Pastor Blanton opened with a prayer.

Trish Meschke, our organist, spoke about the times and services at Peace Lutheran Church. This was to give insight as to how another worshiping community is serving. They have an 8:00 am Traditional Service – well attended with around 90 each Sunday, however it is not a growing number. In the Summer they also have a Thursday Evening Worship – the Fisherman’s Service. This year, they are going to keep the Saturday evening worship which also has Sunday School and that runs from 50 to 150 in attendance. The Contemporary Service is at 9:20 am and it has grown to over 300+. They also have Sunday School at this hour. The 10:45 am Service is a mixture of type of service. The Youth have their gathering at 10:45 am. This 10:45 am service is around 200 and growing as some from the 9:20 am service have been urged to attend the 10:45 am worship hour. Both of these worship hours offer child care and Sunday School.

The question was raised, just what is a Contemporary Service and it was stated that it has more enthusiasm, joy and vibrant expressions of worship.

At this point, John Logan invited the attendees to go into Small Groups and discuss the thoughts that were shared in the Circuit Rider about changes in our worship venues. Return to large group at 7:30 pm with a presenter from each group to share with the whole group.

GROUP 1 – Greg Wallace, Reporter

Want Contemporary Service but boundaries would need to be set as to what would be acceptable. Needs to be Scripture-based with the worship times to be such that music, choirs and leaders can participate. Need some type of time-line, goal-setting. What is success/failure for this kind of service? Where would it be held? If it is in Fellowship Hall, would not want to lose the feeling that our Hall presently presents. Times need to be discussed. Perhaps a Saturday worship rather than the 8:30 am

Sunday, but what would that be for our clergy/staff??

GROUP 2 - Birney Dibble, reporter. Concerns/ problems for the extra staff that

may be neededand then that means the extra $$. Concern for the Radio Ministry. Would go to delayed broadcasts which was done during the summer. The Radio Ministry now has some problems with timing. It was suggested we have same schedule, to continue at 10:30 am worship and ease into the contemporary type of service. Another suggestion, to have one Sunday a month for this type of service to present and help the congregation to experience this type of worship.

GROUP 3 - Marlene Arntson, reporter. From others in the congregation, we are

hearing that this is being rushed to be changing to these new times. Postpone for

one year as change affects everyone – the Sunday School, choirs, attendees.

Any change upsets folks and with the Capital Campaign next fall, we need to have happy people. To do a Contemporary service takes a lot of work. We are still recovering from previous upsets and finances show it. We need a full-time Treasurer and other staff.

What about the Sunday School times?? We need to try a Praise Service once a

month, possibly an evening, if not at a present service time. It is positive steps, but we need to go gradually. We give thanks to our Pastors for evening considering another service.

Pastor Doyle stated how important it is for us to respnd to one another. Suggestion was to hear from the congregation as to who would be interested in an 8:30 am service, a 9:45 am service? It was suggested that these minutes be put into the June Circuit Rider and also the Short Circuit to encourage members to give their views. We want a consensus in how we can reach out to the community. There was discussion as to how we can present this to the membership. Brenda Wallace suggested that perhaps a Contemporary Service could be held on Wednesday evenings as had been done briefly in the past.

As a Mission, Contemporary venues have reached out to the young and those unchurched. How do we reach people for Christ?? Pastor Doyle stated he believes this type of worship will reach a broader venue than we are meeting now. We are missing the Middle and High School and Young Adults. Yes, it will be more work for the Pastors, but feel a sense of urgency to know our next step and how to make the process of transition.

Jeff Voss stated he feels there is a need of urgency, but how do we get the congregation to sense this urgency. Leonard Larsen stated the idea of a Contemporary Service on Wednesday evening or the early 8:00 am service may be a good possibility. Greg Wallace stated we don’t want to push on this, perhaps keeping the 9:00 and 10:30 am services and having Contemporary following which would be at noon.

Dennis Jahnke asked Pastor Doyle to explain what a Contemporary service is. He stated it has five parts

1) Opens with informal gathering

2) 10-15 minutes of singing, possibly with a band or DVD music and words on a projector and music is usually louder.

3) Prayer time

4) The Message with Scriptures read, increments of drama with the Sermon and/or with a video to share the message in a variety of mediums, and

5) The Closing with Prayer and Praise and then go.

It is a very interactive worship. There are Key Leaders including the Pastors and a Team of others, for music, for videos and others to putting the worship together. It takes a lot of team work.

Jan Voss stated that with 62% of the Chippewa Valley folks unchurched, we have a lot of work to offer them a meaningful worship. It was suggested that we have a Town Meeting for the June date. Greg Wallace asked if we needed to plan a Start Date? Pastor Doyle stated we will be going to our Summer Schedule the first of June.

John Logan took the suggestion and stated we will have a Town Meeting on Thursday, June 9^th beginning at 7:30 pm (after the Thursday evening Chapel Worship) in the Fellowship Hall. Pastor Doyle affirmed the people who have worked so hard and put great time and effort into the Drive-In Service. We will continue to look at that program as well.

Leonard Larsen has put together our Website. It will carry our Circuit Rider, the Short Circuit, have an Upper Room link. He is working on keeping it updated. It includes the various groups that meet through our fellowship and asked if there are any additions or changes, to please let him know of them. He plans to have information on the 150^th Anniversary and is striving to have it all complete by August 1^st.

Dennis Jahnke reported for the Trustees. The cost of doing the roof has been upped to more than $100,000. Samples will soon be in the Gathering Area. The desirable one is steel shingles with a life-time warranty. This can be seen on the roof at Grace Lutheran Church.

Marlene Arntson asked if we can keep a buffer to help pay for the downpayment on the roof ?

The meeting was closed at 8:30 pm with a prayer by Pastor Doyle who also expressed great thanks for those who came and rejoices with each dedicated to do God’s work in God’s church.

– Beverly J. Maser – Secretary pro tem