Annual Report for 2022
Dear Friends in Christ,
Inside this report is a brief sketch of our mission and ministries from the past year. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve emerged from our Covid-era as a church. (Finally!) And I think the report you’re about to read tells the story of a church that has emerged financially healthy, spiritually vibrant, and missionally focused. This is a testament to (a) God’s kindness toward us and (b) your faith toward Him. I am grateful for both.
As we head into 2023, below are some of the key themes from the story of 2022:
Kids in Worship
Weekly worship is the heartbeat of every church. (A weak heartbeat inevitably leads to an unhealthy body; a strong one enlivens and strengthens all the other functions.) It is also the most formative element in the faith development of children. Put simply, kids who worship alongside their parents are statistically much more likely to embrace the faith as they mature.
In light of this, last year we began having the children in our Sunday School Ministry start and end their Sundays in worship (leaving prior to the sermon, returning prior to Communion). If you’ve been to the 10 am service since we’ve made this change, you’ve seen the sea of children who come forward for the Children’s Message. (It averages around 40 children each week.)
Our cultural narrative is that younger generations, and especially today’s young families, are leaving the faith in droves. I’m happy to be part of a church that is flipping the script. We have something special at CLC – namely, young families that care deeply about the faith their children, and a congregation that surrounds and supports them with grace and gratitude.
In 2023, we’ll continue to prayerfully consider how best to structure our Sunday mornings so that our mission thrives and our families flourish.
New Staff Members
In the past year we’ve welcomed the following people to our church staff: Ben Gordon (Worship Media), Shelley Kane (Office & Facilities), Sarah Kolden (Children’s Ministry), Tammy Gordon (Children's Choir), Kathy Kinney (Chancel Choir),and Sarah Scopio (Communications). Together with our existing staff, this is a wonderful team of people who love working together and enjoy serving you.
In the summer, we also called Matt Kolden to become our Associate Pastor. Pastor Matt is a recent seminary graduate and comes to us from an intentional community for young adults that he was part of at Trinity Lutheran in San Pedro. His love for prayer and his commitment to the spiritual practices are a great benefit to us as we lean into spiritual formation as a church. This year, he’s already led a Spiritual Retreat for Men and soon will be starting a monthly night of Calling & Discernment for Young Adults. What a welcome addition!
A Generous Church
We ended 2022 with a budget surplus of $82,000. This is partly attributable to new staff hires happening later in the year than we expected. However, it is much more largely attributable to your generosity as a church. Your offerings to the mission and ministry of CLC were higher in 2022 than in any previous year of our church. Thank you!
Just like a personal budget, margin in a church budget provides the freedom and flexibility to move into the future with confidence and courage. One element of that future that we’re already beginning to see: The number of children in worship (Preschool through 6th grade) indicates that our student ministry needs (7th through 12th grade) will soon be growing. Your generosity will allow us to be increasingly proactive and prepared for what God is bringing.
A Personal Note
On a more personal note, this is a big year for the Siemsen home. In the coming weeks, I will be turning 40. In the coming months, Kristi and I will welcome our third child into the world (Another boy…yikes!). We said when we came here that we wanted to set down roots and invest ourselves for the long haul. Please know how grateful we are to do that precisely here at CLC. We’re still pretty new, but we consider it our home, and we consider you our family.
Thank you for a great 2022. Here’s to an even better 2023!
Your in Christ,
Pastor Garrett