Lockport Mennonite Church

Introduction
September 11, 2005

 We, Lockport Mennonite Church are listening for the call of God within our people especially as it relates to pastoral leadership for our participation in the Mission of God. We are at a hopeful place in our history and are grateful for God’s steadfast devotion to us. We continue to grow in our understanding of the Kingdom of God breaking into our world through the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ. As those who have gone before us we confess this mysterious truth: God chooses humans, in our woundedness and in our glory; in our sacredness and in our brokenness to be full participants in the Mission of God. We remember with gratitude the rich heritage of servants that have shaped our community of faith, and we have an emerging understanding of own selves as ministers of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are learning to receive from God the grace and wisdom to which we have been called and to name the gifts present within us as God’s beloved people.

As we ask God for ears to hear God’s call, we ask with equal meekness and eagerness for eyes to see God’s vision for the people of Lockport. Our desire is to see more of who God is in this place and to see clearly who we are and who we are becoming. We remember with hope a sample of the visions God has revealed to Lockport in the past:

• God’s vision for making safe spaces for children to know of God’s saving love through Vacation Bible School— Lockport’s being the first in the area;
• God’s vision for the physical warmth and education of children around the world—an ongoing ministry of Mennonite Women;
• God’s vision for new bodies of believers to rise up through church plants at Salem, Pine Grove, and Toledo
• God’s vision for setting people free in Christ through CCNO—placing a prison in our own county and calling up ministers from among us.
 

With humility we acknowledge that God’s rhythm for concealing and revealing God’s movement in our world does not belong to us. Still, based on God’s actions in the past, we are ready to ask boldly and humbly for eyes to see what God sees for us as a people. In order to prepare our hearts to see, we offer our process to God.

 Submitting the process to our God: 21 days of Prayer and Fasting
January 8, 2006 through January 28, 2006

As we, the people of Lockport consider the pastoral leadership needs of this congregation; we begin by bathing the process in prayer. We commit to a period of twenty-one days of prayer and fasting for the purpose of seeing God’s vision for our congregation. We understand that fasting may take a variety of forms from food to material possessions to intimacy. (More teaching will be offered on fasting prior to this time.) Chiefly the purpose is to empty ourselves before God that we may then be filled in new ways.

It is God who commissions us as humans to enter into God’s life and mystery for this world. It is God who decides that human generosity will feed the world’s hungry and human arms will comfort the world’s grieving. And so it is with God’s confidence and belief in our human capacities that we ask God to reveal to us God’s vision for us, the people of Lockport.

We hold a conviction that “the power of seeing” may come through the least likely of people. In other words, it may not come to the ones on top of the mountain. It may not come to the pastors and the elders and the church chairperson. It may not come to the teacher or the worship leader. But “a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:6b). Lockport may be especially privileged with such leading as we hold a strong love of our children and a deep respect for the mysteries of their lives.

As Anabaptists we should have a particular affinity towards including “the least of these” in the process. Our ancestors know about being disenfranchised; about being literally erased. Also, we have a rich history of the community as a place of discernment. We rely on the Word, the Spirit and the people together for our understanding of scripture and for its application in our lives and in our world.

And here lies the deepest mystery of all: That God should enter our process freely and with joy continuing to believe in us and offer us “the power of seeing”; continuing to hope in us and paint for us a peaceable kingdom of wonder, color, grace, and peace.

Biblical and Historical Stories of Call
January 15, 2006

 We do not enter this process as isolated as Abraham and Sarah seemed to, or as cold as Saul may have been as he became King. Rather we enter with a full sacred text of stories that assure us that God does speak and people do hear and that we too can hope for a Word from the LORD for Lockport. Likewise, we believe that God has been active in Lockport calling and gifting our people since the church began. We will take time to re-tell the stories of call within our own history.

This process will be deeper and more useful if the stories of call are not limited to pastoral leadership only. Besides the important stories of call to leadership, each person will be invited to share a time when they were called by God to a specific action or ministry opportunity. One suggestion is that the adults tell the stories to the children as a way of encouraging the children that God will also be calling them. In some cases, God already has. The children should be encouraged to tell their stories as well. This may be accomplished with joint Sunday school sessions with varying age groups, as well as stories included in sermons.

Biblical and Historical Stories of NOT hearing God’s Call
January 22, 2006

Critical to the process of hearing is confession and repentance. When have we, the people of God been unwilling to hear God’s call? When have we heard, but refused to answer as a congregation and as individuals? Where in Lockport’s history has the call of God fallen on deaf ears? We will look for faithful, honest, and loving ways of offering these stories to God and to one another for healing and forgiveness.

Congregational Visioning Day Event
January 29, 2006

“ A Palette of Grace: Seeing the Colors of God’s Love for Our World”.

After this twenty-one day period, we will gather as a whole community including all ages and acknowledging that though we are related spiritually and biologically, we still come as people who hold diverse convictions and opinions.

The day will include

• A time of worship as we center on whom God is in our midst. This worship will also allow for a time of confession as we acknowledge that we have not always seen God’s vision in the past.
• No regular Sunday school.
• A group process as we look at whom we have been and as we look for whom we are becoming in Christ. The work done in groups will be diverse in itself, including both elements of worshipful play and pondering.
• A catered meal by Brookview Farms
• Child care from outside the congregation for nursery through second grade.
• An artist, Gwen Stamm who listens throughout our “seeing” work for the purpose of offering us an artistic representation of what God’s vision is for us.

Our hope is that God’s favor will be upon us and we will be able to see clearly God’s vision for us as a people. Our conviction is that seeing God’s vision for Lockport will inform our discernment process as we listen for God’s call for pastoral leadership.

Solitude with God: SSSHHHH!!!!! God is Calling!
February 12 through February 25, 2006

We recognize that we have few opportunities for silence in our culture and little practice within our community of faith of “corporate silence”. Here we are not talking about “secrecy” for the purpose of covering sin or lacking courage to bring our weaknesses before one another. This “Corporate Silence” is an invitation to enter a fourteen day covenant that any conversation about our hopes for pastoral leadership will be taken only to God. Each will dwell in solitude with God, understanding prayer both as a space of speaking with and listening to God. Any insights God offers each of us may be jotted down and shared with the group at the end of fourteen days.

Breaking open the flood gate of gifts
February 26, 2006

Names for potential pastoral leaders will be offered in writing at this time. We expect that God will speak directly to persons and that God will speak through the gathered community, therefore people may submit either their own name and/or someone else as a potential internship candidate. We also hope and pray that there are an abundance of names submitted and that God is calling and gifting for the Mission of God through both Lockport and the greater church.

Assessing Interest and Commitment
February 27 through March 12, 2006

The leadership team will contact the persons whose names have been submitted to further assess their interest in and qualifications for participating in the process, (see evaluation for internships, p. 5).

Installation of Interns
March 12, 2006

Those who have agreed to participate in the process will enter into a covenant relationship with the congregation. (See Appendix A, form #1.)

Testing the Call to Vocational Pastoral Ministry
March 12 through October 31, 2006 

“ 7 The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 11 Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen” (I Peter 4:7-11).

Within the words of the apostle Peter we find a model for calling up pastoral leadership. It is the model of charismatic gifting, testing, and refinement of gifts. By “charismatic” we do not mean a gregarious and extroverted personality, but rather we are speaking of the charisma of the Holy Spirit. This charisma is nothing more or less than God’s grace manifest in a person for the purpose of participating in the Mission of God. Peter believed “the end of all things is near”. If we share his conviction that God is working in the last days of this world, we will want to be “good stewards of the manifold grace of God” and “serve one another with whatever gift” we have been given.

There are few methods of calling up pastoral leadership that hold both the popularity and proven status that ministry exploration holds. From seminary classes entitled “Minister in the Church” to the newest “Explore!” program; educational institutions believe in and practice this model faithfully. Locally Central Mennonite Church has been functioning under this model. It is a process that has the potential for developing gifts not only for a single congregation, but also for the wider church and Mission of God. Many could be called and commissioned for service far beyond the needs of Lockport.

In this model the general call is sent out among the people, (see “Solitude with God”, p. 3). It is a call to anyone who is interested in participating in the Mission of God through the use of pastoral gifts. We are not saying by this call that whoever steps forward will be affirmed by the church for pastoral leadership. Rather the intent is that those who answer the call will be given opportunities to test the spirits and enter a deliberate and intense process of discernment through a formal internship program.

In addition to those who step forward, the church will be encouraged to call out people for testing. In other words, the congregation may speak up on behalf others suggesting those whom they see as gifted in areas of preaching, teaching, healing, prayer, and administration. Both those who personally step forward and those who are brought by the greater body will begin conversation with the leadership team. The conversation will be standardized to ensure continuity and as much objectivity as is possible while remaining open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Evaluation for entering the internship will include:

• Intent of the person to participate
• Written and verbal articulation of faith and practice as it relates to the Mennonite Confession of Faith
• Character qualities consistent with Titus 1:5-9 and Romans 12
• Willingness to accept the guidance and direction of the current pastors
• Identification of spiritual gifts and willingness to undergo process of further evaluating those gifts
• Spiritual maturity and willingness to receive spiritual direction
• Emotional stability and willingness to participate in standard psychological counseling
• Teachability and interest in study
• Availability for being mentored

Structure of the Internship

Pamela Short will supervise this program. Internships will begin in March of 2006 and run concurrently through October of 2006. According to Jeff Smith of Central Mennonite Church “We found that by offering multiple internships at a time we were able to effectively create community within the group similar to what a student may experience at a seminary.”

The participant will be expected to commit six hours per week to this time of testing, mentoring, and evaluation. This time will include one hour per week of group reflection. The intern will work with Pamela in scheduling time to participate in the various components of the internship. Each intern will be assigned a pastoral mentor by the leadership team.

 A. Congregational Covenant of support and participation

1. Prayer and encouragement

Each intern will be given a small prayer team from within the congregation. This team will commit to praying regularly for the intern. If at any time during the process the intern requests a special time of prayer and fasting, one or more members of this team may choose to fast and pray with the intern.

The leadership team will be in prayer for each intern.

The congregation in general will also commit to prayer and those who have the gift of encouragement are asked to exercise it as the Holy Spirit leads.

2. Clarity of Purpose

The end result of this process will be to discern God’s call for pastoral leadership to the body of Christ in Lockport. Nonetheless it is critical that the congregation understand that an internship is initially for the individual to discern God’s inward call to ministry in general. The purpose of theinternship is not to staff the church.

  B. Staff covenant of support and participation

1. The interns will receive support from all the church staff. In particular the pastoral staff will commit to prayer; encouragement, generosity, admonishment, and counsel as outlined in a specific covenant document signed by the elders, the pastors and the intern (see form # 1, appendix A). The mentor will meet with the intern once a week for reflection and evaluation (see form # 2, Appendix A).

 C. Intern covenant of responsibility and participation

1. The interns will work in conjunction with the pastoral staff, with the congregation, and with one another, exercising integrity, living confessionally, and receiving counsel.

 D. Ministry Opportunities as directed and assisted by the mentor:

• Prayerand Blessing in solitude and in community. Thirty minutes of the 6 hours will be set aside for prayer ministry. The intern will pray in public no less than twice during their internship.
• Worship planning and leading for no less than two services.
• Communion. Interns will be asked to participate in serving communion.
• Preaching no less than twice. With at least one time being a Sunday Morning service at Lockport. The other time may be at a local congregation or may be on a Sunday evening at Lockport. Preaching evaluation will include written and verbal feedback from the pastoral staff and trained lay listeners.
• Teaching no less than two lessons to adults and two lessons to children. Evaluation will be in written and verbal form from the intern’s mentor.
• Visitation and care regularly scheduled with and through the mentor.
• Crisis care as the opportunity arises with the mentor.
• Funeral preparation and participation as the opportunity arises with the mentor.

Spiritual Direction and Psychological Counsel

• Interns will be asked to secure a spiritual director. Directors are available locally through Shalom ministries, and are also available through the Hermitage and through agencies in Toledo.
• Interns will be given psychological tests and interpretation of those tests through Shalom ministries. Counseling through Shalom will be supported financially by Lockport for the duration of the internship.

F. Support for families of Interns

Testing a call to pastoral ministries places unique stressors on a family system. Group processing will be offered spouses, children, and parents. Individual counseling will be provided as needed.

F. Discernment and Evaluation

At the end of the seven months the participant will meet with a discernment team made up of Lockport’s pastoral staff, elders, and congregational representatives, (One representative will be chosen from each of the following age groups: 15-21; 22-40; 41-65; 66 and above). This discernment team will also serve throughout the process as a listening group for the congregation. Because of this work the team will be better informed to assist the intern in processing this experience in the light of community.

The intern will work with this discernment group through a standardized evaluation and through conversation and prayer. Possible outcomes of the evaluation of the internship include the following:

The call of God on the life of the intern is clearly for ministry within the congregation, but not in a pastoral capacity.

• Gratitude will be expressed on the part of the leadership team and the congregation for this person’s willingness to be open, available, and vulnerable to God’s Call.
• The pastors will work with the person in a transition time
• The Gifts for Ministry Team will be encouraged to place this person in positions best suited for their gifts as they continue to participate in the Mission of God through Lockport.
• The congregation will be made aware of the plan and called to continue in prayer for this person and for the church.

The call is not clear, but the gifts have been refined and there is a willingness to continue in prayer and development.

• The pastors will work with the person to develop a personalized plan for further discernment and transition.
• The discernment team will be mindful of this person’s need for prayer and support.
• The congregation will be made aware of the plan and called to continue in prayer for this person.

A clear sense of call to pastoral ministry is present

• This call is directed outward, opening up the possibility of Lockport blessing this person to be sent out to participate in the Mission of God in another context.
• The intern will continue in prayer, study, and preparation, awaiting God’s direction and call to a specific place and people. The pastors will work with the person to help develop a fruitful process of waiting.
• The congregation will be made aware of the plan and called to continue in prayer for this person and for the greater Mission of God.

  This call is directed toward ministry in and through the body of Christ at Lockport .

• In this case the discernment team will keep the intern in prayer.
• The intern will continue in prayer, study, preparation, and further discernment process. The pastors will work with the person to help develop a fruitful process of waiting.
• The congregation will be made aware of the plan and called to continue in prayer for this person and for the church.
• When all the interns have been interviewed, if there is more than one who feels an inner call to pastoral ministry at Lockport, the discernment team will make the congregation aware of that sense. The congregation will be called to pray and will be encouraged to fast for these interns and for the discernment team.
• After one month, the discernment team will be expected to reach a conclusion about who they believe God is calling for this time and present the name/s to the congregation for affirmation.

Testimonies of the interns and presentation of name/s for recommendation for pastoral leadership for Lockport Mennonite Church
November 12, 2006

This will be a time for the congregation to hear how the Spirit of God has been working in the life of each of the interns and within the congregation. The congregation will be asked to pray for each of the interns as they transition into their next phase of ministry. Specifically, the congregation will be praying and fasting regarding the name/s submitted for consideration for Lockport’s pastoral leadership.

 

Schedule I Models of Leadership Development I Questions for Presenters I Questions for Written Desciptions