Connection Blueprint

 

Connection  Blueprint is an innovative hands-on practical learning process designed to help congregations maximize the impact of Jesus’ redemptive and healing love in neighborhoods and congregations. It builds on the foundational value that developing relationships of mutuality with our neighbors will change communities and congregations.  This 12-18 month journey gathers congregational teams of lay and clergy leaders from across the conference into a dynamic learning community. Together, they learn and practice tools designed to assist each congregation to implement transformative ministry within their unique context, thereby allowing them to realize the dreams God has given them. The Rev. John Edgar provides the primary leadership throughout the learning process. For more information, contact Alma Resendiz at afrias [at] wocumc.org.

 
2019-2020 Congregations:
  • Summit UMC
  • Lewistown-Trinity UMC 
  • Arcadia UMC
  • Quincy UMC
  • Church of Good Shepherd
  • Montfort Heights

 

Teaching Units

  1. Building Relationships of Mutuality
    a. Radical Hospitality

  2. Living in the Devine Economy of Abundance
    a. All Effective ministry is asset based.

  3. Touching Grace
    a. As we build relationships and engage in mission, we integrate faith sharing and invitation into the full life of the congregation.

  4. The Power of Partnerships
    a. Partnerships improve, expand, and transform ministries.
     

Leadership Team

Rev. John Edgar
Rev. Dee Stickley-Miner

  • Copyrights
The West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church (WOC) reserves all copyrights in this work. United Methodist entities may use these materials without prior permission or royalty for non-commercial, religious purposes, on the condition that you prominently display the following attribution: “These copyrighted materials are used with the permission of The West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.”

 

 

 

Building Relationships of Mutuality 


Sept. 14, 2019

KEY CONCEPTS

  • Radical Hospitality
  • Welcoming and embracing the stranger God has sent to be our neighbor

OBJECTIVES

  • Participants will be able to identify and define the basic elements of radical hospitality
  • Participants will acknowledge and further develop their individual capacity to build relationships of mutuality
  • Participants will identify opportunities to build relationships with members of their community
  • Participants will discern the population group with whom they will focus their Connection Blueprint journey
  • Participants will build their initial hospitality plan

SCRIPTURES

  • Hebrews 13:1-2
  • 1 Samuel 17

Living in a Divine Economy of Abundance

October 19, 2019

KEY CONCEPTS

  • Humans live in a Divine Economy of Abundance 
  • All effective ministry is asset based

OBJECTIVES

  • Participants will embrace the Biblical concept that they live in a divine economy of abundance
  • Participants will reject the mindset of scarcity
  • Participants will learn the basic principles of Asset Based Community Development
  • Participants will engage in an experience of mapping some of their personal assets 
  • Participants will begin to explore ways to develop asset based ministries that generate relationships of mutuality

SCRIPTURE

  • John 6

Extra Resource:  https://vimeo.com/222610203

Touching Grace

November 16, 2019

KEY CONCEPTS

  • Grace is an English translation of the Greek word "charis", which means "gift".
  • Relationships of mutuality  are the bridge between the church and persons of the community which allows for participation in asset-based ministries where they touch grace.
  • Introducing the community to God's grace

OBJECTIVES

  • Participants will learn the Greek term Charis and understand its root and meaning.
  • Participants will explore the Biblical concept that any good gift from God is grace.
  • Participants will learn about asset-based ministries that enable people to touch grace.
  • Participants will learn to use the Wesleyan concepts of prevenient justifying and sanctifying grace to refine ministries to better allow people to touch grace.
  • Participants will assess the effectiveness of their ministries in helping people touch grace.
  • Participants will begin to develop plans/blueprints for new ministries to ensure people in their community are touching grace.

SCRIPTURE

  • John 1:14-18
  • Luke 6:17-19

The Power of Partnerships

February 16, 2019

KEY CONCEPTS

  • Partnerships improve, expand, and transform ministries.
  • Partnerships are grounded in relationships of mutuality.
  • Partnerships emerge and flourish as people and groups combine their assets.

OBJECTIVES

  • Participants will appreciate the role partnerships can have in developing ministries.
  • Participants will learn how to initiate partnerships based on assets rather than needs.
  • Participants will identify churches, businesses, organizations and government entities that may become partners with their local congregation.
  • Participants will name and learn to articulate the strengths/assets their church has to offer partners. 

SCRIPTURE

  • Matthew 7: 7-12