Reflections on Hope Imagination and Mission
Church planting, new ministry and partnerships together
by LaDonna Sanders Nkosi, Convening Pastor, The Gathering Chicago
Recently, the Church of the Brethren hosted the Hope, Imagination and Mission Church Planting Conference held in Richmond, Indiana. Members from across the US as well as our Illinois Wisconsin District participated and were involved in the conference at various levels. Mandy Smith and Ephrem Smith were our keynote speakers.
The Church Planting Conference has something for everyone! In a few words, for me, the conference was energizing, renewing and full of opportunities for meaningful conversation and relationship building. A highlight for me was the opportunity we had to meet and pray together with members of EYN and others from across the denomination (see pictures). Here’s what others had to say.
LaDonna Sanders Nkosi is Convening Pastor of The Gathering Chicago
The Gathering Chicago is a Community of Prayer and Global/Local service forming in Hyde Park Chicago and is one of the new ministry plants in the Illinois/Wisconsin District along with the Parables Community in Lombard, IL. Parables Community’s vision is to “create a worshipping community with people who have special needs and their families in which all participate fully in the life of the community. This includes leading in worship and on the board.
“This past May, the Church of the Brethren’s Hope Mission and Imagination Church Planting Conference participants were blessed to hear outgoing EYN General Secretary Jinatu Wamdeo as one of the featured speakers. Pictured here are he and his wife along with other conference participants praying together for Nigeria and families and members throughout the region. He asked that the Church of the Brethren continue to remember them in prayer issues of schooling, housing, and safety and security are at the forefront of their prayer requests.”
by LaDonna Sanders Nkosi, Convening Pastor, The Gathering Chicago
Recently, the Church of the Brethren hosted the Hope, Imagination and Mission Church Planting Conference held in Richmond, Indiana. Members from across the US as well as our Illinois Wisconsin District participated and were involved in the conference at various levels. Mandy Smith and Ephrem Smith were our keynote speakers.
The Church Planting Conference has something for everyone! In a few words, for me, the conference was energizing, renewing and full of opportunities for meaningful conversation and relationship building. A highlight for me was the opportunity we had to meet and pray together with members of EYN and others from across the denomination (see pictures). Here’s what others had to say.
“The Church Planting Conference gives us a chance to connect and share and cast vision together and to fellowship. The people in attendance were very appreciative of the space that we shared together there.”Why is church planting meaningful or helpful to already existing congregations and to the district and larger church as a whole?
—Randi Rowan, conference organizer, Church of the Brethren Congregational Life Ministries.
“The Church Planting Conference is a conference any leader or member of any church could benefit from. Workshops, worship, activities and conversations will excite you and re-invigorate. One can leave the conference renewed for life. From the conference, I was reminded that we are all in this together, whether we are in existing congregations or are new ministry plants. Church plants can revitalize existing congregations. They can partner by sending volunteers, by partnering financially, by planting a church, by praying for and checking in on one another.”
—Matt Rittle, Pastor of Franklin Grove Church of the Brethren and member of the Church Revitialization and Development Team.
“I gained a renewed appreciation for the creativity that’s going on and innovation in church planting. Every person [church planter] is doing something different. I gained a real sense of hope, that I had been missing for a while. I also really appreciated the intercultural gathering. I left with a clear sense that we’re all in this together.”
—Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford. Director of Church of the Brethren News Services and member of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren. Check out Cheryl’s article in the July/August Messenger which highlights the new and emerging ministries in the Church of the Brethren. www.brethren.org/messenger/articles/2016/church-planting-snapshots.html
“Partnering in church planting and new ministry projects in the district increases the overall vitality of the church and furthers the mission of the church. These partnerships are good for the church plants as well as existing congregations. What I appreciated about the Hope, Imagination and Mission Church Planting Conference was the opportunity to have engaging conversations and to meet with other church planters, as well as the opportunity for prayer and worship together.”Stan Dueck, one of the organizers of the conference shared that some who came to the conference were discerning a call to church planting and that some districts that were looking to plant churches were able to connect with potential church planters.
—Jeanne Davies, Planting Pastor, Parables Community
“Our district had real presence at the conference. As an already established church, pastors and churches can learn how to help churches that are planting. After the conference, I was able to begin re-imagining how to connect with the new ministries starting in our district like the Gathering Chicago and Parables Community.” Parables Community and Polo Church of the Brethren will be partnering in some ministry exchange and partnering activities in the coming months.
—Leslie Lake, Pastor of Polo Church of the Brethren, member of the Church Revitalization and Development Team
“The highlights for me of this conference were the worship experiences, the stories of church plants, the time of sharing and prayer with our brother and sister from Nigeria (include names) and the Intercultural Gathering led by Yakubu Bakfwash of the Rockford Community Church." —Stan Dueck, Consultant, Church of the Brethren Congregational Life MinistriesOur next conference will be in 2018. Plan to attend for a sense of renewal, revitalization and great times of worship, prayer and listening for God together.
LaDonna Sanders Nkosi is Convening Pastor of The Gathering Chicago
The Gathering Chicago is a Community of Prayer and Global/Local service forming in Hyde Park Chicago and is one of the new ministry plants in the Illinois/Wisconsin District along with the Parables Community in Lombard, IL. Parables Community’s vision is to “create a worshipping community with people who have special needs and their families in which all participate fully in the life of the community. This includes leading in worship and on the board.
“This past May, the Church of the Brethren’s Hope Mission and Imagination Church Planting Conference participants were blessed to hear outgoing EYN General Secretary Jinatu Wamdeo as one of the featured speakers. Pictured here are he and his wife along with other conference participants praying together for Nigeria and families and members throughout the region. He asked that the Church of the Brethren continue to remember them in prayer issues of schooling, housing, and safety and security are at the forefront of their prayer requests.”
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