You will notice that this prescription is slightly different than others we have published recently. On Friday of the consultation, during the evening meal, Pastor Rob and Mari Muldoon announced to the consultation team that they were feeling God releasing them from the work at Cornerstone (Heuvelton, NY). The consultation team and Pastor Rob made the decision that should tender his resignation before the report was given on Sunday so that the church would understand that new leadership should be in place before the prescription is implemented. Below is the consultation report, including the prescription for the Cornerstone Wesleyan Church in Heuvelton, NY.
Cornerstone Wesleyan Church Consultation
May 4-6, 2012
Note: Pastor Rob Muldoon informed the consultation team on Friday evening,, May 4, that he would be resigning effective July 1, 2012. This report was created in light of that decision, knowing that the congregation would be informed on Sunday, May 6, 2012.
STRENGTHS
1. New Growth: This congregation has grown in the last three years. Many new disciples have come to faith in Christ through the ministries of Pastors Mike Rumschik and Rob Muldoon. Such growth had not been happening for several years prior to the last three.
2. Children: As a result of the new growth occurring through evangelism, the congregation is gaining a core of new babies and children upon which to build an exciting children's ministry.
3. Worship: The style of worship is meeting the needs of many in the congregation. Also, this style is creating a wonderful worship environment that is resulting in many new people attending the church.
4. Acceptance: This congregation does an excellent job of welcoming people who are visiting and are new to the congregation. The congregation is not only friendly but makes an effort to help new people feel accepted and become acclimated to the church.
5. Downstairs Renovation: The renovations in the church basement are providing an excellent environment for the development of children and youth ministries.
CONCERNS
1. Current Leadership: The current leadership of the congregation has demonstrated that while possessing the ability to visualize an outward-focused ministry, they do not have the ability to implement it.
2. Resistance to Change: Like many smaller (and particularly rural) congregations, this one has been controlled by a few people who have led it to minister more to their needs and desires than to fulfill the Great Commission. As a result, leaders today admit that the congregation is often resistant to change. Also, there has been a constant low level of murmuring when certain people cannot get their way that has led pastors and others to leave the congregation. The leaders have done nothing to confront these sins of the tongue. There is also a sense that some people would rather have their own tastes and desires met to the exclusion of seeing lost people become disciples of Jesus Christ.
3. Mission and Vision: The congregation does not have a clear mission statement that fits the Great Commission. There is no vision of how the Great Commission will be implemented in order to see God change the community in which the congregation exists (Matthew 28).
4. Structure: Congregational leaders are given responsibilities without authority and accountability. This inhibits ministry.
5. Children and Big Events: While some are making a great effort to serve children, this ministry needs more resources and focus by the leaders of the congregation. Also, Big Events are not being designed to help create a consistent visitor flow.
PRESCRIPTIONS
NOTE: The first two prescriptions are to be implemented prior to the congregation locating either an intentional interim pastor or the next full-time pastor.
1. Current Leadership: It will be understood that if the congregation votes to accept this report and the prescriptions, the congregation is also voting to ask the District to place them in Developing Church status. This decision allows the District to appoint, in collaboration with the congregation's leaders, either an interim or full-time pastor qualified to lead the implementation of this report. Second, Developing Church status allows the congregation to change its leadership structure to minimize its current bureaucracy. This action will enable the development of a ministry team of leaders who are responsible for those ministries that help a congregation develop health and growth and fulfill the mission of Jesus Christ. The Local Church Conference will be postponed until after the vote on this report. This vote will be taken June 3, 2012.
2. Resistance to Change: The District Superintendent will lead a Day of Prayer on a Sunday morning. The purpose of this service is to lead the congregation in prayers of repentance. The controlling nature of lay leadership has often inhibited this congregation from fulfilling Christ's mission. Prayers seeking forgiveness for years of grumbling and complaining without confrontation will also be offered. Time will be given to pray for a passion for lost people and a compelling vision to reach the community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following this morning of prayer, prayer walks and prayer drives through the larger community will be organized. This Day of Prayer will take place September 30, 2012.
NOTE: The next three prescriptions will be implemented once an intentional interim pastor or full-time pastor is in place to lead the congregation.
3. Mission and Vision: Within two months of assuming pastoral responsibilities, the new pastor will lead the congregation to adopt as its mission statement "Cornerstone Wesleyan Church exists to honor God by making disciples for Jesus Christ." At the same time, the pastor will lead the congregation to adopt a vision statement that includes both an evangelism goal and a Great Commandment goal.
4. Structure: Within three months of assuming responsibilities, the new pastor will appoint a ministry team to oversee worship, assimilation, children, teens, groups, care and big events. Leadership will be adequately resourced to fulfill their ministries while being held accountable for evangelism, growth, and leadership development goals. During the pastoral search process, the current leaders of the congregation will raise $20,000 to help implement these ministries (training, curriculum, stipends, seminars, etc). This will be accomplished by either seeking donations, over and above regular giving, or by borrowing money.
5. Children and Big Events: These two ministries need specific attention. It is imperative to continue the development of the Sunday morning children's ministry. This includes infants through grade six. The leader overseeing this ministry is responsible for its growth, evangelism, and team development. The children's leader is also responsible for a week day children's ministry that has an intentional outreach strategy as a fundamental element to its very existence.
Once a pastor is in place, the person responsible for Big Events understands that in the next twelve months the congregation will conduct a minimum of three big events that will occur on Sunday during the worship service.
THE CONGREGATION, INCLUDING ALL WHO ATTEND REGULARLY, WILL VOTE ON THIS REPORT TO ACCEPT IT OR REJECT IT. IF ACCEPTED THE DISTRICT WILL DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWER TO RESOURCE AND HELP THE CONGREGATION TO IMPLEMENT THE PRESCRIPTIONS. IF REJECTED THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS IS OVER SINCE THE CONGREGATION HAS EXPRESSED ITS WILL TO NOT WORK ON THE PRESCRIPTIONS. THIS VOTE WILL OCCUR ON JUNE 3, 2012
Rev. Paul James
Dr. Paul Borden
Rev. Andrew Fetter
Dr. Matt Pickering
1. New Growth: This congregation has grown in the last three years. Many new disciples have come to faith in Christ through the ministries of Pastors Mike Rumschik and Rob Muldoon. Such growth had not been happening for several years prior to the last three.
2. Children: As a result of the new growth occurring through evangelism, the congregation is gaining a core of new babies and children upon which to build an exciting children's ministry.
3. Worship: The style of worship is meeting the needs of many in the congregation. Also, this style is creating a wonderful worship environment that is resulting in many new people attending the church.
4. Acceptance: This congregation does an excellent job of welcoming people who are visiting and are new to the congregation. The congregation is not only friendly but makes an effort to help new people feel accepted and become acclimated to the church.
5. Downstairs Renovation: The renovations in the church basement are providing an excellent environment for the development of children and youth ministries.
CONCERNS
1. Current Leadership: The current leadership of the congregation has demonstrated that while possessing the ability to visualize an outward-focused ministry, they do not have the ability to implement it.
2. Resistance to Change: Like many smaller (and particularly rural) congregations, this one has been controlled by a few people who have led it to minister more to their needs and desires than to fulfill the Great Commission. As a result, leaders today admit that the congregation is often resistant to change. Also, there has been a constant low level of murmuring when certain people cannot get their way that has led pastors and others to leave the congregation. The leaders have done nothing to confront these sins of the tongue. There is also a sense that some people would rather have their own tastes and desires met to the exclusion of seeing lost people become disciples of Jesus Christ.
3. Mission and Vision: The congregation does not have a clear mission statement that fits the Great Commission. There is no vision of how the Great Commission will be implemented in order to see God change the community in which the congregation exists (Matthew 28).
4. Structure: Congregational leaders are given responsibilities without authority and accountability. This inhibits ministry.
5. Children and Big Events: While some are making a great effort to serve children, this ministry needs more resources and focus by the leaders of the congregation. Also, Big Events are not being designed to help create a consistent visitor flow.
PRESCRIPTIONS
NOTE: The first two prescriptions are to be implemented prior to the congregation locating either an intentional interim pastor or the next full-time pastor.
1. Current Leadership: It will be understood that if the congregation votes to accept this report and the prescriptions, the congregation is also voting to ask the District to place them in Developing Church status. This decision allows the District to appoint, in collaboration with the congregation's leaders, either an interim or full-time pastor qualified to lead the implementation of this report. Second, Developing Church status allows the congregation to change its leadership structure to minimize its current bureaucracy. This action will enable the development of a ministry team of leaders who are responsible for those ministries that help a congregation develop health and growth and fulfill the mission of Jesus Christ. The Local Church Conference will be postponed until after the vote on this report. This vote will be taken June 3, 2012.
2. Resistance to Change: The District Superintendent will lead a Day of Prayer on a Sunday morning. The purpose of this service is to lead the congregation in prayers of repentance. The controlling nature of lay leadership has often inhibited this congregation from fulfilling Christ's mission. Prayers seeking forgiveness for years of grumbling and complaining without confrontation will also be offered. Time will be given to pray for a passion for lost people and a compelling vision to reach the community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following this morning of prayer, prayer walks and prayer drives through the larger community will be organized. This Day of Prayer will take place September 30, 2012.
NOTE: The next three prescriptions will be implemented once an intentional interim pastor or full-time pastor is in place to lead the congregation.
3. Mission and Vision: Within two months of assuming pastoral responsibilities, the new pastor will lead the congregation to adopt as its mission statement "Cornerstone Wesleyan Church exists to honor God by making disciples for Jesus Christ." At the same time, the pastor will lead the congregation to adopt a vision statement that includes both an evangelism goal and a Great Commandment goal.
4. Structure: Within three months of assuming responsibilities, the new pastor will appoint a ministry team to oversee worship, assimilation, children, teens, groups, care and big events. Leadership will be adequately resourced to fulfill their ministries while being held accountable for evangelism, growth, and leadership development goals. During the pastoral search process, the current leaders of the congregation will raise $20,000 to help implement these ministries (training, curriculum, stipends, seminars, etc). This will be accomplished by either seeking donations, over and above regular giving, or by borrowing money.
5. Children and Big Events: These two ministries need specific attention. It is imperative to continue the development of the Sunday morning children's ministry. This includes infants through grade six. The leader overseeing this ministry is responsible for its growth, evangelism, and team development. The children's leader is also responsible for a week day children's ministry that has an intentional outreach strategy as a fundamental element to its very existence.
Once a pastor is in place, the person responsible for Big Events understands that in the next twelve months the congregation will conduct a minimum of three big events that will occur on Sunday during the worship service.
THE CONGREGATION, INCLUDING ALL WHO ATTEND REGULARLY, WILL VOTE ON THIS REPORT TO ACCEPT IT OR REJECT IT. IF ACCEPTED THE DISTRICT WILL DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWER TO RESOURCE AND HELP THE CONGREGATION TO IMPLEMENT THE PRESCRIPTIONS. IF REJECTED THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS IS OVER SINCE THE CONGREGATION HAS EXPRESSED ITS WILL TO NOT WORK ON THE PRESCRIPTIONS. THIS VOTE WILL OCCUR ON JUNE 3, 2012
Rev. Paul James
Dr. Paul Borden
Rev. Andrew Fetter
Dr. Matt Pickering
