Long Lake Lutheran Church Isanti, Minnesota

1. Long Lake Lutheran ChurchIsanti, Minnesota “Following Christ’s Example of Love and Forgiveness We Open Our Doors to All People as We Proclaim the Gospel and Grow in Christ’s Love”

2. ValuesLong Lake Lutheran Congregation • Welcoming • Respecting Each Other • Forgiveness • Ministry • Community • Compassion

3. Six Essential Forms of Mission and Ministry The mission and ministry over the past 50 years has taken on six essential forms: • Welcoming, Community Outreach, Evangelism, Service • Fellowship and a sense of belonging • Inspirational worship both traditional and contemporary • Robust youth and family programming • Children, youth and adult education • Focused committees dealing with the whole of congregational life

4. Community Demographics Long Lake Lutheran Congregation is located in a semi rural area. It is in Isanti County on MN Highway 47 between five communities – Cambridge 55008, Isanti 55040, Princeton 55371, St. Francis 55070 and Zimmerman 55398. Membership includes people who live in all of these zip codes. These communities as well as the rural areas have exhibited significant growth in the years from 2000 – 2008. This rate of growth has declined and is declining since 2008 possibly due to the economic crisis. In that period since 2008 there has also been significant movement out of the area. Isanti County is one of the counties in Minnesota with major foreclosure statistics. While there are some jobs in the area, many people commute into the Twin Cities and the St. Cloud area for employment, hence, one descriptor of the area could be “bedroom community”. Since this is a semi rural area hobby farming including gardening and horse raising are significant features. There are fewer and fewer full time farmers. People in the area often work two or even three jobs to make ends meet. There is also a lot of movement in and out of the area so it is an area of constant transition with a median age in the area being 36 years of age.

5. Population / Income There are areas of significant population adjacent to Long Lake Lutheran Congregation. This area is in a five mile radius from the church and stretches from Hwy 95 on the north through the city of St. Francis on the South – 3000-6000 residents in those areas: from Hwy 65 on the east to the Sherburne County line on the west – 1000-3000 residents in those areas. This population is made up primarily of single family dwellings of which 83.4% to 88.5% are owner occupied, 75-92% are family households and of these 25-50% are married couples with children and 5-10% are single parent households. 15.89 % of the population are ages 0-9,: 18.94% are ages 10-20: 33.11% are ages 25-44 and 9.12% of the population are 60 –84 years of age. The 2008 estimated median income for family households was $68,652; median income for households $59,279. About 4.5% of the population has income below the poverty level.

6. Education 65% of the adult population have completed high school or equivalent and some college; 17.4% have completed college with either an associate or bachelor’s degree and 4.4% have earned advanced degrees.

7. Household Snapshots The ELCA Research Department has defined 67 cultural snapshots known as PRIZM Segments. These snapshots are meant to characterize the type of households that form the basis of the community within which a congregation ministers. Ten cultural snapshots or Prizm Segments are representative of Long Lake Lutheran Congregation Community and are in descending order based on the percentages: Fast-Track Families 22.35% Country Casuals 11.75% New Homesteaders 10.18% Mayberry-ville 9.67% Big Sky Families 8.99% Big Fish, Small Pond 5.47% Traditional Times 5.42% Greenbelt Sports 4.23% Kid Country 3.52% Country Squires 2.51%

8. Long Lake Lutheran Congregation Mission Corridor Long Lake Lutheran Congregation has a mission corridor. This corridor is suggested by the demographics and also by the position of other Lutheran Congregations in the area. While Long Lake Lutheran Congregation draws members from the towns of Cambridge, Isanti, Princeton and Zimmerman, the bulk of it’s membership comes from an area of a 5-10 mile radius from the congregation. There are ELCA Lutheran Congregations in the above mentioned towns as well as South in East Bethel and North in Dalbo. This leaves a corridor between Hwy 95 and on the west, the Sherburne County Line. Long Lake Lutheran Congregation is located in the center of this corridor making it an ideal place for a community spiritual center. It’s new sanctuary is designed for worship, fellowship and hospitality. With imagination and creativity the Cornerstone can be re-designed and utilized for a variety of community, family and youth functions.

9. Long Lake Lutheran Congregation Current Programs • Organization • The congregation is organized by a council of representatives for each area of ministry and mission in the life of the congregation. These areas are: Stewardship, Mission, Congregational Life, Youth and Family, Education, Finance, Worship and Music and Property. The President of the congregation chairs the council. The mission and ministry of each area is directed by mission teams.

10. Quality Worship • A Worship and Music Team • Alter Guild • Country Gospel Group and Worship Services • 2 Worship Services each week – 8:00 am and 10:30 am with an Educational and Fellowship hour in between services. The 8:00 am worship service is Traditional and the 10:30 am worship service is more informal and contemporary. There are Advent and Lenten Services on Wednesday evenings during Advent and Lent. There are also guidelines in place to focus the worship experience.

11. Strategic Plan / Four Major Areas of Focus The four major areas of focus are new to the congregation and are the primary structure for consideration of a strategic plan and are the primary goals to which the congregation is committed. • Quality Worship • Youth and Family Ministry • Hospitality and Fellowship • Evangelism and Community Outreach

12. Youth and Family Ministry and Education • A Youth and Family Ministry Team • Sunday School • Confirmation Ministry • Active Youth Program • Mission Trips • Vacation Bible School • Day Camp • Bible Camp • Adult Forums • Bible Study

13. Hospitality and Fellowship • Hospitality • Squares Breakfasts • Fellowship Dinners • Game Day • Fellowship and Service Groups • WELCA • Sunshine Circle • Friends of Ruth • Squares

14. Community Outreach • IHN – International Housing Network • Live Nativity • Mission Quilts and Midwife Kits • Church Softball League – Church Softball Field • Trick or Trunk • Habitat for Humanity • 4H Groups • Community Dinners • Summer Festival • Mission of the Month • Joseph’s Granary / Family Pathways

15. Strategic Plan Continued/ Seven Goals There are seven goals that are currently under consideration and they are as follows: • Develop and implement an Evangelism Outreach Team • Consider the concept of “Mission Teams” for each are of congregation endeavors • Develop a plan for remodeling the Cornerstone for greater utilization by youth, families, education and community • Partner with other area congregations regarding youth and family programming • Youth Instrumental group • Explore Programming for Families with parents ages 36-40 who are the medium ages in our ministry area

16. Long Range PlanDeveloped in 2007 • Long range plan developed in 2007 needs to be reviewed and reconsidered

17. Energy • This congregation is really excited about the following: • New Pastor • New Programs • Community Gardens • Evangelism and Outreach to our immediate mission area

18. Partnerships Long lake Lutheran Congregation partners with the larger church and community in the following areas: • Lutheran World Relief • Global Missions – Quilts and Midwife Kits • Minneapolis Area Synod • Luther Point Bible Camp • Family Pathways – IHN and Food distribution

19. Sports Metaphors • The Transition team has come up with Sports Metaphors that compare our congregational life and participation to running the bases on a baseball field and getting to home plate (HOME RUN) or moving the ball down the yard lines of a football field and making a touchdown by crossing the end zone / goal post (TOUCH DOWN)

20. Sports Metaphors / Continued • First Base / 30 Yard Line • Participation • Worship • Prayer • Bible Study • Service • Small Groups

21. Sports Metaphors / Continued • Second Base / 20 Yard Line • Confession: Christ as Lord • Adopting a Christian World View • Third Base / 10 Yard Line • Commitment to Congregations • Mission and Ministry • Gift Based Ministry • Service and Ministry Teams • Mission Projects • Tithing

22. Sports Metaphors / Continued • Home Plate / Touchdown • Discipleship • Vocation: God’s Call and My Response • The Mind and Compassion of Christ: Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, Healing • Wholeness