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One of the Vision to Action Funding priorities is to build bridges across languages and cultures. The pre-packaged "Building Bridges" grant is doing just that at Atonement Lutheran in Sebring where five diverse churches, represented by five leaders each, are gathering for dinner, connection and service. Atonement V2A project leader Deacon Diane Marten reports: "We came together across denominational and language/cultural lines to listen to each other. We asked about the concerns and needs in our own neighborhoods, and about how we could share our resources to make a difference. We prayed together, in two languages, asking God to bless our work and our relationships." The five congregations are using the funds to feed those most vulnerable in their respective communities, provide clean clothes and hygiene kits, and even offer haircuts while taking time to listen and pray with others. Two rules guide this effort:
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Today's spotlight takes us to King of Kings Lutheran Church in Port Richey, where great innovation is meeting evangelism through Dinner Church, one of V2A's pre-packaged grants. This congregation is welcoming their unchurched neighbors into an environment where guests can share Christ with the team from King of Kings. Dinner Church can take on many names, and King of Kings has rebranded it as Food for the Soul. Their inaugural dinner in May saw 39 participants, and they recently welcomed a remarkable 88 participants (including children)! In September's Food for the Soul, a participant was baptized and has since joined the traditional Sunday worship service. As this V2A project continues to grow, King of Kings is exploring new ways to extend the invitation, including distributing printed invitations to the community.   On Saturday, September 28, 14 youth and adult volunteers from Nativity Lutheran's Act Love Walk mobile ministry (Palm Beach Gardens) set out to make a difference in the community. They visited two local hotels, Inn of America and InTown Suites, which had been identified as places where residents could use a helping hand. The dedicated team delivered food, toys, ice cream, resource lists, and handmade cards of encouragement to the residents and guests.
One of the highlights of the visit was an in-house developed puppet show that entertained the youngest lodgers, bringing smiles and joy to their faces. The residents were eager to interact with the team, expressing curiosity about the ministry's mission. Hotel staff provided enthusiastic feedback, noting the positive impact of the visit. The Act Love Walk ministry distributed approximately 572 pounds of food and numerous individually wrapped ice creams, which were particularly popular among the recipients. This initiative was made possible through the hard work of volunteers and a generous V2A grant. Founded with the words of Micah 6:8 in mind, Act Love Walk embodies the call to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God."  St. Paul in Pensacola received $10,000 from V2A and is establishing a successful community arts program. The concept includes hosting artists for diverse concerts; showcasing local musicians in worship; hosting summer arts programs; family events; and more. A portion of the grant money is set aside for scholarships, thereby broadening the reach of the ministry. Further, St. Paul’s vision includes converting some of its fellowship hall into a studio space. The implementation team reports that guest musicians have brought excitement to worship; in addition, the summer camp was fully subscribed at 36 children. Its Friday night performance/celebration gathered 100 people, and two families have joined St. Paul as a result of the camp. There are high hopes for further connections to be made through a children’s dance program which has seven participants. All look forward to the recital at the end of the classes. For more information and ideas, contact St. Paul in Pensacola.
 Thanks to a V2A grant, Emmanuel, Venice launched its Ministry Innovation Lab, to create many types of online content, both live and on demand. Initial offerings have been targeted to the congregation; next, the content will be introduced to the community. Their overarching goal is to create content that can be viewed anywhere, and anytime.
Emmanuel is close to achieving its goal of 100 subscribers in the first year. With new content added weekly, the lab is evolving into a comprehensive library that members can access at their convenience. Viewership for various topics, including church news, book studies, and outreach, typically ranges from 40 to over 200 views per item. When ready to launch to the community, Emmanuel will reassess its website as well as other sources of communication to better support the project. The congregation hopes to impact members’ spiritual lives by offering a robust library of information available at their convenience. Further, it hopes the library will be a path for the community to get to know Emmanuel and engage. The goal is to grow in numbers, as well as in spirit!  Though Lutheran Church of the Palms is currently in transition, the congregation is committed to staying vibrant and forward thinking. Through a V2A grant, the church focused on the "Vital Congregations" goal through a Leadership Visioning Retreat. The event spurred a number of concrete actions organized into a 30-60-90 day plan. As examples, the church's communication strategies have been updated and worship is being streamed for new demographic groups. Working with a coach from Vibrant Faith, the congregation has improved its contact with visitors and the community, and is discovering the needs of schools and organizations in the neighborhood. The goal is to present Lutheran Church of the Palms as a helper in the community. The congregation has been energized by the work that has been accomplished thus far and is beginning to see growth. There is great anticipation regarding what God will do next!
 Holy Cross in Spring Hill has found that many young families are not congregating in church buildings on Sunday mornings. It has launched “Elemental Ministry,” an initiative in which the gospel is being proclaimed in locations families have expressed a desire to visit. Through weekly musical, dramatic, and visual arts activities for children along with a monthly outdoor Elemental Campfire Chapel Service, Holy Cross has crafted a child-focused ministry that captivates both the young and the old. Chapel campfires are cultivated around the elements of fire, water, wind, and earth; following the chapel service, a dinner is shared around campfires, water activities, and wind and earth encounters. Holy Cross is piloting this opportunity in partnership with the Nourishing Vocation Project at St. Olaf College, MN. This collaboration has engaged numerous creative minds in the active development of this initiative.
Holy Cross has also discovered that retirees who attend traditional Sunday services are eager to experience and proclaim the life-affirming message of the Gospel. They have felt a strong urge to share the Gospel through spiritually enriching experiences, such as a Paint and Sip Lenten Event, Beer and Hymns, decorating a tree in the Community Gardens and more. These activities have nourished them, giving them the energy to continue their passion for nurturing others. WHY THIS MINISTRY MATTERS: 1. An Elemental Families ministry story, (name changed for privacy's sake): Tom, a veteran and Catholic, ceased attending church due to considerable pain he had experienced. When his child invited him, he came to Elemental Campfire Worship because his child would be participating in telling the story of Jesus' birth. The angel his child created would join the other children's created angels and fly through the air. The children would ring bells and sing to music in the service. His child, along with the others would lead this worship experience. After returning from the frontlines of the Afghanistan War, Tom went to confession with a broken and contrite heart, hoping to return to the Lord’s table for Holy Communion. Despite his sincere and heart-wrenching confession; Tom was told that there was no place for him at the Lord’s table. But on this night, as the meal was offered, he heard that indeed there was a place for him. With tears rolling down his face, hand in hand with his son, he approached the communion table. The Body of Christ was placed in his hand and was proclaimed, "The body of Christ, given for you!" Tom shared that while he knew in his soul that there was still a place for him with Christ, he hadn’t realized how much he needed to be remembered together with Christ and with other believers. Elemental where children experience the love of Christ and then in their unique way bringing hope and healing to their families! 2. An Elemental Retiree's Ministry story, (names changed for privacy's sake) Bill and Judy spilled the beans on the struggles of inviting pals to church – “it's like trying to juggle flaming torches!” But guess what? They've cracked the code by inviting friends to simply "be the church” with them. Picture this: being the church at Beer and Hymns, being the church at spiritual art events, and spreading the Gospel with young families. Bill and Judy found hope in rediscovering their calling, living in the spirit of Christ, and are aiming not just to survive but to thrive once more. Tom, Bill, and Judy represent just a few grains of sand on a vast beach of stories that people have shared about the transformative power of the Holy Spirit through "Elemental Ministry." RESULTS: In our Elemental Ministry's effort to spread the Gospel through non-traditional means, we've expanded from engaging with fewer than 10 children per week to more than 30. Likewise, our outreach has grown from fewer than five families with children in the home last year to more than 100 such families this year. In our Elemental ministry’s effort to foster spiritually-focused community, we venture outside our walls to grow together and engage with the community. To invite others and meet folks where they are and to share in the vastness of God's presence. As fall approaches, we proceed with gratitude for the past nine months and with faith that we are guided towards further transformation in the coming future. We can’t thank V2A enough for their generous support of this ministry! The support from V2A is enhancing our effectiveness in our innovative methods of sharing Christ and making disciples. THANKS BE TO GOD!  With the help of a V2A grant, Atonement in Sebring has launched a new "Wholeness and Healing" ministry. Grant funds have been used for advertising, food, and program expenses. The congregation hosted one weekend event thus far which was very well received. One of the highlights was experiencing "soaking prayer time" during which the Holy Spirit brought participants a strong sense of God's presence and call to personal ministry. Some reported feelings of overwhelming peace and strength; of forgiveness for hurtful circumstances; and of reduced anxiety.
A second weekend is planned for this winter. To prepare congregants for their active involvement in inviting non-church members, Atonement is focusing intently on prayer. Congregation members will engage in prayer walks and learn more about praying for others. "Blessing prayers" will be given to each person in the congregation, to in turn be offered to people in the larger community as they are invited to the next healing weekend. Wholeness and Healing Weekends are a new way for Atonement to engage the community. The congregation seeks to become known for this ministry focus.  In 2023, Pastors Katy Fast (St. Mark, Dunedin), Anne Harmon (St. Paul’s, Clearwater), and Paul Gibson (Trinity, St. Petersburg) united their congregations for a groundbreaking initiative. They participated together in the St. Petersburg PRIDE Festival and Parade Day, aiming to create a welcoming and loving presence for the LGBTQIA+ community. Their efforts were met with overwhelming positivity, leading to new connections and a shared sense of purpose.
As June arrived, the pastors, dressed in clerical collars, alongside volunteers from the three churches, set up a selfie-photo booth at the festival, inviting attendees to engage in conversation. A second space was rented to distribute brochures about the churches, offer giveaways, and provide free water. The response was heartening, with festival-goers embracing the opportunity to connect. The parade that followed saw the pastors and a large group of volunteers walking and interacting with some of the 200,000 attendees. The impact was profound, with the LGBTQIA+ community expressing a deep need for love and acceptance from Christian churches. This outreach led to new faces in worship, and the churches felt called to expand their involvement in additional PRIDE Week events. In 2024, with the support of the Synod’s V2A Grant, the "Lutherans for Love" initiative flourished. The grant enabled the purchase of reusable equipment and provided resources to explore innovative approaches to evangelism. "The V2A grant opened the door to countless opportunities for evangelism, reaching a wide audience," the churches reported. Over the summer, the Lutherans for Love team participated in five more LGBTQIA+ parades and events, with all three churches committed to continuing this effort in the coming year. |
