Here are resources for presenting
our shared work to your congregation

January 30, 2024

Ohio Conference Delegates,

Thank you for the comments, edits and questions at the five cluster meetings. Being present at each meeting was valuable for me. Hearing that many felt the strategic plan was familiar was heartening. The facilitator and Strategic Planning Team listened intently to capture the essence of significant amounts of feedback.

This resource packet includes seven documents to help you prepare for conversation with your congregation.

 

Please refer to the facilitation plan for objectives. Your congregation depends on you to communicate information as well as the “sense of the meeting” which you attended. Thank you for your thoughtfulness in this process.

Some parts of the strategic plan seek to maintain familiar parts of Ohio Conference. This is on purpose, because these elements of Ohio Conference continue to be meaningful. Other parts of the strategic plan point to elements that will be new and point toward the future. This is also on purpose, because change is part of leaning into the future. Change might feel uncomfortable, even scary. New things can also spark a spirit of adventure. Both are normal responses, so we don’t want to shame each other.

You helped create the document over the last 20 months, yet it will be new to many in your congregation. Consider times when you had to lean into change; what strengthened your trust in the face of unknowns? What helped you adopt a spirit of adventure? How can you welcome people’s concerns and sow seeds of trust?

Finally, remember to pray for Annual Conference Assembly (ACA).

  • Pray for delegate work – Delegates tend the organization so it remains healthy.
  • Pray for spiritual transformation as we invite Meghan Larissa Good to help us imagine a Jesus-centered Christianity. Invite one or two people to come with you for those sessions.

Thanks again for your careful work.

 

Grace,

Dan Miller

Interim Conference Minister