Meeting Highlights ...

• Global Outreach Report
• Global Diaconate Report
• Church Planting Report
• Membership Report
• Treasurer’s Report
• Transition Update

‘Fill These Cities: 25 x ’25’ Updates

Global Outreach Report
Pastor Brad Nelson shared an update video from the Global Partner “S” Family serving in SE Asia.

Global Diaconate Report
Deacon Steve Prater shared highlights from the Global Diaconate, a group of nine individuals from all three campuses who meet monthly to review proposals and requests to support Bethlehem’s global partners and other trusted partners in their work with the poorest of the poor around the world.

So far this year, the Global Diaconate has been focusing on emergency relief in Ukraine due to the war and the great needs of the refugees there. In Ukraine so far this year, the Global Diaconate has provided support to five different ministries, all of which were in place before the war, but who have now adjusted their ministries to meet the current needs. They are all similar in that they are working with local churches and providing the refugees with food, shelter, medical attention, counseling, and a chance to rest. Two of these ministries have vans and are taking food and supplies into very difficult areas and then bringing people out of those areas to their more safe locations and helping them on their journeys away from the fighting.

Ministries Supported in Ukraine

• Action International
• Operation Mobilization/Global Partner Dane Hanson
• Imago Hearts/former Global Partner David Little
• Open Heart Church
• Camp Maximum with the Shepherd Foundation

Church Planting Report
Pastor Kenny Stokes presented the Church Planting report.

• Haddon Anderson is the church planting resident at the South Campus. He is approved to plant a church in Eagan.
• Pastor Kenny shared a video update from Marshall Posey, Pastor of Living Hope Church in Maple Grove.

Membership Report

Pastor Ken Currie presented the membership report.

• At the end of the January 30, 2022, QSM, the membership stood at 2,310.
• Since then, 42 members have been added, and 88 members have been removed since the last meeting.
• Total members at the start of the April All-Church Quarterly Strategy Meeting = 2,264.

Treasurer’s Report

Tim Brinkmann presented the Treasurer’s Report for the first quarter of 2022.

First Quarter 2022 Summary

• Giving was $1.7M. Down $376K (-18%) when compared to Q1 2021 giving.
  • Note: 2008 was the last time Q1 giving was below $1.7M
• Spending was $2.2M. Down $43K when compared to Q1 2021 spending.
• Spending exceeded giving by $505K. In Q1 2021, spending exceeded giving by $172K.

Transition Update

Pastor Ken Currie presented an update from the Executive Transition Team.

1. Pastor Ken began with a brief recap of what he shared at the January 30, 2022, QSM, including formation of a transition team to begin to develop recommendations.
2. The transition team has been gathering input from stakeholders in various all-church ministry areas and then updating the elders at monthly elder meetings. We’ve recently created a draft form of a “roadmap” with the vision of having three healthy, self-sustaining churches.
3. We hope to have a plan approved by the elders to present to the congregation in June.
4. At the Downtown and North campuses we had surveys to query support for a transition, which included collecting questions and comments. We want to make sure people know what they will be voting on, and will be creating a FAQ page for our website.
5. The elders hope to vote on the plan within the next month or so as to whether they will formally recommend the plan to the congregation. The congregation would then vote on the recommendation at the July 31 QSM. This would not instantly create three churches, but it would be a major decision point in the process to move forward.