.

Let’s finish the job by raising enough additional money to fulfill the desires expressed earlier in the year!

An additional $150,000 will mean we can improve the nursery, repair the roof and enhance the lighting in the choir loft.

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Worship Excellence  Worship Excellence Worship Excellence will continue to be referred to as “Worship Excellence” Prescriptions

• Move the Sunday morning contemporary worship location to the gym.

• Identify a new location for Sunday morning community breakfast.

• Recommend steps for increased vitality, energy and clarity of worship style in all Sunday morning worship services.

• Promote “flow” and connectedness of all services.

• Promote “user-friendliness” for newcomers.

• Make sound system adjustments for optimal ability to understand speaking and preaching.

Successes • • • •

Created a truly multi-generational Unity service.

Sound upgrades in the Sanctuary and via our live-stream broadcast.

Launched a new contemporary service in the Multi-Purpose Room.

Created an opening video announcement that is used at all 3 services.

Improvements Needed

• Encourage our choir members to reach out and become role model leaders for the congregation.

What Is Next

• Use music that is more familiar to the general population.

• Rethink our use of the Sunday morning News & Events handout.

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Next Generation  Next Generation Disciples Next Generation to be referred to now as “Next Generation Disciples” Prescriptions • Identify a Children/Youth/Family Initiative Team that will learn and then implement practices to best connect with, engage, assimilate and disciple new families with children and teens.

• Identify an Upward Basketball Strategy Team by or before January 2015.

Successes • • • •

Created the Next Generation Team.

Implemented weekly activities that involve the entire community for Advent.

Actively discerning the needs of our middle and high school youth.

Added an additional 10am Sunday school hour for students.

Improvements Needed • Work diligently with those from Equipping the Saints to grow an amazing team to mentor new folks that come to our church.

• More work needs to be done to address the spiritual needs of our youth.

What Is Next • Rethink how we present our Wednesday evening programing as the children from our neighborhood are beginning to attend and have different needs then we anticipated.

• Youth Ministry will explore ways to rebrand itself away from Sunday School/Bible study to something that includes not only education but fun and friendships as well.

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JULY 18

JULY 26

TONIC SOL FA

ICE CREAM SOCIAL

5:30pm ­— Catered Dinner with Chef Dominique 7pm ­— Concert in Sanctuary

4:30-6:30pm — ­ Multi-Purpose Room

Tonic Sol fa 2016

AUG 19

AUG 23

SAMARITAN’S FEET

MEN’S SEASON OPENER

9am-Noon ­— Multi-Purpose Room

4-8pm — ­ Leif Ericson Day Camp

SEP 9

SEP 10

EPIC BLOCK PARTY

KICK OFF

9am-1pm ­— Parking Lot

All classes and services resume fall schedule.

EPIC!

BLOCK PARTY 10

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Where Did I See Jesus?

FIRST

United Methodist Church

First United Methodist Church 401 S. Spring Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57104-4398 605-336-3652

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #606 Sioux Falls, SD

E-mail: fumc@sfumc.org Website: www.sfumc.org Address Service Requested

Join us this summer as we delve into God’s grace in Romans 5-8.

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