Hosanna! is committed to being Connected With Christ, One Another, and Those in Need.
We see ourselves as being a Biblical, Missional, Evangelical, Lutheran Congregation that affirms the authority of God's Word, the Bible, and remains true to the historical, confessional Lutheran teachings based on both God's Law and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Hosanna! has completed a discernment process seeking God's Will and Way in light of the August, 2009 actions of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis, MN. In late August, the Congregational Council established a Task Force to study which Lutheran Church body Hosanna! should affiliate with going forward. On October 22, the Task Force recommended to the Council that Hosanna! affiliate with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (or, LCMC).
On November 8, 2009 at a duly called Special Congregational Meeting, 232 eligible voting members overwhelmingly affirmed the Council's recommendations on the 4 Resolutions as follows:
Resolution #1 Be it resolved that: Hosanna! Lutheran Church terminates its affiliation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Yes = 207 (89.2%) No = 25
Resolution #2 Be it resolved that: Hosanna! Lutheran Church affiliate with the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)
Yes = 209 (90.1%) No = 23
Resolution #3 Be it resolved that: Hosanna! Lutheran Church retain all current lay staff and Senior Pastor John Nelson
Yes = 226 (97.4%) No = 6
Resolution #4 Be it resolved that: Hosanna! Lutheran Church calls Rev. Martha Uecker Nelson to serve as deployed staff of Hosanna! Lutheran Church through Provena Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin, IL as a chaplain for the sum of $1.00 (one dollar) per year
Yes = 221 (95.7%) No = 10
The following are a collection of just some of the documents and information used during our discernment process. We invite other congregations in the process of discernment to reference these and welcome any questions anyone might have.
The following PDF files are all found on the website of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ at ww.LCMC.net, anyone interested is encouraged to visit the website for additional information.
Also considered by the Task Force as a possible affiliation alternative was Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (or, Lutheran CORE). CORE is an independent organization that has broken away from the ELCA - but is not a formal Lutheran Church body which Hosanna! could affiliate with. For this reason, CORE was dropped from affiliation consideration. CORE has members from within the LCMC, from the ELCA, and from a variety of other organizations - visit their website (www.LutheranCORE.org) for additional information.
Prayerfully consider all this information, direct inquiries and questions to Task Force or Council members via email: Welcome@HosannaChurch.com or telephone the Hosanna! office at 630-584-6434. May God's will be done - always! The best is yet to come!
Ministry Teams, Council and Organizational Structure
Hosanna!'s many activities, groups, events and programs are organized into 13 Ministry Teams, each responsible for a different area of ministry.
There are 7 Teams that represent what we call "Core Values": Discipleship; Evangelism; Fellowship; Member Prayer & Care; Outreach; Saved to Serve; and, Worship. Then there are 7 "Support Ministries": Communications; Multimedia; Property; Hospitality; Youth; Stewardship & Finance; and, Technology.
Each Team has one or more volunteer Key Leader(s), an assigned Church Staff Resource contact, a Congregational Council representative and a core circle of volunteers who direct the efforts of the Team. Each Team is accountable to the guiding mission and vision of Hosanna! through their Council representative and Staff contact, but are empowered to creatively, cooperatively and energetically accomplish their respective goals.
Click here for more information about our wonderful Ministry Teams, Key Leaders and Council.
History of Hosanna!
Chartered in 1981, first building in 1985, new building in 2007 ... overview of how we've become what we are today serving God's vision - coming soon!
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