From the Desk of Pastor Ted…

Month of June (most recent on bottom)
Sunday Bulletin Articles and Newsletter Information

 

June 5, 2008

Welcome to the First Thursday Evening Service of the Summer

The services on Thursday night will be distinctive from what happens on Sunday morning.  The overall structure will be the same (Gathering, Word, Meal, and Sending) but the various liturgy elements, scripture readings, and overall message will be different.  I’ll be leading the service in a much more informal manner, playing guitar and such, and I’ll try to involve others from time to time as well.

      So… join us when you can on Thursday evenings during the summer, even if you worship on Sunday.  Let the Thursday worship amplify your spiritual life.

 

June 15, 2008

Healthy Congregations – Family Systems – Systems Thinking – or just “Systems”

I tend to use these terms listed just above interchangeably.  The Healthy Congregations program is a series of six 5-session workshops created by Rev. Dr. Peter Steinke, church consultant.  The program is based upon Family Systems theory as created by Dr. Murray Bowen and as applied to congregational life by Rev. Dr. Edwin Friedman.  Systems is more general word for a way of thinking about emotional forces and relationships.  Systems is a key ingredient of Intentional Interim Ministry and I’m teaching the theory in a number of ways at St. John’s.

      The staff has been studying Systems concepts on a weekly basis.  We are working ourselves into the second workshop at this time.  I’m also teaching these concepts in a weekly class on Tuesday mornings (from 9:00 to 11:00 AM.)  My wife, Joan, is providing another approach to learning and applying Systems ideas in 45 minute sessions on Sunday mornings after worship… which will be focusing more on some of the renovation questions being considered at St. John’s.  I believe that the ideas being learned can be very helpful to St. John’s staff and leaders as we continue working together on various questions and issues of the congregation.

      You are welcomed to be part of these discussions and classes.  Please recognize that what is occurring during the summer months is more of an introductory process than the actual Healthy Congregations program (neither Joan nor I are presenting the full workshops using the participant manuals.)  It is a great way to at least begin the learning and growth processes that can occur with Healthy Congregations workshops and Systems Theory.  Please join us.

Thursday Worship Services – 6:30 PM – All Summer

The Thursday Worship Services will be much more informal than Sunday morning… and completely different from Sunday worship in terms of themes, scripture, message, etc.  Join us!!

 

June 23, 2008

Summer Recreation: A Chance to “Re-Create” (Newsletter Devotion)

I’ve enjoyed mispronouncing the word “recreation” to make the prefix stand out… RE-creation… as in to create anew… again and again.  It is what happens if we have the chance to engage in effective recreation activities… we find ourselves refreshed, renewed, re-energized… with a new sense of being.  This refreshment and renewal is a result of our recreational activity… and is something that we ourselves usually shape… thus, we are in the position of being a creator of a new self.

      Think with me about some of the dynamics of effective recreation.  Sometimes, recreation is best when occurring outside of normal, everyday activities – whatever they might be.  We sometimes choose to travel to a different place or become involved in a different way to live.  When one goes camping, one is choosing a different lifestyle for a while.  When one goes hiking, one often is choosing a more challenging or strenuous activity, often in an unfamiliar place.  When one strolls down a sandy beach or lounges in a chair to read a book, the goal might be more about experiencing relaxation and sedentary bliss.  Usually, such activities are recreational when they are somehow different from the norm… with a hoped-for goal of renewal and refreshment.

      Summertime is a time chosen by many people to experience re-creational activities.  That will be the case at St. John’s.  We are not just “marking time” until a “real” pastor comes to lead the congregation through the pastoral office.  I’m encouraging people to make the most of the interim-time.  It is a chance to be in a “new” place, doing some different activities from the norm… for the purpose of renewal… to be refreshed… to re-create selves and community for the sake of the congregation’s present and future.  Make the most of the interim time.  Be involved in the activities.  Rebuild your relationships with other congregational members.  Be an active part of the processes that will lead toward a new regular pastoral call at St. John’s.

 

June 23, 2008 Newsletter

Some Basic Information – and More

Although I haven’t heard too many questions about interim ministry or specific plans, I thought I should write a letter that addresses a number of things relative to our current circumstances and situation.

Interim Contract with Council

My relationship with St. John’s is different from what is often referred to as a regular call.  A regular call from a congregation to a pastor is established by the vote of a special congregational meeting.  When accepted by the pastor and approved by the synod bishop, the regular call begins at a determined date.  A regular call is an open-ended, ongoing relationship between the congregation and the pastor and is described by various constitutional documents.

      My relationship with St. John’s is different.  I am under a specialized call from the synod council (through the congregations I serve) that is established by mutual agreement with the congregation’s COUNCIL, bishop and me.  A contract is drawn up with input from all three parties.  It carries a number of specific items, including:

• that I am accountable to the council and synod bishop (as different from being accountable to the congregation as is the case in a regular call)
• that I will not be considered for the vacant pastoral position of the congregation
• that this short term interim contract can be extended as needed and wanted by the council
• the compensation and mutual agreements
• that the contract may be ended by any of the three contract parties with a 30 day notice

Whose Idea Was Intentional Interim Ministry?

When St. John’s leadership met with Bishop Justman relative to Pastor Joel Olsen’s retirement, one available option was to make use of the synod’s Intentional Interim Ministry program.  I’m not sure what other specific options were discussed since I wasn’t part of the conversation, but I know that congregations make use of a number of different options when considering the time between regular pastoral calls.

      To make a firm decision, the council contacted me to set up a conversational interview.  Because I was completing an interim contract the day before St. John’s council wanted to enter into a new interim contract I was a likely person to be considered.

      I’ve already described my primary “agenda” for an interim time – Five Developmental Tasks for a congregation and Five Process Tasks for an interim pastor.  I’ve offered a short description about these at: http://tedjohanson.org/2008/05/08/from-the-desk-newsletter/

      So… whose idea was it to enter an interim ministry contract?  The council made the choice given the various options presented by the bishop.

The Synod is Providing a Salary Subsidy

When setting up an interim contract it is hoped to keep the congregation’s level of compensation to the interim consistent with that of the previous pastor.  It is also hoped to keep an interim pastor’s compensation current with minimum synod compensation guidelines.

      To accomplish these two goals, St. John’s will compensate me in 2008 at the congregation’s budgeted pastoral compensation level of $86,000.00 (total annual amount) and the synod will supplement that compensation with $5,796.18 (annual) for a total annual compensation of  $91,796.18 per year (or $7,649.68 per month.)  These amounts include all compensation, benefits, reimbursements, expenses, etc.  This total is more than $3,000.00 less than my contract in 2007.

      This is helpful information relative to the call process.  At what level will the congregation support its next pastor?  How well is the congregation supporting its current spending plan?  What stewardship and finance issues need to be addressed during the interim?

Worship Planning – Monthly Flow of Styles

(Well, THAT was a smooth transition of subjects, don’t you think?)

      I’ve mentioned to the Worship Committee an approach to planning worship at St. John’s.  While I mentioned this to the committee we haven’t had a chance yet to actually discuss this together.  (I consider the plan to still be in the “musing” stage.)

      With the two recent  more-creative Sunday services and the positive responses I’ve heard concerning them, I’ve wondered whether we could consciously plan using similar more-creative approaches on a regular basis, perhaps once per month.  At the same time, I perceive St. John’s is well rooted in historical, traditional and more formal worship styles… again, could we try to “pull out the stops” in this regard on a regular basis, perhaps once per month.

      I’ve suggested to the Worship Committee this general approach for monthly worship planning:

• 1^st Sunday – “High” liturgy styles, as possible
• 2^nd Sunday – “EPIC” styles (I describe this below)
• 3^rd Sunday – basic traditional liturgy style
• 4^th Sunday – traditional style with teaching emphasis
• 5^th Sunday – Hymn Sing (this already occurs)

“High” or “High Church” Liturgy

When I first came to St. John’s I heard the words “High Altar” used to refer to 1^st and 3^rd Sundays.  I think it contrasted with a practice of using a table placed closer to the communion rail on 2^nd and 4^th Sundays.

      You may have noticed that we’ve not used a table since I’ve been here (mostly, I think, because Pastor Olsen set up the table each time… and he doesn’t want to do that at St. John’s anymore… an interim joke.)

      When talking about this with the Worship Committee several people stated their appreciation of feeling a bit closer to the pastor and the “altar” when the table was used.  My suggestion sounded helpful that I could certainly move closer to the congregation during the Words of Institution… so I do that on occasion.

      Back to the word High… it is often used to describe the most formal liturgical styles of classical worship and might be useful at St. John’s.  If, using the planning approach mentioned earlier, we designed 1^st Sundays each month as “High Church” Sundays, it might mean that we try once per month to incorporate as many formal rubrics as we can… things like:

• Processions – carrying the “things” of worship
• Celebrative music – formal styles
• Liturgical details – chanting a psalm, Eucharistic prayer, vestments, common pouring chalice, etc.

“EPIC” Styles of Worship

This little acronym was coined some years ago by a church consultant to describe worship styles that were emerging into regular use in the past ten or so years.  The word “EPIC” intends to imply these four things:

• E – “Experiential” is to bring the worshippers into more emotional or dynamic kinds of experiences
• P – “Participatory” is to involve people in an action or group process (healing liturgy for example)
• I – “Image Rich” is to make use of visual things to support the focus of the service
• C – “Connecting” is the need to connect with the worshipping person and with real life issues

I think that the two recent services that were more creative represented some of the “EPIC” qualities.  (I’m thinking here of Pentecost Sunday and the service with a Healing Liturgy.)  Music was done in fresh styles with various instruments, including percussion.  The liturgical flow, though traditional, included some experiential innovation that could draw people into real-life things: spirit awareness, healing, etc.  Preaching was more extemporaneous.  Worship energies were different… not better/worse, higher/lower… just different. 

      Some people offered me their responses to the two mentioned “EPIC” services – which, by the way, occurred on the 2^nd Sundays of May and June.  They stated to me something about their worship experiences on those two Sundays making them feel more “alive”… I’m not sure what all was meant with those comments, but the word “alive” was a very powerful word to use.

      It should be noted that it’s really hard to create and lead “EPIC” styled services on a weekly basis, but planning for a once-per-month service is more “do-able” and infrequent enough to keep it more “fresh” feeling.

What Do You Think About This Approach?

As mentioned, this approach is only an idea at this point.  Those who notice details might recognize that this planning approach is already happening to some degree… I’m trying to help people see what the approach might look and feel like in shaping our overall worship experience.

      My question right now might be: Is this YOU?  Does this approach to organizing and carrying out worship make sense to who St. John’s is and what St. John’s wants to be in terms of its worship?  Is this a good balance in worship to the people of St. John’s?

      Clarity about these questions will do much to help the call process.  It is crucial that a congregation balance its worship life with what is authentic to its people and the leadership of its pastor.  I’ve heard a lot of “whatever you want to do, pastor.”  Such statements seem like tolerance or compliance, but it’s also a form of dependency in a primary aspect of a congregation’s life.  Do you really want me to determine all the dynamics of your worship life or are there some opinions about what best supports St. John’s worship?

Campus Ministry – Outreach of St. John’s?

Last April, I received a letter that was sent to the area pastors of our church, asking that they consider leading worship on occasion next school year.  LCM Oshkosh (Lutheran Campus Ministry of Oshkosh) will not be having a campus pastor next year; the ministry is coordinated by Connie Weiss, a layperson. 

      I met with Connie to find out likely ministry needs.  One aspect of LCM right now is that they have no instrumental support for worship.  I’ll try offering that next year as much as possible at the weekly Thursday evening worship services.  I’ll also support the leading of worship as might be needed and is possible for me.

      I see this as an extension of St. John’s ministry and hope that others see my possible involvement in this way.  I’ve let the council know of this interest and possible outreach ministry and will keep them (and you) informed of my activities at LCM Oshkosh.  While this support to LCM Oshkosh reflects my own ministry interests, it might be worth considering this kind of outreach relative to St. John’s call process.

A Synod Resource – Consultant Joan Johanson

I’ve requested of Bishop Justman that my wife, Joan, who serves as a consultant to congregations through the bishop’s office, help St. John’s with some needed conversations, particularly concerning issues of building renovation and maintenance.  We had planned to use weekly occasions on Sunday mornings after worship but some recently developing situations are keeping Joan from being available every Sunday.  We will continue to have some conversations on some Sundays but we will also add some additional times during the week.  Joan’s schedule will be clearer soon as to what the rest of the summer might look like in terms of getting at building issues with us.

      I ask people (you) to watch for soon-to-be scheduled building-conversation times and to participate in them.  The issues are significant and deserve some careful attention by the members of St. John’s.

Healthy Congregations and “Systems-Thinking”

A major aspect of my ministry here at St. John’s might be to help members and leaders gain a more effective set of principles and ways of thinking about relationships that might help carry the congregation into its future.  As I look over some of St. John’s history I see times of conflict that seemed to have drained a lot of life out of the congregation.  I wonder how much of an impact the recent conflict relative to possible building renovations might have had on the congregation’s present and future.  Are there better ways to go about things?  Are there ways of thinking about emotional relationships that might help the congregation gain better wholistic health, enabling more effective decision making?

      I have found “systems-thinking”, as described in the series of workshops called Healthy Congregations, to be a healthier way to perceive emotional relationships and leadership than anything else I’ve run into over the years.  “Systems” is a significant foundation for interim ministry practices; we interim pastors work hard to continue learning and integrating “systems-thinking” into our ministries in congregations.

      I’m introducing “Systems” to the staff and various congregational leadership on Tuesdays.  “Systems-thinking” will provide primary perspectives in the conversations we are having with Joan about building renovations and maintenance.

Basement Flooding Last Week

Oshkosh received huge amounts of rainfall a couple weeks ago and on Thursday, June 12, the sewers were overcome and backed up into many buildings, including the basement of St. John’s.  The depth throughout the basement was only in inches, but the tainted water caused some significant losses. 

      First off… thanks are expressed to Peter Hansen, Ken Voss, and others who quickly responded to cleanup needs the next morning.  After vacuuming up the standing water, a cleaning service crew was brought into the church to immediately assess and manage primary cleanup needs, including removing the soiled and damaged things in the basement.  Peter Hansen announced this to the congregation on the following Sunday, indicating the losses experienced.

      I heard from somebody from another area congregation that they too were damaged by flooding in similar ways.  It is a good sized building with lots of stuff that needed to be thrown out because of water damage.  I understand the leaders of the congregation are seeing this loss as a chance to regroup and think about how they will use their building in the future, relative to their vision of their mission.

Building Issues – Begin with Mission

Like the congregation just mentioned above, it is important that use of the congregation’s resources match the vision the congregation has about its mission and call to ministry.  A congregation always does well to have clarity in its mission.  It is the starting place in shaping a congregation’s activities and building usage.

      Maybe the flooding experience at St. John’s can serve as a catalyst and motivation in dealing with lingering and emerging building issues.  I observe two specific kinds of questions that are work right now.

Building Issues – Maintaining

It was a fascinating thing to watch trucks and cars making wakes and waves on Main Street in front of the church the night of the flooding.  Waves were breaking right over the tops of the steps coming from the sidewalk in front… washing right up to the main steps.

It reminded me that the front steps are crumbling enough that the center steps are blocked off.  After the recent funeral, I was also reminded of this problem.  The steps need repair to just maintain that entry/exit to the church.  But, maintenance work provides a chance to rethink needs.  For instance, should a ramp of some kind be built in place of some of the crumbled steps to make for better access?

      Fortunately, the hard rainfall indicated something about leaking and water-tightness.  The roofs of the church seemed to be holding except for an area around the elevator.  Some have recognized the need to replace roof materials in the relatively near future… but at least such maintaining isn’t demanded right at this moment.

      Lots of maintenance issues emerge with an older building.  Again, it is crucial to think carefully about the congregation’s sense of mission so that the mission of the congregation isn’t centered only on maintaining.

Building Issues – Gifts?  Renovations? What Next?

I’ve understood that a church member wishes to make a donation sufficient to replace the organ consol (the keys, stops, and controls).  Such a generous and helpful gift raises all kinds of new questions.  Should the consol be moved back to the chancel area in front?  When doing that, what renovations would best accompany that change?  What are St. John’s music needs compared to those when the consol was moved to the balcony… and what will be the likely near-future music needs?

      So, since we are thinking about sanctuary renovations, what else might be worth considering?  How about doorways… such as what is likely the new primary entrance (as different from the traditional entry from Main Street) and how could that entry be improved for better flow?  I’ve noticed that one person worships regularly who uses a wheelchair.  What might happen if more people have a similar need?  Is it important to create additional wheelchair type spaces?

      With the recent flooding and loss of a nursery room, it might be a chance to think a lot about worship relative to families and children.  I heard from a community member his story of attending St. John’s for quite a while… and being reminded a number of times that St. John’s “has a nursery available.”  While I suspect the people of St. John’s didn’t intend such reminders to be heard in this way, the person told me that he heard the message, “his children were not welcomed in worship.”  He went to another congregation.  Are there some questions in this regard that might relate to St. John’s mission, its building and some helpful renovation?

      The questions about building needs raise all kinds of relative questions… and none of them seem easily answered.  But, they are important to consider again.  My hope is that people can carry out such conversation in ways that can produce decisions that people can simply feel better about than what occurred recently.  The council has considered this an important set of issues to be managed during this interim period.  Likely, the resolution of the current building issues will be primary in their determining the duration of the current interim ministry.

Sunday School: Again… A Time to Rethink This?

In a paragraph in the above section, I wrote briefly about children and worship.  When I first began leading worship at St. John’s, I noticed that kids were leaving during the service for Sunday School… and it didn’t seem like too many children were participating.  In trying to check this out, I came to understand that only 5-8 kids were regularly part of this ministry.  That is hugely different from the photo-evidence on the walls of the basement… large groups of kids and teachers.

      What does this mean?  How does this reality connect with the congregation’s sense of mission and its programmed ministry?  While changing major programs isn’t the expected norm of an interim ministry, the transitional time sometimes provides a congregation a chance to consider new options for its life… and that can even impact the pastoral needs relative to the next regular call.

      How might educational ministries of the congregation occur in more helpful ways?  How might Sunday mornings be more welcoming and embracing of children in congregational worship?  I can’t help but wonder how we might enhance relationships among the whole congregation when we consider the specifics of how to strengthen children’s and families’ relationships with other members. 

      I’ve mentioned to a very few people the notion of using supper-time and early evening on a weeknight (such as, say… 5:30 to 7:00 PM on Wednesdays) as a time for a congregational meal-fellowship and intergenerational education.  Such a regular event could provide new opportunities to the people of St. John’s, and provide a different time for education.  I’ve not really discussed this with anyone… but it might be an idea worth considering… perhaps even trying.

Thursday Summer Worship Services

I remind you of the Thursday evening services that will occur each week during the summer.  They begin at 6:30 PM and will last about 45 minutes.  Everything in the service will be different from the Sunday worship services, primarily using With One Voice and some other supplement worship resources.  Join us!  Consider Thursday services not as an alternative to Sunday worship and as another weekly worship opportunity.

October Stewardship Emphasis – Pledges

The Stewardship Committee plans to provide an emphasis on stewardship principles and activities during the Sundays of October.  That emphasis will culminate in a pledging process on the last Sunday of the month – Reformation Sunday.  This will provide a chance for people to consider how they intend to share with the church and others from one’s Time, Talent, and Treasures as we “Walk with Jesus”.  As we consider how we are richly blessed in our lives we are called to respond to God’s blessings through our own intentional and regular sharing of self.  We do that through the use of our time, the sharing of our various talents, and the giving of treasures we’ve accrued.  Giving and sharing of self are crucial aspects of wholistic living.

Last Item – Worship Regularly!!

I can’t emphasize too strongly the importance of people worshipping regularly – each week if possible – during an interim ministry time.  I think that the BEST SUPPORT you can offer to others in the congregation is to worship with other members.  See you in church!

 

June 25, 2008

Sunday Morning – “Building Conversations”

I’ve changed the focus of our after-worship conversations for the Sundays of July and the first two Sundays of August.  I’ll call the sessions: Building Conversations.  The name has some pun-like aspects.  We’ll try using current building issues/questions as catalysts to help people build relationships through thoughtful conversations.  This will be less about solution-finding than about enhancing and strengthening relationships.  It seems to me that relational issues among the people of St. John’s are primary right now and the building issues might help motivate us to attend to crucial relationship needs.

      The weekly “Building Conversations” will start at 10:15 A.M. (after worship) in the Naomi room.  We’ll begin with a short presentation and/or a short video clip.  That material can provide substance and guidance in the conversations which will meant to last no later than 11:00 A.M.  These sessions will be good opportunities to gain and share information while practicing good listening skills and careful self-defining to one another.  Join us whenever possible for these relationship building conversations.

Two Congregational Gatherings in Summer

You are invited to two special events this summer: two general gatherings of the congregation occurring on the third Wednesday evenings in July and August (July 16 and August 20).  We’ll start at 5:30 P.M. with a picnic supper (brats, burgers, dogs, and potato salad will be provided… the rest will be pot-luck).  We’ll indulge in a “sing-song” at 6:15, just for the fun of it.  This is meant for the whole family as a congregational fellowship event.  For those who choose to stay longer, we’ll continue some vitally important mediation processes.

      After our fellowship supper and singing, we’ll begin at 6:30 P.M. with in-depth conversations and consensus building relative questions and issues of St. John’s during this interim period… and there are plenty of significant issues to grapple with before the active call process begins.  Place these two dates on your calendar and plan to attend.  Encourage one another to participate in BOTH events.  I see these events and other things that happen this summer among the members of St. John’s as crucially important to the call process.  I think they will indicate much about the congregation.  In other words, I think that what happens (or doesn’t happen) at St. John’s this summer will have an impact upon what happens in the whole call process.

“Christmas In July” Worship Service – July

The 3rd Sunday of July (7/20) will include a special worship service… Christmas in July.  The theme, hymns, and liturgy will be based on the Christmas celebration.  Come and join us and enjoy the special worship event.  Maybe, if the air conditioning is cool enough, you might choose to wear clothes of the season… break out that beautiful Norwegian sweater or the green/red colors and enjoy the Christmas cheer.  (The service will also celebrate the Christmas in July social ministry activities.)