Staff Day Retreat: Ministry, Vision, and Goals

On October 25th, our GCD staff was able to enjoy a day retreat with one another. Thanks to Dana Larimer, who covered the office, and to Brenda Passon, who hosted us in her home, we had a really sweet time with one another. We began with a discussion of Romans 1:1 - 17 with a focus on three things. First, we discussed how Paul saw himself in relation to the work of ministry he was called to and then we asked how we resonated with his self description as those who also serve in the church. Second, we examined how Paul felt about the Roman church to whom he was writing and then discussed our own feelings towards the body of Grace Church. Finally, we looked at Paul's description of the gospel and used this to remind ourselves of the centrality of the gospel in our own work.    

While the remainder of the day did incorporate some fun bonding times (eating yummy food, completing a photo scavenger hunt at Cantigny, watching a funny slideshow, and playing a group game), the main purpose of the day was to look deeply at our church's vision prayer, to ask how we as a staff long to see this fulfilled, and then to discuss how our staff might help facilitate it's fulfillment at Grace Church.

For those who are unfamiliar, our Grace Church vision prayer reads as follows: To ask, seek, and knock for God to develop us into a community of worshipers that bears much fruit as we live and proclaim the gospel with authenticity and passion. 

While time did not allow us to work our way through the entire statement, the conversation we did have was blessed by a spirit of love and concern for one another as well as for the people of Grace Church of DuPage and we thank the Lord for meeting us during that time. The fruit of our discussion can be summarized by the four goals we established for our staff, which we seek to carry out for the fulfillment of our vision prayer and the good of Grace Church of DuPage. Here they are:

1. As a staff, we will model and remind this body that we are seeking God to answer our vision prayer for His glory and our good.
2. We will pray for an experience of Christ anchored community among the staff that is worthy of spreading to the body.
3. We seek to be a staff that is able to articulate the fruit bearing aim as well as the ongoing outcome of each of our ministries.
4. We commit to reminding one another and receiving from one another the truth that we are serving Christ and that Christ is all. 

Thank you for the many ways you support us in the work that God has called each one of us to do, from serving in the office to pastoring the church. We genuinely love you and want to give all we are towards the end of "bringing about the obedience of faith for the sake of Jesus Christ" (Rom. 1:5) here at Grace Church and through Grace Church, to the nations. Please pray for us as we work to accomplish this, for your good and ours, and for God's glory.