Greetings to all Ministers, Churches and Involved Persons in the Fox Valley Association!
As you know, the Conference Council was advised in the Spring that due to the current economic situation in our nation and the impact it is having on our local congregations, giving to Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) would be expected to be less in the coming years. Indeed, as of this writing, OCWM giving is 21% below last year at this time. This means that the Conference - and thus Associations - could run a deficit as high as $250,000 this year alone essentially wiping out any reserves the Conference has.
At the same time, we have known for years that the ministry we in Associations and at the Conference needed a new vision and a new way of performing the ministry which we do on your behalf and for you. 3 attempts at "restructuring" have failed in the past decade - yet the need remains and has been affirmed widely throughout the Conference.
The two combined now mean that we have no choice but to discern new vision for staffing and ministry. After 3 attempts, perhaps God is indeed still speaking! In Missouri where I grew up, it's similar to the saying: "The only way to get a mule's attention is to whack him upside the head with a baseball bat!" O.K., we hear Lord!
Even though we are now "forced" to make changes, I feel that your Conference professional and elected leadership has been working very faithfully in not just reacting to the need but visioning a new understanding of the nature and need for Conference/Association ministry in the 21st Century. And we want all of you involved in helping us shape this future.
Below is a link to download the version of this Framework which was passed by the Conference Council at their November meeting. It not only takes into account your feedback but also takes the next step of dealing with our administrative staff and offices.
In short, what will this currently mean for the Fox Valley Association? 1) The Association will remain as it currently exists. 2) I have moved my office to the Conference offices in Westchester where current administrative staff there are assisting me. 4) Much has yet to be done to develop new job descriptions for the 4 newly titles "Associate Conference Ministers", but most likely I will need to assist the new solo CMA ACM with a cluster or 2 of their churches as well as have more Conference-wide duties. Again, much of this has yet to be discerned and decided upon. But I have faith that God is call us to, and we are responding, a new more contemporary and much needed way of "doing church" for our time.