|
|
| Bylaw Changes Dear First Family, Since Her humble beginnings in the basement of the Florence Fire House some 40 years ago, God has blessed First Church in many ways. We have experienced tremendous changes in the size of our congregation, the size of our staff, the size of our buildings and campus, and in the way in which we strive to glorify God by leading people to know, worship and serve Jesus Christ. 2008 will be another year in which First Church will experience many changes that will enable us to continue to make an eternal impact in the lives of people in Northern Kentucky, Greater Cincinnati and around the world. During 2008, First Church will start a new worship venue in Stage One. This service will have a very contemporary and edgy worship style but it will be a service designed to reach others for Christ. In deciding to create new venues the worship will be live and the sermon will be on video. This will allow adults, regardless of where they worship, to hear the same sermon. Also this year we’re making plans for a ministry to focus on college and young adults. This ministry has been one that has been in the planning process for some time and it is exciting to finally see it about to come to fruition. However, the biggest change that First Church has experienced in thirty-five years will happen in 2008, and that is the pastoral transition of our Senior Pastor. Over the last eighteen months, a transition team has been appointed, a transition plan has been written, the strategic plan has been updated to better fit where we are today and where we want to be in the next five or ten years. Congregational input has been gathered through round table discussions and on-line surveys as to the characteristics and qualifications for the new Senior Pastor and your input will be the basis for a pastoral profile. All candidates that will be considered for the Senior Pastor position will be measured against this profile document. All of these changes have also made it necessary to amend the current Bylaws of First Church to better govern how we operate in 2008. Organizationally, the role of Lead Staff needs to be reflected in the Bylaws. Policy manuals have been replaced by Personnel Handbooks. Methods of communicating with the congregation include many different types of printed documents as well as email, and LD has already addressed in his letter to you the reasoning behind the change in the way that the Senior Pastor is voted upon. After you have read over the proposed Bylaw amendments, if you have any questions, please stop into LD’s office after each weekend service on February 9-10 and February 16-17 to have your questions answered or to clear-up any confusion that might exist in your mind concerning the proposed changes. Everything that the Elders and staff are doing is being done to insure a smooth and seamless transition and to seek and find the one that God has chosen to lead us.
Sincerely,
Denny Smith Chairman of the Elders
|
