Over the next few weeks, small groups will meet in homes across our church family to pray, reflect, and speak about their perception of the needs and direction of our church. These cottage meetings will allow us to hear the heartbeat of the congregation. You may have received an email however you can also visit our website to find a cottage meeting in your neighborhood.

On this Sunday evening, we will share the key themes and insights from the Cottage Meetings. The service will include testimonies, a recap message, and a printed summary. This moment helps the entire church hear what was shared across the different homes, forming a unified starting point for discernment.

To widen the conversation, we will invite every member and regular attender to complete a survey. The survey will clarify emerging themes, gather feedback on ministry direction, and offer space for new insights. It will be offered digitally and in print.

This will be a worship-filled evening of Scripture, reflection, and prayer. The tone will be quiet, reverent, and open—a sacred pause in the middle of the journey. We will bring our hopes and questions to God and listen in return.

Our leadership will gather for a focused retreat to reflect on everything that has been shared and begin drafting the shape of our church’s next season of ministry. This is a strategic planning day anchored in prayer. The output will be a vision and a mission statement that is agreed upon by the clergy and the lay leadership.

Following the retreat, our leadership will begin reviewing and aligning systems, roles, and structures. This period allows time for the behind-the-scenes work necessary to live out the vision in real ways and to create the ministry and programs that fully fit within the new vision and mission that LHMC is embracing.

We will take a step back from the vision and mission implementation planning process during December to honor the Advent season. The focus during this time will be on worship, celebration, and preparation for Christ’s coming.

Through a four-week sermon and Spirit-led series, we will reveal the key themes, ministry focuses, and structural shifts for our church moving forward. This will be a time of clarity, celebration, and accepting the shared calling. Worship, testimonies, and group guides will help bring the vision to life.

During this two-week period, church members will be invited to take next steps: joining teams, deepening prayer, serving in new ways, and embracing what the Lord is calling us to be doing. This is when we shift from hearing the vision to living it.

On Easter Sunday, we will celebrate the resurrection of Christ and the launch of LHMC’s renewed vision. This will be our “Go Forth” moment—commissioning our church to boldly live out the mission God has given us.