Dear LTCC Family,

The annual affirmation of our leaders is just around the corner!  We have had our affirmation webpage live (accessed via the announcements page) for some time now and we are encouraged by those participating in this important part of our church’s trajectory.

Part of the affirmation process for our members is to get to know the leaders, both current and incoming.  Up until today, the leader list found on our leadership webpage has been as follows:

Elders

• Brian Peterson

• Gary Warne

• Note: those who are currently in the elder cohort will go through an affirmation process at a later date if they feel called to this position

Deacons

• Perry Maxfield – Men’s Ministry and Council Chair

• Leeanne Needham – Women’s Ministry

• Daniel Geske – Treasurer

• Ron Hubeek – Missions

• Trista Sutherland – Benevolence and Connections & Administration

• Justine Peterson – Family Ministry

• CANDIDATE Nick Jacques – Facilities

• CANDIDATE Lynn Hurley – Senior Ministry

• OPEN – Assistant Treasurer

• OPEN – Council Clerk

• OPEN – Worship Ministry

We have some exciting news to share with you!  As of today, we are adding Matt Moench as a candidate for Family Ministry Deacon.  Yes, that is the position that Justine is in currently, so this plan requires some explanation.

Let us explain the background behind this decision.

The five step process from Interim Pastor Ministries, led by interim pastor Bob Slack, has led our church through various fact-finding steps, such as interviews with the church members, demographic surveys of our area, evaluation of where we are as a church and the journey wall which documented highlights of where we've been and where we are going as a church. One clear goal that was identified by the transition team in all of these fact-finding steps was our desire for more intentional discipleship.

This is also the heart of Matt Moench.  In fact, he is currently working toward his Masters of Divinity in Biblical Counseling (aka whole life discipleship)!  (Click here for an interesting discussion defining the goal of Biblical Counseling as personal discipleship from the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, the organization with which Matt will be certified.)

Over the last several months he has been coming alongside Justine in her parenting equipping classes, implementing advent family discipleship, as well as brainstorming what family ministry discipling looks like as a whole.

During this time, Justine has felt the Lord calling her to step away from the overarching family ministry role and to focus specifically on children.

With this in mind, the council and elders spent several months meeting with Matt, reviewing his credentials and calling, and discussing how Matt could help LTCC move toward intentional discipleship.  In last Tuesday’s council meeting, under the direction of the elders and the recommendation of the transition team, the council approved putting Matt forward as a candidate for the staff position of Family Ministry Deacon. 

The Family Ministry Deacon role for Matt would include administrative duties, overseeing children and youth ministry, and beginning to develop a discipleship strategy (which includes helping equip parents), while Justine's staff role would be reduced in hours and scoped to leading children's ministry.

As you can see, this process took time. The objective was to focus on being diligent rather than rushing the process to meet some deadline.  We urge you to contact Matt and/or any LTCC leader with any questions or concerns.  The leadership of LTCC is excited about this step forward, but it is equally important that you are excited about it, too!  Please take time to get to know each of our elders, deacons and deacon candidates, and join in the mission of loving God by helping people follow Jesus (our proposed new mission statement).

We have a great God who is walking this path with us and is strengthening us along the way!

The Elders and Council

PS - Look for an email this Sunday with details on affirming leaders electronically and how to review all additional materials before the members meeting on January 28th.

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• What's Happening @ LTCC?  Try the method that works best for you!

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• Touch? Grab a monthly paper bulletin from an usher. 

• Hear? Listen to the announcements at the beginning of Sunday service. 

• Who is this week's Missionary Spotlight?  Evan & Kathryn Burton

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