Belonging, Healing, and Growth
Greetings LaSalle friends and family -
In this week's update, I want to take some time to share the feedback we received from you this summer, along with how your voices have shaped our plans for the coming year. First, a big thank you to those who turned in feedback forms after our June 2025 Congregational Meeting! And second, thank you to those who have additionally shared through conversations and meetings your feedback with our leadership. Both the Elder Board and our staff have looked over and discussed the feedback forms already, and it's been helpful in shaping our decisions moving forward. Below I want to also share the results of those forms with you in the wider church, as one way to see some broad observations from a cross section of our congregation. Read one for a summary of those findings, and our staff's responses.
Feedback Summary
Fourteen responses span from ≤4 months to 30 + years; nearly one-third of the sample (28 %) has attended three years or less, showing fresh energy mixing with long-time institutional memory.
“Belonging & Healing” dominated strategic interest in respondents. Eleven of the 14 respondents (79 %) checked this priority—it was the only one of the six priorities listed that united every tenure group and both newer and veteran members.
"Multi-ethnic Identity" & "Justice" remain core draws. Seven in ten listed Multi-ethnic Identity & Trust, and almost two-thirds chose Justice & Advocacy, as key reasons they enjoyed participating at LaSalle.
When asked what is most valued when it comes to participation and growing spiritual health, the most-enjoyed ministries were Online Options (2.92), Small-Group/Neighborhood Groups (2.89), and Sunday Worship (2.79); least-enjoyed were Kids/Youth/Family Events (1.80) and Pastoral Care & Meet-ups (1.89).
Casual fellowship and Volunteering were in the middle, with Social gatherings (2.75), Serve Sundays (2.10), and hands-on service roles (2.38) receiving solid middle ratings.
Creative holiday services (1.91) and Sunday adult-ed classes (1.92) were in the lower third.
Ten respondents marked they are “extremely likely” to invite friends!
Monthly worship rhythm was mostly applauded, with caveats. Nine respondents voiced enthusiasm for the Serve/Sabbath rotation in particular, but some parents asked for weekly children’s ministry and several people voiced struggles with staying on top of the rotating schedule. Two respondents were challenged by aspects of Sabbath Sundays, and one with worship overall.
Volunteer landscape shows both depth and succession gaps. A handful of veteran volunteers said they are “looking for new ways” or ready to mentor replacements.
A few stand-out comments were also interesting to note: member indicated that they crave neighborhood-based mid-week connection, stronger inter-generational bonds, visible justice options continuing and increasing, and simpler pathways to plug into service and volunteering. Multiple voices also named as highlights the energy and diversity of Sunday morning worship, the increase in attendance and in ethnic diversity of participants, and the clarity and regular calls to advocacy as welcome changes in the recent year.
Our leadership has been discussing this input and how to continue to grow our focus belonging & healing, where we can best capitalize on the creativity and diversity that is important and central for many, and also how to better address some gaps being named. A few highlights to name again this fall:
We've continued to flesh out a having a full worship service along with service and justice learning and projects on Serve Sundays; if you haven't attended a Serve Sunday for awhile, I want to invite you to try it again, and you will find a full hour of "regular church," a sermon and music, time to fellowship and be with one another, and also a focus on justice, advocacy, and service in some way.
We're also shifting Sabbath Sundays to deepen the experience for both those who participate in the room (candles, art, time to meditate, a full sermon, time to pray and be with pastors present, along with kids ministry downstairs) - and for those online (shifting from youtube to a zoom room opportunity, where you can still go to church in your pj's and have your screen off, but better share comments, see who else is "in the room" with you, and hear from/talk to the hosting pastor.
We've added more regular kids and youth programming during and after church, including on Sabbath Sundays, and soon to come also on Serve Sundays. I am excited for a full fall program with social events, relationship building, and spiritual formation all increasing for these ages! Parents and families, thank you for your patience as we keep building this ministry area, and keep sharing with us what best supports you and your family.
We're working on a few programming aspects as well that you will hear more about this fall - including starting new neighborhood groups, having refreshed ways to sign up for volunteer roles and events, and keeping lots of accessible, over-communication invitations in front of the whole church and specific groups.
Church life is about so many beautiful dynamics all working together! This is just one slice of what motivates and shapes that life, but I hope that hearing from fellow congregants and knowing that our staff is also actively hearing you, helps give some perspective and encouragement. We will keep learning together how to be the church in this season at LaSalle - a church that makes room, that prioritizes belonging and healing, and is marked by expansive faith, generous community, and investing in God's justice. This chapter of church life is already marked by growth, change, depth, diversity, and much love and tenacity for one another - thanks be to God! And thank you again for your feedback and for all the ways that you are helping shape who God is calling us to be.