
What’s a M.A.P.?
The GAP team have been hard at work! We have a draft of our Ministry Act Plan (MAP) for the next few years and are putting ‘action items’ to the goals. It is a living document and a work in progress, even after it’s affirmed by our congregation.
For the last few months we’ve been meeting in homes and with various groups of the church to gather input and ideas about where YOU believe God is calling us. It is clear that you are passionate about Family and Friends, that you believe our relationships with one another and welcoming more people to our church family is very, very, very, (very ….) important! Everything about what we do and how we do it connects with your value of people!
A draft mission and vision statement for our church to ponder is: ‘United Methodist Church of Vista is called to Build Relationships of Justice, Faith and Hospitality to Bring God’s LOVE to all people.’ Our relationships of JUSTICE are outreach ministries of all kinds both locally, and globally. Our relationships of FAITH are worship and discipleship and small groups and faith formation both inside and outside the walls of our church. Relationships of HOSPITALITY are welcoming at the front door of the church on Sundays and throughout the week and going out into the community to nurture and care for intergenerational families, particularly families with growing children.
I have heard many of you want a larger space to gather, share meals, hold celebrations and potlucks and have fun together. Many of you feel the downstairs space is not well suited for gathering together due to accessibility and safety issues. Many of you are passionate about our feeding ministry on Thursday and want to see it expanded to provide other caring resources like showers, supplies for the week, clothing and other resources for getting into a home. There is interest in whether a preschool or after school program for children in our area would work on our campus and whether we have the capacity to move forward on this. A few of you have big bold visions of being a local hub for ministry and outreach. And many of you want more opportunities for classes and worship during the week.
As I mentioned, we have a draft of goals related to relationships of Justice, Faith and Hospitality and have started putting ideas for action steps down for the next five years. After we finish this step of our Ministry Action Plan, then we will look at the facility and other resources needed to accomplish our goals. In other words, how are we going to welcome new folks, join them in faith exploration and do good works in the world?
If you haven’t offered your insights and vision, don’t hesitate to email me or our church consultant, Mary Scifres. And please join us in prayer as we look into the future of the United Methodist Church of Vista!
Pastor Leigh Ann
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Cable Outreach Foundation Luncheon
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Pastor’s Ponderings – April 2018
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Building Update
The Building Committee has been working with the Planning Department of the City of Vista in order to fulfill our commitment to our Congregation with the proposed completion of our facility.
Worship with us ONLINE. You can find our worship time at our YouTube channel at United Methodist Church of Vista. Or, if you receive a weekly newsletter, you will receive a link every week for our service.
We are developing a plan for safe in-person worship and gathering. Any in-person events, including worship will be offered only when we can assure the safety of our congregation and community. Until there is a vaccine or other treatment for COVID-19, any in-person gatherings will require face masks, physically distancing of at least six feet, limited singing, spoken litanies, prayers and sermons, no potlucks or offered coffee/cookie fellowship, and no handshakes, hugging or other greeting line with the pastor or church staff. Our plan is being developed with guidelines from our Bishop, Annual Conference, city and state guidelines and best practices based on up-to-date health information.
We are collecting food donations to take to the North County Food Bank and Interfaith Community Services. How can you help? Either drop off food items or schedule a pick-up on Wednesday, January 6. To Drop off: leave at the church office, on the bench outside the front office door between 9 am and noon. For Pick-Up: please email Brenda and Mike Walker at Brendakwalker@cox.net and plan to leave your items on your porch or curb by 9 am. For more information call Brenda and Mike Walker at 760. 726.0442. NO expired or open food, glass jars or homemade items.
Zoom meetings are one way we are working on keeping connected. All you need is a computer or smartphone with a built-in microphone and a camera and you can join in. Click on the link and follow the prompts to join the gathering. We are all learning as we go! See you there!
Coffee Chat after Worship, Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
Frank’s Music Chat, Mondays at 11:00 a.m.
Congregational Care Meeting,
January 7, 1:30 p.m.
Trustees, January 19, 6:30 pm
Finance, January 27, 7:00 p.m.
To view “Prepare Him Room” music concert celebrating Advent and the Christmas season, please click on:
https://youtu.be/_QrI7r_NdQQ
As with most things, COVID-19 related health and safety protocols have limited the programs and events supported by the UMC Vista Education Committee, but we want you to know we are still here with the same purpose; to bring faith enrichment and education to our church youth, families and to the community. Needless to say, finding ways to serve this purpose has been a new challenge but through the initiative and dedication of the teachers and members of our congregation, we’ve connected in various ways over the last several months. Deliveries of flowers, blessing bags, Youth Group welcome kits and Sunday School at-home packets are some ways we’ve remained engaged.
As we gear up with the new season and continue to be mindful of doing our part to support health and safety guidelines, we are at work developing plans for Sunday school connections and other safe activities. Unfortunately, our cherished Annual Trunk or Treat event is not an activity we can responsibly host as currently advised by the San Diego County Health Advisory Board but we’ll continue to work to find alternatives until we can be back together again.
If you feel called to join Education Committee or have suggestions, questions or comments, we are always happy to hear from you! You can contact the church.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic and out of concern for the well-being of our community, we are postponing our church meetings and activities until further notice. Don’t hesitate to contact us for prayer or to talk.
The Education/Discipleship program is postponing meetings and activities until further notice.