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ENVISIONING ABUNDANCE FOR THE NEXT DECADE




OPEN SPACE EVENT


FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF COLUMBUS


SEPTEMBER 29 – 30, 2007



Including Board Visioning Summary, May, 2007


And


Visioning For the Next Decade by Rev. Mark Belletini and Rev. Wendy Fish

Remarks delivered at the Fellowship Dinner, September 15, 2007









TABLE OF CONTENTS


  1. Attendees at Open Space Technology event 3

  2. Open Space Topics 4

  3. Saturday Sessions

    1. Deeper Youth and Adult Enrichment Programs 5

    2. Social Justice 7

    3. Future Staffing 9

    4. Retaining Youth and Young Adults 11

    5. Welcoming All 13

    6. Creating Abundance 14

    7. Church Health Issues 15

    8. Changing the Name of the Church 16

    9. Effective Communication 17

    10. Handcrafting as Spiritual Practice 18

    11. All Adult Programming 19

    12. Year Round Programming 21

    13. Volunteer/Membership Coordinator 23

    14. Assuring Fiscal Resources 24

    15. Performing Arts 25

  1. Sunday Summary – Chas Williams, recorder 26

  2. Sunday Summary – Chris Kloth, Facilitator 29

  3. Board Visioning Notes, May, 2007 – Doug Zelinski, recorder 44

OPEN SPACE ATTENDEES – SEPTEMBER 29 – 30, 2007

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF COLUMBUS


Rev. Wendy Fish Trish Hultz

Chas Williams Bill Fullerton

Susan Williams Barb Pratzner

Kevin O’Neill Eve Catus

Tom Baillieul Tom Tucker

Olwen Firstone Shikha Bangia

Jim Pinkham

Lydia Delphia

Tony Skrabak

Tina Price

Stephanie Mesler-Evans

Caroline Balderston Parry

Jean Werts

Diana Del Bianco

Jeannie Sperling

Alice Rathburn

Frank Phillips

Dan Hronek

Gretchen Faulstich

Leslie Partridge

Judith McDowell

Carole Pruiksma

Patricia Boughton

Debra Gray Boyd

Julie Henderson

Michael Brennan

Adrian Winchell

Kate Power

Susan Vierow

Carolee Noonan

David Krohn

Karen McGuire

Susan Collis

Steve Abbott

David Easter

Carl Faulstich

Edie Driskil

Mark Merchant

Wendy Boortz

Marilyn Webster

Jim Bailey

Maddie Pinsonneault

Marc Pinsonneault

Open Space, September 29 and 30, 2007, First Unitarian Church of Columbus.


The15 session titles as transcribed by Chris Kloth:

  1. What would it take to become a richly diverse church, David  combined with What should be the vision & mission guiding social justice work in our congregation  B Fullarton

  2. How do we assure fiscal resources $ for our programs? Chas W.

  3. Year Round Programming - Worship & RE

  4. Volunteer Coordinator Jim P

  5. Increase performing arts support / How can we implement theatre & dance for community building & spirituality   David K / Step me   (sorry illegible name)

  6. How can we be truly welcoming to all, including children & seniors

  7. Round 2 focus / Direction Health - Personal & Community

  8. How can all adult programming (ouside sunday worship) be coordinated, integrated, improved?  Carline BP

  9. How do we integrate & retain youth & young adults  Gretchen F

  10. Handcrafting for community building & meditation  Steph M

  11. Could name of this place be something other than "Church"?

  12. Communication inside & outside the congregation  Tom Tucker

  13. Youth ministry expand? hire staff? depen?

  14. How do we see our professional staffing plan? Chas W.

  15. How do we create abundance

Note that some of these may have either 'not happened' or didn't have notes transcribed. 

 


Openspace Technology Workshop

9-29-2007

---------


Session : 3


Conv : Caroline Balderston PArry


Part : Sue Vierow <gvierow@columbus.rr.com>

Maddie Pinsonneault <pinsonneault.5@osu.edu

Marc Pinsonneault <pinsonneault.1@osu.edu>

Stephanie Mesler-Evans <meslerevans@gmail.com

Lydia Delphia <lydiayak@gmail.com>

Shikha Bangia <munish_shikha@yahoo.com

Carl Faulstich <carlebf@columbus.rr.com


Topics : Sunday AM programming

Go to church service?

Need a room


Now - Every other week AM - Covenant Group + positive youth involvement + adult involement

- Other weeks evening


Covenant Group?

- Does the structure work for this age group?

- Young adults find the structure artificial

listening is fine, but the rules are too rigid


Schedule - every week ( events are important )

Should covenant groups ( closed ) meet at a different time to preserve openspace on Sunday AM?


Training Advisors - done, needed=


Clarifying remarks from Caroline Balderston Parry: I want to clarify some points I was involved in making on Sunday --our group talked about how to have adult programming that goes "beyond covenant groups", after people have had that experience and might not want to go to divinity school and train for the ministry, but want to go deeper, etc.  What might we offer that could, for instance, be a one or 2 year program of spiritual practice, guidance, group support, retreats, and so forth?  As we spoke on that day, i couldn't remember specific examples of this concept, but now have at least 2 or 3 in mind, and may have printed materials to back me up if you are interested.  So here's my list today, and I hope it can be incorporated in some way:

 

1. Eno River Church (? in TN or VA?) has elaborate programming to meet mental, spiritual and physical needs for growth and depth

 

2.  the Minneapolis UU congregation (or the bigger one of them) has something for a 3 year cycle called "Quest", I think, where participants meet with a minister, get paired up with a spiritual director, undertake a sp.practice for a certain time, and generally prepare to take more spiritual leadership in the congregation and their lives

 

3.  Rochester UU are running a program called "Wellspring" and they led a workshop at GA about it --I have a dear college friend there who is one of the leaders working with the assoc. minister, I think, to administer it, and I got to visit an intro session for "Wellspring" there last spring.  She gave me handouts, and I gave copies to Wendy --it's a year long program, and definitely more of a commitment than a Cov Gp, but I can't remember details.  However, they aren't that far away and feeling evangelistic, so might even be willing to come share what they do with us

 

In any case, as Interim, I want to lift up the fact that yu/we have Adult Enrichment Programs here, with the new leadership development classes, and you/we have Covenant Groups and the Path 2 Membs classes, even the choirs are a kind of Adult Enrichment, but there's no coordination for all these different aspects of adult programming, and that's a place where I think this congregation could usefully grow.  

 

Caroline Balderston Parry

Interim Director of Religious Education

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus

93 W. Weisheimer Dr.

Columbus OH 43214

614-267-4946 ext. 28


Social Justice Mission/Vision ideas combined with Diversity

Convenor: Bill Fullarton, Recorder: Diana Del Bianco

Attendees: Bill Fullarston, Diana Del Bianco, Barb Pratzner, David Easter, Susan Williams, Steve Abbott, Tony Skrabak?


Social Justice Mission/Vision brainstorming




Diversity Focus




Awarenesses (ideas we went back and highlighted):



Summary:


Actions:

Openspace Technology Workshop

9-29-2007

---------


Session : 3 Future Staffing


Conv : Chas Williams


Part : Eve Catus

Jim Bailey

Michael Brennan

Olwen Firestone

Trish Hultz

Susan Williams

Dianna DelBianco

David Easter

Caroline Parry


Topics :

time est cost

---- --------

Pgm Staff 140k/yr

Sr Minister 1/1

Assoc Min 1/1

Chrch Adm 1/1

DRE 1/1

Music Coord 1/1

-----

Vol Coord 1/2 20k

Memb Coor 1/2` 20k

S.J. Coord 1/2 20k

Youth Coord 1/2 20k

Adlt RE Coord 1/4 10k

Communication Coord 1/4 10k

Summer Minister 1/4 15k

Intern Min 1/1 15k

Arts Coordinator 1/4 10k


Exec Team - Ministers - DRE - Administrator

Worship/Music Youth Coord Memb Coord/Volunteer

Summer or Adult RE Communication

Intern RE assist Events

bookeeper

custodial


Staffing Models


1) Team Consensus necessary

No Cross supervision

Group Accountability

Who Evaluates?


2) Flying V Task Driven


3) Vertical Top Down



4) Circular Top Down


5) INverted Model -0 Bottom up


6) INdependant Model



Team - Mark is decider ( tie breaker ) or democratic process


Process, Theory, Principles for prioritizing staff hiring

hiring task force?


Deconstruct DRE position?


140,000

500 x -------

3000/12 = $25/mo

How Do We Attract, Integrate, and Retain Youth and Young Adults

Convenor: Gretchen Faulstich

Lydia Delphia

Steve Abbott

David Easter

Susan Garland Williams

Carl Faulstich


We are already attracting young adults


Integrating and retaining are more important


are there 2 groups - those who grew up in the church and those who come on their own?


how we are handling youth whose parents are not involved?

we have worked out "rules"


how do we get the word out?

advertising?


FOCUUS is trying to help with welcoming, integration


we need to prepare for visitors


awareness, welcoming, programming


YASC working on youth retention

covenant group, evening class, more structured youth group


youth overnight - will seek youth input for programming; provide info


we need to see and recognize where youth are already leading

most in congregation don't know what youth are doing


can build from bottom up - youth participating in and then leading worship -> youth involvement on board, committees


childrens circles offer one way for integration(and covenant groups)


some youth drop out as part of rebellion against parents


communication between youth and young adults


young adults 18-35 a wide range with many different interests

college, single, parents


large church can offer more different options


often some ebb and flow in youth participation/leadershop levels


children not always truly welcomed in church events - may cause young adult parents to leave

child care, child programming an issue for young adult parents


many young adults are looking for opportunities to become involved in social justice

youth, also, are interested in social justice

YASC moving in this area

social justice activities could draw in others


structure(visible) in youth programming relieves adult anxiety


YASC can help get youth involved in all-church activities


youth sometimes struggle with navigating the church structure


YASC will have social justice coordinator, newsletter

might young adults like tojoin the youth newsletter effort?




Awarenesses

-we're already attracting young adults. we need awareness, welcoming, programming

-Importance of youth independence and recognition of existing activities(public awareness)

-social justice is a prime attraction for both young adults and youth.

-need to manage adult/parent anxieties re: youth activities. information and training is key

-child care vs. child programming an issue for young adult parents.



Actions

-Talk to DRE Search committee

-YASC communicate with FOCUUS re newsletter

-Some kind of formal communication between young adults and youth - relatively simple - email etc.



How can we be truly welcoming to all—including children and seniors?


Convenor: Gretchen Faulstich


Attendees:



Awareness:


Actions:

Creating Abundance

Convenor: Debra Gray Boyd

Attendees: Gretchen Faulstich, Jim Pinkham, Dan Hronek, Carol Pruiksma, Jeannie Sperling



Awareness: How do we create abundance? With volunteers, leaders, staff, time and money.


Actions:





How Do You See the Future of the Church in Terms of

Health, both Personal and Community Health?


Convenor: Marilyn Webster <mari6414@columbus.rr.com>

Attendees:


Parish Nurse Corps

Social action for health care—health insurance, SPAN?

Health Fairs

Free Clinic as a community service

Suicide prevention

Dissemination of health information/resources


Awareness: Health as an issue touches both social justice and pastoral care


Actions:


Name of Church (2nd session)

Convenor: Carol Pruiksma

Attendees: Carol Pruiksma, David Krohn, Susan Williams




Openspace Technology Workshop

9-29-2007

---------


Session : 2 Effective Communication


Conv : Tom Tucker


Part : Judith McDowell <jmcdoll675@qol.com>

Michael Brennan <micheal@firstuucolumbus.org>

Jim Bailey <jbailey7@columbus.rr.com>

Eve Catus <evecatus@safe-mail.net>

Bill Fullerton <bill.fullerton@sbcglobal.net

Carole Pruiksma <immauutoo@columbus.rr.com>

Mark Merchant <mmerchant@columbus.rr.cmo>

Olwen Firestone <yahoo.com>

Dianna DelBianco <healing-arts@beol.net>


Topics:

- How do I know what is going on?

- Not everyone has computer/web abilities

- How do we communicate effectively w/ those who don't have access?

- Worship feedback group

- expand website

transcripts of sermons

audio sermons

web based discussion group

newsletter upgrade ( color graphics )

- How do we communicate ALL church events to membership ( ie throat singers, krishna

group )

- What should the newsletter be?

- guidelines for respectful use of technology

ket points:

- create a set of policy/procedures or guidelines for respectful use of technology

email/bcc use

- creating norms/values on how to use technology/communicate to entire church

ministers, admin, program staff, members

- increase communication w/in congregation

- expand website

- communicating all events happening on property=

HANDCRAFTING for Community Building, meditation, and spirituality



Covened by Stephanie mesler-evans

Attended by shikha bangia

David Krohn


Portal Activities

Knitting circles

Crafts bizarre

Craft circles

Meditation as part of communal creative process

Prayer Bead creation and meditation

Something about busy hands freeing the spirit and mind

Doing art as a way of touching our own inner divinity

Breathing for art

While doing art

As preparation for doing art

To establish creatively fertile frame of mind

Silence for creation/creative purposes

Cooking classes and eating together

Quilting ministry

Prayer shawls ministry

Subject: All Adult programming – how to enrich improve coordinate & integrate for true lifespan?


Convener: Caroline B Parry


Participants: Debra Boyd, Marilyn Webster, Chas Williams, Trish Hultz, Shikha Bangia


How to go on “beyond” cov. Groups? Ask re “level 1” cbp ?


Spiritual Growth = central


What is “spirituality” to UUs? – service as a component


Annual? Mtg of all leaders / coordinators of all adult programs in first UU


Transform program C? Sermon point?


½ time adult programming staff person


Promote courses / facilitators for things like

BYOT “Building your own Theology” etc.

Minister-led

c.f. pastoral team trainings / mtgs

lay leaders

Regular courses on Bible & Standard UU pillars / history – Torah, Koran, Hindu & Buddhist scripture


Move Adult progs on Sundays – weekly standing gps


No present small comm. Gps on “

45 mins? Length? Between services? If so 10:15 – 11? Move 11am service to 11:30? Survey possibilities


Dedicated time for all or adult ss


(parking challenges)


Discussing service theme?


More opps being publicized to be leaders of “spirituality-oriented” groups

Way to serve our church community to be available both on Sundays& Weekdays


Church database of all members skills & interests (c.f. new member info that is no distrib by m’ship comm.)


Green ink = what we can do soon circles


Adult prog to be linked to SJ (& youth)

e.g. – Habitat 4 H or Katrina help


Art of living foundation might link to this have speaker here to model speaker before xmas


Tell Tony – Retreat for all Prog Council members on theme of “sp growth is central”

“Growing spirituality” as another leadership dev course

Year-Round Programming


Convener - Tony Skrabak

Participants - Marilyn Webster mari6414@columbus.rr.com, Jim Bailey jbailey@columbus.rr.com


Key Points

Over the summer we lose:

current members

new members

momentum - activities, committees,


Idea of Adult Religious Education "Sandwich"

9am / 10am / 11am

service/ Adult / service

RE



Actions


We need to ask other congregations that have year-round programming how they do it (same or fewer services, minister in pulpit, RE for children and adults). Do they have good attendance in summer? Is it worth it?


We need to ask our members if they would participate in adult RE and other activities in summer (First Friday, Adult RE, arts, committees)




Other notes

Should we have 1 or 2 services in the summer? How can we afford to have a minister in the pulpit in the summer? Could we use guest ministers and maybe interns?


Should the 9 am service be different from the 11 am service? (all year, not just in the summer)


Idea of adult RE "sandwiched" between the 9 am and 11 am services. People from 9 am service could stay for RE and those from 11 am could come an hour early for adult RE. Choir members could not attend on the weeks they sing.


We lose visitors who are looking for a church in August.

The music program begins year-round this coming year.

Balance the fact that Y-R maintains momentum with the concern that it may cause burnout. Will have to share people resources to prevent burnout..


Expectations are set for the summer by going to one service and suspending meetings. General Assembly and Summer Institute are seen as alternatives to normal church programming -- worship, RE, and committee work.


This priority of this topic is different from others. It is a means rather than an end. It contributes as a means to other ends like diversity and social justice.


Topic: VolunteerCoordinator/ Membership coordinator

Convener: Jim Pinkham

Participants: Michael Brennan, Jim Pinkham, Eve Catus, Trish Hultz


Key points: Participants agreed this may be the next logical position we should create

Most bang for buck - pays for itself quickly

Engages current and new members. Helps with member retention, feeling invested in church community (plugged-in).

We have all heard clear demand for position

Michael Brennan would be willing to supervise this position

Some may think administrator / secretary has this responsibility, but that is not the case.

Some responsibility would include: Keeping skills inventory db, FOLLOWING THRU by connecting volunteers to committees. Coord with membership. Steve K does a lot of this sort of thing with new members now.

Office space may be new desk in front office where large green cabinet is now.

There may be ‘friendly competetion’ between this position and other staff needs such as youth coord and social justice coord.


Actions Emerging: Who: All When: Now What: Convince development, admin council, personell committee, exec members via formal / informal discussions

Trish Hultz will propose to finance & exec about this before next budget cycle.



How Do We Assure Our Fiscal Resources?



The Session discussed the various barriers which stand in the way of our members and friends giving money to the ongoing programs and staffing of the church.


The group came up with several barriers and suggestions:


  1. Continue developing new member pledges.

  2. Develop valuable programming

  3. Connect social justice and spirituality

  4. Promote church as home.

  5. Work on endowment.

  6. Change our story from scarcity to abundance.

  7. Connect with larger community.

  8. Give the people what they want.

  9. Teach people how to receive.

  10. Promote understanding of UU in the larger community.



Convenor: Chas Williams

Open Source Technology Workshop

9-29-2007

---------


Sess : 1


Topic: Performing Arts: For Community Building, Spirituality, & Support + Visibility


Convr: Stephanie Messler-Evans


Parts: Caroline Balderson-Parry <caroline@firstuucolumbus.org>

Kate Power <kate@powerkate.com>

Judith McDowell <jmcdoll675@aol.com

Edie Dreskil <>

David Krohn <davidkrohn@mac.com>

Lydia Delphia <lydiayak@gmail.com>

Mark Merchant <mmerchant@columbus.rr.com>

Wendy Boortz <>

Carol Pruiksma <>



Topics:

- Visibility ( raise platform in worship, line of sight in worship center,

general sensitivity )- Projector ( Childrens Story, other ) - Stories should be told not read. - Can we increase

congregational participation in perf. arts in p?


- Drama Program for kids? ( should we have one? )

- Do we need an arts coordinator?

- Performing arts as an approach to the divine.

- Support for artists ( should we have an artist in residence program? concerts, etc)

- Movement "Choir" ( in worship? )

- Intro to Dances of World Peace

- Sacred Circle Dance? ( Caroline will coordinate w/ Tony )

- Ballroom Dance ( should we organize one for outreach? )

- Community Dance

- Family Dance

- Outreach/Cross Promotion ( welcoming card at the Social Dance tables ).


OPEN SPACE SUNDAY SESSION – September 30, 2007 – Chas Williams, Recorder


Condensation of Five group discussions from oral reports of each of five reporters with

Comments from Chris Kloth


Framework for Discussion:


Diversity

Inclusiveness

Growth

Expansion of Social Justice

Youth programming

Supporting spiritual growth

Accessibility

Visibility

Going green

Increased staffing to support member programming

Portal arts


Common Programming:


Youth programming

Young adult programming

Lifespan programming

Social Justice programming


Chris: Getting to clarity is important to getting things done. How can we move ahead? What are our legitimate areas of common ground? Where we allocate resources has to take into account starting at a small intersection and moving outward. Translating vision into programs requires finding common ground. Keep the book of this Open Space Event right next to you, and don’t put the book away.


Chris: Given what we’ve been talking about, a vision that involves programs and staffing, what have we heard that will give us leverage to move forward? What are some challenges as we try to move ahead?


Leverage:


The 7 principles of our religion

Social justice

Young adults

SYC

Steady growth in pledge commitments

Our location

Close to OSU

Liberal reputation

Our programming

Good number of people to draw from

Energy and excitement

Growth in new member dollars

Competent staff

Congregational talent

Facilities are attractive and clean

Welcoming church (glbt)

Leadership development



Challenges:


Desire for change

Money

Spinning wheels

Negative community perception

Staffing deficits

Overload

Scarcity mentality

Transportation

Prioritizing staffing

Location

Managing volunteers

Technology

Leadership development

Equalizing services

Space is limited

History

Lack of focus


What we’ve done:


Gay pride

Have to ask for more

Successful capital campaign

Ministers well known

Healthy discourse

Being clear in the “ask.”

Holiday appeal

Added staff

BREAD

PFLAG

Music Program

Move to equalize two full services

Accepting risk with land acquisition

Nursery

Covenant groups

Visioning energy

Have increased pledges

Thinking of Volunteer Coordinator

Covenant of Respectful Relations



Chris: Where can we focus our energy? Where do we start? Look for the vision and find the intersections of interests.


Chris: Get clear on what we are trying to be seen as and what staffing do we need. Then, where we do have clarity, take action.



Introduction Chris Kloth, Recorder


The following document is based on the conversations that occurred on the second day of the Open Space Planning Retreat. An earlier document includes the unedited chart summaries from that day.


Overview


The two-hour dialogue was built around five key questions:


  1. What do these common threads & distinctions reveal about our congregation to the community? (internally & externally)


  1. What programming will give life to the vision?


  1. Given the vision of programming and staffing that is emerging, what aspects of the congregation represent points of leverage that will energize and assist in designing and staffing programs to achieve the vision?


  1. What challenges exist inside and outside your congregation that you will need to address (remove or overcome) to achieve your vision?


  1. When has this congregation successfully applied leverage or addressed challenges in ways that may reveal strengths or assets in the congregation that can be the source of learning, inspiration and focus as you move toward your vision?


The full group divided into five smaller groups and discussed the first two questions. Each group reported the results of their dialogue to the full group. Then they identified what they thought were common themes among the 5 reports. Facilitator Chris Kloth shared some thoughts on how to use this information moving forward. The five small groups then discussed the next three questions and shared the results of their work. Kloth finished the session by adding a few more thoughts on use of the information.


In this document the comments on the original charts have been reorganized according to the flow of the five conversations. In addition, common themes from the group reports were added for each question. These notes reflect Kloth’s subjective integration of what was printed and he heard spoken in the groups. He also inserted “Consultant Notes” to supplement the comments he made at the session.


Taken together, these notes represent a starting point. The planning process that follows can use this information to identify potential common ground that can be used to clarify the potential key elements of a vision, what programming may support that vision, what staffing configuration may support that vision of programming and what strengths, opportunities and challenges may need to be addressed to achieve the plan.





What do these common threads & distinctions reveal about our congregation to the community? (Internally & externally)



Group 1

  1. Open, diverse, accepting, welcoming, (many introverts here, in fact)

    1. Taking care of selves > deeper spirituality & caring for those outside

    2. Using energy within to fuel offering “out”

  2. Youth: how to benefit youth and enrich us as adult congregation

  3. Spirituality @ center

    1. Communities within “the community”

    2. Promote communication between/among them

    3. Use staff to enable/support

    4. More paid staff to do structure

    5. Help volunteers to “clone”

  4. Balancing services fully

    1. 2 times for getting to know UU

    2. Spread word re: extra parking places


Group 2

  1. Diversity

    1. Welcoming

    2. Inclusive

    3. Accessible

  2. More involvement with social justice in our community

  3. To engage and involve our members

  4. As a well staffed church we will be seen as effective – a strong presence

  5. Nurturing rather than expecting

  6. Better communication & coordination

  7. More opportunity for spiritual growth & development on an ongoing basis

  8. Positive image


Group 3

  1. Name more descriptive & inviting

  2. Welcoming all – living our valuing of each person’s inherent worth

  3. Accepting, appreciating, integrating youth, young adults, seniors…

  4. Involvement in social justice issues – leader, visible

  5. Increased staffing, programming

  6. Known for stewardship & generosity to – resources, recycling, to broader movement, social action


Group 4

  1. More internal than external: not balanced

  2. We’d be seen as a creative community

  3. Uniquely democratic

  4. To visitors, very energetic

  5. Look young, that we care about young people

  6. More inclusive


Group 5

  1. On a journey – No ultimate dogma

  2. Growing faith

  3. Evolving faith

  4. Diverse ministries – well staffed

  5. Challenge fear

  6. Social justice congregation

  7. Rename “church”??

  8. Welcoming diverse populations


Some themes that cross “all” groups in some form


Welcoming/inclusive


Engaged/connected


Social Justice




Staffing


Themes that cross some groups in some form


Youth


Spiritual Growth


[Consultant’s Note: It is easier to get where you want to go, and to recognize it when you get there, if you can describe it in ways that are broad enough to be inclusive and narrow enough to be actionable. It is important to understand that inclusive does not mean everyone can get all of what they want or that you can address all needs and wants simultaneously…unless you have unlimited resources(people, time, money, energy, etc.). Setting priorities does not require losing anything that is important to you, though you may have to build a foundation before you can achieve some of what you hope for.


In addition, it is useful if a vision has adjectives to bring clarity and richness to the nouns. For example, if the noun is a social justice program, it may be that for such a program to be satisfying when you get there it ought to be described by those involved in it as one that actively includes, engages and connects a broad spectrum of congregants rather than creating a diverse group of projects that create many distinct small groups that seem exclusive. It also seems that you want positive recognition for your leadership role in social justice issues in the larger community. For each key element, explore the deeper elements that will make it more rich and satisfying.]

What programming will give life to the vision?


Group 1

  1. Youth, young adult, social programming

  2. Visual & all arts

    1. Music

    2. Wood dance floor, (contra & social)

    3. Forums & speakers are advertised

    4. Drumming circles

    5. Concerts (free?)

  3. Social Justice < - > BREAD & other church alliances

  4. SYC & RE/Sunday School

  5. Diversity

  6. GLBT & PFLAG groups

  7. Diversity: Seder/Zen


Group 2

  1. Time accessible

  2. Creature comforts

  3. Diversity of offerings

  4. Leadership opportunities

    1. Long term

    2. Short term

  5. Volunteer opportunities

    1. Long term

    2. Short term

  6. Staffing to support members – Volunteer Coordinator

  7. Better communications

  8. Local community outreach

  9. Local partner church


Group 3

  1. Wide range of programming attracts non-members – e.g. contra & other dance, yoga, forums…

  2. Excellent greeting, welcoming, path to membership, etc.

  3. Attracts diverse “audience”, some join

  4. Visible, vibrant social justice work involves most in congregation

  5. RE truly life span


Group 4

  1. That supports positive life changes

  2. More focused Social Justice that is spirit-driven and teaches skills

  3. More arts activities that are

    1. Spirit driven

    2. Open to the larger community

    3. e.g. music, theater, dance, hand-crafts

  4. More, better & more reliable youth and young adult programming


Group 5

  1. Large Church – staffing

    1. Worship celebrations – additional staff

    2. Music minister

    3. Campus minister (Young people)

    4. Summer minister

  2. Youth Programs

  3. Youth ministry – youth coordinator

  4. Social justice coordinator

  5. Art programs – arts coordinator

  6. Education

    1. Global Community

    2. Spirituality

  7. Transportation

    1. Seniors

    2. Youth


Themes that cross some groups in some form


Programming


Staffing


Engagement/Involvement