April/May 2015 - South Carolina Synod ELCA

VOLUME 93 ISSUE 3 - MAY AND JUNE 2015
www.scsynod.com
The
South
Carolina
Lutheran
Mission Emphasis
May: Lutheran Homes of South Carolina
June: South Carolina Lutheran Retreat Centers
Young
Leaders
Rev. Eric Wolf,
assistant to the
bishop, takes a
look at how young
leaders are shaping
the church.
A New
Conversation
on Race
an invitation from
Bishop Yoos
ogether we rise!
LCY is an organization by, with, and for youth.
Rooted in God’s love
Hearing God’s voice
Acting as God’s hands
Coming Events
• Lost & Found at the Gym at Newberry College! — May 31st @ 4pm
• LCY Convention — June 19-21 @ Newberry College
• Our annual Convention at Newberry College is a place for 7th – 12th
graders to experience the joy of being together, grow in faith, and
enjoy Agape, this year’s keynote speaker! Adults can register for our
adult programs as well. Just go to http://tinyurl.com/2015LCYConvention to register online!
• Bridge Building Camp — June 28 – July 3 @ Camp Kinard! Join our
youth in service with senior adults in partnership with The Heritage
at Lowman. This is a great way for youth to spend time with all the
great Youtherans they meet at other LCY events, and learn about
faith through service! Just go to http://tinyurl.com/2015BBCAPP to
register online!
• Camp HUGG — July 26-31 @ Camp Kinard! Join our youth in service
with mentally challenged high school youth for a week of service
and growth in faith and love!
Are you a youth who’s interested in being a leader in LCY? Fill out this
form for you OR for a friend! http://tinyurl.com/2015LCYNominations
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Young Leaders
By The Rev. Eric Wolf
The Now Church:
Youth & Young Adults, and Ministry Across the Generations
I
hear it all the time— “Youth and young
adults are the future of the Church”.
It’s meant to be a way of saying, “One
day today’s young folks will be in charge
of things around here”.
Of course this is true. Today’s youth
and young adults will be our altar guilds,
our Evangelism Committees, council
presidents, Sunday school teachers —
and yes, our rostered leaders, as well.
And let’s be honest, we’re glad for this
because we don’t want to be running
the lawn equipment when we’re 80; well,
most of us anyway.
The problem is that our youth and
young adults aren’t just future Christians
in stasis until it’s time to tag them in,
they’re an active and vital part of today’s
Church!
At the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, we saw the power of our young
people’s desire to be included, and what
happens when they are. The ELCA had a
goal of 10% youth and 10% young adults
being part of the voting body that year.
What happened with the influence of
just 16% of that 20% youth and young
adults we were hoping for? The younger
generation pushed through an amendment to the Always Being Made New
capital campaign to include $4 Million
for youth and young adult ministry —
Smith Heavner, a young adult from the
South Carolina Synod, was one of the
strongest advocates of this! The spirit-led change influenced Youtherans,
both present and around the country,
through their ability to hold a conversation in real-time through social media.
The younger generations are already a
powerful voice in the life of the Church.
They aren’t the future Church, they’re
the Now Church.
Working with our synod’s youth and
young adults, I get to witness the powerful way our youth and young adults live
out their faith in action.
One great place to see our youth in
action is through the ministry of LCY.
LCY belongs to our synod’s youth! LCY
is an organization much like LMM and
WELCA, with its own constitution, officers, and leadership model. In LCY, our
youth plan retreats; our youth discern
the annual theme and retreat themes for
LCY using scriptural foundations and
faithful discussions; our youth pick the
T-Shirts designs and provide leadership
in the synod. The South Carolina Synod’s youth aren’t the Church of tomorrow, they’re leading the Church with us
now! Our model of By, With, and For
Youth is our way of saying that our youth
are leaders of the Church today, and it
matters that they do it together. No matter how big or small your congregation
is, the chance to build relationships with
youth around our synod is something
that benefits all of us. Check out our
LCY Schedule, and learn about opportunities for youth and adults!
We’re also working to develop a synodical strategy for young adult ministry.
Young adults are asking questions about
their faith, the meaning of life, and looking for ways to connect with communities that allow them to live out their faith
and values in a way that’s authentic to
them. Be on the lookout for information
about opportunities to get involved with
young adult ministries in your area, and
if you’re interested in helping to develop
what this ministry looks like, please send
an email to eric@scsynod.com.
Youth and young adult ministries are
absolutely vital to the life of our synod
because they serve a population that’s already making a huge impact on the life
of the Church. This is also part of what
we promised to do at baptism, provide
the faithful formation that will serve as
the foundation of faith that will stand for
their whole lives.
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March and April 2015
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We aren’t just working to build something for the future. Together, we’re all
the Now Church. ☐
The South Carolina Lutheran
is a publication of the South Carolina Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Grace and peace,
The South Carolina Lutheran
(ISSN 161-9748) is published 6 times per year at
1003 Richland St., Columbia, SC 29201.
Subscription rates are $8.50 for congregational plan
and $10.00 for individual subscriptions.
The Rev. Eric Wolf
Periodicals Postage paid at 1003 Richland Street,
Columbia, SC 29201 and additional mailing offices.
Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and
Young Adult Ministries.
Eric would love an opportunity to join you for worship as either a guest or guest preacher, or just to
come talk to your youth and young adults about ways that they can become more deeply involved in
the ministry that we share. Please contact him at eric@scsynod.com if you’re interested in having
him visit your congregation, cluster, or committee.
Contents
3
The Now Church
5
May Mission Emphasis: Lutheran
Homes of South Carolina
6
Campus Ministry: Furman
7
June Mission Emphasis:
South Carolina Lutheran Retreat Centers
8
In Our Own Words:
What Stewardship Means To Me
9
A New Conversation on Race
11
Good Ideas from Our Congregations
13
Official Acts
14 Synod Council Actions
15 A Perspective from
Rev. Mel Amundson
16 Parish Paper
20 Calendar & Publication Schedule
Copyright © 2015 South Carolina Synod, ELCA.
All rights reserved. Duplication in whole or in part in
any form is prohibited without permission from the
publishers. Printed in the U.S.A.
Editorial/Business/Circulation
South Carolina Synod, ELCA
1003 Richland Street
Columbia, SC 29201-2407
Telephone: 803-765-0590 Fax: 803-252-5558
Website: www.scsynod.com
Bishop
The Rev. Dr. Herman R. Yoos III
Assistants to the Bishop
The Rev. Melvin E. Amundson
The Rev. Virginia S. Aebischer
The Rev. Eric G. Wolf
Vice-President
Lexanne K. Graves, Associate in Ministry
Secretary
The Rev. W. Osborne Herlong
©
Copyright information about THE PARISH PAPER, found in this issue: Our synod’s purchase
of a subscription to The Parish Paper INCLUDES (1) permission to provide copies to our staff and
to the congregations within our jurisdiction in any of the following ways: E-mail, Postal, newspaper, newsletter, meetings, training events, and our Web site. (2) permission for each congregation within
our jurisdiction (a) to photocopy or electronically distribute for local use as many copies as it needs, (b) to
post them on its Web site, and (c) to quote sentences and paragraphs. Congregations within our organization to which we distribute THE PARISH PAPER do NOT have permission (a) to delete the copyright notice,
(b) to re-write, paraphrase, or change the wording of sentences and paragraphs, or (c) to give ANY THIRD
PARTY—other than our staff and constituents—permission to photocopy or reprint (in any quantity, no
matter how small, whether for free distribution or for sale).
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Treasurer
Raymond L. Hendrix
Editor
Neal F. Fischer neal@scsynod.com
Subscriptions
Julie A. Koon julie@scsynod.com
Publication deadlines are listed on the back page of
each issue.
May Emphasis
By The Rev. Bob Coon
The Heart of
Our Ministry
Lutheran Homes of South Carolina
S
ome time ago I received a letter
from the son of one of our residents,
who wrote, “When my mother
moved to the Heritage at Lowman a decade ago, I knew she would have enough
funds to pay for her care until she lived
to be 100, so I didn’t worry about her finances. Thanks to the excellent care she
has received, she recently celebrated her
100th birthday, but just as I anticipated,
she has run out of money.”
I responded to the letter by asking
the son to complete a Resident Grant
Application. Residents of the five Lutheran Homes communities may apply
to the Lutheran Homes of South Carolina Foundation for financial assistance
if they no longer have the assets and
income needed to pay for of their care.
The Foundation uses gifts from donors
and income from endowments to subsidize the care of residents who meet the
grant criteria, which includes not having
transferred their assets to family members.
The Foundation has a similar program
to assist Lutheran Hospice patients, who
do not have Medicare, Medicaid or insurance as well as low income clients
of BeWell Home Services, who need
assistance to continue living at home.
Thanks to the generous supporters of
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March and April 2015
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Author bio:
Coon is the President and
CEO of the Lutheran Homes of
South Carolina Foundation
Campus Ministry
Furman’s Lutheran Student Association
M
any view college years as preparation for life. The focus is on
education, training, skill-building. This is true at Furman University.
For Furman’s Lutheran Student Association there’s more. A ministry of Trinity, Greenville, Furman’s LSA provides
students a weekly opportunity to break
bread together with meals prepared by
Trinity volunteers. Students share “highs
and lows”, study Scripture, pray and
leave strengthened for the challenges
ahead. Furman’s LSA is about engaging
students, Lutheran and friends, in a life
of faith. Pastor Jan Setzler and LSA Peer
Minister Samantha Menapace, a Philadelphia senior, provide leadership.
Faith formation happens in weekly
gatherings. It happens beyond the meetings. It includes attention to the needs
of students in distress. It includes participation in ministries of compassion,
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large and small. Fall semester ministries
include the annual Christmas Stocking
Stuffers for Greenville at-risk children.
Students shop for gifts and stuff stockings for 10-12 children of all ages. Spring
semester Furman’s fund-raising efforts
focus on Relay for Life for ACS. LSA’s
goal is at least $500 raised through contributions and cake sales. As disciples of
the Lord Jesus at Furman University, we
believe a life of faith is a life of faithful
service!
Author bio:
Setzler is Campus Pastor at Furman
and the Senior Development Associate
for NovusWay Ministries
Top: Furman LSA 2014 Stocking Stuffer shoppers,
from left: Mary Kate Farris, Samantha Menapace,
Josi Corbit and Anna
Bottom: Simone Dixon (left) and Samantha Menapace (right) at LSA's Relay for Life fundraiser
our not-for-profit ministry, the Foundation spent $730,000 last year to subsidize
the care of 56 residents, hospice patients
and BeWell clients.
I’m pleased to report the son submitted the application and a resident grant
was approved for his mother, who continues to live in the place she has come
to call home. Each month she is billed
for what she can afford to pay from her
income, the family provides a modest
amount of support, and the Foundation
covers the remaining portion of the cost
to provide the care she needs.
As illustrated by the shepherd’s staff in
the form of a cross in the logo of Lutheran Homes of South Carolina, the cross
of Christ stands at the heart of our mission. The Foundation’s subsidized care
program is just one example of how the
cross makes a difference in the lives of
those we serve each day. ☐
By The Rev. Dr. John L. Setzler
June Emphasis
By Elliott Cox
South Carolina Lutheran
Retreat Centers
“‘This place is awesome!’ was said over and over
again by our group! What an amazing weekend!!
Thank you so much for helping make this weekend
everything and MORE than we expected!! We will
definitely be back again!! God bless y’all!!”
I
t is such a joy to hear responses like
these from our many groups about
just how much they enjoy hosting
their events, conferences, and retreats
at the South Carolina Lutheran Retreat
Centers. In these places at Camp Kinard
(Batesburg-Leesville, SC) and Coastal
Retreat (Isle of Palms, SC), we see the
mighty works of God on a daily basis as
we strive to facilitate the growth of God’s
kingdom by providing exceptional hospitality
and
t r ans for ma tional opportunities within
the glory of
God’s
creation. A quick
glance at our
numbers show
how God is
working
in
“Thank you so much for all you have done for us. We
are simply amazed at the way the Lord has orchestrated and blessed us through [the South Carolina
Lutheran Retreat Centers]. Wonderful memories have
been made over the past week!”
these special places and just how many
lives are being touched. At Camp Kinard
and Coastal Retreat, we were glad to
welcome and provide the facilities where
lasting memories are made for nearly
250 groups and over 7,000 guests last
year!
“We would like to thank the many
groups who choose to host their events
at Camp Kinard and Coastal Retreat,”
said Dallas Shealy, Executive Director
of the South Carolina Lutheran Retreat
Centers. “We appreciate their partnership with us in this ministry of hospitality! We also would like to thank our
many wonderful supporters who annually contribute gifts to help provide places where life changing experiences can
occur. Thank you so much for all your
support!”
Whether you were part of the many
groups to visit last year or if it has been a
while since you last stopped by, we invite
you to consider hosting your next event
at the South Carolina Lutheran Retreat
Centers.
Each center offers your group, large or
small, the perfect setting to renew faith,
foster fellowship, build memories and
encounter the glory of God’s creation!
To set up your reservation at Camp
Kinard or Coastal Retreat, we invite you
to contact our main office today at (803)
532-3183. We look forward to seeing you
soon! ☐
Author bio:
Cox is Hospitality
& Communications
Coordinator
South Carolina
Lutheran Retreat
Centers
March and April 2015
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In Our Own Words
By The Rev. John Wertz
What Mission Support Means To Me
Even the children learned
generosity makes a difference
I
t started with Pastor Wade Roof and
the children at Resurrection Lutheran
Church in Cameron a year and a half
before I became their interim pastor
in January 2014. The children brought
their offerings to the children’s message
and Pastor Roof suggested that it be set
aside for a special project.
I learned about selecting a project two
months after I arrived. We discussed
several ideas but none seemed right.
Then, in the summer, Gloria Rast, our
Parish Administrator, received a pig in
the mail--not a real pig but a piggy box
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promoting gifts available through the
ELCA Good Gifts Catalog. Gloria put
the piggy box together and it was the
first thing I noticed when I came into
the office. She gave me the catalog and
showed me the pigs and then the farm.
The farm was $715 and included one
cow, two pigs, two goats, a dozen chicks,
farm tools and training.
“That’s it,” I enthusiastically told Gloria. “We are going to give a farm!”
Gloria ordered the farm barn offering boxes from the catalogue and I purchased a wooden barn from Michaels to
replace our offering basket. I found miniature animals at Tractor Supply which
Gloria and her husband, Heber, put in a
display with the barn bank for the children to see.
Two weeks later, we announced the
project complete with barn banks for
each child, our barn offering plate and
our farm display. The children were even
more enthusiastic than I was.
Two children asked if we could try to
give another farm. “Sure,” I responded
remembering that it had taken two years
to give the first farm and expecting it to
take two more years for the second farm.
The generosity and enthusiasm of the
children became contagious. Children
started asking for more than a dollar to
put in the offering barn. Two children
brought in banks completely filled with
change.
Generosity happened. Before I concluded my interim at the end of December 2014, we had raised enough for a
second farm along with three additional
gifts.
These children taught everyone that
generosity can make a difference. ☐
Author bio:
Wertz is interim pastor for
Resurrection, Cameron
Editor’s note: This is the eleventh in a series of
first-person, “in our own words” articles from a
number of people who will share their stories about
what prompts them to give to mission support, and
what that giving means to them. Please feel free
to reprint these articles and share them in your
congregation.
By The Rev. Dr. Herman Yoos, Bishop
An Invitation
A New
Conversation
on Race
W
hen was the last time you had an
honest conversation with an African American about the racial
climate in South Carolina?
Recently I was invited to attend Governor Riley’s The Diversity Leadership
Initiative, which consists of five day-long
conversations with business leaders,
teachers, leaders of social services organizations, persons in law enforcement
and religious leaders. At the February
meeting we began a conversation related to the shooting of African Americans
by white officers. I was surprised to hear
from the half dozen African American
men in the room, that while growing up
they had all experienced incidences of
racial profiling – of being stopped for no
other reason than the color of their skin
and the section of town that they were
driving in. Each of them also said they
have had to carefully instruct their sons
about how to behave and how to keep
their hands on the steering wheel whenever they are stopped by police for any
reason. Suddenly, I realized from their
experiences that there was a great need
in our society for a new conversation on
race.
Several weeks later, the urgency for
this conversation was made ever clearer through the shooting of Walter Scott,
a North Charleston African American
male who was stopped for a broken tail
light and shot 8 times in the back by a
white officer. Some might think, “There
is nothing I can do about this, after all
there are bad apples in every organization.” While there is truth to this thought,
it greatly misses the larger point. All of
us, either actively or passively, by words,
actions and relationships contribute to
the atmosphere of hostility and mistrust
Campolo and Battle expose the realities of racial division in the churches and then lift up a vision of a
church without racism. To achieve reconciliation within and among the denominations, they argue, both the
black and the white church need to acknowledge and overcome substantial problems in their traditions.
among whites and blacks in our communities.
About 10 years ago, a group of Midlands Conference pastors read together
the book The Church Enslaved by Tony
Campolo, a white evangelical pastor and
Michael Battle, a black Episcopal Theo10 ▶
March and April 2015
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ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth
Eaton invites the 3.8 million-member
church to a conversation, call to action
on racial justice. See this video online at
https://youtu.be/9YuMSc6XlzA
◀9
logian Over and over again they exposed
the realities of racism from the past to
the present that contributes to why the
11:00 hour on Sunday morning is the
most segregated hour in our country
today. They identified five behaviors of
white Americans that contribute to this
climate: “patronization of whites towards
blacks, blaming the victim, avoiding social contact, denying cultural differences, denying the political significance of
these differences.”
As we talked about these realities, it
occurred to us that we didn’t have any
significant relationships with African
American pastors to begin such a conversation. We initiated a lunch with
about a dozen white and black pastors to
see if we could have a conversation on
race. Several of the black pastors said, “If
you just want a book study group that
makes you feel better and some superficial relationships to prove how open
minded you are, then we are not interested. It isn’t worth our time. But if you
want to build real friendships that deal
honestly with these issues, and where we
can meet and break bread together in
each other’s homes, then we would welcome this opportunity.”
What emerged from this initial conversation was a group we called “the Race
and Reconciliation Group”. We began to
meet monthly in each other’s homes and
churches. There we shared our stories of
how we grew up very differently because
of our racially divided society and what
impact that has had on our lives. Slowly,
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we began to see each other as friends and
allies on this journey of reconciliation
together. Although this group now only
meets several times a year, these friendships have continued to be a blessing in
my life and have helped me to grow and
understand my own racial perceptions
and blind spots.
In Ephesians 2, Paul writes: “Christ Jesus is our peace; in his flesh he has broken down the dividing walls of hostility.”
In 2 Corinthians 5: we read, “God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto himself and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.” Both of these passages
clearly speak about the urgency of building relationships across every racial,
cultural, social and political division in
order to reflect the love and grace of God
in Jesus Christ for all people.
So what are some ways that we might
make a difference in bridging some of
these divisions? First, I encourage us to
pray often for the Holy Spirit to bring
comfort and strength to the family of
Walter Scott and to everyone who has
experienced hurtful abuses of power and
authority. We also need to pray for all
our law enforcement officers for better
training and building of the respectful
relationships in our communities. Second, I invite you to consider starting
your own conversation around race and
reconciliation and to seek out persons
who are racially and culturally different
that would be open to having these kinds
of conversations. Third, I encourage you
to visit a link to our South Carolina
Synod’s Talking Together resource for
congregational workshops. The link is
http://scsynod.com/index.php?page=Inclusiveness. Our synod Task Force on
Inclusiveness would be glad to bring one
of these events to your congregation.
In closing, I would like to go back to
my first session of the Diversity Leadership Initiative. There, Juan Johnson, our
Diversity Leadership Trainer shared an
insight that is worth repeating. He said,
“Most of us think of issues related to diversity as being primarily about obvious
differences that we can observe, like the
color of one’s skin or the accent of one’s
voice. Instead, he said the most significant sources of diversity come from what
we can’t see, one’s inner values, belief
systems, and perceptions. The only way
to get to know these inner attributes and
their meaning is to sit down and have
a conversation together.” What do you
think would happen if, we were willing
to engage in more of these kind of open
conversations with persons of different
racial and ethnic backgrounds? How
might God be at work in and through
these kinds of conversations helping us
learn and grow as instruments of Christ’s
reconciling love in our world? Why not
try and find out for yourself? ☐
Peace,
Herman R. Yoos
Bishop
Reaching out in many ways
Good ideas from our congregations:
CONFERENCE REPORTERS
CONFERENCE 1: FOOTHILLS
Cheryl Gagné
(cngagne@gmail.com)
714 Sidney Dr.
Greenwood, SC 29646
CONFERENCE 2: UPSTATE
Blaine Childress
(blaine.childress@gmail.com)
300 Mountain View Lane
Inman, SC 29349
CONFERENCE 3: EPIPHANY
Reporter needed
CONFERENCE 4: AMELIA
Reporter needed
CONFERENCE 5: HEARTLAND
Reporter needed
CONFERENCE 6: MIDLANDS
Anjay Williamson
(awilliam@scetv.org)
3721 Linbrook Drive
Columbia, SC 29204
CONFERENCE 7: COASTAL
Pastor Bonnie Mefferd
(blmefferd@comcast.net)
1020 Black Rush Circle
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466
CONFERENCE 8: SAXE GOTHA
Vonda Scott
(vondascott@hotmail.com)
3724 Riviera Rd.
Columbia, SC 29205
CONFERENCE 9: WESTERN
Reporter needed
Please share your news with your conference
reporter (listed above)!
We especially look for “outside the walls” ministry
ideas that you can share with other congregations.
This helps all of us strengthen our outreach to our
communities. Thanks.
Immanuel, Greenwood
• On March 8, members and friends of
Immanuel gathered for an evening of
fellowship, singing hymns, food and
drink at the Mill House Restaurant.
• On April 25, Youth Yard Sale to be
held, proceeds will support our youth
attending the 2015 ELCA Youth
Gathering in Detroit, all unsold remaining items will be donated to the
Habitat Store.
• The Community Lenten Pilgrimage Worship and lunch offering was
designated to support the Greater
Greenwood United Ministries.
• Thrivent Action Team project dollars
($250) purchased supplies for our
member and community Lenten Fair,
Lunch, and Egg Hunt.
• Immanuel’s Women, WELCA Unit
and Circles will start collecting donations for the 2015 WELCA Convention Project Kits in support of Child
and Family Services - Lutheran Services Carolinas on April 19.
Lutheran Church of Our Savior,
Greenville
• Member support of $1000 to support
the mission and ministry of the E
ELCA Good Gifts.
• $275 and 400 food items were collected for God’s pantry on Souper Bowl
Sunday.
• A $1000 grant was received from
WELCA Raising Up Healthy Women
& Girls for use in the Healthy Cooking Class, which will be offered to the
patron’s of God’s Pantry.
• LCY Yard Sale to be held on April 25
proceeds to benefit the youth attending the 2015 National Youth Gathering in Detroit this summer.
• March 28 through April 4, Pastor
Ron Brown walked from West Columbia to Greenville to raise funds
in support of SC Synod’s three Latino
Mission congregations.
St. John Lutheran Church, Walhalla
• Proceeds from the Soup and Bread
Suppers were designated to ELCA
World Hunger,
St. Matthias, Easley
• We continue to collect your donations of food, hygiene and cleaning
items in support of United Christians
Ministries pantry.
• Souper Bowl of Caring donations of
$153.98 were designated in support
of the Piedmont Emergency Relief
Center.
• A few ways to help support our Preschool Program with your donations:
March 28th Craft Fair proceeds, at
Freddy’s: every 1st Tuesday is Preschool Spirit Night and you can designate our preschool to receive a portion of the proceeds.
Christus Victor, Columbia
• participated in the March for Meals
Lunchbox Campaign, which raises
awareness and funds to provide hot
meals to the elderly, frail or handicapped adults in the Midlands. Their
Cliff Bourguignon Golf Tournament
proceeds went towards fulfilling their
scholarship at Newberry College.
Ebenezer, Columbia
• sewing group is participating in the
Little Dresses for Africa project. The
group makes simple, colorful little
dresses out of pillow cases, which are
distributed through the orphanages,
schools and churches in Africa.
Faith, Batesville
• congregation members recently
travelled to Spartanburg to witness
the Rite of Ordination for their new
pastor, Rev. Lisa W. Isenhower. Pastor Lisa held her first worship service
there on April 12.
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March and April 2015
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Good Shepherd, Columbia
Reformation, Columbia
Incarnation, Columbia
St. James, Sumter
Living Springs, Columbia
Emmanuel Lutheran Church, West
Columbia
• held its third annual “Water Walk
for Uwanji,” with donations going to
the Safe Water Ministry in the South
Western Diocese. Their Ramp Ministry completed building two ramps
earlier this year, including one in
Clinton, S.C., and have two more
ramps in the planning stages.
• hosted the Sandlapper Singers spring
concert, with an array of musical
styles that influenced the life and
work of Artistic Director Lillian
Quackenbush.
• collected 82 blankets in 40 hours (beginning at the Shrove Tuesday pancake supper) to be distributed to the
homeless for the winter.
Lutheran Campus Ministries, USC
• sent two students, Laura Dunklin of
Florence and R.P. Austin of Irmo, to
the Lutheran Student Movement Alternative Spring Break in Detroit in
March, with part of their role being
prepping for the “RISE UP” National
Youth Gathering in July. The end of
the year Spring Shebang recognized
the seniors with a thank you gift and
Farewell and Godspeed was held at
the April 19th Sunday Night Worship.
Redeemer, Columbia
• donated 74 coats for men, women
and children in their area as part of
their “Share the Warmth” project.
The congregation also hosted an Annual Spring Fling, with games, crafts,
and a service project. They also welcomed guests to their facilities for a
week as part of their Family Promise
ministry, which provides shelter and
meals for homeless families.
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• offered its community a Sunday of
worship, followed by a cookout and
outdoor concert by the Newberry
College Jazz Band, led by Dr. Barry McGinnis. The concert honored
Cope Veronee, an original member
of the Newberry Band, who turns 100
this year.
• Lutheran School held a Read-AThon, raising money for St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital to fight
cancer.
• During our Lenten services our “Lil
Lutherans” challenged the WELCA
circles, LMM, choir, council and
adult and youth Sunday school classes to bring items for our food pantry.
We received a total of 904 items and
the winning group will be presented
the “Golden Ladle” award on April
19. A fun filled Easter egg hunt was
held and an exciting time was had by
all. Our E.S.P. (senior group) enjoyed
a tour of the Governor’s Mansion
in March and will tour the Lutheran Theological Seminary and have a
chapel service and lunch during their
April outing. We will have a covered
dish celebration following worship
on May 17 to honor our college and
high school graduates. We have designated every fifth Sunday as “Change
for Change” when our children collect change following worship and it
is contributed to a worthy cause. In
March they collected $151.51 which
was contributed to the Lexington
County Chaplains organization.
Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Lexington
• Bi-Lo supported LICS with a weekend-long food drive in April 10-12.
This was a slow time of year for donations to LICS, so this is a great way
to help provide for those in need.
This was a fantastic opportunity for
families to serve together in the community. What better way to spend a
couple of hours on a Saturday and
teach our kids what it means to follow Jesus?!
• Haiti Immersion Trip…As we continue to grow our relationship and
commitment with the people of Haiti, we will be joining Pastor Jared Witt
and the Haitian Timoun Foundation
(HTF) for an Immersion Trip to Haiti October 10-17, 2015. During that
time we will be meeting several ministries and organizations that provide
care and support to the poorest country in the western hemisphere. If you
feel God’s call to join the Immersion
Trip, please call Kathy Cooper for
more information or call her at 5464464.
Holy Communion, Spartanburg
• continues to grow its outreach ministry by its Angel Wings backpack
ministry and LEFA (Lifting Each
Feeding All) hot meals Thursday dinner programs. Angel Wings packs
78 child-focused nourishing shelf
stable food items each Thursday and
delivers those brown bags to a local
elementary school for the teacher partners to place in the student’s
backpacks each Friday.
• Hot meals are cooked and served
by church members every Thursday
night in the gym. The LEFA program
is in its fourth year, serving about 40
to 75 people each week.
By Jenny Spearen and Julie Koon
CALLS ACCEPTED – CLERGY:
ORDINATIONS:
CELEBRATIONS AND SPECIAL
SERVICES:
RESIGNATIONS - CLERGY:
April 7, 2015 – Lisa W. Isenhower –
Faith, Batesburg-Leesville
May 4, 2015 – Jason T. Antley, St.
Stephen’s, Lexington (Associate Pastor)
February 22, 2015 – Worship Service at
11th and 12th Grade Retreat at Coastal
Retreat Center, Isle of Palms. Assistant
to the Bishop Wolf preached.
February 27, 2015 – Assistant to the
Bishop Gathering in Jacksonsville,
Florida. Assistant to the Bishop
Aebischer preached.
March 1, 2015 – Worship Service at
Nuestro Salvador. Bishop Yoos preached
and presided.
March 15, 2015 – Worship Service at the
IELCO Assembly in Colombia, South
America. Bishop Yoos preached.
March 22, 2015 – Worship Service at
St. James, Lexington. Assistant to the
Bishop Amundson preached.
March 22, 2015 – Worship Service at 7th
and 8th Grade Retreat at Camp Kinard,
Batesburg-Leesville. Assistant to the
Bishop Wolf preached and presided.
DEATHS:
March 26, 2015 – Death of the Rev. J.F.
“Fred” Wilson. A memorial Service was
held on Sunday, March 29, 2015 at St.
John’s, Beaufort.
April 7, 2015 – Death of the Rev. James
R. Crumley, Jr. A memorial service
was held on Saturday, April 11, 2015 at
Bethel, White Rock.
INTERIM OR STATED SUPPLY
PASTORS:
The Rev. Gary W. Dreier – Pisgah,
Lexington
The Rev. William Neuman – Good
Hope, Ward
The Rev. Paul B. Williams – St. Timothy,
Whitmire
Official Acts
March 22, 2015 – Service of Ordination
for Lisa Wells Isenhower held at St.
John’s Spartanburg. Bishop Yoos presided. Pastor Isenhower has accepted a call
to Faith, Batesburg-Leesville.
March 8, 2015 – Scott L. Holland,
Lutheran Church of the Resurrection,
Columbia
April 12, 2015 – Jason T. Antley, Peak/
Springhill Parish
April 12, 2015 – David T. Ludwick,
Grace, Rock Hill
RETIREMENT:
February 23, 2015 – Paul B. Williams
TRANSFERS RECEIVED - CLERGY:
December 29, 2014 – Michele C. Fischer from the Upstate New York Synod
SPIRIT-LED TIME OF RENEWAL
CONGREGATIONAL EVENTS:
March 22, 2015 – Breath of Life, Blythewood (led by The Rev. Bob Beaver)
April 19, 2015 – St. James, Summit (led
by Assistant to the Bishop Aebischer
and Assistant to the Bishop Wolf)
CALL PROCESS UPDATES:
S=study
I=interviewing
PC=primary candidate
CP=call pending
CA=call accepted
Batesburg, Faith CA Lisa Isenhower
Charleston, St. Matthew S
Greenville, Christ the King S
Irmo, Bethlehem S
Lexington, Pisgah S
Lexington, St. James I
Lexington, St. John S
Lexington, St. Stephen CA Jason Antley
(Associate)
Lexington, Zion I
Mauldin, Messiah S
Moncks Corner, St. Michael S
Newberry, Redeemer I
Orangeburg, Orangeburg I
Saluda, Mt. Pleasant S
Summit, St. James S
Swansea, Sandy Run S
2015 South Carolina Synod
Assembly May 28th – 30th, 2015
2
015 is the Twenty-eighth Assembly of the South Carolina Synod
– ELCA and the 190th meeting
of the Lutheran Church in South Carolina. We will focus together on Faith
Formation across the generations! Each
one of us is called into discipleship in
Christ every day in every community!
Over the course of these two and a half
days opportunities will abound for us
to share in Faith Practices, Bible Study,
Worship, Mission Moments, Keynote
Presentations, and Celebrating the culmination of our Growing God’s Mission
Campaign. It promises to be a wonderful
time together at the 2015 Assembly. We
look forward to being together with you!
Online registration is open. Please visit http://scsynod.com for details about
how to register online. All of our registration is done online (no paperwork for
assembly is mailed). Registration will remain open until May 26th, HOWEVER
the last day you can include meals and
t-shirt is May 18 at 5:00 p.m. May 18th is
also the deadline to request any refunds
for any changes that you have made in
your registration. If you need assistance
with online registration, please give Julie
a call at (803) 509-8323, or email her julie@scsynod.com.
Faith Practices (Discipleship Experiences): will be held on Friday afternoon and include a variety of options to
choose from. Through our online registration process you may sign up to learn
more about and dig deeper into one of
the Faith Practices. ☐
March and April 2015
13
Synod Council
Synod Council Meeting Highlights
February 23, 2015
Welcomed Mr. Neal Fischer, Communications Director, South Carolina Synod.
Mr. Fischer began work in the South
Carolina Synod on December 1, 2014.
Welcomed the Rev. Eric G. Wolf,
Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and
Young Adult Ministries. Pr. Wolf began
service in the Office of the Bishop on
February 1, 2015.
Approved on-leave-from-call status
for rostered leaders.
Extended a call to Non-Congregational Service to Rev. Karen Young as chaplain, Lutheran Homes of South Carolina
at Lutheran Hospice, Midlands, beginning February 16, 2015.
Extended a call to Non-Congregational Service to the Rev. Douglas E. Graul as
chaplain, Agape Senior at Harbison and
Kathwood, Columbia, beginning July 19,
2014.
Approved the South Carolina Synod
Assembly Displays Guidelines as amended.
Voted to propose the 2016 Compensation Guidelines for Rostered Leaders,
South Carolina Synod, for adoption by
the 2015 South Carolina Synod Assembly.
Designated the offerings received at
the worship services of the 2015 South
Carolina Synod Assembly with one-half
given to the Latino Outreach Center,
South Carolina Synod, and one-half to
Leadership: Youth and Young Adults,
Always Being Made New: The Campaign
for the ELCA.
Requested an appointment to the
governing board of the Hattie Schneider Sharpe Charitable Trust due to a
vacancy; and requested the representative, First Citizens Bank and Bishop
Herman Yoos, present members of the
governing board of the Hattie Schneider
Sharpe Charitable Trust, to approve the
appointment of the Senior Pastor of Stephen’s, Lexington to fill the vacancy on
the governing board.
Received a report from Mr. Raymond
L. Hendrix, Jr, Treasurer, on the South
Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Luther-
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an Church in America, Financial Statements and Supplementary Information
as of and for the year ended January 31,
2014. McGregor & Company, Certified
Public Accountants, LLP, Columbia, SC.,
December 15, 2014.
Appointed a committee comprised
of the Bishop, Assistants to the Bishop,
Vice President, and Ms. Carol Nordquist
to oversee the Growing God’s Mission
Appeal.
Amended the Policies and Procedures
of the South Carolina Synod, Capital Reserve Fund Guidelines by adding to the
definition Capital Improvements are improvements / additions / furnishings.
Transferred the following inactive
accounts to the surplus account: ELCA
Social Ministry Grant, Old Designated
Account, and World Mission Reserve.
Transferred $15,000.00 from the surplus account to Candidacy Scholarship
to be used as funding for the Israel trip
with the understanding that any funds
remaining following the trip are to be returned to the surplus account.
Voted to propose to the 2015 South Carolina Synod Assembly that the “Budget
Procedures” be approved to guide the
adoption of the 2016-2017 budget:
Budget Procedures
1.Proposed amendments to the budget must be submitted to the secretary of this synod in writing no later
than 6:00 p.m. Thursday, May 28.
Each amendment or resolution to
amend must be supported in writing by ten (10) signatures of voting members in this assembly. The
secretary shall refer such proposed
amendments to the Treasurer and
the Finance Committee. During the
consideration of the budget by the
assembly, the Treasurer or Finance
Committee shall report on the implication of each proposed amendment.
2.Any amendment to the budget that
increases a current program proposal expense, or adds a current program proposal to the budget, must
include a corresponding decrease in
some other current program pro-
By The Rev. Ozzie Herlong
posal of the same amount; or an increase in revenues to offset the proposed expense.
Chapter S10.04. Any proposal to appropriate funds,
whether by amendment to the budget or otherwise, which is presented
to a meeting of the Synod Assembly
without the approval of the Synod
Council shall require a two-thirds
vote for adoption.
Constitution, Bylaws and Continuing
Resolutions, South Carolina Synod
Voted to propose the budget in the
amount of $2,548,600 for the fiscal year,
February 1, 2016 – January 31, 2017 for
adoption by the 2015 South Carolina
Synod Assembly.
Declared that the properties used by
Christ Mission, Columbia and the Latino Outreach Center, West Columbia, are
used for God’s mission in the South Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and are not-forprofit investments.
Amended S12.01.C14.15. Constitution, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions,
South Carolina Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, under Midlands, Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community, by striking the words
Blythewood, Life Center, Breath of Life;
and under Saxe Gotha, Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community, striking, the word Probe and adding the word
Discovery.
Entered into an agreement with the
Rev. Harvey L. Huntley Jr., Coordinator,
Region 9 Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) to locate the Region
9 ELCA office in the Synod Office and
that this arrangement begin no earlier
than April 2015.
Designated April 26, 2015, as Newberry College Sunday and voted to invite congregations of the South Carolina
Synod to participate.
Voted to give consent, in accord with
S15.21., Constitution, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions, South Carolina
Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, to the request of Mr. Ted Goins, President, Lutheran Services Caro-
linas, that Lutheran Services Carolinas
be placed on the calendar for a synodical appeal to congregations of the South
Carolina Synod beginning January, 2018
and ending January, 2020.
Continued to list on the roster of ordained ministers of this church the Rev.
Paul B. Williams by placing Pr. Williams
on the retired roster of the South Carolina Synod on February 23, 2015.
Conducted a Special Order with the
Rev. Brenda L. Kneece, Executive Minister, South Carolina Christian Action
Council.
Notice of the Time and Place for 2016
South Carolina Synod Assembly: This
time and place was fixed by the Synod Council to be: Thursday-Saturday,
June 9, 10 and 11, 2016 at the Columbia
Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia. Minutes of the Synod Council
Meeting, April 11, 2011, page 7 - Action
(SC11.04.06.)
Synod Council Meeting Highlights
April 20, 2015
Approved on-leave-from-call status for
rostered leaders.
Extended a call to interim ministry,
South Carolina Synod, to the Rev. Phillip
Edward Clark for a term of two-years, in
accord with 7.41.11.b. Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the
ELCA.
Recognized and expressed thanks
to the members of the Synod Council
whose terms expire in 2015:
With Deep Gratitude – The South Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America expresses its sincerest appreciation for the gift of leadership
shared by Mr. Micah P. Aebischer, Mr.
Paul R. Bouknight, Mr. John P. Harmon,
the Rev. Robert I. Miles, Jr., the Rev. Mary
M. Finklea, Mrs. Gayle M. Sims, and Mrs.
Mandi T. Whitley, Associate in Ministry. Provided a ministry display space at
the 2015 South Carolina Synod Assembly for Thrivent Financial, Reconciling
Works, Southern Mutual Insurance, and
the Southeastern Synod Green Team
(ELCA). These additional provisions for
ministry display spaces are in addition to
synodically sponsored ministries, institutions and organizations and synodically related Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America ministries and task forces.
Heard a progress report from Mr. Raymond L. Hendrix Jr., Treasurer, South
Carolina Synod, on the redrawing of the
articles of the Trust Agreement of the Hattie Sharpe Charitable Trust to include on
the governing board of the trust a pastor
from a Lexington County congregation.
Reviewed the constitutional provisions and continuing resolutions to
guide the procedures and elections at the
2015 South Carolina Synod Assembly as
provided in the Constitution, Bylaws and
Continuing Resolutions, South Carolina
Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America.
Conducted a Special Order with Dr.
Maurice Scherrens, President, Newberry
College. ☐
A Perspective from Rev. Mel Amundson
S
oon after the synod council extended the call, I visited the pastor
at the Baptist Church across the
street to tell him I'd be leaving Redeemer
to serve as Assistant to the Bishop. His
startled response? "Mel, I didn't know
you wanted to be a bureaucrat!" Had I
made a mistake, I feared. But of course,
God is good, and I would not have to become something I was not - a bureaucrat.
My promise, spoken to no one but God,
was that I would be a pastor to the best
of my ability, but in a new setting, and
not just for one congregation, but for every congregation in the South Carolina
Synod, under the pastoral leadership of
the bishop.
Though leaving the church I had
served for 23 years was difficult, with
my usual enthusiasm and humor packed
and ready, I looked forward to new ven-
ues and relationships for service to the
Gospel.
Early on I understood what great privilege had been granted: to pray in hospitals and homes of rostered leaders and
their families; to challenge, comfort and
encourage congregations in conflict; to
engage congregations and rostered leaders in the call process, Spirit-led, often
including celebrating the installation;
to admit early and often that, surprise,
I was not the expert on all things "Lutheran" or "synod;" to guide and bless
congregation councils in retreat, seeking
new direction and passion; to experience the breadth and depth of the ELCA
through regional, ecumenical, and companion synod partnerships; lately to have
directed the Growing in God's Mission
Appeal in providing more than $1.75
million dollars for significant ministry,
and multi-thousands more for safe water in Tanzania; and probably best of all,
to love and laugh while serving together
with Bishop David Donges and Bishop
Herman Yoos with wonderful colleagues
in the synod office.
I absolutely loved every task, conversation, mile, and role. And I will cherish
every memory, for we all brothers and
sisters in Christ, first of all, and are companions walking together in a faithful,
dynamic synod.
Professor of Pastoral Care Austin Shell
advised that we look back at each stage of
life without regrets. That is exactly where
I stand today, while humbly, gratefully,
confidently filled with hope, humor and
enthusiasm for the next stage.
Thank you for your friendship and
support in all that has been, and in all
that is yet to come. To God be the Glory!
March and April 2015
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THE
PA R I S H PA P E R
I D E A S A N D I N S I G H T S F O R A C T I V E C O N G R E G AT I O N S
EDITOR: CYNTHIA WOOLEVER—WWW.THEPARISHPAPER.COM
May 2015—Volume 23, Number 5
Copyright © 2015 by Cynthia Woolever
Seeking a Bivocational Calling for Pastors and Churches
Jim tells his neighbor about their church’s bivocational
pastor: “He preaches at our church at 9:00 on Sunday
mornings, works in the church office two days a week,
and does some visiting with sick members. On Sundays,
he also drives eight miles up the road to another church
and preaches there at 11:00. He sets up in their church
office two days a week too. Then, he is the hospital chaplain one or two days a week.” Jim’s neighbor is speechless.
He wonders when the pastor finds time for anything else.
Many churches need different kinds of leaders and
models of ministry to remain workable and effective.
The example of the Apostle Paul, who made tents to
fund his ministry, inspired multitudes. Now the current
demand for bivocational pastors (modern tentmakers)
far exceeds the supply.
What Is a Bivocational Pastor?
The majority of pastors serve one congregation. The
church fully funds the pastor’s salary and other compensation benefits, such as health insurance, housing,
and retirement. A growing percentage of pastors serve
multiple parishes, meaning that several churches fully
fund the pastor’s salary. However, these multipoint
ministry assignments are not the usual arrangement
for Protestant pastors—only about 12 percent of mainline and 6 percent of conservative Protestant leaders
serve more than one church.1
Bivocational ministry is different from serving multiple parishes. The pastor holds a dual role—he or she
serves in a local church ministry position (or in multiple
churches) and meets other significant non-church work
obligations. Most often, these pastors receive salary and
support from other employment—such as chaplaincy,
teacher or professor at a religious school, or serving in
a community services non-profit organization. More
than half of bivocational ministers fit this description.
However, many pastors would describe the “other” part
of their vocation in unique ways—like farming, a legal
professional, IT specialist, or sports coach. Most bivo-
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cational pastors reject the label of “part-time pastor”
because they see their pastoral calling as full-time.
Bivocational ministry is more common among conservative Protestant pastors—about one in four work as
tentmakers. Only about 6 percent of mainline Protestant
pastors are bivocational and rarely are Catholic priests
bivocational (1 percent). On average, bivocational ministers spend 20 hours per week in their non-church role.
Pastors of small congregations devote closer to 30 hours
per week to other employment, compared to about 9
hours a week for large-church bivocational pastors.
The benefits for the pastor. Many bivocational pastors find opportunities for ministry that they would not
be able to pursue otherwise. These pastors find places
to serve where they feel a special calling (new church
development, a small or urban church, a diverse multicultural community) but where fully funded ministry is
not available. Their non-church employment puts these
pastors squarely out in the community—outside of any
holy huddle2—where cross-pollination is more likely
to happen. Tentmakers are often geographically bound
because of their non-church employment, boosting the
likelihood of commitment to the local community.
The downside for the pastor. The myth that bivocational
ministry is a second-rate ministry persists. This myth may
prevent some of the most creative and entrepreneurial
leaders from seeking out what seems like a riskier path.
Research confirms high levels of ministry satisfaction
among tentmakers, but they are too often undercompensated and provided few or no job benefits, which keeps
them and their families on the financial edge. Other issues
include long commutes, exhaustion, few or no days off,
and limited chances for continuing education.
How Do Congregations Respond?
Only when the congregation embraces their bivocational
pastor’s dual roles and sees that dual calling as fundamental to their own ministry vision are they bivocational
too. One definition, from “The Bivocational Congregation,” states that when local churches welcome bivocational ministry they operate on two callings: “the calling
of function and the calling of mission.” The authors go
on to describe how churches live out this calling in five
distinct ways.3
We’ve always been a bivocational church. This type
often occurs in small towns or rural areas where the congregation has never had a full-time pastor. Because members carry out most roles and part-time pastors come and
go, they have limited pastoral expectations.
We seek to be a missional, bivocational church. This
second type exhibits a greater degree of intentionality to
serve their local community. They want a pastor to be
an equal companion in their understanding of what it
means to be the church. Their church health and viability depend on their ministry outreach.
We are a transitional bivocational church. In this
model, typically one church invites another congregation to share its building (sometimes called a nested congregation). The long-term outcome of the arrangement
is unplanned and uncertain. In the meantime, both congregations benefit from the dual mission of support for
one another.
We are an experimental bivocational church. Two or
more worshiping communities form a cluster to carry
out their respective ministries. Together they call a fulltime pastor, but each church experiences the leadership
arrangement as a part-time clergy role for their site.
Over time, they may develop collaborative Christian
Education, music, or social activities.
“We want out” bivocational church. In this situation,
church leaders unhappily accept a part-time pastor, but
their real yearning is for a full-time pastoral leader as soon
as possible. Organizationally, the congregation functions
as a church with a part-time pastor, but never as a bivocational congregation with a unique mission. In the end,
they draw from endowments or other funds to call a fulltime pastor. Rarely does exhausting all resources in the
full-time clergy pursuit lead to long-term viability.
What Does This Mean for the Congregation?
Whether a congregation has always been bivocational
or is just beginning to experiment with it, there are
pros and cons for all involved.
The benefits for the congregation. The most obvious
one is a decreased financial burden for staff expenses.
Healthy congregations direct these budget savings
toward other priorities and find joy in supporting ministry outside the congregation’s walls. For financially
struggling churches, they see a part-time pastor as their
only alternative to no pastor at all.
The downside for the congregation. Most members
experience transitioning away from full-time clergy
leadership to a part-time pastor as a loss, triggering a loss
of identity and self-esteem. Instead of highlighting the
congregation’s gifts and strengths, members may only
describe to potential candidates what they have lost and
what is not working. Their lack of church self-esteem
may keep them from attracting creative and talented
pastors. Instead, they may settle for whoever is willing
and available immediately.
The Bottom Line
What makes a congregation thrive today and into the
future? Bivocational churches and pastors face the
same temptations as other congregations—the strong
pull back to old systems and habits. Yet bivocational
churches and pastors possess positive qualities that give
them the flexibility to experiment, adapt, and respond
quickly to new opportunities. They have all that they
need to respond to what God is calling them to do.
1. Cynthia Woolever and Deborah Bruce, Leadership That Fits
Your Church (St. Louis, MO: Chalice: 2012), 16.
2. Thom Rainer, “Eight Reasons Why Some Full-time Pastors and
Staff Should Go Bivocational,” http://thomrainer.com/2015/01/19/
eight-reasons-fulltime-pastors-staff-go-bivocational/.
3. A. Pappas, N. Faramelli, and E. Pease, “The Bivocational Congregation: Tomorrow’s Church?” Congregations (Alban Institute:
2009), Winter, Vol. 35, no. 1.
C O P Y RI g HT © 2 0 1 5 b Y CY NT H I A W O O L E V E R —W W W. T H E PA R I S H PA P E R .C O M
March and April 2015
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THE
PA R I S H PA P E R
I D E A S A N D I N S I G H T S F O R A C T I V E C O N G R E G AT I O N S
EDITOR: CYNTHIA WOOLEVER—WWW.THEPARISHPAPER.COM
June 2015—Volume 23, Number 6
Copyright © 2015 by Cynthia Woolever
Could Lack of Curiosity Kill the Church?
The proverbial expression that curiosity killed the cat
highlights the danger of probing the unknown. However,
the original phrase means something entirely different—
that care or worry could wear out nine cat’s lives.1 Even
early Christians gave caution about excessive inquiry,
believing that curiosity was corrosive to the soul. Saint
Augustine wrote, “God fashioned hell for the inquisitive.” But can too little curiosity hurt the church?
What Is Curiosity?
Lack of information motivates some people to ask questions in order to fill in their knowledge gaps. Curious
people have a passion for knowing more, expanding
learning, and solving problems. They are the ones who
ask the most penetrating questions. Curious individuals possess a powerful drive to make sense of the world.
We think of children as curious about anything new.
According to Ian Leslie, author of Curious, the attraction to anything novel is different from the kind of disciplined curiosity seen in creative adults.2 Leslie calls this
deeper, more effortful and mature type epistemic curiosity. These curious adults possess a strong desire for
knowledge and understanding, which motivates them
to learn new ideas. They relish problem solving. He
also describes another linked form, empathic curiosity,
where individuals exhibit great interest in the thoughts
and feelings of other people.
Psychologists discovered that curiosity levels vary
across individuals. A curiosity measure, the need for
cognition (NFC), reveals that many people reach a comfortable level of knowledge and feel no push to learn
more. Leslie believes that our access to easy answers led
us to forget how to ask questions—what he terms the
Wikipedia problem.
Is there an equivalent NFC measure for congregations
and their leaders? And, if so, how would your congregation measure up? Ultimately, are churches that reject
curiosity also rejecting viability?
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What Are the Traits of a Curious Congregation?
A curious congregation is never satisfied with the status
quo. While some churches get stuck in their misconceptions, curious churches focus on what is unfolding before
them. They are the first to recognize that God is at work
and see their holy ministry partnership in the church and
community. Unfortunately, success often makes church
leaders less curious because if it’s not broken, why fix it?
Curious leaders are less concerned about rules and
appearances than with what works. Although these
leaders take the long view, they do not find the present
boring. Rather, the details of current ministry efforts
generate more opportunities to expand learning and
experimentation.
Truly curious churches experience frustration at their
information gaps and that fuels their desire to learn more.
Leslie writes that we have an unlimited ability to ignore
our ignorance. Some congregations practice strategic
ignorance because lack of knowledge requires no action.
The first step toward cultivating curiosity is to become
aware of how much is still unknown. And real curiosity requires considerable effort and time. Unfortunately,
congregations are prone to social loafing—what Leslie
defines as the widespread tendency of individuals to
decrease their own effort when working collaboratively.
Curious congregations demonstrate empathic curiosity. They respect feelings and place a high value on
being a caring community. Therefore, empathically
curious churches project positive impressions to the
community. They are opposite from those churches
known as “fighting and firing churches.”3 Non-empathic churches treat the pastor and staff poorly, ignore
fair processes, and seem unwilling to stop a few members from accumulating inappropriate power. Too
many of their members see the church in a possessive
light—as a place to get their needs fulfilled.
Curious congregations develop skills in turning puzzles
into mysteries. The internet creates an illusion that every
question has a definitive answer. However, Leslie makes
a distinction between puzzles and mysteries. Puzzles get
clear answers and begin with questions like How many?
and Where? Mysteries ask the more complex questions,
which cannot be answered definitely. The curious church
realizes that there are many things we cannot know. They
work within these parameters to make continuous, and
constantly changing, improvements instead of singular
improvements for the short term.
Finally, curious congregations are willing to make
choices. Fear and anxiety kill curiosity and keep churches locked in place. Curiosity can be more powerful
than courage in the face of obstacles. Organizations that
are fascinated by what they don’t yet know are the least
likely to be caught off guard by change.
Ask the Big Why
Beginning in the 1930s, social scientists moved away
from asking why people behaved in particular ways and
instead studied what they could observe people doing.
These behaviorists took pride in the accumulation of
objective observations without the subjective taint of
invisible motivations. A more recent phenomenon is the
perceived power that Big Data made possible by the processing of massive amounts of information. Proponents
of data believe that numbers can speak for themselves.
One example of Big Data usage, the Failed State
Index, was designed to measure and predict the states
around the world close to collapse. Despite drawing
from 130,000 data sources, the index did not predict
the Arab Spring in 2012. Only experts with in-depth
knowledge of the region’s history, culture, and needs
could provide insight into why the events unfolded.
A curious congregation is always composed of people
with deep faith, relationships, traditions, and history.
Their willingness to dig deeper and ask why questions
yield the most profound insights. Most questions tend
to be the type where answers fit neatly. However, if
the right question isn’t asked, an insightful answer has
nowhere to go.
Some Curious Questions
Even while many may still believe the current implication of the phrase curiosity killed the cat, the retort, and
satisfaction brought him back, has also gained popularity. This reply takes back the original meaning and highlights the importance of asking curious questions. Below
are just a few examples of questions that curious congregations can ask. How will your congregation respond?
• What congregational activities and programs are
going well? Why is that the case? What activities
and programs do we wish were more effective?
Why are they less effective?
• Thinking about your current and previous pastors, what leadership approach seemed to fit your
church best? Why do you think that approach
was most effective at that time?
• What are the congregation’s core values that help
explain members’ motivations and behaviors?
What process is the church using to examine and
transform desired values into core values?
• Is our congregation a neighborhood church
where most worshipers live nearby or is it a
non-geographical congregation, drawing worshipers from a wider area? Why do we believe
we are called to serve in this location?
• If our church leaders could travel back in time to
twenty years ago, what message would they deliver
to those in our congregation? Would those earlier
leaders listen and act on that message? Why not?
• Willthepassageoftimeexpandorcontractour
church’sattractiveoptions?Why?
1. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/curiosity-killed-the-cat
.html.
2. Material drawn from Ian Leslie, Curious: The Desire to Know
and Why Your Future Depends On It (New York: Basic Books,
2014), whose work describes curious individuals.
3. Thom S. Rainer, “Nine Traits of Mean Churches,” http://
thomrainer.com/2015/03/23/nine-traits-mean-churches/.
COPYRIg HT © 2015 bY CYNTHIA W O O LE V E R —W W W. TH E PA R I S H PA P E R .C O M
March and April 2015
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PERIODICAL
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Please check www.scsynod.com for calendar updates.
May 2015
3-8..................................................................................................................................................................... Vibrant Faith Workshop, Camp Kinard
5.................................................................................................................. Growing in God’s Mission Committee Meeting, Synod Office 10:30 a.m.
5.......................................................................................................................................... Columbia Area Cluster Meeting, Synod Office 12:00 p.m.
14........................................................................................................................Global Mission/Companion Synod Meeting, Synod Office 1:30 p.m.
14..........................................................................................................................................Reference and Counsil Meeting, Synod Office 2:30 p.m.
19..................................................................................................................................................... Table/Network Meeting, Synod Office 11:30 a.m.
21................................................................................................................................................ Packet Day for 2015 Synod Assembly, Synod Office
25.................................................................................................................................................................... Synod Office Closed for Memorial Day
27.................................................................................................................... Synod Assembly Moving Day, Synod Staff will have limited availability
28-30.................................................................................................................................................................Synod Assembly, Spartanburg Marriott
June 2015
1....................................................................................................................................................................................................Synod Office Closed
7-12................................................................................................................................................... GraceWorks, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Columbia
19-21......................................................................................................................................................LCY Convention, Newberry College, Newberry
26-27................................................................................................................................................................... Synod Council Retreat, Camp Kinard
28-July 3..............................................................................................................................................................Bridge Building Camp, Camp Kinard
28................................................................................. South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission Executive Board Meeting, Synod Office 2:30 p.m.
29..................................................................................500th Anniversary of the Reformation Committee Meeting, Ebenezer, Columbia 11:00 a.m.
30.................................................................................................................................................... Rostered Leaders Event, Synod Office 12:00 p.m.
Just a reminder: Synod Staff meetings are held most Monday mornings.
The South Carolina Lutheran publication schedule
Please be sure your reporter is receiving news from your congregation! Reporters are
listed on page 11.
January-February issue............................................................ deadline December 15
March-April issue........................................................................deadline February 15
May-June issue................................................................................. deadline April 15
July-August issue..............................................................................deadline June 15
September-October issue...............................................................deadline August 15
November-December issue........................................................... deadline October 15
Calendar of causes / emphasis months
January...................................................... Lutheran Church Youth & Global Mission
February..................................................................................Novus Way Ministries
March........................................................ Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
April................................................... Newberry College/Newberry Women’s League
May..................................................................... Lutheran Homes of South Carolina
June...........................................................South Carolina Lutheran Retreat Centers
July.................................................................................................Synod Assembly
August................................................................................................Faithful Giving
September.......................................... Lutheran Men in Mission/Women of the ELCA
October.............................................................................Growing in God’s Mission
November......................................................................Lutheran Services Carolinas