Moments of partnership

• 1. Waters EdgePartnershipNotes on our Annual MeetingAugust 3 4, 2012

2. Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servantswaiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet SERVANTS. 3. so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open thedoor for him. - Luke 12:35-36SERVANTS. 4. Friday night:The Board of Directors serving andacting out partnership. 5. We spent timedescribing partnership by real lifeexamples. We focus on the mission of Jesus together, sharing our unique spiritual gifts and strengths . . . For the sake of Jesus. 6. What does partnershiplook like?Our homeless feed is an operationto assist one University of MarylandStudent (Ben).His vision is to provide more than food.The homeless come to hang out andbe a community. Partnership means being servants ofChrist together, helping each other. 7. Moments of PartnershipBoard of Directors Annual Meeting August 2012Rev. Craig Moore, Rev. William Chaney,Mt. Vernon PlaceDistrict SuperintendentUMC Baltimore Washington Conference, UMCBoard Member,WEP Office spacePender UMC, Fairfax, VARev. Dr. Rod Miller &Providing tax exemptionTowson UMC& online giving resourcesPartnering financially & as WEPs BWPastor Ellis Prince, Conference connectionLead Pastorfor appointmentGallery Church BaltimoreBen Sternke, new!3DM coach for WEP We are in ministryTOGETHER. 8. Moments of PartnershipBaltimore Washington (UMC) Conference cares about bringingsheep home. As Rev. Chaney shared with us, Baltimore Washingtonis committed to joining us in our search for new waysof helping people discover Jesus and becomechurch. They have funded about 30% of our budgetRev. William Chaney for the 2012-2013 appointment year.Baltimore District Superintendent 9. Moments of Partnership Rev. Chaney shared with us his passion for people and how he once found himself homeless. We want to change peoples lives in Baltimore together. He shared how vital congregations are not afraid to impact peoples lives, and have an essence about themselves which is self-sacrificing, mission minded, and Christ oriented. He shared his hope for helping us lead and multiply this movement, and leadership, beyond the first small group of people. 10. Moments of PartnershipAlthough our internet connectionEllis Prince, Lead Pastor was horribleGallery Church Baltimore1.) We have a strong encourager inPastor Ellis and Gallery ChurchBaltimore, who are approachingministry in similar ways to WatersEdge. People at Gallery move into targeted neighborhoods to display Jesus and win the right to tell the story. We welcome Sandy Ruiz to our Board of Directors on behalf of that Partnership and way of ministry. 11. Moments of PartnershipEllis Prince, Lead Pastor 2.) Like us, Ellis and others are beingGallery Church Baltimorecalled to Baltimore for Missionalcommunity planting. God is movingamong MANY leaders. Most of these leaders are learning the culture of living missionally and urban. WEP needs to see ourselves in the larger context of what God is doing Baltimore-wide and Chesapeake Bay wide. It requires these leaders and ourselves to spend time together discussing more than business. 12. It was late, and I have no idea what Grant is doing here.CarolWe have said before that the Board of Directors is first and foremost a group of friendswho are serving together.But, what does that really mean? How is it different from any other church board youmay have been a part of? 13. Officers elected: Gary Ramsburg, Chairperson Vice Chairperson remains open Grant Thorpe, Finance Officer Diane Collins, Secretary Prayer Warrior remains openWe welcome Sandy Ruiz to our Board of Directors.She will be assisting Grant Thorpe in the area of connecting stewardship partners. 14. Changing our Corporate BylawsChanging our Statement of FaithReflecting simpler, religious Embracing missional community languageorganization tax exempt statusand identity Simplifying generally, but most Staying Christ-centricimportantly our member Including the Nicene Creedclasses to 2 focusing on Removing specifically United Methodistleadership alone rather thanstatements and allowing us to include Boardmembers of other denominationsgeneral membership Expecting each community to embrace Giving Nonprofit power of statements of their own denomination whichdetermination largely to Boardare not in direct contradiction to Watersof DirectorsEdges general missional statement of faith For example, Waters Edge Baltimore is Allowing us to grow with an specifically United Methodist, whereasecumenical invitation but others we nurture may be a differentUnited Methodist first plant in denominationFells Point This will allow us to be a future network oflike-minded communities with prisons,other churches, United Methodist, etc. 15. Yeah, corporate bylaw changes took time for discussion, but the process was incredibly important.Good job!We are ready for the future much morethan we were previously. God has been transforming and molding us. 16. Discipleship in a dangerous environment isBut this is the reason we exist. We had FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER - several community members join us for our Annual Celebration with the Board of Directors. Amy & Nathan, Tom & Nora, Rita & Randy, Kathi, Carol, Larry & Katherine 17. Influence is growing as marked by blueand red on map below.Green = 2010 | Blue = 2011 | Red = 2012 18. Transitions are happening now . . .WE SAID GOODBYE TO 3 ORIGINALBOARD MEMBERS. 19. summarizing our Annual Meeting . . . We accomplished a lot of biggies for Godskingdom. More Defining of our organization & purpose Participating in Gods mission on the streets Describing Partnership with others Meeting people, breaking bread together, praying Celebrating fruit you have worked hard for! We are blessed with each other working for Jesusin a movement that is bigger than any one of us. 20. We hit some conflict in our meeting.LEARNING FROM OUR MEETING 21. Here are a few things I heard . . . More progress to be made; Be more goal oriented Rushed at the end Board members who left early I wasnt listened to and my thoughts were dismissed I felt frustrated Information which you didnt have, but may have neededbeforehand Lacks in leadership Traveling and eating took too long logistical issues Bad timing month in scheme of ministryLEARNING FROM OUR MEETING 22. Conflict (internal or external) is better thought through so we can openlyengage and have honest relationships. Iron sharpens iron meanssometimes there are sparks but its the way iron is shaped (i.e. not a badthing, but a tool God uses in us and through us).LEARNING FROM OUR MEETING 23. PULL OUTSOMETHING TOWRITENOTES ON. 24. Write down at least twocritical issues or challenges orunmet expectations youpersonally felt at our AnnualMeeting?QUESTIONS 25. Please send that to Gary andSandy today, so we can lead adiscussion as needed in ourOctober meeting.QUESTIONS 26. Helping us think about someof our experiences.LEARNINGFROM OURMEETING 27. Urban Ministryis not the same as a Suburban ministry experience. 28. Frustrations of Urban Ministry These are normal frustrations for us who lead in Baltimore. You probably felt it. Parking !@N*!!! Eating out is lengthy eating is a relationship, rather than a quick bite i.e. restaurants here are built for relationships and experiences, not fast food. Driving between places Not owning a house but renting at mercy of landlord 29. Frustrations of Urban Ministry Continued . . . Small vs. Large spaces & the fight to find affordable space Odd sense of Wealth and Poor in same space surrounded by need constantly Issues of security and safety Lots of multi-cultural sensitivities (ethnic, values, beliefs, goals, neighborhoods) 30. ChurchPlanting or MissionaryPlanting is different than an establishedchurch experience. 31. Established churches have a (often times)helpful infrastructure which church plants donot have.Leaders StaffCongregationPrograms Building 32. Established churches have infrastructure: Leaders. Our mission planting assumption might bethat people will come together and provideleadership. This isnt reality. Church planters work in a leadership void. People have to first know Christ strongly enough to be consistent and lead. We are learning a process of training people to be disciples first from 3DM. 33. Established churches have many resources: buildings, kitchens, pots and pans, musicians, money, relationships in the community, office staff, weekly worship venues for communication & common vision, people who care about Christ History together organizational values (for youth, or reading scripture, not drinking alcohol at a church supper, pastor is paid, etc.) Established groups which get the work done (the kitchen mysteriously gets cleaned up!) . . . Rather than none of the above in a start-up mission.Note: Yes, established churches can lose the priority of mission in each of these resources. 34. But WEP has unique,God provided strengths. You! The Waters Edge Board of Directors our Partners, including established churches A dependency upon Christ above all else More freedom to innovate (after taking ininformation and being in the process overtime) 35. We are people &missionary based.Huddle Group - LeadersBoard &PartnersMissionMissionalCommunityLargerCommunityHuddle Leader(pastor or lay) 36. As we build, how doesGod provide & ask usHuddleto steward these giftsGroup -Leaders of His? Board & Partners MissionMissional Community Larger Community Huddle Leader (pastor or lay) 37. While we build otherinfrastructure appropriateto our mission,God is teaching me/usto use and relyupon our strengths. 38. For example:It would not work in our currentcommunity to ask our people to care for our Board by providingmeals like we might of a womans group in your local church.We are getting closer to that point as a few more people embrace our sense ofmission. But serving follows a sense of mission from God. 39. Using these gifts at our Annual Meeting:An appropriate stewardship of these gifts was for me and you to jointogether in casting a common vision with the community who came toour annual celebration (wine and cheese time at the Gallery Churchoffice space).LEARNING FROM OUR MEETING 40. Using these gifts:In that limited time, did I cast enough vision? Or should we have spentless time chit chatting and more time talking about what we hope toaccomplish next?LEARNING FROM OUR MEETING 41. Using these gifts:Can I do a better job at helping you share our vision in two different ways for our potential community and for people in your church? Do you feeltrained and aware of what words and tones offend our community?LEARNING FROM OUR MEETING 42. What does the Board need to do next?As we process over this past year, and specifically our Annual Meeting,Ive identified some challenges. Im open to hearing how you hear Godspeaking as well!LEARNING FROM OUR MEETING 43. Board Challenges ahead? Setting appropriateexpectations together Casting vision withothers Creating goals for theExecutive Director andevaluation methods 44. Board Challenges, continued Succession planning for theExecutive Director position Finding and MultiplyingBoard members Identifying Board needs &ways to use our partnerbase to meet our Boardsneeds 45. Board Challenges, Continued . . . Becoming more intentionalabout Prayer for ourfruitfulness Leveraging what weve learnedinto Board calendars of workand better workflow Identifying a Vice Chairpersonand Prayer Warrior 46. When the way is challenging God is probably up to something. 47. And well probably be surprised again. 48. Thank you for who you are and howyou serve.Lord, there are days I try as I might to makesense of what You want. Make me take time tolisten. Make me care more. Make me morewise in my dealings with people. Give megreater grace along with the ability to challengeonly as You call. Make me a better friend andpartner. Create in me a clean heart and a rightspirit to serve You.Lord, make us, collectively, into Your image.Amen.