If anything is needed to cut through the fog of 2020-21, it is to refresh, revitalize and re-energize. There are so many questions weighing on today’s pastors. Where are we going as a society and nation? What is the moral landscape morphing into? What kind of spirituality is being embraced today? The latest research shows:

• One in four U.S. pastors(23%) selects “lack of leadership training and development” as a major concern facing their church today.
• Barna reports that pastors listed “addressing complex social issues with biblical integrity” (58%) as a top concern facing the U.S. Christian Church today.
• Most pastors say they are on-call 24 hours a day (71%) and their role is frequently overwhelming (63%). Half of pastors (50%) say the demands of their job are often greater than they can handle.
• Many pastors feel isolated (38%) and face unrealistic expectations from their church (23%). One in 5 pastors (21%) admit they frequently feel irritated at their church members.

At Converge Great Lakes, our prayer echoes Acts 4:29-30.

“…And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bondservants may speak Your word with all confidence….”

By year end, we are seeking to raise a special year-end gift total of $22,000 for renewed impact in our mission field. The initiative we are launching is 22in22. Would you help us reach this goal and then participate in focused ministry in 2022?

Converge Great Lakes has a vision for each of our churches to have greater kingdom impact. 

Our strategic plan in 2022 includes:

Church Planting 2:22– Our LEAD teams set the ambitious goal of seeing 25 congregations started by 2025. We are specifically asking God to see 2 new congregations planted in 2022 in our district.

Church Strengthening 2:22 – Paul wrote to the churches of Ephesus “…in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22.

• Pastor and Wives Retreat – To renew, refresh and re-energize our pastoral couples, we’re preparing a pastors and wives retreat this year. Save the date for the upcoming Pastor and Wives Retreat on April 1–2, 2022.
• Cohort Training – We will be launching a specialized web-based cohort to help address the growing social issues of today. We will have experts on hand to help you make moral and legal sense of what may be coming.
• Developing a Leadership Pipeline – via onsite and virtual training, we will be helping churches build a pipeline to identify, train and deploy leaders, board members and potential church planters.
• Lake Ellen Bible Camp – Lake Ellen Bible Camp ownership reverted to the district in 2021. This was a significant and unexpected expense for the district. CGL is currently researching a new vision and future for the camp. Stay tuned for more details.

Mark 2:22: “No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

We are ready to walk with your church to help you Refresh, Revitalize and Re-energize. When you contribute to 22in22, you support the initiatives we identified above. Please help us reach our goal of $22,000 by making a special year-end gift to Converge Great Lakes. We need your partnership and help.

Ways to give:

Online - Give online using our safe and secure online portal

By mail - send the check to the following address. Write the project code 22in22 in the memo line of the check.

Converge Great Lakes
P.O. Box 440
Columbus, WI 53925.