Question 1 - First Steps

When, how, and why did planning begin? How many people were involved? How was the launch team formed?

• Not a walk-away group from the Episcopal Church; however, pulled people who were leaving Episcopal churches in the area (1)
• At a mid-point in life where re-evaluating and rethinking how do ministry, shift toward disciple-making and evangelizing (1)
• 12 people met once a week who were interested in cell group model and began leadership training for future small group leaders; split into 2 groups from here; approximately 1 year after small group meetings official launch team formed (president, treasurer, secretary, and rector) (1)
• Connected with John Schuler and went through his church planting program, he served as mentor (1)
• Identified area of US where AMiA and CANA minimal presence, lack of Anglican alternatives near Easter edge of Lake Michigan (2)
• Wanted to create a church with organ accompaniment to hymnsà music school in Interlaken and retired individuals in area who appreciated traditional hymns (2)
• Started with a small prayer group of 5 people and networked with local pastors (2)
• Started a weekly bible study of 16 people (3)
• Wanted to start a church in an area where few Anglican options, target group was middle aged families with children (3)
• Created a list of criteria for the church- name, goal, location, target audience (3)
• Both a leadership team (financial, legal, etc) and launch team (setup, ministry, altar guild, small groups, prayer) (3)
• Individual pastor with the vision, left large church and wanted to start a church in another location (4)
• Met with 15 other people in the area to help get church stated, connected through college friend (4)
• 4 people on the executive committee and 9-15 people on the leadership council (included the 4), the group met monthly (4)
• Feb 1996-1998 met in small groups every other week, worship once a month with a guest priest, outreach events a couple times a year to get name recognition (5)
• Was a youth pastor, heart for kids and unbelievers, heavy Young Life involvement, support from ECUSA and NAMS (6)
• Read Bob Logan’s How to Plant a Church and had several trainings with John Schuler (6)
• Shared vision with 100 people and 24 (12 couples) signed on (6)
• Used that core group to launch small groups for a year before trying official worship service (6)
• Was an assistant at an ECUSA church of 300 or so, 5 families (20 people) had left because of the issues in ECUSA surrounding Gene Robinson (7)
• Group incubated in International Anglican, about 10 mi commute for people, the group was able to attend worship but could ear mark their tithes for the plant development and used Sunday nights to meet and hammer out vision (7)
• Used Saddleback materials initially, recently used Dennis Blevins as ministry coach (7)
• Steve Sjogren books are a continual resource (7)
• On staff at a conservative and evangelical church in Houston, one small group complained to bishop about politics and 4 clergy were removed (8)
• From Jan 2001 to Sept 2004, meeting in 3-4 small groups, Sunday night worship at a Lutheran chapel (8)
• Refer to the book Simple Church and Steve Sjogren books (specifically Conspiracy of Kindness) often (8)
• Very Acts 2 driven, mission was a Christ-centered community (8)
• Used alpha course materials to help grow critical mass (8)
• Started with one small group in 1985, but increased in number of people and groups in 1986; house church, very lay lead and driven (9)
• Worked with Young Life to meet kids and families, increased core mass that way (9)