Leadership On the Move

Our lead team consists of :

Pr. Patrick Fish, Julie Simpson and Lavern Allen

Our launch team consists of : 

Joe Jackson, Martha Paschke, David Luecht, Ariana Sanchez, Ryene Hoffman, Minnette Willard, Mike Lehman, Eric Perrerria

To create a church that properly resembles the Kingdom of God. That properly matches the demographics of Oswego. We had to be intentional and strategic in who we chose to be on our leadership team. 

We have men and women in positions of power. We have people of color. We have black, brown and white folks in leadership. We have folks who identify with the LGBTQIA+ community on our team. We have people established within churches, we have people who were hurt and harmed by the church, and we have people who aren't church-goers at the table. 

We will continue to name this because our shared leadership model Is core to who we are as a church. Our power structure Isn't vertical or hierarchical. 

Instead, our structure Is Intentionally horizontal and shared. 

Our team has been gathering and getting to know our Individual stories.  

We have been discerning our diverse gifts and delegating the roles. 

Our Lead & Launch team are already at work serving In BIG ways. 

Here are just a few of the highlights from our Lead & Launch Team: 

• Dave is a leader of the Plainfield Interfaith group entitled : Plainfield Community Alliance. This past month, the Plainfield Community Alliance held a community gathering with a panel discussion. Dave was the emcee for the event. 

• Lavern regularly leads Ms & Hs Youth Group at Hesed House. He organized and led LvCares "Soup for the Soul" event that helped feed and clothe the homeless In our community. 

• Julie is taking the BackStory Preaching class through the N. IL Synod. She networked and used her connections so that the "Maddies Mittens" bus was present at the LvCares event. Winter hats, coats and gloves were made available to the community. 

• Minnette traveled alongside Bishop Stacie to our companion synod in Tanzania. We can't wait for her to share more in depth about her experience with God's people across the globe in Africa. Look for that in our March BUZZ

• Joe was a part of a $3 million collaborative effort along with AID, HH, and TNP to bring supportive housing to our neighbors. Housing changes lives and Joe Is at the center of those efforts to bring supportive housing to those most In need. 

• Ariana attended a Ministry Exploration Conference and Is currently discerning her role In God's ministry. 

• Mike Is on our finance team and actively helping us locate a physical location for Becoming to gather and do mission

• Ryene Is developing Internal tracking systems and planning our music at our upcoming gatherings. 

• Martha heads up a external partners homelessness workgroup and Is actively strategizing how to best serve the most vulnerable In our community. 

• Eric heads up the Boulder Hill W.A.T.C.H.D.O.G.S. This is a program aimed to equip and empower dads to be involved in the lives of students at Boulder Hill. Many students at Boulder Hill do not have a father or a father-figure In their lives. Eric helped start this Initiative (WatchDogs) to be a solution to this reality.