Possibility! Bishop Wayne N. Miller Metropolitan Chicago Synod ELCA

Christmas in June Please open the RED envelope in your packet and read the card Now open your GREEN envelope and read the card Who is the second card for?

Passing the Gift All that I am and all that I have comes by GRACE alone, through FAITH alone, in CHRIST alone” One card given by each voting member means 500 new lives touched by grace One card given by each baptized member means 100,000 new lives touched by grace One card per week given by each baptized member for 1 year means 5,200,000 new lives touched by grace

Remembering Frutifulness

Start with a YES! Saying “YES” to God always means COURAGEOUSLY surrendering control Saying “YES” to God means opening mind, heart, and hands to the world around you Saying “YES” to God means suspending disbelief…

How Can This Be? We’re Almost Dead! Birth and New Life in Congregations is not a function of size, age, or wealth Birth and New Life depends upon hearing and responding ADAPTIVELY to a call.

Mary Brought Jesus to the Hills Reimagining the Christian community as a movement INCLUSIVITY requires us to let the stranger call us out … not just calling them in

Mission Music My soul proclaims the greatness of God! Mission still begins with TELLING the story and INVITING others into it You have filled the hungry with good things! Mission calls us to SERVE others with compassion and generosity You have cast down the mighty and lifted the lowly Mission calls us to work for JUSTICE so that all are free to respond to their vocation

Proclamation! Service! Justice! Worship God Share Faith Invite to Belong Service! Generosity Compassion Justice! Respect Freedom Vocation

Life Requires Growth How do you measure growth? Celebrate Growth Notice the arrival of saints as well as their departure

My Child Leapt for Joy! LIFE is energized and called out by LIFE Collaboration: What congregations do you know that are a source of inspiration for you?

It All Leads to This! The present vitality and future life of the ELCA resides in congregations giving birth to new faith communities Every Christian must be dedicated to discovering and liberating new life

The Role of Synod Leadership Synod Leadership is here to INSPIRE, FACILITATE, and EXTEND THE REACH of Congregational Mission To call each Christian to personal responsibility for witness