September 23, 2026
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and refreshing streams in the desert!"
– Isaiah 43: 19
– Isaiah 43: 19
An Update on Kingswood's Vision Process
Over the past several months, a team of Kingswood leaders (14 total people – 7 from Buffalo Grove and 7 from Deerfield) has been doing some deep, prayerful work to help us think clearly about where God is calling our church for our next chapter of ministry. We're partnering with The Unstuck Group (theunstuckgroup.com), a consulting group that works with churches across the country.
We wanted to give an update on what this work has involved so far and where it's headed.
Where We've Been
July 2026 — Ministry Health Assessment Our first session took a hard, honest look at the health of our church across both campuses — worship, guest experience, kids' and youth ministries, facilities, finances, leadership, and more. We looked at where we have real strength, where we feel "stuck," and where we still have open questions. That assessment, paired with a set of benchmark data (attendance trends, giving, staffing, engagement, and more), gave our team a clear-eyed starting point for planning and visioning together.
August 27–28, 2026 — Strategic Planning Our second session brought the team together at Buffalo Grove for two full days of strategic planning. Out of that time, our team reaffirmed our mission statement:
"To love God, serve others, build sacred community as followers of Jesus."
Understanding Our Mission Field
A significant part of our time together in August was spent asking a simple but important question: Who has God placed us here to reach?
We looked honestly at the communities around both our Buffalo Grove and Deerfield campuses — communities that are ethnically diverse, increasingly international, and changing faster than our own congregation is changing. Roughly a quarter of the residents around us are under 18, and about two-thirds identify as either Catholic or unaffiliated with a faith community.
Based on that picture, our team described our mission field this way:
Diverse, busy, tech-dependent families with kids at home who don't start from a place of trust about the church.
To help us understand these families more personally, we also talked through the real questions many of them are quietly carrying — regardless of their background or beliefs:
We believe these questions matter — not because we exist to solve them, but because understanding them helps us love our neighbors well and invite them into something better: a relationship with Jesus and a community that can actually carry them through life.
This mission field exploration and ministry questions are still in progress. We'll keep refining our understanding of who we are reaching as we move forward, and we will share more in the coming weeks and months.
Two Teams, Two Priorities: Reach and Formation
Out of all the ideas on the table, our leadership team narrowed our focus to two priority initiatives—REACH: Engaging People Outside the Church and SPIRITUAL FORMATION: Helping People Take Their Next Step in Faith
REACH: Engaging People Outside the Church
This team is focused on how we connect with people who are outside the faith and outside the church altogether — particularly the families described above. This team is focusing on the ways that we are communicating beyond Kingswood Church to those who are not yet here, the ways that we welcome guests when they come for the first time, and how we are connected in the community and at events with the single intention of bringing in new people.
SPIRITUAL FORMATION: Helping People Take Their Next Step in Faith
This team is focused on the flip side of the same coin: once someone connects with Kingswood, how do we help them take real, meaningful next steps toward following and walking with Jesus?
A central piece of this work is building out a clearer Spiritual Formation Pathway — a simple map of the journey someone takes from having no interest in faith to spiritual curiosity, to new belief, to being discipled, to eventually discipling (apprenticing) others. For each stage, the team is working to define:
We currently have a wide range of ministries, groups, and programs that support discipleship — everything from Bible studies and Life Groups to mission trips and our Confirmation program. Part of this team's work is prayerfully evaluating what we currently offer, making sure it truly serves people at each stage of that journey, and being willing to prune or reshape what isn't serving well.
This pathway is very much a work in progress. Right now, it's a framework more than a finished plan. We will share more updates as it takes shape.
What's Next
Both teams are meeting and working to build-out their initial action plans now. We'll keep you posted along the way — through updates like this one.
Parts of our team will meet again in October to address issues of leadership, burn-out, staffing, and structures.
We're grateful for the time, honesty, and prayer that has gone into this process so far, and even more grateful for a congregation that keeps showing up to serve others and share the love of Jesus. Please be in prayer for this process and the work of the Vision Team—and for our whole church as we discern together what God is calling Kingswood Church to become next in our journey to LOVE God, SERVE Others, and BUILD Sacred Community!
In Christ,
Rev. James Preston and Rev. Clayton Edwards
Lauren Hill and Susie Julison (Church Council Co-Chairs)
The Kingswood Vision Team
Bill Chandler – Buffalo Grove Campus
Kim Goldberg – Deerfield Campus
Jenn Sawyer – Staff
Kate Henry – Deerfield Campus
Susan Gordon – Buffalo Grove Campus
Kenny Whisler – Deerfield Campus
Harry Brubeck – Buffalo Grove Campus
Kate Lapetino – Staff
Lynn Mikels – Staff
Steve Pemberton – Deerfield Campus
Over the past several months, a team of Kingswood leaders (14 total people – 7 from Buffalo Grove and 7 from Deerfield) has been doing some deep, prayerful work to help us think clearly about where God is calling our church for our next chapter of ministry. We're partnering with The Unstuck Group (theunstuckgroup.com), a consulting group that works with churches across the country.
We wanted to give an update on what this work has involved so far and where it's headed.
Where We've Been
July 2026 — Ministry Health Assessment Our first session took a hard, honest look at the health of our church across both campuses — worship, guest experience, kids' and youth ministries, facilities, finances, leadership, and more. We looked at where we have real strength, where we feel "stuck," and where we still have open questions. That assessment, paired with a set of benchmark data (attendance trends, giving, staffing, engagement, and more), gave our team a clear-eyed starting point for planning and visioning together.
August 27–28, 2026 — Strategic Planning Our second session brought the team together at Buffalo Grove for two full days of strategic planning. Out of that time, our team reaffirmed our mission statement:
"To love God, serve others, build sacred community as followers of Jesus."
Understanding Our Mission Field
A significant part of our time together in August was spent asking a simple but important question: Who has God placed us here to reach?
We looked honestly at the communities around both our Buffalo Grove and Deerfield campuses — communities that are ethnically diverse, increasingly international, and changing faster than our own congregation is changing. Roughly a quarter of the residents around us are under 18, and about two-thirds identify as either Catholic or unaffiliated with a faith community.
Based on that picture, our team described our mission field this way:
Diverse, busy, tech-dependent families with kids at home who don't start from a place of trust about the church.
To help us understand these families more personally, we also talked through the real questions many of them are quietly carrying — regardless of their background or beliefs:
- "Are my kids going to be okay?" (Kids' happiness)
- "Can I make meaningful memories for my family?" (Experiences)
- "When can our whole family be together, fully present and engaged?" (Family time)
- "Am I doing this right?" (Being a good parent)
- "Can you help me get my kids into can't-miss opportunities?" (Financial security and opportunity)
We believe these questions matter — not because we exist to solve them, but because understanding them helps us love our neighbors well and invite them into something better: a relationship with Jesus and a community that can actually carry them through life.
This mission field exploration and ministry questions are still in progress. We'll keep refining our understanding of who we are reaching as we move forward, and we will share more in the coming weeks and months.
Two Teams, Two Priorities: Reach and Formation
Out of all the ideas on the table, our leadership team narrowed our focus to two priority initiatives—REACH: Engaging People Outside the Church and SPIRITUAL FORMATION: Helping People Take Their Next Step in Faith
REACH: Engaging People Outside the Church
This team is focused on how we connect with people who are outside the faith and outside the church altogether — particularly the families described above. This team is focusing on the ways that we are communicating beyond Kingswood Church to those who are not yet here, the ways that we welcome guests when they come for the first time, and how we are connected in the community and at events with the single intention of bringing in new people.
SPIRITUAL FORMATION: Helping People Take Their Next Step in Faith
This team is focused on the flip side of the same coin: once someone connects with Kingswood, how do we help them take real, meaningful next steps toward following and walking with Jesus?
A central piece of this work is building out a clearer Spiritual Formation Pathway — a simple map of the journey someone takes from having no interest in faith to spiritual curiosity, to new belief, to being discipled, to eventually discipling (apprenticing) others. For each stage, the team is working to define:
- The "big next step" that moves someone forward
- Smaller, more accessible next steps along the way
- A clear way to measure whether that movement is actually happening.
We currently have a wide range of ministries, groups, and programs that support discipleship — everything from Bible studies and Life Groups to mission trips and our Confirmation program. Part of this team's work is prayerfully evaluating what we currently offer, making sure it truly serves people at each stage of that journey, and being willing to prune or reshape what isn't serving well.
This pathway is very much a work in progress. Right now, it's a framework more than a finished plan. We will share more updates as it takes shape.
What's Next
Both teams are meeting and working to build-out their initial action plans now. We'll keep you posted along the way — through updates like this one.
Parts of our team will meet again in October to address issues of leadership, burn-out, staffing, and structures.
We're grateful for the time, honesty, and prayer that has gone into this process so far, and even more grateful for a congregation that keeps showing up to serve others and share the love of Jesus. Please be in prayer for this process and the work of the Vision Team—and for our whole church as we discern together what God is calling Kingswood Church to become next in our journey to LOVE God, SERVE Others, and BUILD Sacred Community!
In Christ,
Rev. James Preston and Rev. Clayton Edwards
Lauren Hill and Susie Julison (Church Council Co-Chairs)
The Kingswood Vision Team
Bill Chandler – Buffalo Grove Campus
Kim Goldberg – Deerfield Campus
Jenn Sawyer – Staff
Kate Henry – Deerfield Campus
Susan Gordon – Buffalo Grove Campus
Kenny Whisler – Deerfield Campus
Harry Brubeck – Buffalo Grove Campus
Kate Lapetino – Staff
Lynn Mikels – Staff
Steve Pemberton – Deerfield Campus