As a fledgling church plant in 1997, we had the opportunity to receive training from the leaders at Redeemer Presbyterian in NYC. They were also a church plant, about eight years ahead of us. As they graciously allowed us to sit in on their training sessions for their leaders, we gained numerous insights into both what we believe and how to best do ministry.

One of their habits was to meet regularly with their leaders for a gathering called the Ministry Communities Meeting, or MCM. It is, as the name suggests, a meeting for all of the teams (or communities) that did ministry under their roof.

Following their lead, we started this habit here at Trinity throughout our first decade. I have a goal to resume a monthly leaders’ meeting, patterned after what we learned and I would like to invite you to our first gathering, Sunday, September 14th, at 4:00p.

The concept is simple enough: have a monthly 2-hour meeting where, in the first hour, we welcome anyone — we will sing, pray, cast vision, share and celebrate changed lives and how the Lord is working in our midst. In the second hour, where leaders are urged to be, each respective ministry team (or community) will regularly train and support their team members — for instance, every ministry (staff-led or volunteer-led) will gather in the second hour for prayer, goal-setting, problem-solving, and personal support.

MCM will be the place where anyone can learn everything that’s important. It will be a meeting designed to help us be forward-looking. If someone wants to know, “What are the leaders of Trinity working on right now?” this will be the best meeting to attend. It is also one of the only places where ideas can be tested with people who are bought in to our Mission & Vision. As a meeting built around our Ministry Structures, it helps guarantee integration.

• Corporate Worship is for anyone, but it is an “upward” meeting. Its purpose is worship and it is not designed to address goals, strategies, problem-solving, or training leaders.
• Officer meetings, classes and Community Groups have limited rosters and are intentionally more specific in scope and function.
• MCM can help us inspire our people as they gain a more comprehensive perspective of every ministry. It can help respective ministry teams understand what they can deliver to our people, and it can help ministry teams communicate what they need from other ministries.
• It can help us problem-solve, analyze and evaluate our effectiveness as a ministry. We can “beta test” ideas as a forum for rolling out new ministries or needs.
• And it is the best meeting of all leaders, committed members & attenders, and it will include every ministry team at Trinity.

I’m excited and believe it will be strategic for us to re-establish a regular meeting where all of our leaders can gather. Please consider joining us on the 14th. When you register for the event, you’ll also have the option to sign up for childcare (provided for infants through 5th grade). Please complete your registration by Wednesday, September 10, so we can plan well for both the event and the number of childcare workers needed.