A special congregational meeting was held in August 2000 to elect a call committee consisting of the congregational president, four men, four women, and two youth: Kent Rode, Allan Boyken, Earnest Wise, Edwin Asche, Robert Brandt, Vicky Nelson, Lisa Tjaden, Carol Heesch, Alice Bruns, Joel Hamilton, and Abigail Lee.
| Congregational Council Chair: | Call Committee Chair: |
| Kent Rode | Allan Boyken |
| 3304 230th Ave. | 2008 330th St. |
| Titonka, IA 50480 | Titonka, IA 50480 |
| 515-928-2557 - Home | 515-928-2627 - Home |
| 515-928-2657 - Fax | 515-928-2142 - Work |
| kentrode@netins.net | 515-928-2042 - Fax |
| allan.boyken@tsbbank.com |
Selected portions of the Good Hope
Lutheran Church Congregational Mission Profile are reprinted below.
4. List three events or developments that are
important from the history of your
congregation. Please indicate dates. If you
have a short, concise congregational history,
please attach it.
Centennial Celebration – June 2000
The sharing of the Vacation Bible School and Sunday School programs
5. Construction date of the church building:
The first brick church was built in 1928; it was
converted to an education unit when the current
sanctuary was built in 1959.
Date of last renovation: 2000
6. Review the congregation’s current ELCA Congregational Trend Report Form and Demographic Zip Code Report. Comment here on any surprises or especially significant trends. Please attach a copy of the trend report to this profile. Demographic Zip code reports are available by calling the ELCA Department for Research and Evaluation at 1-800-638-3522, ext. 2990, and on-line at http://www.elca.org/re.
While the population in and around Titonka has decreased approximately 25% in the past ten years, our membership has shown an increase of approximately 10%.
7. Congregation constitution was last updated: 1992
Part II – Ministry Practices, Structure,
Future
8. Describe the congregation’s present program/practices in worship (time, type, style, frequency of communion), education (adult, youth, confirmation), evangelism (calls and guests), and special ministry (CROP, after-school tutors, etc.).
Adult Class and Sunday School begin at 8:55 a.m. and are held September through May. Our neighboring (across the alley) United Methodist Congregation has joined with us in a shared Sunday School program. The two congregations have a joint Parish Education Committee and classrooms in both churches are used. The high school has used a thematic program for the past three to four years. A joint worship service with the two congregations is held on Rally Day. A potluck dinner and games follow the service. We have 121 students, a Cherub Choir and a Junior Choir.
Confirmation classes instructed by the pastor are held during the school year on Thursday evening for 8th and 9th grade students. Confirmation is in April.
Our LYO is joined with Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Titonka. The youth take part in the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service and the Easter Sunrise Service and prepare the Easter Sunrise Breakfast. Other activities throughout the year include pumpkin carving with the first graders, senior citizen tea, ski trip, bowling & pizza party, annual hog roast fundraiser, fishing and canoeing trip and a trip to Adventureland.
The Women of the ELCA are divided into four circles which meet monthly for LWT Bible Study. The lay lesson leaders meet as a group with the pastor for instruction the week before the circle meetings. The circles take turns serving lunch following Lenten Services. One circle makes quilts to present to our graduating seniors each year. The women are also organized into work groups to perform duties such as serving at funerals, conference and cluster gatherings and other events held in our church. We have a small, dedicated group of women who make over 100 quilts each year for Lutheran World Relief. Two years ago the women voted to donate the quilts made that year to victims of a devastating tornado in St. Peter, Minnesota. We also prepare school and sewing kits, layettes and collect soap for Lutheran World Relief. All day sewing is held to make items for our local care center and for Exceptional Opportunities, an organization that serves mentally handicapped people. Bags are also made for our Sunday School students to use for carrying their Sunday School papers, crafts and library books home each week.
A traditional style worship service begins at 10:00 a.m. during the months of September through May. Summer worship begins at 9:00 a.m. during the months of June through August. Our summer service begins with a hymn sing. Members take turns serving Fellowship on the Lawn following worship during the summer months. Communion is served the second and fourth Sunday of each month. Communicants kneel at the communion rail. A member of the congregational council assists the pastor with the distribution. Shut-ins can dial in from their phones to listen to the worship service. We have a senior choir. Laity is involved in the worship service serving as lectors, reading dialogue during the Lenten Services, and serving as liturgist and bringing the message when pastor is on vacation. Our Lenten Services are more informal and are held in the fellowship hall.
Our congregation participates in The Lutheran’s Congregation Plan. Every household in our congregation receives The Lutheran. The congregation pays the subscription fees.
9. Describe the service ministries of the congregation; its
community involvement and ecumenical partnerships.
We have a joint Thanksgiving Eve
Service with the Titonka United Methodist Church. Community Good Friday Services are held
at one of the area churches each year with all area pastors participating in the service.
Once every three years, a Cantata is performed on Good Friday, with choirs from all area
churches participating. A joint Mission Festival with Immanuel
Lutheran Church is held twice a year, once at Immanuel and once at Good Hope. A community
World Day of Prayer Service is hosted in rotation by one of the Titonka churches each
year. The area Lutheran churches hold a joint Ascension Day Worship service.
The area pastors have a ministerial association, Titonka Area Pastors and Spouses, (TAPS) which meets monthly. The area pastors rotate the worship service that is held at the Titonka Care Center on Sunday evenings and the Bible Study that is held on Saturday mornings.
The area pastors serve a waffle breakfast once a year at the Titonka Care Center. Each of the Women of the ELCA circles presents a program and serves a lunch at the Titonka Care Center for the residents twice a year.
A community wide Vacation Bible School program is held the second week of June. A VBS program is held at Good Hope on Sunday evening followed by a potluck picnic at the community shelter house.
Our fellowship hall is used each year to host the Blood Mobile.
10. Describe the congregation’s present staffing. Please include volunteers responsible for parish printed communications, supervising education programs, building maintenance, or other regular tasks.
See – Good Hope Committees
11. In the past five years, has the congregation conducted a process to review its ministry/goals?
Yes
a) Briefly outline the process used to develop these.
Pastor Norris initiated the development of a Mission Statement. A committee was formed to write the mission statement, which was subsequently adopted by the congregational council.
GOOD HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the congregation of Good Hope Lutheran Church is to carry out the will of the triune God who began and is responsible for its ultimate success. In his missionary love, God gathers his people, the church.
Because of our love for God, we as faithful servants are willing to carry out God’s will by offering love, care, fellowship and forgiveness to all by:
Providing opportunities for worship, training, and education for all.
Reaching out into our community with a special commitment to God’s word.
Good Hope has a mission to perform in this world and is alive only when we fulfill God’s calling.
b) What is your congregation excited about?
The recently completed building renovations and repairs to our church building.
The large number of young members is encouraging.
c) Are there special ministry initiatives underway or planned for the future? If
yes, please describe.
We have a joint Sunday School program with the United Methodist Church, a community wide Vacation Bible School, and a joint LYO program with Immanuel Lutheran Church.
A needy family fund was established a number of years ago. The pastor disburses these funds when he feels there is a need. Designated offerings are collected as needed for the fund.
12. Is any building program projected? No
Please describe existing building issues, which may need to be addressed and current extent of handicapped accessibility.
13. Briefly describe the congregation’s stewardship practices. What process is used for determining annual income projections? What is your current commitment (percentage of offerings) to ministry beyond the congregation (synod, churchwide, other ministries)?
The congregational council develops a recommended budget, which is brought before the congregation at the annual meeting for adoption. Our benevolence offerings are on our budget as a specific amount rather than a percentage.
Each year the Women of the ELCA hold a soup supper. The women donate the entire proceeds to various organizations outside of our congregation. A time and talent auction has been held every three years. Members donate various items or services, which are auctioned off to members. The Stewardship Committee designates the use of the proceeds.
Also use this space to describe the condition of any church property, its insured value, and any outstanding debt on it.
The church building is in excellent shape. Renovations were just completed in the summer of 2000. Tuck-pointing, which is a process of removing old mortar from the brick and replacing it with new mortar, was done on the educational unit. Both the old and new bell towers were repaired to stop water leakage. A new stainless steel spire and cross were installed. New Gothic windows were installed in the education unit. A new sidewalk and a new drain system were installed on the west side. There was also extensive insulating done. A new sound system was also installed in June 2000. It is a Yanabu mixing console GF16/12 with a Tascan CDA 500 tape deck and Tascan 202 INK III recorder. It was placed in the back of the sanctuary. There are twelve different microphone jacks replacing the four jacks from the old system. A CD and tape deck make it possible to play music from CD’s and tapes. The old system is still being used in the Fellowship Hall.
15. Describe synod and churchwide activities in which members have participated.
16. How does this congregation, as an expression of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, see itself as a partner with the other two expressions of synod and churchwide?
This congregation has a history of supporting the ministries of the synod and church wide with benevolent giving.
Part III – Mission in the Community
17. Describe the community in which the church
building is located and list sources of your
information. Demographic Zip Code Reports
are available by calling the ELCA
Department for Research and Evaluation at
1-800-639-3522, ext. 2990, and on-line at
http://www.elca.org/re.
18. Describe three distinct attributes of the community the congregation serves.
19. List four primary businesses or industries in the community.
20. Most members live within how many miles of the church building?
a) 45% ½ mile from church 5% ½ - 1 mile from church
15% 1-3 miles from church 35% 3+miles from church
b) 5% walk or use public transportation to come to church
95% drive personal automobile to come to church
21. What trends in the community should be
addressed by the congregation in the next five
years?
22. What opportunities for ecumenical cooperation have you found in your community?
Community Vacation Bible School program, joint Sunday School program, Community Good Friday Services, joint Thanksgiving Eve Service, joint LYO, joint Ascension Day Worship with area Lutheran churches, and our ministry at the Titonka Care Center which includes worship services, Bible study and programs for the residents which have been explained in detail elsewhere.Community organizations and churches often join together to help others in times of need with fund raising events or volunteer help.
Part IV – The Leader We Seek
23. Position Title: Pastor
24. Please summarize special key leadership
needs, hopes, and expectations for this position in the following areas:
a. worship
– delivers inspiring sermons which apply to our lives
b. education – conduct new member classes, teach confirmation classes, lead
Women of the ELCA Bible study preparation, relate well with youth, able to
work well with the Titonka United Methodist Church in our joint Sunday
School program
c. stewardship – not bashful, needs a balance between not enough and too
much
d. evangelism – call on new community members and the unchurched, needs to
be a leader
e. social ministry – call on shut-ins, hospitalized, and residents at Titonka Care
Center
f. administration – needs to be organized and adept at getting laity involved
25. Are there historical or internal issues in the congregation about which a candidate for this position should be aware? Please describe.
There are none that we are aware of.
27. Do you have a parsonage? Yes
Number of bedrooms? 4
Construction date of parsonage? 1950 Date of last renovation? 1996
28. References. Please list two people outside the present membership who the candidate might call for further insights and impressions of the congregation or ministry setting.
John Sheahan Susan Post 127 Oak 34859 10th Ave Roland, Iowa 50236 Woden, Iowa 50484 Phone (Day): 515-388-4348 Phone (Day): 515-928-2138 (Evening): 515-388-4165 (Evening): 515-926-5551 Relationship: former member, school principal Relationship: community member, member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Titonka
LEADERSHIP QUESTIONAIRE
| High | Med | Low | |
| X | Worship – plan and conduct effective worship services | ||
| X | Social Ministry – enable persons to become aware of social needs and to participate in social service. | ||
| X | Teach Children – teach and relate to preschool and elementary age children | ||
| X | Administrator – oversee the affairs of the organization and work with staff, committees, etc. | ||
| X | Music and Art – enjoy and use music and the arts within the church | ||
| X | Community Work – represent the church and motivate persons to cooperate in community activities | ||
| X | Ecumenical Work – stimulate cooperation in local interchurch programs | ||
| X | Stewardship – inspire and motivate persons in developing and using individual, group resources in the service of the church | ||
| X | Youth Leader – Teach, work and relate well with high school and college age persons | ||
| X | Evangelism – visiting persons in the community and prospective members | ||
| X | Planner – map out objectives, plan overall organizational strategy and design programs | ||
| X | Teach Adults – teach and lead adults in faith development | ||
| X | Inter-Personal Climate – exhibit and inspire a spirit of community | ||
| X | Family Life – Cultivate his/her home and personal life. | ||
| X | Study Habits – Follow a regular schedule of reading and studying and make use of continuing education opportunities. | ||
| X | Recruit and Equip Leaders - enlist, equip, and motivate leaders to carry out the work of the organization | ||
| X | Visitor – support and nurture persons by visiting with them in their homes and places of employment | ||
| X | Preacher – proclaim law and gospel as it applies to the lives of worshipers | ||
| X | Minister in Crisis – proclaim law and gospel as it applies to the lives of worshipers | ||
| X | Counselor – assist persons facing problems or decisions | ||
| X | Interpreter of Theology – communicate a comprehensive understanding of the Bible and Christian theology | ||
| X | Innovator – envision and implement new approaches, activities and projects | ||
| X | Utilize Conflict – analyze and utilize conflict situations to strengthen community life | ||
| X | Writer – write and edit materials for publication | ||
| X | Share Leadership – work mutually with volunteers and colleagues in staff situation | ||
| X | Denominational Participant – provide leadership to programs of the church in the synod and the ELCA | ||
| X | Financial Management – work with accounts, figures and budgets | ||
| X | Spiritual Discipline – maintain a disciplined life of prayer and personal devotion |
Most Important Leadership Needs