Edited with Staff and Ad Council Suggestions
General Comments
The administrative council and lay leaders of New Covenant United Methodist Church are committed to the concept of planning as an integral part of a successful church. Moreover, we believe in the importance of making disciples and growing our church and that we need a comprehensive strategic plan to guide, direct and enhance the process of disciple development.
Involved in the development of this plan were many hours and weeks of strategic planning sessions which included among others lay leaders, the senior pastor, church staff, board and other team members. The purpose of these sessions was to establish a clear consensus as to what ministry we are actually in and what our overriding spiritual objectives should be.
We decided to focus on quality not quantity of documentation. It was decided that the plan to be usable and effective should not contain more than five (5) key strategies or action areas. Therefore, the plan will not, nor is it intended to, include all things considered and used in planning or all things considered and discussed during plan development. Numerous pages of related planning information and agendas are to be maintained in file.
We recognize, this being our first formal written strategic plan, that this plan will not be without fault or weakness. The plan will serve as a Phase I basis to be implemented and improved upon on an ongoing basis. Regular follow-up and reporting to the Ad Council and others will occur. A detailed spreadsheet will also be attached to and a part of this plan so that we can develop how to implement these ideas at Team Levels.
Mission / Vision Statement
“Helping people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ”
What does it look like to be “a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ”?
Mark 12:30-31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ”
Key Objectives
Objectives are a clear directional statement of intent. They take in to account how to build on our strengths, strengthen our weaknesses, take advantage of our opportunities, and meet or mitigate our threats.
1. Provide inspiring worship services for the greater community.
2. Build passionate spirituality through a discipleship pathway.
3. Provide opportunities for people to connect with and reach out to others..
4. Develop financial resources that provide opportunities for future growth.
5. Achieve staffing levels that ensure future growth of the church.
Strategies / Action Plans
The approach, means or action needed to accomplish our objectives.
Note: Strategies/Action Plans are purposefully not prioritized so that respective Teams may do that.
Objective #1: Provide inspiring worship services for the greater community.
1. Create congregational enthusiasm and energy as a common denominator to success.
2. Consider implementing additional worship services.
3. Plan and coordinate worship services to include sermons, music, etc well in advance for the year (Worship Planning team –continue)
4. Music – Establish a task force to analyze, check comparative costs at other churches, evaluate effectiveness, and set criteria for success, assess affordability and budget requirements, consider adjustments in band size and makeup, and make recommendations. (Implemented)
5. Improve hospitality at both services
a. Boost manpower for greeters possibly by using people from one service to help the other; maybe rotate Covenant Communities to serve as greeters
b. Train greeters who engage newcomers
c. Develop greeter training (Implemented and Ongoing)
d. Set up a comprehensive greeter scheduling process
e. Establish a guest services kiosk
f. Hand out newcomer packets in Jim Decker Hall
g. Refreshments in Jim Decker Hall (Implemented and Ongoing)
h. Improve visitor signage and directions
i. Improve hospitality in areas such as:
i. Parking
ii. Greeters
iii. Ushers
iv. Booth attendants
v. Children’s area
vi. Sunday School
vii. Refreshments
viii. Coffee Shop
6. Increase number of repeat visitors
a. Continue to send two follow-up letters
b. Continue to follow-up with phone calls
c. Continue to deliver newcomer packets to homes
d. Develop and invite visitors to newcomer classes and events
e. Develop visitors tracking and measurement system
f. Improve newcomer information such as bulletin, video, website and sign-up
g. Develop newcomer newsletter
h. Outreach will develop and submit a plan, as a part of their budget process, for capital expenditures on our facility to improve visitor retention (i.e. carpet, etc)
7. Improve Worship Connectional experience
a. Create connectional points in Decker Hall
b. Small prayer groups during Worship Service
c. Programming such as making sure kids have a place during the full worship times (Implemented and Ongoing)
d. Have choir perform monthly in second service (Implemented and Ongoing)
Objective #2: Build passionate spirituality through a discipleship pathway.
1. Improve the discipleship process
a. Develop a “map” or visual guide to connect people to a discipleship pathway (Begin Implementing September 2008, then Ongoing)
i. Consider developing pathways for Children’s Ministries and Student Ministries
b. Continue Pizza with the Pastor for visitor orientation (Implemented Nov. 2007)
c. Increase Starting Point participation and effective leadership
d. Create small groups that are life-changing by being scriptural, relevant, relational, and accountable
e. Continue to offer and expand short term learning opportunities
f. Continue to offer and expand Covenant Communities
2. Establish a 50/50 Prayer ministry culture
a. Implement 50/50 prayer scope during corporate worship
b. Update prayer request cards to include external needs and salvation
c. Set-up community prayer boxes
d. Begin regular community prayer walks in which you collect prayer requests (Bart Campolo model)
Objective #3: Provide opportunities for people to connect with and reach out to others.
1. Every family invite one family into our family in the next 12 months
2. Encourage the congregation to participate in volunteer mission opportunities
a. VIM
b. Local Missions
c. Other Emerging Mission Opportunities
3. Develop ministry/service opportunities as a means of connection
4. Enhance the current information center to create a visible connection point for members and guests
5. Deliberately talk about connectivity opportunities at events and gatherings
6. Program quarterly events/regular events such as men’s breakfasts, fellowship dinners, women’s retreats, etc. to include 5-6 big events annually (Implemented and Ongoing)
7. Consider compressing the Sunday morning experience to 2 hours 15 minutes
a. Option 1: Service times 9:45-10:45 and 11:00-12:00
b. Option 2: Sandwich option: 1st service 8:30-9:30, CC/SS 9:45-10:45, 2nd service 11:00-12:00
8. Overcome the breakdown of congregational care when staff turnover occurred (Implemented and Ongoing)
9. Continue to improve the system which reaches out to people when they miss 3 Sundays in a row (Implemented and Ongoing)
10. Develop needs-based ministries (i.e. single moms) for evangelism
Objective #4: Develop financial resources that provide opportunities for future growth.
1. Creatively pursue optional revenue sources (i.e. daycare, event center, bookstore, café, school, concerts, & possible use of a 501 3c
2. Increase the use of endowments
3. Consider conducting a “Building into Tomorrow” fundraising campaign
4. Shift stewardship campaign from a four-week fall campaign to an ongoing annual stewardship program.
Objective #5: Achieve staffing levels that ensure future growth of the church.
(PPRT to prioritize)
1. Provide a staff position to coordinate year round stewardship ministry.
2. Provide support staff for program ministries.
3. Provide full-time outreach and nurture ministers.
4. Provide volunteer network coordinator.
5. Provide a missions director.
6. Provide a facilities coordinator.
7. Provide a college/singles minister.
Copyright 2008, New Covenant United Methodist Church