Mission Working Groups
Fairmount Presbyterian Church Mission Study Report March 2020 – January 2021
The congregation has experienced multiple transitions in the last twenty-five years, and has been challenged by staff changes, levels of stewardship, periods of moderate conflict, major changes in Christian religious education and membership decline. To create a unified, enlivening path forward, Session engaged an outside consultant to assist us in doing an extensive Mission Study. The consultant was the Rev. Gregg Carlson from the organization, Convergence, formerly the Center for Progressive Renewal. Convergence supports the reshaping of organizations, congregations and leaders engaged in an age of movement from “organized religion” to “organizing religion”, driven by the values of an inclusive, progressive theological vision for a more just world for all. The Convergence consultation process began in March 2020. The process was radically different from what we initially imagined due to the pandemic, but we forged ahead and engaged larger numbers of the congregation than we anticipated in a completely virtual context.
Revision Second Summit November 21, 2020
The ongoing work of the Mission Working Groups was presented on November 21, 2020. Below you will find the ReVision Webinar video, the panelist presentations, and a copy of the webinar chat and Q&A.
ReVision Second Summit Presentations:
MISSION WORKING GROUPS
On September 26th, 65 of us gathered for a virtual congregational Summit to brainstorm on several important ministry areas critical to the future of Fairmount Church. This was the culmination of the spring congregational survey, summer small groups, an assessment written by our consultant, Rev. Gregg Carlson, and demographics from Mission Insite. It was exciting to see each other’s faces and to dream about ministry and mission together. Now it’s time for the next phase.
Working groups were formed to develop ministry plans for the following four areas which surfaced during the Summit:
1. Re-engaging the community
2. Re-connecting the church
3. Embracing diversity and intentional anti-racism
4. Becoming a catalyst for mission and social change
These were short term groups, meeting virtually four times on weekends or evenings, and virtually reporting back the weekend of November 21st/22nd. Rev. Carlson will meet with each group to help develop the specific initiatives discussed during the Summit.
The size of the groups is limited, so please sign up soon if you have the time, interest and ability for this short-term effort. We’re on our way to continue the momentum leading up to the church for a new settled senior pastor!
A special thank you to all of our Summer Small Group Leaders:
- Peter and Nicki Bush
- Jim and Karen Daikin
- Doris Evans
- Grant Gannon
- Carl Hoffman
- Brenda Horth
- Amy Nordstrom
- Susan Kent and Ben Speers
- Jewel Williams
And our Summit Facilitators:
- Raleigh Duttweiler
- Anjannette Hall
- Brenda Horth
- Christina Seekely
- Sarah Stone
Thanks for your faithful investment in Fairmount Church!
