The Dreaming Stage

join our Sunday gathering dreaming session

Join us for an all-church Mission 2030 Dreaming session on Sunday, June 1st from 10 AM to Noon. Together we will digest the insights gleaned from our Discovery phase and collectively dream about the future of our church. This dreaming session will take the place of our regular Sunday Gathering. Childcare will be provided for the duraiton of our Dreaming session, so bring your kids and grandkids and help us dream for our future as a church.

Click to expand the “5 Themes” graphic

WHAT IS THE DREAMING STAGE?

  • Dreaming is the 3rd stage of our Appreciative Inquiry process. We will gather as a congregation to respond to the insights from our “Discover” stage and dream together about the possibilities for our future.

  • After our Dreaming session, the OSC Board and Staff will take all the data, analysis, and congregational dreaming and draft the scope and language of Mission 2030.

  • Throughout the summer, our whole congregation will be invited to provide feedback on the draft plan.

what Five Themes Emerged from the disovery stage?

  • Theme #1: Inclusive, Welcoming, & Diverse: We are a church where people can be their authentic selves, honest, accepted, & hold diverse beliefs and backgrounds in a safe space.

  • Theme #2: Thoughtful Teaching & Worship: We value our teaching, time for holding space, addressing hard topics, meaningful discussions, special Sundays (PRIDE, MLK, etc.), and having dialog with humility.

  • Theme #3: Social Justice, Service, & Action: We are at our best when we are practicing Jesus’ teachings, engaged with & addressing political context, caring, giving, advocating & organizing.

  • Theme #4: Connection, Community, & Care: We value spiritual growth, mutual care, small groups, online classes, & deeper connections with each other & neighbors in the community.

  • Theme #5: Balancing Growth With Mission & Ministry: Challenges ahead: How do we reach out and offer what we have to more people while keeping our sense of intimacy, connection, mission focus, and community? How can we deepen the connection for online participants? For youth? How can we become more racially and ethnically diverse?

WHAT COMES NEXT?

After our church-wide Dreaming Session on June 1st, the Dreaming Stage will last throughout the summer as the OSC Board and Staff work to give shape to all the input we have received during the Discovery and Dreaming Stages and ask for your feedback. In the fall of 2025 we will then enter the Design Stage, where we develop our next set of Goals and Objectives to guide us from 2026 through 2030.

NEXT: The Design Stage —>