Annual Ministry Report Form | November 2024
It’s that time of year when we look back at all God has accomplished through our mission and ministry, capture the highlights and joys of our ministry activities, and share how our ministry impacts the life of New Journey Lutheran Church, our local communities, and the world for our Annual Report. This year, in an effort to provide clarity and direction, we are providing a form to guide ministry teams and groups in writing their Annual Report As you reflect on this last year, we hope this form is helpful to you and your team. If you have questions about this form, please contact Pastor Beth. We suggest reviewing your team’s ministry meeting notes from 2024 for ideas and stories to share. We request reports be submitted to Susan Brahs by December 2.
Please see the bottom of the page for an Annual Report Example.
Annual Report Example
Ministry Area/Team/Group: Worship & Music Team
Submitted by: Pastor Beth Gallen and Jamie Asmus
Team Members: Jamie Asmus, Cindi Brady, Nancy Rosenthal, Ron Schwartau, Mary Shore and Pastor Beth
Ministry Highlights:
• Installation and Dedication of the Stained-Glass Art Piece in January. Made possible by the generosity of Hosea Harkness in loving memory of his wife, Lily.
• Palm/Passion Worship that invited the gifts and theatrical readings of the story of Christ’s passion from the Gospel of Matthew by Terry Steeden, Maggie Orr, & Julie Palko.
• Welcoming Ron Schwartau and Mary Shore into worship and music planning sessions in the Spring—they offer tremendous insights for creating and curating meaningful worship services.
• Responding to lament and longing by one of our members on Pentecost Sunday. Our worshipping community paused worship to address questions of God’s presence and agency in a troubled world.
• Welcoming Madison Mattheis to God’s table and celebrating her first communion.
Ministry Impact Story:
"I am experiencing tremendous healing through our worship services.” Deb Bigley shared with Pastor Beth after worship one day this spring. Meaningful and relevant worship services are critical for the people of God to receive the good news of Jesus, experience sabbath rest, and connect to the presence of God in the midst of our chaotic lives. Deb is experiencing a deep connection to the healing offered by God in our worship services. Of course, many people contribute to life-giving and faithful worship at New Journey Lutheran. From the worship and music team who regularly meets to select hymns to the many voices who read scripture and share gifts of music in worship, to the hands who set up and serve communion, light candles, operate the PowerPoint and streaming equipment, who collect offering, and manage our sound equipment and those make unexpected financial gifts to improve our online audio and visual worship experience—we are blessed by God with many gifted people who come together to curate meaningful worship. Worship that responds to the events in the world and the inner parts of our spiritual lives. For instance, on Pentecost Sunday this last May, one of our members was spiritually moved by our worship service to voice their lament and longing in worship: “When is God going to show up and do more?” this person wondered aloud. This is one of the most faithful questions we as people of faith ask, and our worship service provided the venue for this person to voice their lament in the safety and care of our community.
Worship at New Journey Lutheran Church is a place where healing takes place, spirits are renewed, questions are asked and grappled with, where we recognize that we are not God, and finally, where our burdens are shared with the One who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Pictures to Share: Installation of Stained-Glass art piece, Palm Sunday dramatic readers, Pentecost Sunday candle lighting, & welcoming Madison to God’s table.
2023 Annual Report
Click the report below to download.