The wise teacher whom we know from the Book of Proverbs chapter 21:30-31 states:

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan

    that can succeed against the Lord.

The horse is made ready for the day of battle,    but victory rests with the Lord.

I love that Lower Mountains Anglican not only sits under the sovereign hand of God, but that we are entirely dependent on what he chooses to do through us for his purposes. For no wisdom, insight or plan that we come up with mean anything if not for the hand of God enabling our efforts to achieve what he wants and already knows. And as ready, prepared, or intentional as we might think we are, the success of what we do under God is entirely because he has chosen to give the growth.

In what follows, you will find a plan for mission and ministry at Lower Mountains Anglican for the next five years. Plans which are built upon a rich heritage of many people over the years who have laboured for the Lord. Plans which recongnise the growth that we have seen over the last five years (particularly). Plans that look forward to what might be best next as we continue to gather to proclaim Christ as a church.

That said, plans and strategy will succumb to culture - and so much of what we are aiming to do as a church family is to continue to build a gospel-minded maturity culture among all our members.

Let's paint a picture of what could be under God for mission and ministry - our 2030 Vision.

As exciting as these plans might be, I do feel somewhat overwhelmed by the task ahead. For to unveil a plan which helps direct our decisions and efforts, and which proposes new things which reaches into new areas, to reach new people - whilst consistent with the great commission (Matt 28:18-20), it still feels overwhelming. So let me say, that if what you read in the coming plan feels a little unsettling, I join you in that and pray that we might trust that God will show us the way.

Let's be prayful in committing ourselves to what God asks us to do together.

Ken D Noakes