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Kelowna Adventist Church Vision to Action Weekend
The Kelowna Church visioning weekend with Pastor Gordon Pifher was well-attended and an over all positive experience for everyone involved.Vision Session #1 was held on Friday evening with 40 participants. The focus for the session was a topic call, “Help, I Want My Church To Grow”. Pastor Pifher referred to the book written by David Ripley, our former ministerial director in the BC Conference, called, “Help, I Want My Church To Grow”. This book talks about 31 myth-busting ideas to make your church the place to be. We had a great discussion and worked on writing, “I See, I Hear, I Feel” vision statements for the church.
Vision Session #2 followed the next morning at 10:10am as Pastor Pifher shared some very interesting thoughts about vision and settings goals for a church.
Following vision session #2 we continued into the church service and listened to an inspiring sermon by Pastor Pifher. Following a wonderful fellowship lunch where 90 people joined together, we all participated in vision session #3.
During session #3, Pastor Pifher led us through a time of discussion and exploration. We talked and shared about the strengths and weaknesses of the Kelowna church and looked at the opportunities and threats that surround the church.
Next, time was given to focus on what the ideal church would look like as people were given the opportunity to write vision statements. Pastor Pifher explained that we were all looking down from a hot air balloon and he wanted us to describe what we were seeing, hearing, and feeling as we floated by. He called these, “I see, I hear, I feel” vision statements.
Some examples of the “I see, I hear, I feel” vision statements include:
I see people gathering together, many young people reaching out to help and team up for different avenues. I hear praise and worship that is irresistible, makes a person intrigued. I feel happiness, God’s presence and ability to be one.
I see my friends who were addicted to drugs, alcohol and sex, all of my friends who were hurt or abused and turned to the world for help. I see them happy. I see their eyes are clear and not dulled by drugs or pain. I hear them laugh, real laughter that is not a cover for anything. I feel their joy as they finely see themselves the way God sees them, the way he has always seen them.
The church filled to capacity and people being welcomed and welcoming one another sharing their hearts with one another openly. I hear affirmations and encouragements especially to people who have been missing. I feel a spirit of oneness and love and closeness. I feel no one judging another because of differences of beliefs on some issues. I see genuine caring and feel it in my heart.
I see hundreds of people who haven’t been in church for years worshipping and praising God together for His faithfulness and mercy. I hear the sound of rejoicing like a reunion as old friends and family members sit together in church with a renewed commitment in their hearts. I feel God’s hand moving in people’s lives.
The last visioning session meeting followed into the late afternoon as the Kelowna church board met with Pastor Pifher to discuse the next steps in our Vision to Action process.
I am happy to tell you that the next steps of the vision to action weekend are falling into place. On last Thursday evening, the church board elected a visioning committee to organize and arrange the material that was collected from the weekend.
From the “I see, I hear, I feel” vision statements, the visioning committee will identify specific areas and goals that the Kelowna church will focus on over the next 1 to 3 years.
A vision to action report will be printed and made available for everyone in the church as we move together leading people to Jesus.
I want to say thank-you to Pastor Pifher and to everyone who took the time to be involved in this very important and inspiring weekend. God is leading in your life and through the Kelowna Adventist Church. I am excited to see where God will lead next as we follow through with the vision to action process.
Blessigns,
Troy McQueen