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• Fire an employee who should be fired

• End a dating relationship that is not going to go where they need it to go

• Shut down a product line or a business unit (remember GM's troubles?)

• Get out of social ties and activities whose "season has passed"

• Letting go of a dream that is not going to materialize and moving on

• Leave a job or a career that they know is not right, or is even toxic for them

• Admit that something is failing and waving the white flag

• Unplug from toxic friendships or family ties

• Giving up on an addict who does not want to change

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit" John 15:1-2. Pruning is considered a healthy, critical component for growth, but endings are also part of life. Contact President Lueck or DJ to talk about necessary ending questions in your ministry. 

It is almost time for the annual Leadership Meetings. These meetings are designed to equip and network lay leaders in the district. Topics this year include: healthy boards, healthy church workers, stewardship, and time with the President. Meeting times will be 7-9 pm at the locations listed below, along with one of the topics: 

January 7 - St. Martin, Clintonville

January 9 - Faith United, Gillett

January 13 - Trinity, Merrill

January 14 - Salem, Barron

January 20 - Zion, Eleva

January 21 - St. John, Wisconsin Rapids

We Win! The Celebration Cry of a Healthy Board

Most boards/pastors/staff want to win the game, but often they don't know what winning looks like, how to keep score, who plays what position or if they have the right equipment. Come and explore these topics with the group and someone who has seen both the good and not so good. Plan to leave with a better understanding of the holy game of governing a church, taking back meaningful ideas and tools to equip your leaders.  

Mission and Vision Clarity

The staff and board of directors of the NWD have been bringing clarity to their work.  

Our mission (or Purpose) is to: Encourage, network and equip Lutheran congregations of the North Wisconsin District LCMS to vigorously make known the love of Christ.

Our vision (or success in fulfilling our mission) is: Healthy workers serve in healthy congregations to fulfill God's Great Commission through "Witness, Mercy and Life Together".   

Below is an email we received from the Peru Deaconess Intern and Missionary. Please keep her ministry and the people of Peru in your ongoing prayers:

¡Buenos dias! (Good morning everyone):

I pray you are all doing well and have been enjoying this Advent season as we prepare for the coming of Christ. Christmas is just around the corner and I hope you are all ready for it! For Christmas my parents have bought me tickets to come home. So, Christmas Eve when we finish our celebration here as a church, I will be getting on a plane and heading for the States. I feel very blessed to have this time with family and am looking forward to it. It's the last week before Christmas and I am busily trying to get all the work finished before I leave for the States. Please pray for my productiveness, and for safe travels over the holidays. I will also be keeping all of you in my prayers. I hope that you enjoy hearing about my latest events and the life of the mission. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!

For her Peru November/December newsletter:  click here

Does the church have a place in social media? The church focused on connecting with their community does. Read the attached article from our friends in the Michigan District to see how churches can use social media today.

http://michiganintouch.com/healthy-congregations/3-ways-use-social-media-promote-church/ 

Concordia Plan Services (CPS) wants to remind employers* in the Concordia Health Plan (CHP) they are still exempt from the IRS requirement of having to report the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage on each worker's Form W-2.

On March 29, 2011, the IRS released Notice 2011-28 exempting employers that provide coverage through a self-funded church health plan, such as the CHP, from the requirement to report the cost of health coverage. (Other W-2 reporting obligations continue to apply.) This exemption was reaffirmed in IRS Notice 2012-9. 

The IRS notice suggests that some of the exemptions provided may be transitional. However, CPS will continue to monitor IRS guidance and share information with you as it becomes available.  

*The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod employers that offer health plans other than the CHP may not be eligible for the exemption from reporting the cost of health coverage, and should check with their health plan carrier or review IRS Notice 2012-9 to determine whether an exemption is applicable.

Things were piling up. Life was piling up! Pastor Caleb had always considered himself to be an organized person. Taking care of details was one of his specialties...until about three months ago. Now his days were less productive. Phone call and emails were an annoyance.

If Pastor Caleb were asked to put his finger on what triggered these changes, he would have been challenged to pinpoint a cause. But he knew this: stress was impacting him more than before. Stress was deflating his energy... stress was causing him to lose focus. Life at home only added to his tension.

Though he would not likely have confessed this, this pastor was moving toward burn-out. He was already in an early stage called "brown-out"...the fore-runner of a critical loss of control- at work and at home. Pastors, and other professional church workers, have a higher than average risk of burn-out. This is for many reasons, especially:

1. They are in a people-intensive role

2. They take on added responsibilities that volunteers neglect, or        

    refuse to do. They allow themselves to be the "go-to" person. 

3. They allow ministry demands to supersede love relationships. Life 

     is allowed to get out of balance. 

Burn-out is preventable. It starts with personal honesty about what is really taking place at work and/or at home. Often a valuable next step is seeking outside support and accountability from a trusted peer. Sometimes professional counseling can be a valuable "tool" to efficiently address this condition. Calling the Concordia (Cigna) Employee Assistance Program can be a great place to start (866) 726-5267! There is hope!