Notifying Neighborhing Congregations

I decided to send out a letter to all the neighboring congregations. Congregations in our denomination and not in our denomination. I want to be upfront and share that this is a time of thanksgiving a celebration. I think I will also write a similar letter but different wording for the neighborhood businesses and organizations we are involved with. But, I am on vacation this and this is all I got done before vacation began.

Here is the letter:


 

January 2, 2012

Neighboring Congregations,

God’s blessings and peace be with you this Christmas Season!

I am writing to share some news about Our Congregation. On December 4, 2011 the voting members of the congregation voted to dissolve the congregation. This was not an easy decision to make but the congregation did make a faithful, prayerful and steward lead decision and came to the  conclusion that it is no longer possible for Mayfair Lutheran to sustain a viable ministry and that in the best interest of faithfully stewarding the congregation’s legacy and property it is an appropriate time to dissolve.

This means that Our Congregation will be disbanding as a congregation after the final worship on June 10, 2012.  It also means that the church building is now on the market for sale and after the building is sold and the congregation settles all its accounts the congregation will dissolve.

The members of Our Congregation would like to take this time to thank you for being partners in ministry for the 80 years for This Church's history.

All the neighboring congregations, the members, the pastors, community people – all – are invited to Our Congregation's Celebration Worship Service at 1pm on Sunday, May 20^th, 2012. This will be a time to come and give thanks to God for the ministry of Our Congregation and the continued ministry of the members of the congregation and the ministries the assets of the congregation will support.  A more formal invitation will follow, but please mark this on your church calendars and inform your congregations.

Also, included is a form that I ask you make available to members of your congregation. Please ask people to share stories or memories they have about Our Congregation. These can be stories about ministries, people, connections, youth outings, dinners… This Church’s ministry touched more people than we realize and I would like to share some of these stories with the members of the congregation during these final months and bind all the stories together and offer them as gifts to the members of the congregation at our final worship service. If you would like to receive an email with the form attached, please let me know. My email is: 

Please keep the members and the ministry of Our Congregation in your prayers.

In Christ,

Pastor