Mission Statement

Normandale Lutheran Church is a community of believers that proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, affirms that the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is fundamental to our faith, and witnesses through worship, education and ministry.

Vision

Normandale will be known by our members and the greater community as a Christ-centered congregation committed to:

• Studying the Bible and celebrating the sacraments as guided by the Lutheran Confessions.
• Focusing on worship, service, spiritual growth and the integration of faith with the daily lives of our members.
• Achieving mission objectives that meet identified needsof our members, the greater community and the world.
• Maximizing the use of member talents, financial resources and physical facilities.

Vision 40 Update

Looking ahead is done by individuals, families, businesses and institutions. Thus, it is prudent for churches to do the same. Normandale has long had effective Long-Range Planning Committees to advise our Church Council on future steps.

A few years ago, the Long-Range Planning Committee, with the approval of the Council, established a group to look ahead forty years. Forty is Biblically-based, with that number occurring repeatedly in God’s work throughout history. Also, the 100th anniversary of the Church would occur in a little over 40 years -- 2050.

The Forty-Year Vision Task Force was the vehicle selected to handle forward visioning. The 14 member Task Force was multi-generational, with the youngest member being 10 and the oldest a charter member. Listening was a key ingredient of the Task Force’s efforts. During the past two years, charter members and staff were interviewed. Small group sessions with over 200 Normandale members were conducted. These groups utilized spiritual discernment as a means to listen for what the Holy Spirit wants us to be and do. The discernment sessions were scripture-based, prayerful, and inclusive – encouraging all to participate. Emergent themes which revealed themselves from past congregational ministries and for future thinking for Normandale were:

• Depth -- Going deep in our spiritual lives, in our involvement at church. Not just "skimming the surface."
• Relationships -- People want to really know each other here, develop relationships with each other.
• Connections -- Connected to each other, the ministries of this church and to the world around through local and international outreach.
• Roots -- Deeply connected to Scripture and to Lutheran traditions and theology.
• Family -- A congregation with a "family feeling." People take care of each other, are there for each other.

In future months, the Vision 40 Task Force will offer the congregation opportunities to learn more about discernment and how it can be used to think about and plan for the future. The themes noted above will be explored more deeply.

The Vision 40 Task Force Report is comprehensive and enlightening. Members are encouraged to read it in its entirety.

Copies will be available in the church office.

Lois Nordling,
Task Force Chairperson