Planning St. Matt's for 2017

AN INVITATION TO ST MATTHEW’S MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

Dear Friends,
I am writing to invite you to a Planning Day on Saturday 24 February from 9:30am—1pm to think about the ministry of St Matthew’s over the next ten years. In last year’s Annual Report I expressed my intention that St Matthew’s engage in a process of planning and praying about our ministry into the future. At that time, the ministry team had already commenced such a process and since then the Parish Council, at its monthly meeting, has done the same. Additionally, a group of 50 ministry leaders from all four congregations met for a half day in October 2006.
I am now extending an open invitation to all members of St Matthew’s to join the conversation. On Saturday 24 February we will meet at the church to explain the four ‘scenarios’ outlined in last year’s Annual Report.

My goals for the day are:
* inform and engage a cross section of St Matt’s members with the material in the booklet “St Matthew’s 2016” * consider the implications of developing the ministry of St Matt’s in the ways described in the booklet
* identify the key issues and questions that need to be addressed in order to decide our future direction
Please take a copy of the booklet “St Matthew’s 2016” from the foyer and read through it in preparation for the day. It would also be helpful if you could let Shelley know that you will be attending (9381 2640).

The program will be as follows:
9:15 Arrive
9:30 Bible Study
9:45 The four models introduced
10:00 Workshops
11:00 Morning tea
11:30 Feedback from groups and plenary discussion (including break)
1:00 Finish

I very much look forward to sharing this day with you and planning and praying together over what the Lord might be pleased to do amongst us for the sake of his own Name. Please call Shelley on 9381 2640 to let her know whether you are able to attend. Please join with me in asking the Lord to guide and direct us so that “we might live not for ourselves, but for him who died for us and was raised from the dead” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
In Christ’s fellowship,

Kanishka Raffel