We had such a delightful and encouraging annual congregational meeting! We gathered on Sunday evening, Nov. 20, to address church business, to give some thought to future issues, and to pray.

The congregation approved a 2012 general budget of $505,000, as well as a variety of changes to the bylaws. Chris McNiven and
Raymond Wunderlich were affirmed for the Board of Elders. Also approved—Henry VanDixhorn as Financial Resources Chair, Jim Hansen as Treasurer, Sharon Johnson and Karen Kasch as members of the Human Resources Committee.

im Hansen did the impossible. He made the financial report the most entertaining part of the evening with his Pecha Kucha Moola. (You had to be there.) He explained that this year’s giving, through October, is $9000 behind budget, but our expenses are also less than budgeted. So as of the end of October our balance this year is about $9000 in the black. Our 2012 budget breaks down as follows: 48% staff salaries and benefits, 19% for mortgage, 11% building and property care, 13% missions and supported organizations, and 10% for VCL office and ministry expenses.

I explained that we have been seeing growth and that the elders will consider three related issues in the new year. First, we will continue to track attendance in the event we need to go to two services. A task force has discussed this prospect and has given some guidelines to the elders. Second, we will consider a mini-capital campaign for some building improvements including the room dividers for the Great Room and possible fixed walls for children’s rooms and a future office, as well as debt reduction or other priorities. Third, we will address the issue of future staffing. We invited the congregation’s comments and questions and had a helpful discussion. After the business portion of the meeting we had a time of prayer and fellowship.

Esther is a wonderful, strange story of God’s intervention to save his people from annihilation. In ten chapters, God’s name is never mentioned. Now what do you make of a book of the Bible that never mentions God!? The story gives rise to the Jews’ greatest celebration of the year, Purim. These will be some fascinating Sundays.

Those two dark stories will lead us to Lent. Traditionally, that is a season for sober self-evaluation but I plan to take us in a different direction this year — to the great hymns in Revelation. More on that later.

Here’s my challenge: Please read Habakkuk and Esther! You will get so much more out of these sermons and worship services if you have prepared.

Allow me to say that you all are always welcome to any of our gatherings. Busy schedules or traveling need not keep you from being a part of Sunday mornings or growth groups. Hebrews 10:26 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” We won’t stand in your way of obeying this command, I promise! Be involved! We’ll be gracious.

Mornings with Michael, Sundays 9:00 a.m. will begin the New Year in Galatians. We’ll have an opportunity to explore Christian freedom, and how Jesus makes us freer than we can imagine.

Abundant Life, Sundays 9:00 a.m. led by Raymond Wunderlich and Jim Stamoolis, meets Sundays 9:00 a.m. and continues its discussion of John Vosnos’ book, Getting Into Jesus’ Life.

Growth Group Sign-ups 

Did you miss a chance to get into a Growth Group? Well, you can sign up in January! Growth Group sign ups are going to occur on Sunday, January 8 and Sunday, January 15, 2012. We will have a list of Growth Groups who still have open spots, and perhaps even a brand new one, just starting out. Growth Groups meet at different times and places, so you should be able to find a match for your schedule. Contact Londa Mauriello, our Growth Group Coordinator, if you have any questions.

One Sunday morning in October I was passed a note just before the benediction asking if we would pray for Eric Lyons, John and Kaye’s son, who was at that moment involved in a dangerous mission in southeast Asia. Eric founded a small organization called Hope for the Silent Voices and was involved that night (for him) in a rescue.

Later he wrote with his thanks: “I am humbled and grateful for people to take time out of their lives to answer what may be God’s leading. It appears that Sunday was such a time and I can assure you that protection was afforded. Perhaps the prayer prompting was not so much for me as it may have been for the young girl with whom we were assisting. God continues to show up in the midst of real trials and this is a reassurance to me that this work is something He wants pursued. So again I say ‘thank you’ to you for allowing that prayer time to happen. And I thank VCL for playing a part in what we believe has been a safe and successful return of a young girl. Your gesture has been a tremendous encouragement and shot of spiritual adrenaline to our efforts.”

For more info about Eric’s work go to http://hopeforthesilentvoices.org.

Have a dog, but don’t know how to get him or her involved in ministry? Don’t have a dog, but looking for a way to serve Jesus? As you know we’ve been working to create relationships with our senior adult centers in order to expand our compassion ministries. We’ve made a new arrangement with Brentwood North to visit the second Saturday morning of every month from 10:30-12:00 noon. What will we do on those mornings? We’ll walk our dogs! Brentwood would like us to bring well-behaved dogs to meet the residents and to give them a chance to connect with a two-legged visitor, too. If you don’t have a dog, come along anyway! We would love to have you come with us.

LOVE INC., January 14

Every second Saturday, our Love INC. team meets to deliver furniture throughout Lake County. This is a great ministry opportunity for those with a song back looking for an opportunity to serve with some great guys at VCL. Contact Carl Johnson for more details.

PADS Lunches Looking for Help

We are looking for some additional individuals to help us out with PADS lunches. Give Pastor Michael a call or email for more info.

Seeking Volunteers for Senior Adult Ministries 

Volunteers are still needed to help with our worship services on Thursday afternoons at the senior adult communities (Sedgebrook, Brentwood North, and Wealshire). Teachers, musicians, and general friends wanted. Chat with Pastor Michael for more info.

To see all of our compassion ministries, click here.

Our bylaws require anyone applying for member- ship to “receive instruction in the doctrine, by-laws, history and philosophy of ministry of VCL and the Evangelical Free Church of America.” Our next Explorers’ Class will be at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning, Jan. 22 and 29, in my office. Not only do we cover the topics required, but it is a time to get better acquainted and to answer questions you might have. If you haven’t taken this important step, I hope you’ll join us.

If you have a blog with a Christian emphasis that you’d like others at VCL to see let us know.

In the November Vine I announced that I have been working on a book for Moody Publishers entitled Pastoral Graces: Reflections on the Care of Souls. I finished the manuscript on November 29 and sent it to my editor. Now the review and marketing processes begin.

The book is scheduled for release around May 1. I am very grateful for the wonderful encouragement I have received, and for the freedom the elders gave me to pursue this in the first place. My editor wrote, “I believe we have a ‘gem’ with what you’ve done in this manuscript I’m more eager than ever to get the book completed and in the hands of readers. As I read it there are times that I laugh out loud and there are times that I weep in identification with the stories you tell.”

“What would you like to write about?” they responded. And that is how it started. Dave DeWit, an acquisitions editor, and Dr. John Koessler, a professor at Moody, came to my office last December. As we talked the idea for a book about shepherding God’s flock took shape.

I have been writing articles and columns for several years for PreachingToday.com, a publication of Christianity Today Inc., and occasionally other publications. My work had caught their eye and apparently they feel I have enough name recognition among pastors to sell books. Last May, with much help, I gave them a book proposal which was accepted. In late July I be-gan writing in earnest, and am planning to sub-mit a finished draft by the end of November. As of late October, I have finished the Introduction and seven chapters out of a total of eleven. The editor’s feedback has been very encouraging.

I undertook this task with the permission and blessing of our Elders. I’ve tried to do most of the work on my own time, but I also have their permission to scale back some at church in order to write. That will be necessary in November as I try to finish.

The book is entitled, Pastoral Graces: Reflections on the Care of Souls and is scheduled for publication in early May, 2012. In the proposal I summarized the book this way:

Grace is the pastor’s stock-in-trade. When Jesus Christ, the Lord of the church, calls a pastor He instills a kind of heightened instinct for grace; what we call ‘a shepherd’s heart. Often, pastors become disoriented by leadership demands, congregational expectations, and the wounds of ministry and forget how to use the grace of Christ in the everyday work of pastoring. Through striking word pictures and stories that resonate with every pastor, this book will reinvigorate pastors’ instincts for doing grace in the churches they shepherd. 

The book will be approximately 35,000 words, which translates to about a 160-page book. I’ve been told it will cost $13. Moody Publishers are investing significantly in this project. I have seen the cover art, met with sales people, and learned about my role in marketing. Soon I will be asking a certain prominent pastor and author to write the Foreword and will be seeking endorsements from a number of recognized ministry leaders.

This is all quite a trip! I have never aspired to write a book. In fact, I never wanted to write a book. Articles were more my speed. But this opportunity has been extraordinary and very rare indeed. I have had fun writing though it is very hard work. As I write about the role of grace in pastoral ministry I tell lots of stories. Many VCL folks are in these stories. (Curious?) I am more and more grateful for what a wonderful church this is to shepherd. I can’t wait for you all to see what I’ve written.