Discipleship

Can you feel it? Do you feel God's Presence, or see the face of Christ in the face of the person across the table, across the aisle, or standing in front of you? God is at work in this place, Christ is here with us, wanting to work with us to build a better church, impact the world we live in, and to be about the mission that God has laid out for us! Here is an opportunity for us to respond.

Christ calls us all to be disciples of the Living God, and our Fall Discipleship Campaign, which begins on September 13th, is our response to this call. Stewardship has traditionally been about paying the bills, but I believe Discipleship is about more than this. Being good stewards we are called to plan for the future, both in the near term and down the road - to do so we need to know how much money we have to work with - and the only way to accurately do this we need your help in planning for the future. But planning for our future also encompasses so much more.

That is why we came up with the 15+ Plan. Simply put, if everyone pledges just $15 more dollars per month above their 2008 pledge, we will meet our monetary goals, including a very modest budget increase. But the part that really excites me, the truly important part of the 15+ Plan, is that we will be enabled to understand what God has in mind for First Presbyterian Church of Mount Airy - not only in 2010, but in 2015 and beyond. This is a conversation we all need to have; a conversation that starts with God.

In this packet you will find important information about Discipleship 2009 and the 15+ Plan, including your pledge card. Please prayerfully consider how you will support God's church and being part of the 15+ Plan. Dedication Sunday – when we ask all pledge cards to be turned in by – is Sunday, October 4^th. In addition you can mail your pledge card to the church (care of “Lynn Rigney”) or drop it in the Pledge Card box that will be outside the upstairs kitchen. Please be assured that the only person who will see your pledge card is our church's financial secretary.

So I invite you to go to God in prayer - seeking what God is calling on you to pledge during this Discipleship campaign – but more importantly, I encourage you to discern from your conversation with God who God is calling you, and all of us, to be as we seek to Live out God's vision for this church and our world!

SO WHAT IS THE 15+ PLAN?

You've heard the phrase bantered around. You've seen the logo. But what does it mean?

The 15+ Plan is an initiative put in place by the Discipleship and Budget ministry teams regarding the present and future of our church. It recognizes two things: first, church budgets are about more than dollars and cents. They indicate to us what we truly value the church – outreach, education, administration, nurture, operations. Second, church budgets are not just about a single year. They set a foundation for the future of a congregation – so even though the focus this time around is on 2010, it is also very much about looking further down the road.

Why is it called “The 15+ Plan?”

On one level it poses a challenge to members to add an additional $15 a month to their annual church pledge, which will greatly help our church live into our vision for the coming year.

On another level the name foreshadows to the year 2015, just five years down the road, and beyond – as we envision the kind of community of faith we'll be beyond the coming year.

So what exactly is the vision of our church? What will our church look like next year and five years down the road? Consider this:

2010

In its 152^nd year our congregation continues to faithfully serve Jesus Christ at the corner of Church and Main. We have experienced a renewed sense of local mission, represented in the backpack program with Flat Rock Elementary and the opening of a coat closet. Church members are renewed in their faith through church-wide fellowship and new ways of engaging educational ministry. And our congregation continues to grow its efforts in caring for God's earth with church-wide recycling and the creation of a special community-wide “Earth Day” event. Membership also grows because people feel called to join in the mission and vision of our congregation.

2015

Five years down the road, our congregation remains vibrant, authentic and faithful! We continue to enjoy gathering for weekly worship and other opportunities for spiritual growth. We graduate one of our largest group of high school seniors – 6^th graders in 2009 – who have been nurtured well in the church. People continue to regard First Presbyterian as a warm, inviting, and inspiring community of faith. Our mission initiatives grow, both in hands-on work and in dollars and cents, and include an annual adult mission trip and support for additional agencies. In addition, our congregation becomes, after much work, a “certified green congregation.”

Consider becoming part of The 15+ Plan and committing just $15 more a month to your pledge to the church – roughly half a cup of coffee a day. With your participation, The 15+ Plan for First Presbyterian Church will be more than just a vision – it will become a reality!