Ministry Groups
2010-and-Beyond Committee
Before we begin, we need to know where we are and what we’ve committed to be.
That’s critical to:
- establish a starting point for defining future directions, destinations
- serve as a benchmark against which to evaluate/prioritize choices
- reaffirm our "reasons for being" as a Christian church. We exist to:
- worship God.
- grow spiritually as individuals and a community.
- serve our neighbors.
- reaffirm some core LOCC commitments and beliefs:
- maintain "Worship on the Water" within Reynolds.
- also within Reynolds:
- worship events (Easter Sunrise, July 4th).
- non-worship events (Great Minds lectures).
- expand worship and non-worship events to multiple, "outside-the-gates" locations.
- maintain casual-dress, welcoming, fun atmosphere of church and its services.
- continue putting "community service ahead of church sanctuary" in our funding priorities, saying for most members sustainable community impact is more important than a permanent place of worship, building a sanctuary.
- as LOCC membership grows and chooses among services and locations, take the steps necessary to sustain a unified membership focused on our commitments to worship God, grow spiritually, and serve our neighbor.
We accept change as a part of life. At the same time, we believe these are defining principles of LOCC that we want to uphold regardless of change. And that goal requires a pro-active and a consistent effort within our church to accomplish.
2010-and-Beyond Committee
Lake Oconee Community Church (LOCC) is more than a "place"; it’s an experience we can create wherever, whenever it’s needed. That makes not owning/leasing a building for the next several years a key asset for our church, given our commitments and beliefs.
We are not "tied" to any physical building or single location:
- financially — with a fixed expense and its priority for funds.
- operationally — needing someone to manage it and maintain it.
- physically — limiting our venues because we have this investment.
- attitudinally — "we are here; you must come to us to do church."
Instead, LOCC has a critical, innate strength in its commitments to worship, spiritual growth and service — "flexibility":
- to mix old and new:
- by location.
- by type of facility (or no facility at all).
- to fit different and evolving environments, needs and audiences.
- to create different atmospheres, tones and appeals.
We can and will go wherever the community’s spiritual needs and opportunities are. For example, as LOCC members transition to assisted living and lose some mobility, why should they lose the experience of their church family? LOCC will follow and bring worship, education and community service to them.