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Each year, the District’s Ministry Commission recognizes “milestones in ministry.” Congregations often do a good job in recognizing tenure milestones. We also know that a minister’s years of ordination to the set apart ministry are significant chapters. Areas of service for the ordained extend beyond pastoral calls as well. Listed below are colleagues in ministry who celebrate in 2008 a variety of ordination milestones. For those listed, your congregation is also receiving a letter and you will be recognized at the Ministers and Spouses Dinner on Friday evening of District Conference, November 7. (If we have any information that is incorrect or missing, please call us at the District Office.) Click here for a list of persons celebrating significant ministry milestones. Read More

“The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up into eternal life.”  

     What life-giving words not just for individuals but also for congregations! At its March 29 meeting, the Shenandoah District Board approved a recommendation to participate in the Springs of Living Water! renewal initiative. This initiative is based upon the work of David & Joan Young, renewal servants working with congregations and districts in the Church of the Brethren to provide training and support for church renewal. Like the woman at the well to whom Jesus offers live giving water, churches discover that new life is not just a surface issue, but means being replenished to the core spiritually. 

     Springs of Living Water! is not a quick fix, but a spiritual journey for congregations wanting to become healthy churches with an urgent, Christ-centered mission. Springs! is not a diagnostic model of church renewal—find out what is wrong and fix it—but is rather an affirmative model—find out what is right and build upon it. In order to identify strengths, the style of servant leadership is used to listen, respect and serve. Even the least likely person can be part of new life in the church. There are no short cuts to renewal, but steady growth.

     Springs! is not a consultation model where a group goes off for a weekend, establishes a vision and goals which they bring back for the church to adopt. Rather, the entire congregation is involved in the spiritual journey, discovers where God is leading, discerns a Biblical vision and a step-by-step plan which is implemented using the gifts of the everyone in the congregation.

     Springs! is not a management model of renewal. While principles from the life cycle give insight, new energy is gained through the spiritual journey, by finding a congregation’s originating mission and connecting with the local mission community. 

     The congregation uses Biblical dynamics of renewal as cues to new life and learns how discernment helps us to listen to the promptings of God. Congregations learn how to use a dialogue process where people can communicate better, build teamwork which leads to greater unity and growth. In Springs!, the congregation focuses and becomes involved in discipling and mission. 

Look for more information on this new initiative in the coming weeks!
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