Rumor has it,that a couple of the Elders will be preaching over the next few weeks. The intent is to directly communicate to the congregation their vision of our future. I understand that my father, Don Coriell, will be preaching (or talking) this coming Sunday. Now, there is yet another thing I never thought I'd see.

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One thing I hope to see continue is the willingness to think outside our typical sphere of religious behavior. We have tremendous opportunities to work with congregations around the county, especially in Minford and Portsmouth. We do not have to sponsor and totally manage every ministry with which we are involved. For instance, we have an opportunity to begin an involvement with Scioto Christian Ministries, Inc. They manage West End Day Care and the Homeless Shelter as well as some other activities. We could easily become a major player in these works. Of course, that is not standard operating procedure for an upstanding CofC. There are also opportunities to work together with congregations in Minford. I hope that we are able to be open to such possibilities.

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With regard to the idea of building a new facility, an open mind is needed here as well. Currently a large majority of our congregation's yearly expenditures is inwardly focused. I would love to see the day that the majority of our funds are distributed to needs outside of ourselves. I personally think that is a tremendous indicator of a congregation's heart. The building of a major facility would definitely postpone such an achievement. The Saddleback Church (Rick Warren, Purpose-Driven fame) grew for 15 years to over 10,000 people before they built their building. Don't get me wrong, I am not against a new building, I am simply calling us to consider all possibilities.

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What are your thoughts?