With the proceeds from the sale of St. James Lutheran Church in Coral Gables completed, now the task is figuring out what to do with the money. The Synod Council wants the entire process to be as inclusive, open, and engaging as possible. The first phase, collecting broad visions from folks across the synod, will end on June 30, 2022. If you haven’t shared your broad visions yet, click here to take our survey.

This is not a fast process. In order to listen to as many people as possible, it takes time. Please participate and cover the process in prayer as we enter each phase. The impact this makes will us shape and how we engage our communities, share Christ, live out our faith, do justice, etc. for years to come.

The next phase, Phase 2, will start right after the Fourth of July weekend. In Phase 2, the goal is to start focusing our visions and become more specific. What would it look like, feel like, or sound like if we were more specific about our visions? What type of ministries would need to happen? New programs? Current programs? New partnerships? New endeavors? What would need to be developed for us, as a synod, to fulfill our call as the Lutheran-witness in our community? How would we live out our faith and make the grace of Christ known?

In Phase 2, it is these types of questions you get to answer and dream about. This will be done using an online survey. The link will be published on July 5…so watch for it. The survey will be live for six weeks so everyone who wants to can speak into the process.

Phase 3 will have us start to refine and prioritize all the information submitted. This will involve combining like statements and ideas and presenting them to be voted on by you, the folks of the FB Synod. This process will happen both at the Conference on Ministry and also at any congregation that wishes to participate. This phase will happen October through mid-November.

And then in Phase 4 the Synod Council will set up a granting process so requests for proposals can be created. These requests will be tied directly into what you, the people of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, have lifted up as priorities. “Who can request funds?” “How much?” “When?” All of these questions and more will be answered once we hear from you. Participate and make your dreams of ministry known.