Vision 2020 Update: October 2018
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Vision 2020 Implementation
Fellowship. We love one another.
This is one of our Vision 2020 thumbnail proposal statements, but what does it mean? In other words, how do we love one another as the body of Christ known as Mountain Brook Baptist? This can happen in many ways but here are a few…spend time together with other members, invite friends to join us for worship, be intentional with those you see in the hallways, establish new friendships, strengthen existing friendships as you worship and study together, and pray for one another.
It might go without saying but relationships matter and our fellowship initiative is to help remind the members of the importance of building community by being intentional about developing relationships with others in our congregation.
While fellowship may seem like something we can’t really measure, we can assess our success in intentionality by asking ourselves the following questions after participating in a ministry activity:
Were the conditions right for fellowship to occur? How can I help change conditions, if not?
Was there adequate time?
Was the space used conducive for fellowship to occur? If not, where could it occur next time?
Did I establish a new relationship or deepen an existing relationship? Why or why not?
We tend to think about fellowship in big events like Fall Festival/Trunk-or-Treat or Thanksgiving Luncheon, but there are also opportunities in developing relationships in your Sunday Morning Bible Study classrooms. Do you take time to get to know what’s going on in the lives of fellow members? Do you plan events outside of the allotted hour to get together in a social environment?
In the months to come, you will probably hear the term “no frills” fellowship activities. What does that mean? That means inviting a friend, asking people to gather for dinner at a restaurant, checking in on a member you haven’t seen in a while, or praying with a member.
As a result of the Vision 2020 process, our fellowship implementation team has been asked to help us think more about the importance of fellowship. One way we do this is by posting snapshots of our fellowship on the church’s social media accounts. In the picture below, you can see a variety of ways we fellowship.
Another ministry that has come out of the Vision 2020 process is the Card Ministry Team. Several members send notes and cards of encouragement throughout the year. Many letters of appreciation have been received by the Card Ministry Team. Here is one example of the impact sending a note can have.
“I wanted to thank you for your very timely note after Patsy’s death. Your note came about two weeks later and such poignant words you added to the beautiful card were so appreciated.” Jenny Hudson, niece of Patsy Dotson
To find out more about snapshots of our fellowship or to sign up for the card writing team, email Sara Compton (comptonsarae@gmail.com). And, as you worship and serve at MBBC, continue to think about the impact your intentionality in relationships can make!