A New Year of New Challenges

LCC’s Pastoral Leadership Team, including our new Senior Pastor Ron Berget, have been evaluating the mission, vision, and values of our church family for the past several months.  A very difficult decision they have had to make is in reducing the number of LCC Ministry Staff, due to the need to keep our overall budget in line with our strategic goals.

After much consideration and lengthy times of prayer, our PLT has decided to eliminate a position within our staff.   They have come to the conclusion to relieve Pastor Mark McClintick of his role on LCC staff effective May 31, 2010, and to reassign student ministries to Pastor Jeff Pankratz (who would then serve as Pastor of Student Ministries and Missions)

Other duties that our staff are currently giving leadership to, would be reassigned among other staff workers.  Essentially, Ron Berget and Melody Warren will be assigned roles within the Adult Ministry of our church family, and Jeff Pankratz will retain oversight of Missions ministry, including Student ministry as a key component of our local outreach in the Alexandria area.  KrisAnn Carlsen will continue to give direction to our Childrens Ministry Team, and Jon Gaugert (also chairman of our PLT) will continue giving leadership to our Worship and Arts Team.

LCC leadership has communicated this to Mark McClintick, and his position will be eliminated effective May 31, 2010.  Pastor Ron, and our Pastoral Leadership Team, will be hosting parent/student Q&A sessions in the weeks ahead for you to dialogue about these new challenges.   In addition, Pastor Ron welcomes you to speak with him anytime throughout the course of these next weeks, hoping to share their reasoning behind this decision.

Please be in prayer for Mark, Tammy, and their three children Megan, Josie, and Mason.  Pray for meaningful employment for Mark, and for the peace of His Holy Spirit to cover us all, especially our students and their families, during this difficult transition.  Pray that our student ministry would continue to ‘reach and build’ into the lives of high school and middle school students, as each new day brings us closer to our Lord Jesus’ coming.

Welcome, Pastor Ron!

Love stories are beautiful things- especially when the two have a story that’s unexpected and with a ‘twist’ in the end.  Our Interim Pastor Ron Berget was officially voted by the members of Lake Community Church to be our new Senior Pastor effective this January of 2010.

The love story began when Ron first met many of the families and individuals of LCC, seeing their passion to be the Bride of Christ, followers of Jesus to ‘reach and build’ the lost of the Alexandria area.  Families of LCC fell in love with Ron and his wife Karen, who model devotion to God and to one another.  Their heart to make disciples and serve others has won over our hearts!

So this love story continues, as we all trust God for many more ‘twists’- seeing God’s plan more clearly than ever before for LCC.  Ron plans to keep things simple, focusing our worship on Jesus, and telling others in our community about His great sacrifice of love for them.  What better love story could there be?

‘Warm Yourself’ in a 2010 Adult Class!

Feeling a bit ‘left out in the cold’?  Don’t worry, we all do this time of year in MN.  That’s why it’s imperative to plug yourself into a plan to build your faith and grow in your understanding of God’s Word!

Practical adult discipleship classes starting this January are;

1) S.H.A.P.E.- Discover Your Unique Role in Building His Kingdom.  Begins Tue 5:15pm, Jan 12th, LCC Cafe.  Discover through biblical principles how your giftedness, talents, passion, life experiences, and personality all fit you for God’s plans!  This is a great study for people wanting to serve others.  Click here for details and to register online!

2) The Word- Lean key, biblical truths for real life application.  Continues from last semester, Sun 10:30am, Jan 10th, LCC Large Nursery (after 9am worship).  Learn basic principles that will give you a new passion for Christ!  This is a study designed for anyone wanting to investigate God’s Word.  Click here for details and to register online!

3) First Place 4 Health- Educate yourself and apply key truths about healthy eating, exercise, and habits to follow Jesus Christ.  Orientation meeting Thur Jan 7th, 5:15pm, LCC Large Nursery.  This is your chance to be a loser!  Losers are always winners with First Place 4 Health- a Christ-centered health and weight-loss program.  Click here for details and to register online! 

Let’s all gather around the fire of His perfect Word, and be warmed!