Frequently Asked Questions
At an all church meeting on March 22, 2026, Church leadership shared the next Spirit-led steps as we continue to live into our Flourish 2027 vision as a church through planting the Gospel. This FAQ is a great place to get questions answered that you may have or aren’t quite sure how to word them.
The questions are categorized under the three Spirit-led imaginations of the Flourish 2027 vision. These were also the same categories used by Pastor Jared in what was shared on March 22nd.
The questions are categorized under the three Spirit-led imaginations of the Flourish 2027 vision. These were also the same categories used by Pastor Jared in what was shared on March 22nd.
Sowing a Network
to bring Heaven on Earth in Metro-Chicago
We are seeking to listen and obey the movements of the Holy Spirit by stepping in faith into fulfilling the vision imagination to sow a network to bring Heaven on Earth in Metro-Chicago. To that end, it has been discerned by the church leadership team that Pastor Jared and Macy will begin to serve in an expanded role as Pastor-Missionaries by relocating into Chicago to expand our family on mission and begin a new missional community called Menō Chicago. Once they arrive, they will begin the organizing work of forming a network. Pastors Cammi and Jacob Bodine will step into new expanded roles serving as Co-Community Pastors, providing the day-to-day care and leadership with the Ridgeland Community.
Is Jared resigning as Lead Pastor?
No. Jared is remaining as Lead Pastor of Ridgeland Church. His overall responsibility for the church continues. What is changing is the scope of his day-to-day tasks — he will continue to teach on Sundays, lead the board, support and lead staff, provide critical pastoral care, invest in missionary formation, and lead in developing and maintaining the vision of Ridgeland Church.
Why is this happening?
This is a direct outgrowth of the missional vision Ridgeland’s leadership team discerned together at the end of 2024 — specifically the imagination of sowing a network through metro-Chicago. Throughout 2025, the leadership team (board and staff) has been in active discernment about what faithful next steps look like. After extensive prayer, conversation, and seeking the Spirit's guidance, it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to the leadership team that this is the next faithful step into that vision.
What does it mean to be an "expanding family on mission"?
This language draws from how the early church understood itself. In the New Testament world, the household (oikos) was a broad network of family and partners all connected through a shared life and purpose. Paul used this same framework — calling believers brothers and sisters, describing the church as a household of God (1 Timothy 3:15). Multiple communities in different cities, but one family – on mission for the sake of others and the glory of God. We are reclaiming this same understanding: Ridgeland and the Menō Chicago community (with more in the future, God willing) relate as multiple communities, but one family on mission in different places.
What is Menō Chicago?
Menō (μένω) is the greek word for abide, dwell, and remain. It is used extensively throughout John 15. Menō Chicago is the vision that God has planted in Pastor Jared and Macy’s heart for the City of Chicago that has emerged through over a year of prayer, discernment, and listening to the Spirit — by the Richey family and then the Ridgeland leadership team. It represents the beginning of sowing a network of communities on mission throughout metro-Chicago, with particular attention to practiced-based formational communities that create belonging and serve the overlooked people and forgotten spaces. More details about the vision and mission of Menō Chicago will be shared in the coming weeks and months.
When are Pastor Jared and Macy moving?
The Richey family is planning to relocate into the city of Chicago in July 2026.
What will change about Pastor Jared's role on a day-to-day basis?
Jared will be fully co-vocational, meaning he will also be working a full-time but flexible and hybrid job (a role he has already been serving in on a part-time basis as a trial period). The company's owners are committed followers of Jesus who are supportive of his co-vocational calling. Because of this, Jared is voluntarily taking a 60% reduction in his overall salary and benefits package from Ridgeland, while reducing his hours by roughly 50% but still retaining critical pastoral leadership responsibilities.
Will Jared still preach on Sundays?
Yes. Jared will continue to teach on Sundays as he has been. Preaching and presence on Sundays will be a part of the re-evaluation and review process: specifically at the 6-month (Jan ‘27) and 1-year mark (July ‘27).
Who will be leading the day-to-day life of the Ridgeland Community?
Pastors Cammi and Jacob Bodine will be stepping into an expanded role as Co-Community Pastors of the Ridgeland Community. They will assume the day-to-day leadership, pastoral care, and decision-making on the ground, including strategy and execution for meeting the missional goals the church has already established — goals they have had full voice in shaping and are already working to accomplish. They have been a part of this discernment process from the beginning and are excited about this next season in their ministry and leadership journey.
Will Pastors Jacob and Cammi be living in the parsonage?
Yes. As part of their expanded role, Cammi and Jacob will be moving into the parsonage to maintain the pastoral presence this community has always had there.
What about Little Lights Academy?
Little Lights Academy is in excellent hands with Executive Director Jenn Gaskin. Jared will continue to work directly with Jenn to execute the development plan that has been in the works, including a newly forming leadership team to support Jenn, our LLA staff, and our LLA families. Jenn has been part of this discernment process, is fully supportive, and senses the work of the Spirit in this direction — she is one of our best champions for it!
How will we know if this is working?
The leadership team has committed to an intentional process of ongoing listening and evaluation. There will be a specific re-evaluation of goals at the 6-month mark (January 2027) and a full, in-depth review at the 1-year mark (July 2027). The 1-year review also coincides with the 4-year pastor and church review conducted by our District Superintendent, Dr. Scott Whalen.
Is this just about Pastor Jared and Macy, or is this a church decision?
This is a church decision. The entire leadership team — board and staff — has been part of this discernment process. It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to the leadership team together. Pastor Jared and Macy's “Yes” to the Spirit is personal, but the decision to step into this as a church is shared.
What does this mean for Macy?
This is as much Macy's “Yes” to the Spirit as it is Jared's. Macy has been in her own season of saying “Yes” — receiving her local minister’s license (which begins the journey to ordination) and stepping into her calling and gifting. She will serve as a co-pastor and missionary for the Menō Chicago community with Jared as well as in leadership in forming the network.
How can I learn more or ask questions?
Jared, Macy, Cammi, and Jacob are all available and eager to share more of the story over time. You will be hearing more from Cammi and Jacob throughout this process as they step into their new roles, and Jared and Macy will be sharing more about the vision of Menō Chicago. If you have immediate questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to any member of the pastoral team or church board members.
Organizing
around Missional Initiatives and Communities on Mission through an Empowered Priesthood
Over the past year, we have begun to to practice with and try out some Missional Initiatives and Communities on Mission. These communities were primarily exploratory, without any particular goal other than to pilot some communities and initiatives to see what we could learn. As we Plant the Gospel in 2026, we are setting intentional goals that push toward greater missional activity and formation as we seek to empower our community to follow the Spirit into their gifting and calling.
What is a Community on Mission or Missional Initiative?
A Community on Mission (CoM) or Missional Initiative (MI) is two or more people being missionaries to a people, place, or purpose that God has given them a passion for — with the aim of bringing heaven on earth and planting the gospel. These can be simple or complex depending on the calling and context. Some might look like a consistent presence in a neighborhood, others might serve a specific population, and others might rally around a shared purpose. What they all share is Up, In, and Out rhythms, planting the Gospel, and a posture of listening to the Spirit.
Do I have to be a pastor to lead one?
No — and that’s actually the point. One of our core convictions from Scripture is that every believer is part of the royal priesthood: those who represent God to humanity and humanity to God (1 Peter 2:9). While some Communities on Mission will be led by pastors, the majority are meant to be led by you. The pastoral team’s role is to equip, release, send, and support you in the work the Spirit is calling you to as a part of our family on mission.
What does “planting the gospel” mean?
Planting the gospel means being an incarnational presence — showing up in real spaces and real relationships where you embody the good news of Jesus. It’s not just about saying the right words, though proclamation matters. It’s about forming communities of belonging, doing the next most loving thing, and trusting the Spirit to work through your faithfulness in a particular context.
What are our goals for this year?
By the end of this year, we are aiming for 50% of our Sunday morning attendance regularly attending our monthly Mission Gathering, four Ideating Communities on Mission, two Incubating Communities on Mission, and two Implemented Communities on Mission. These goals reflect our commitment to staying faithful to the Spirit’s leading while also being intentional and accountable in how we pursue this vision.
What does Up, In, and Out mean?
Up, In, and Out is a simple framework for the rhythms of a healthy missional life and community.
- Up refers to our relationship with God — worship, prayer, listening to the Spirit.- In refers to our relationships with one another — authentic community, discipleship, mutual care.
- Out refers to our engagement with the world around us — mission, service, and incarnational presence. A healthy CoM pays attention to all three.
Do I have to do this alone?
No. By definition, a Community on Mission is two or more people. You don’t have to have everything figured out, and you don’t have to carry it by yourself. Part of the wisdom of this model is that it’s communal — you are sent and supported by a family on mission.
Where did this idea come from?
This model grows out of our ongoing discernment as a church, and it’s been informed and encouraged by what our pastoral team has seen firsthand through our friends with the Trinitas Network in Phoenix and similar churches across the country and around the world who are leaning into the same kind of missional organizing. It’s also deeply rooted in our reading of the New Testament — the early church understood itself as communities sent on mission together.
What kind of support will I receive?
The church’s role is to equip each part of the body to do its work, and then release, send, and support that work. That means the pastoral team and church leadership are committed to helping you discern your calling, develop your gifts, navigate challenges, and stay connected to the larger family. You won’t be sent out and forgotten — you’ll be formed, sent out, and empowered.
What if I’m not sure I have an “anointing” for something like this?
We think Scripture is clear: every believer has been gifted, anointed, called, and formed for a purpose. The question isn’t whether we have an anointing — it’s whether we’ve fully awakened to it and are ready to step into it. That process of awakening is something we want to walk through together. You don’t have to have it all figured out to start.
How do I get started?
Start by listening. Spend time in prayer and ask: "Holy Spirit, what are you stirring in my heart?" Ask yourself: What people, places, or purposes do you find yourself drawn to? Then, reach out to the pastoral team. We’d love to have a conversation about what’s on your heart and help you discern the next step — whether that’s exploring an idea, joining an existing Community on Mission, or something else entirely.
Becoming a Missional Hub
for Formation & Sending for the Sake of Others
If we are going to faithfully live into what the Spirit has before us and has been stirring in us, then we have to have a commitment to our own missionary formation in order to respond to the Spirit for the sake of others. Scripture reveals that missional living is possible only through intentional environments of formation. In pursuit of creating this kind of environment, our leadership is committing to living into a life of spiritual formation. We are calling our community to deepen in our four cultural values through two concrete commitments: 50% of Sunday attendance regularly participating in monthly Mission Gatherings for discipleship and missionary equipping, and 20 $100 Mission Projects by the end of 2026 (small, church-funded experiments in bringing heaven on earth).
What are our cultural values?
Our four cultural values are Prayerful Spirit Dependency, Beloved Community, Incarnational Living, and Missional Empowerment. These aren’t new this year — we’ve been growing into this language over the past year. What’s ahead is a deeper leaning into this culture as a community. These values shape how we pray, how we relate to one another, how we show up in the world, and how we equip and send each other into the mission God has for us.
What is Mission Gathering?
Mission Gatherings are monthly gatherings designed for intentional community building, discipleship, and missionary equipping. They are the primary environment where we are growing in missionary discipleship and missionary formation: learning together how to listen to the Spirit, love one another well, and live as people on mission. Think of them as the training ground that makes everything else we’re doing possible.
What is the goal for Mission Gathering?
Our goal to have 50% of our Sunday morning attendance regularly attending our monthly Mission Gathering. In 2026, we want to see half of our community committing to gather once a month for the sake of the others in our community — and for the sake of everyone the Spirit is sending us to. It’s one gathering a month, but it has the potential to change the culture of our entire Ridgeland community.
How often are Mission Gatherings?
Once a month. We’re not asking for a massive time commitment — we’re asking for a consistent one. One intentional gathering a month dedicated to growing together as missionary disciples.
What is a $100 Mission Project?
A $100 Mission Project is a simple, mustard-seed-sized step into mission. It starts with a question: “If I had $100 to bring heaven on earth somewhere — to a people, place, or purpose that God has given me a passion for — how would I do that?” The funds are already set aside. You don’t need a perfect plan — you just need the seed of an idea.
How many $100 Mission Projects are we aiming for?
Our goal is to accomplish 20 $100 Mission Projects by the end of the year. The money is already allocated and ready to go. We’re just waiting for you to bring the idea.
Do I need to have a fully developed plan to propose a $100 Mission Project?
Not at all. You just need the seed of an idea — then come talk to the pastoral team. Together we’ll discuss how to shape it, how the church can come alongside you, and how we might help you see it through – even beyond the $100. You don’t do this alone.
Can anyone propose a $100 Mission Project?
Yes — anyone. In fact, the very first person in our community to come forward with an idea was a 7 year-old, who during a family devotion said she wanted to help people who don’t have a home because she believed that’s what Jesus would want. The first $100 Mission Project will come from the heart of a child for the poor. Jesus said we must become like children to enter the kingdom (Matthew 18:3) — we believe that’s true for bringing heaven on earth, too.
What’s the connection between Mission Gatherings and everything else?
Mission Gatherings are the soil that makes everything else grow. Unless we are intentionally creating and participating in environments that draw us toward Jesus and toward mission, we will likely never join Jesus in his mission of heaven on earth. The Communities on Mission, the $100 Mission Projects, the expanded family on mission — all of it is sustained by the rhythms of formation and discipleship that happen when we gather intentionally.
Is the leadership team doing this too?
Absolutely. The leadership team knows the maxim is true: “people will listen to what we say, but they will do what we do.” So we are committing to model this — committing to our own formation in community and doing what we are setting out to do. We’re not asking you to go anywhere we aren’t willing to go ourselves.
With their move to Chicago, will Pastor Jared and Macy be at Mission Gathering?
Yes – Pastor Jared and Macy are committed to the ongoing missionary formation of the Ridgeland community and not only will be but want to be at the epicenter of where that is happening in the Ridgeland community.
How do I get involved?
Show up to the next Mission Gathering — that’s the simplest and most important first step. If you have a stirring for a $100 Mission Project, reach out to the pastoral team with your idea, no matter how small or unformed it feels. And if you’re curious about Communities on Mission, that conversation starts the same way: come talk to us. We’re in this together.