A few months ago the Matthew 28 team began the process of discerning God's will for Franklin FUMC. This journey we take as a congregation will result in a clear vision which will guide our church for years to come.
God has blessed the work of the Matthew 28 team as evidenced by many of you taking part in the information gathering portion of this process. More than 500 members took part in the online survey this past fall and nearly 200 participated in focus groups held in January. Both of these events—along with research related to our church and of other vibrant United Methodist churches—gave the Matthew 28 team the ability to begin organizing and prioritizing this information. The results from both the online survey and the focus group/research summary are available by selecting the Results menu button.
In early February the Matthew 28 team, along with other leaders of the church, met for a two-day retreat to review the findings. From that effort, a larger vision began to emerge which led to a working mission statement, enduring values and a vision statement. Before any of these are adopted, publicized and put into practice, we need your help.
After Easter, we will schedule meetings lasting about 45 minutes where the statements and values will be presented and your feedback solicited. All are invited and encouraged to attend one of these meetings. Please check for those dates and times soon by visiting this site, reading church bulletins or the First Things First newsletter. Once these statements are refined using your input, the Matthew 28 team will begin the process of identifying the key priorities of the church and create measurable goals to help us realize our common vision.
You continue to be an essential part of this important process in discerning God's will for FUMC. I ask for your continued prayerful support and participation.
Grace and Peace,
