News
*The 2016 RSMA Salary Schedule, Rules, and Guidelines will be out by September 1st.  The RSMA Salary Committee is meeting Friday, August 25.

2016 Regional Synod Urban Ministry Grant Applications – Urban Ministry Grant assistance is for ministries to, in, and/or for areas considered urban in geography of our regional synod. The minimum criterion is that it is a ministry to, in, and/or for the urban area with a vision, plans, and goals for outreach into the community. Those ministries applying for a grant that aren’t in a traditionally geographic urban setting should take into account that the ideal of the grant is that it be used for those living in geographically urban areas, multi-cultural areas, and lower socio-economic areas. The synod’s goal is to see lives changed through the work of Christ and the Gospel.  Check out the Guidelines and if applying, fill out an Application.

*Reminder, you can contribute to our Urban Ministry Fund by giving $4 per member in 2016.

Members of RCA churches are encouraged to serve on different commissions within the denomination.  To be eligible, you need to have filled out a Profile form.  The Profile form is available on the RCA website at http://www.rca.org/profile. (Also available at that address is a document entitled Commissions and Agencies Descriptions which contains brief descriptions of the various RCA commissions, agencies, and boards.) To guarantee consideration in this year’s process, the form should be submitted by November 27, 2015. This will provide adequate time to prepare materials for consideration at the Commission on Nomination’s January meeting.

Check out this awesome story of celebration and mission from American Reformed Church in DeMotte, IN.  This article talks about ARC’s call to take on hunger issues in their community and appeared recently in a local newspaper.  You can read it HERE.

Please save the date of Saturday, October 17, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for a KEZ event – Kingdom Enterprise Zone for the Misssional Cafe. One of our guest speakers is Dr. Soong-Chan Rah. Dr. Rah is associate professor of church growth and evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago.  The American church is at a crossroads. Like the early church in Acts 15, we are faced with the challenge of prioritizing the gospel message over our own culture.  Dr. Rah will talk about today’s culture and the current realities facing our churches.  Dr. Rah spoke at a conference of RCA leaders in Phoenix in January of this year and also at General Synod in June.

The church care committee invites pastors, consistories and lay leaders to attend this opportunity to hear Dr. Rah speak. The church care committee is partnering with the Missional Café to bring this exciting opportunity to our church leaders in Chicagoland. The Missionsal Café is open to anyone to attend.  We ask that you to spread the word and invite people you know who have the heart of missional work and want to understand the culture that is taking place in their community. When you sign up, the KEZ will provide you with the latest “Mission-Insite” report with information on your community. This is a $400.00 value.

Date: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Place: TBD

Chicago Classis churches will be eligible for a grant to continue their current missional programs or create and start new ones. More information on the missional grant will be sent out in the future.

Any questions, contact Rich Schuler.

The Spirit Awakening the Church Event – Join the Wisconsin Conference’s Christian Education/Faith Formation Commission for this great event featuring author Diana Butler Bass. Bring a group from your church!  Two Locations: September 19, 2015 – 9:00am-4:00pm in Eau Claire, WI and September 20, 2015 – 2:30pm-6:00pm in Watertown, WI.  Click HERE for more information.
Smiling Is Not Enough…

First Impressions are powerful, and the way a first time visitor to your church is welcomed makes a big difference.  If you were to ask someone in your church, “Is this a friendly church?”, most church members would answer, “Yes, we’re friendly.”  But what answer would you receive from a visitor?  Having the experience of visiting a congregation for the first time will open your eyes to the power of hospitality in helping a first time visitor feel welcome.  Perhaps the most painful words any pastor hears are:  “I’ve been to this church X number of times and no one said hello or noticed me.”

Will Mancini writes a blog on “The Top 10 Mistakes Your Volunteers Make When Welcoming Guests at Church.”  He says that he sees these 10 mistakes when volunteers are helping him as a first time guest:

  1. Volunteers have not thought in advance about my next step as a guest so they don’t know how to guide the conversation with me.
  2. Volunteers are talking with friends and don’t notice me.
  3. Volunteers are doing task work and are not available or responsive the moment I show up.
  4. Volunteers generally hesitate when I initiate with a question.
  5. Volunteers don’t know where the most pertinent information is located.
  6. Volunteers tell me what to do with no information or tools or other people to help me.\
  7. Volunteers generally look preoccupied, distracted or unsure of themselves in their non-verbals even when being friendly.
  8. Volunteers are unaware of the basic “how to” questions for checking-in children of every age.
  9. Volunteers don’t introduce me to others at the church.
  10. Volunteers gave me written information that is not important, pertinent or strategic (sending me on a bee-line to the trash can).

“So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory.  Jesus did it; now you do it!”  (Romans 15:7 MSG)

 – Wayne Van Regenmorter      

August Schedule:

17:  Google Hangout Meeting

18:  Meeting/Faith Church/Dyer, IN

19:  Ridder Conference Call; Meeting/Cornerstone Church/Bourbonnais, IN

20:  Office

21:  Meeting/Downers Grove, IL

22:  Off

23:  160th Anniversary of Raritan Reformed Church/Raritan, IL

24:  Office

25:  RSMA Executive Team Meeting/Camp Manitoqua/Frankfort, IL

26-28:  Leadership Learning Community/Christ Community Church/Lemont, IL

29:  Off

30:  Sunday Worship

31:  Office

September Schedule

1-3:  COSE/T & T Meeting/IP Meeting/Grand Rapids, MI

4:  Office

5:  Off

6:  Sunday Worship

7:  Labor Day

8:  Meeting/ Beecher, IL

9:  RSMA Executive Team/Chicago Coordinating Committee/Downers Grove Community Church/Downers Grove, IL

10:  RSMA Executive Team/Illiana-Florida Executive Team/Faith Church/Dyer, IN

11:  Office

12:  Off

13:  Sunday Worship

Wayne’s contact information:

10088 Prairie Knoll Ct.

St. John, IN 46373

Mobile: (941) 302-1281

Email:  wregen@rsmam.org
The following are some links you may find helpful…

Three Starter Principles for Becoming An Innovative Small Church – Every church, even small ones, can be innovative and listen for the new movement of the Spirit.  These three thoughts can help begin to move in that direction.

How to Override Your Default Reactions in Tough Moments – This leadership article says: “We all have default behaviors. And when we are in the moment, trying our best to perform well, how we handle these automatic reflexes can be the difference between success and failure. It’s these moments that add up to the larger tasks and projects that are our work. Moments in which behavior – what we think, feel, say, and do ­­- is the primary driver of performance.”  

The Crucial Difference Between Managing and Leading – Rick Warren uses his own story and philosophy of ministry to discuss managing vs. leading.

Why I Don’t Like to Sing During “Worship” – Missional writer Hugh Halter says, “worship on Sunday is only going to be as deep as our worship the rest of the week. Depth through song, liturgy, spoken word and preaching is only going to be as meaningful as the level of meaning we bring to others around us.”  He invites us to examine Sunday through the eyes of the week.

August Schedule:

17: Office

18: Office; Coaching

19: Ridder WI Regional Team Conference Call; Coaching

20: Office

21: RSMA Salary Committee Video Conference

24: Office

25: RSMA Executive Team Meeting/Camp Manitoqua/Frankfort, IL

26: RCA Leadership Learning Community/Christy Community Church/Lemont, IL

27: RCA Leadership Learning Community/Christy Community Church/Lemont, IL

28: RCA Leadership Learning Community/Christy Community Church/Lemont, IL

31: Office

September Schedule:

1: Office; Coaching

2: T&T Meetings/Grand Rapids, MI

3: Office

4: Office

7: Labor Day Holiday

8: Office

9:  RSMA Executive Team/Chicago Coordinating Committee/Downers Grove Community Church/Downers Grove, IL

10:  RSMA Executive Team/Illiana-Florida Executive Team/Faith Church/Dyer, IN

11:  Office

Chad’s Contact Information:

2104 Campbell Street

Valparaiso, IN 46383

Office: (815) 464-9181

Mobile: (765) 237-7678

Email: chad@rsmam.org
Ben Ingebretson has been facilitating the church planting movement since 2013.

Ben’s Contact Information:

765 Eastridge Dr. NE

Grand Rapids, MI 49525

Mobile: (616) 481-7566

Email: beningebretson@gmail.com

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