Farewell Letter (Marty Kelly)
May 5, 2003
Dear Family of Friends,
Early in my ministry I learned that saying good-bye to dear friends is a part of life on this side of eternity. When Bonnie and I left Peru almost two years ago it ripped our hearts out as we said farewell to our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Some had been our fellow missionaries, families we had served beside our entire 13 years in Peru; others were men and women we had won to the Lord, discipled and sent into ministry. As difficult as it was to say good-bye, Bonnie and I were comforted by the fact that God is God, and He has a purpose for our lives and for those we left behind.
This past Sunday I announced to our church that we will soon say good-bye to one of our families. Pastor Marty Kelly has accepted a position with Pastor David Nelms in West Palm Beach, Florida, and his final Sunday with us will be May 18. As I shared with the church on Sunday, selfishly, I would love to see Marty stay at Grace for the rest of his career. Never in my life have I worked with a man who was so compatible with me. Marty always understood where I was heading with a sermon, and used the worship time to lay the red carpet for the message from God’s Word each Sunday. I hate to see Marty and Sheila go, but again, I am comforted by the realization that God is God, and He has a purpose for Marty and a purpose for Grace Church, and my faith is in the Lord.
Marty has accomplished many things during his six-year ministry at Grace, including the establishment of a highly qualified Magnification Ministry Leadership Team. Each area of ministry, from leading worship to the choir and orchestra, to the hand bells and drama ministry, will be under the qualified leadership of someone from the Leadership Team. Many of these groups will take their normal summer break and be ready to go in the fall.
At the same time, the Elders are aggressively looking for a new Magnification Pastor. I cannot give you any timeline on this process. We would like to get someone in place even this Summer, but it is more important to get the right man than to simply fill the position.
You will have an opportunity to say good-bye to Marty and Sheila and their family on Sunday evening, May 18. Please make every effort to be a part of this special service as we honor this dear family for their investment into the people and ministries of Grace Church.
Finally, let me encourage you to add three items to your prayer list: First, Praise the Lord for His continual work and leading in our church. We are so thankful that God continues to bless Grace during times of change and that He is our Great Shepherd and Comforter. Second, please pray for Marty and Sheila and their family as they move from Des Moines to West Palm Beach. Ask the Lord to comfort them as they deal with their own emotions and empower them as they begin a new ministry at a new church. Finally, pray for our new Magnification Pastor. Pray that God will guide our Elders as we seek the right man, and ask God to begin preparing the heart of this man as he moves his family to Des Moines.
As your pastor, I want to thank you for your faithfulness to the Lord and for your increasing desire to do His will and to live your lives for His glory. It is such and honor to lead you in the service of our Lord as we seek to build the body of believers at Grace by reaching the lost of Central Iowa, growing in our maturity as believers, ministering to the hurting in our community, and magnifying the precious Name of Jesus Christ.
God Bless You,
Phil Winfield
Senior Pastor
Missions Conference Letter (2003)
February 3, 2003
Dear Family of Friends,
Once a missionary that had been on the field in Congo for 40 years had to return home because his age and health concerns demanded it. He had buried two sons and his wife there in the land of his calling. Even with failing health the Missionary Union had to convince him to return. He made the long voyage on the ship pretty much alone while wondering if anyone would really know him when he arrived. As the ship pulled into New York Harbor to his amazement thousands in a cheering crowd met him. “This can’t be,” he thought. It wasn’t to be. What he didn’t know was that President Teddy Roosevelt was on the ship and was also returning from Africa from one of his famous hunting trips. The cheering crowd was for him.
The theme for this year’s conference is “Across the Street and Around the World.” During this year’s conference we are having a homecoming for all the missionaries sent out by Grace Church.
There are several opportunities for us to show our appreciation and support for these homegrown servants of the Lord. Please look over the enclosed conference schedule and plan to be here at all costs! When we welcome our missionary heroes, I want them to stand up to a packed house and a thunderous applause.
Now, my dear Family of Friends, I have been where these people are and one of the most difficult emotions is the thought that you might have been forgotten. They have not been forgotten and we want to show it to them. If you haven’t already, please check out the wish lists at the “Missionary Christmas” section of the ER. There are both smaller and larger needs represented in which you can personally participate. The Missionary Christmas takes place at 9:45 on Sunday, Feb. 23.
Our conference speaker, Dr. Roy Seals, is a third generation missionary who grew up on the Yucatan Peninsula. I know him well. He will be greatly used by God to move your hearts. Bro. Seals is one of the three that encouraged me to consider coming back to Grace when I was wrestling with the call. You will love to hear what he has to say.
Look over the conference schedule and make your plans now. Most importantly, please add our Missions Conference to the top of your prayer list. It is through life-changing events like this that many accept the call to foreign missions. I am praying that in a few years we will see new families join our missionaries on the field winning the lost and planting churches in areas that have little gospel witness.
God Bless,
Phil Winfield
Pastor & Missionary Evangelist
Communications Plan for 40 Days of Purpose
GRACE CHURCH
40 Days of Purpose:
A Spiritual Journey
Communications Plan
- Coffee with Pastor Phil. A 15-minute video in Pastor Phil’s home giving him the opportunity to share one-on-one with the church his heart about 40 Days of Purpose and how it flows into the church’s future. (Quantity=500; Cost: $2.28 or $1.140 total)
Production Date: Week of Sept. 9
Release Date: Sept. 29 & Oct. 6
- Banners in the Atrium. Five vertical banners on each side of the atrium with one of the purposes of the church on it. (10 banners total. Approx cost: $1500.)
Banners Up: Oct. 6
- Grace Church Purpose stenciled over Worship Center Entrance.
Completed by: Sept. 30
- 40 DOP Web site. (Domain: PurposeDrivenGrace.com)
Site Up: October 1
- Hot Air Balloon(s) on Sunday, Oct. 6 (only if little or no cost). Jack Zimmer is going to try to track down a balloonist he knows.
- Mailouts: Letters and postcards the two weeks before the simulcast and the week prior to celebration Sunday. (Three Mailouts.
Approx. Cost: $1,000)
1. Letter from Pastor Phil (drop on Sept. 23)
2. Postcard #1 (drop on Sept. 30)
3. Postcard #2 (drop on Oct. 7)
- 5x5x5 Postcards: Ask our congregation to take 5 postcards and write a personal note to 5 friends inviting them to the Simulcast and then turn them back into the church office to mail. Then take 5 minutes each day at 5 a.m. / p.m. to pray for their 5 friends. This is an outreach (to the community, not the church congregation.) (Quantity: 5000 postcards. Printing Cost: $800; Postage: $800)
Handout to Church: Sept. 22
Mail by: Oct. 7
- Hog Roast. On the day of the simulcast have a hog roast following the event. (Approx. Cost: $1200)
Begin selling tickets: Sept. 15 (cost $1 / tkt) - Simulcast (Second Showing). Repeat the Simulcast at 5 p.m. with the focus on singles and people who can’t make it to the first showing. No childcare provided. Pizza following the simulcast. (Cost: $400)
- New Bulletin Format. Use preprints for the seven weeks of the campaign with a 4-color front cover. (Quantity: 8500; Cost: $810)
Begin: Oct. 6
- Video Testimonies / Interviews
Throughout Campaign.
- Daily E-mail Thoughts. Send a daily e-mail during the 40 days of the campaign that compliments and reinforces the memory verse and the theme for the week and emphasizes a prayer thought. (Jay McFarling & BJ Deever will write these.)
- Photography to document the 40 Days. (Jack Zimmer is our campaign photographer.) (Approx. Cost: $120)
- Video to document the 40 Days. (Nicholas Sikes is our campaign Videographer.) (Cost: $75)
- 40 DOP Labels. Print our 40 DOP logo on a label and stick it on everything that goes out of the church office. Quantity: 2500 (Bart Baker will design/produce these) (Approx. Cost: $100)
Begin using October 1
- Sign Display. Two or three word phrases that can be placed on the digital sign by the freeway and catch people’s attention. (Audrey Anderson will come up with the phrases).
- Video Skits. Use humor to communicate the messages of the campaign. Videotape 6-8 skits, approx. 2-minutes in length to be played just prior to the start of the morning worship services. Actors: Craig Kelly and Adam Colyer; Coralea Turner and Buddy Quick. (Bernie Lyle will work on writing the skits.)
- Signs Around Church with Catch Phrases. Example would be the “God” billboard displays.
SUMMARY OF EXPENSES
Coffee with Pastor Phil video.............................................................................. $1,140
Banners (5 Purposes of the Church); Full Color............................................. $1,500
(Does not include stands)
Mailings................................................................................................................... $1,000
5x5x5 Postcards .................................................................................................... $1600
Color Bulletin Preprints (seven weeks of campaign)........................................ $810
Film & Development................................................................................................. $120
Blank Videotapes........................................................................................................ $75
Hog Roast............................................................................................................... $1,200
Second Simulcast Showing................................................................................... $400
50 Video Copies of Simulcast................................................................................ $410
40 Days of Purpose Labels.................................................................................... $100
Possible Domain Names for Web sit
40DaysAtGrace.com .org .net
YourPurpose.net .org (.com not available)
PurposeDrivenLiving.net .org (.com not available)
GraceWithAPurpose.com .net .org
Follow Up Letter to Purpose Driven Roll Out
July 25, 2002
Dear Church Leader,
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend our Core Leaders Dinner Tuesday night. I was very encouraged to see the support of our leadership and the growing enthusiasm you displayed. Clearly, if this is to truly have a long-lasting impact on our church family, we must begin as one, and I felt a strong sense of unity and humility as we anxiously look to the Lord to see what He is going to do through this campaign.
As I write this letter, our staff is working hard to compile all of the names submitted last night to invite to our next dinner, August 6. The letters of invitation from me should be in the mail on Thursday of this week, so by this Sunday, your invitees should be up-to-speed on what we are doing and ready for your personal invitation.
Let me encourage you again on the three areas I need your greatest help:
- I need you to be informed. Please take time to read the Purpose Driven Church and to become familiar with the overall components of the campaign and the campaign timeline. If you have any questions, contact Larry Jatho ([email protected]) and he will get you the answer you need.
- I need you to be involved. Many of you volunteered to be a part of one of our campaign teams. You should be contacted within the next week by one of our staff regarding your involvement with a campaign team.
- I need you to enthusiastically communicate the message to our church family. Remember, have a contagious enthusiasm–your attitude will spread!
And remember, you, too, are invited to be back for the August 6 dinner (at 6 p.m.). It is important that you RSVP (yes or no) to Kathy Jatho by August 1 so we have an accurate count for the kitchen staff. You can call Kathy at 265-0199 or e-mail her at [email protected]. Child care is available, if needed, so be sure to let Kathy know if you need to make use of this.
Finally, please remember to put this spiritual growth campaign on your prayer lists. All great spiritual endeavors must begin with a firm foundation of prayer, and we need the prayer warriors of Grace to lead the church family as we begin this journey.
In His Service,
Phil Winfield
Senior Pastor
Invitation Letter for Purpose Driven Roll Out
July 25, 2002
Dear Friend:
In the fall of 2000 the elders formally adopted the Purpose Driven Philosophy of Ministry here at Grace Church. In fact, many of the components of the Purpose Driven Philosophy (e.g. Grace 101, Grace 201, Grace 301, etc.) were started in the late 1990s under Pastor David Nelms. As the Pastoral Search Team conducted their search for a senior pastor, this was one of the qualifications they looked for in potential candidates. I can remember discussing with both the Search Team and the Elders my view on the Purpose Driven philosophy and how I would lead this church in continuing the implementation process.
In May of this year, I attended my first conference for Purpose Driven Churches at Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, California. God used this conference to confirm in my own heart that this is indeed where He is leading Grace Church. In June our church staff met for two days to chart out our course and lay the foundation for a long-range plan of action. I can confidently report to you the staff is committed to see this become a reality at Grace Church.
This fall we will begin sharing with the church family what it means to live a purpose driven life! Starting in October we will lead our church through 40 Days of Purpose, a church-wide spiritual growth campaign that I am convinced will impact each one of us. During the 40 Days of Purpose, I will preach seven messages that will drive home what God’s purpose is for each one of His children. As we begin to live purpose-driven lives individually, we will become the church that will impact our community through our own ministry opportunities.
In order for the 40 Days of Purpose to be successful, however, we as the leadership of the church must begin on the same page. That is why we are hosting two dinners—the first was last night and was made up of our elders, deacons, and key leaders and spouses. We asked each person in attendance last night to invite five people whom they believe are influential within our church family and have a keen interest in our church’s future. If you are receiving this letter, your name is on that list. The second dinner is on Tuesday, August 6 at 6 p.m., and I would like to personally invite you to this dinner. Who will be at this dinner? Everyone who was at the first dinner plus our ABF teachers, AWANA Leaders, Student Ministry Leaders, Praise & Worship Ministry Leaders, etc. We would like you to bring your spouse to this dinner. (Child care is provided; please let Kathy know if need to make use of it.)
I know that with vacations and summer schedules, it may be tough to make it to this dinner, but please make every effort to attend. I really believe the future effectiveness of our church is at stake. It is important that you RSVP (yes or no) to Kathy Jatho by August 1 so we have an accurate count for the kitchen staff. You can call Kathy at 265-0199 or e-mail her at [email protected].
Finally, please put this spiritual growth campaign on your prayer lists. All great spiritual endeavors must begin with a firm foundation of prayer, and we need the prayer warriors of Grace to lead the church family as we begin this journey.
In His Service,
Phil Winfield
Senior Pastor