A journey to discovery

and sharing

Shared Ministry effort aims to equip and nurture for fulfilling service


Look out! The new Shared Ministry Team is at work and they are not a bit timid in their goal. They are out to change the very culture here at Central—the way we do mission and ministry together; the way we raise up and nurture servers and leaders; the way we thank and encourage those who serve along the way.

“It’s a different way of thinking about lay ministry,” said Barbara Brown, Central’s program and staff administrator, who was instrumental in organizing the Shared Ministry Team one year ago and who offered this summary of the effort:  “Shared ministry reflects a theology of abundance. God has given this congregation all of the gifts needed to do ministry. Ministry is a loving response to God’s gifts. Shared ministry focuses on people by nurturing, guiding and mentoring them as they give their time and gifts. Lay ministers grow spiritually with each experience.”

The Shared Ministry Team envisions a congregation where ministry leaders are trained and excited to serve; where ministries are mentoring leaders to take over leadership of a team; where members come forward to begin new ministries based on their passion; and where members know their gifts and feel called to share.

To support that vision, the Shared
Ministry Team has five specific goals:

     ♦To create and implement a gift survey to each member of the congregation to fill out so that leaders will have a vehicle to match people with skills and talents for specific ministries. This will provide a database of gifts, passions and skills for Central’s future.

     ♦To provide leadership training on the theology and goals of Shared Ministry and to work closely with leaders to offer help on training for individual teams—encouraging each to plan for training opportunities.

     ♦To work with team leaders to create position descriptions for each ministry opportunity that define responsibilities, skills and gifts needed and the time frame for serving.

     ♦To work to integrate new members—the hope for new life in our congregation—into the life and ministry of Central by creating a system that invites, prepares and tracks each person.

    ♦To provide recognition that acknowledges and lifts up the ministries of those who provide time and gifts—using a variety of methods to thank people based on individual personalities.

Seven subcommittees have been at work since last September creating the various components of the overall effort including creating the gift survey, recognition and appreciation efforts, such as Appreciation Sunday on April 25, position descriptions, new member integration and training. The overall vision and goals of the effort were presented to the staff at a recent meeting and the Shared Ministry Team has just conducted two training sessions for ministry team leaders.

Rebecca Jorgenson Sundquist, chair of the Communications and Public Relations Ministry Team, attended one of the training sessions and said it was “helpful in understand how we can be in ministry together here at Central.”

“Until the culture is changed, there is strong leadership in place to guide us. The Shared Ministry Team is to be commended for the work they have done to put this in place. They have brought greater clarity to a way for us to be involved in dynamic ministry,” said Rebecca.

The next two key elements in launching the Shared Ministry effort will be additional training for ministry team leaders at a meeting scheduled for Saturday, August 28 and the mailing of the Personal Gift Journey to every member of the congregation in early September. It is a survey where members can record their passions, the people with whom they prefer to work, the amount of time they wish to invest, their style of working and the resources and skills they can offer.

“Shared ministry is something Jesus modeled for us—encouraging, equipping, urging disciples to serve and care for the world and God’s people in it, “ said Senior Pastor Rick Nelson.

“Shared ministry happens every time a follower of Jesus does the best with what they have and who they are—people busy using their gifts, talents, money and passions to make the world a little bit better place in the name of Jesus.”

333 South Twelfth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612-870-4416