From the Developmental Ministry Assessment Team
Report to the Board of Directors
UU Congregation of Green Valley
December 9, 2015
The Board of Directors appointed a team of five (Loretta Carmickle, Diane Farone, Pat Greenig, Ernie Lopez, and Paul Taylor) to assess where we are with respect to five goals set by the Ministerial Task Force that conducted the search for a developmental minister, resulting in the hiring of Rev. Matthew Crary, effective August 1, 2013. The Team conducted four Focus Groups, which involved 31 participants, and a congregation wide survey, which brought 22 responses. Thirteen who responded to the survey had not participated in a Focus Group, involving a total of 44 different individuals. The survey questions were structured to ask respondents: 1) how well they thought are we doing, b) to choose all items from a list of multiple choices they thought apply to our situation, and c) for suggestions for improvement.
Each of the five members of the team wrote a report with respect to one of the goals. The reports are a compilation of responses from the respondents without judgments of the members of the Team. Structuring the assessment in terms of the five goals did not bring forth some important developmental accomplishments that have taken place, especially the training of lay worship leadership in connection with the summer programming and worship associates. However, it is our judgment that had we asked whether people thought that was important we would have gotten resounding yeses. And I must include what Paul said should be added to this statement: “We made miles of accomplishments that awakened us to our own lay ministerial power."
We are also submitting for your review a draft of a summary report that we prepared for submission to the congregation.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane Farone, Chair
Each of the five members of the team wrote a report with respect to one of the goals. The reports are a compilation of responses from the respondents without judgments of the members of the Team. Structuring the assessment in terms of the five goals did not bring forth some important developmental accomplishments that have taken place, especially the training of lay worship leadership in connection with the summer programming and worship associates. However, it is our judgment that had we asked whether people thought that was important we would have gotten resounding yeses. And I must include what Paul said should be added to this statement: “We made miles of accomplishments that awakened us to our own lay ministerial power."
We are also submitting for your review a draft of a summary report that we prepared for submission to the congregation.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane Farone, Chair
Goal 1: To develop better organizational system structures
G1 - Question 1: What are your thoughts about how well we are doing in developing better organizational system structures?
The majority of the responses to this question resulted in three themes:
First, the majority of respondents commented that the structure is a good idea and it is pointed in the right direction.
G1 - Question 2: What is your perception of our 4-Ministry Organization?
a. 3 – Not a real substantive change
b. 2 – Looks to complex
c. 14 – Provides clarity
d. 14 – With commitment it will work
e. 5 - Other
Commentary:
Once again there was a majority in favor of the four-ministry organization with a few opinions to the contrary.
1. The structure is a good idea and a very good understanding by the congregation is necessary. It is important that the congregation commit to the process. It may take some time to identify individual interests and talents. The structure will provide awareness of different areas of church life and commitment. The 4-ministry arrangement allows us to think more specifically of what we are about. It is good idea to break down our ministries and goals and clarify what individual contributions can be. A recommendation was made to keep careful records of which ministry a member has chosen.
2. On the other hand comments mentioned that the process was still vague, theoretical, and academic. There was some mention of feeling pushed into programs and that we still have few people who are willing to be in charge. The Board needs clarity of their responsibilities as well as each ministry. The work of the ministries has to be seamless so that important functions are completed. There is a lot to do and we could use more people to take on more responsibility.
G1 - Question 3: Can you suggest any ways this four-ministry structure could be improved?
1. Clarity between the ministries is still an important issue. An adviser could be assigned to each ministry to provide history and continuity. It might be one of our older members, age-wise as well, someone who is no longer as involved and, perhaps, as a result, feels less connected and less valued.
2. There still remains a sense that members don’t know how to get involved. A larger Venn diagram could be posted to include chairpersons and members involved, and specific responsibilities of that ministry. This process will take time and trial and error will lead to improvement. The theme for clarity continued as indicated by this quote, “People all have big lives outside the congregation and are wary to participate in something vague that could be a huge time commitment.”
Specific quotes:
Ernie Lopez, 11-30-15
The majority of the responses to this question resulted in three themes:
First, the majority of respondents commented that the structure is a good idea and it is pointed in the right direction.
- “We are evolving into our new structure slowly
- “Gives a choice to a prospective member”
- “Information given as part of this survey provides more information about the organizational structures”
- “I like the proposed structure because it defines just what the UU’s are about”
- "Seems like a good plan and mainly good to re-address what efforts are truly needed”
- “Matthew has been an excellent facilitator of the Program Council, and I can see growth in the four ministries”
- “Organization of the business end and committee structure has improved. "
- “With more time and experience will prove to be a logical clarification”
- “The four ministries is great—now to actually implement it”
- “It takes time to implement change in organizational system structures”
- “How do we communicate this transition?”
- “People may not know the committee they want to work on”
- “Don’t see how we are going to simplify our many committees, and putting colored stones in dishes doesn’t explain anything”
- “Hard to say. There are no visible changes showing who is leading the ministries, no articles in Unitel describing any organizational actions taken”
- “I’ve talked with people who still feel like they don’t understand the structure”
G1 - Question 2: What is your perception of our 4-Ministry Organization?
a. 3 – Not a real substantive change
b. 2 – Looks to complex
c. 14 – Provides clarity
d. 14 – With commitment it will work
e. 5 - Other
Commentary:
Once again there was a majority in favor of the four-ministry organization with a few opinions to the contrary.
1. The structure is a good idea and a very good understanding by the congregation is necessary. It is important that the congregation commit to the process. It may take some time to identify individual interests and talents. The structure will provide awareness of different areas of church life and commitment. The 4-ministry arrangement allows us to think more specifically of what we are about. It is good idea to break down our ministries and goals and clarify what individual contributions can be. A recommendation was made to keep careful records of which ministry a member has chosen.
2. On the other hand comments mentioned that the process was still vague, theoretical, and academic. There was some mention of feeling pushed into programs and that we still have few people who are willing to be in charge. The Board needs clarity of their responsibilities as well as each ministry. The work of the ministries has to be seamless so that important functions are completed. There is a lot to do and we could use more people to take on more responsibility.
G1 - Question 3: Can you suggest any ways this four-ministry structure could be improved?
1. Clarity between the ministries is still an important issue. An adviser could be assigned to each ministry to provide history and continuity. It might be one of our older members, age-wise as well, someone who is no longer as involved and, perhaps, as a result, feels less connected and less valued.
2. There still remains a sense that members don’t know how to get involved. A larger Venn diagram could be posted to include chairpersons and members involved, and specific responsibilities of that ministry. This process will take time and trial and error will lead to improvement. The theme for clarity continued as indicated by this quote, “People all have big lives outside the congregation and are wary to participate in something vague that could be a huge time commitment.”
Specific quotes:
- “I would like to see “outreach” include outside speakers in a forum on the Sunday that Matthew is not speaking. “
- “I think at Program Council there needs to be a written record of the monthly meetings. “
- “Each Ministry needs to also submit their work for the month. Goals reached and goals yet to accomplish. I think I need clarity where all the committees/teams fit into which Ministries.”
Ernie Lopez, 11-30-15
Goal 2: Emphasize the congregation’s character as a spiritually
nurturing community
G2 - Question 1: What are your thoughts about how well we are doing as a spiritually nourishing community?
For most we are doing very well and/or we have made good progress, but...
Some are not getting their spiritual needs met, and
A couple were unsure of what the terminology means.
Some Representative Quotations
Meaningful items included:
1. Community and meaningful relationships
2. Specific offerings that encourage meaningful relationships included:
This I Believe (quite popular), discussions before service (RE) and after service (social time), milestones, clusters, covenant circles, bag lunches, circle suppers, book and film discussions, and holding hands for the closing/benediction.
3. Ritual, specifically: chalice lighting and extinguishment, hymns/music, Easter Parade, shared Thanksgiving, flowers on the altar.4. Pastoral care and the caring committee, particularly: Memorial services, memorialchalice lighting, pastoral visits, and the Memorial Garden.
5. Church projects, with the most mentioned roles being institutional support functions and second most, choir.
G2 - Question 2: In what ways is participation in our congregation meaningful in your life?
a. 15 – Exploring beliefs about the meaning of life
b. 17 – Sharing in our covenantal community
c. 18 - Learning through intellectual stimulation
d. 15 – Attending to social and environmental justice
e. 13 – Participating in tradition and rituals
f. 9 – Participation in church programs or projects
g. 6 – I am not getting enough spiritual nourishment
h. 0 - Other
G2 - Question 3: Do you have any thoughts on how we can improve our offerings for spiritual nourishment?
1. The answers to this question were contradictory:
We need more intellectually stimulating sermons (highest frequency).
We need less emphasis on the intellectual and more on the heart.
We need more time for meditation and reflection.
We need less meditation and reflection.
We need more activism and recognition of activism.
We need less emphasis on social activism.
Ways to address this dilemma could include programming outside of Sunday services to address some needs.
2. Some said sermons are too short, too much time is spent on social (e.g. greeting each other early in the service) and business items, or we try to do too many things, shortchanging sermons.
3. There is a hunger for more audience participation. Some suggestions included minister talkback at the end of a sermon, Matthew’s Wild Cards, more member participation in lay led services, and book and film discussions. End of life issues, meaning of life, and white privilege were suggested as topics for exploration.
4. Some wanted more connection to the denomination and its history and more “traditional” and inspiring hymns that are less difficult to sing. A couple of people thought clapping for performances (but clapping along with gospel type music is okay) distracted from sacred space.
5. Training for Greeters and Worship Associates, especially to reflect changes in procedure or terminology, was suggested.
Diane Farone, 12/3/2015
For most we are doing very well and/or we have made good progress, but...
Some are not getting their spiritual needs met, and
A couple were unsure of what the terminology means.
Some Representative Quotations
- I think we have improved significantly in this area since our developmental minister arrived. Having a fulltime spiritual leader has provided a continuity in our spiritual development that did not exist for me before his arrival.
- I think we provide many avenues toward spiritual nourishment and meaning: Sunday services, Sunday morning discussion, book discussions, covenant groups, This I Believe programs, community outreach as well as many opportunities for meaningful relationship.
- The range of what people want and need creates challenges to programming. This is a perennial problem. The solution may well come from providing a variety of opportunities outside of the Sunday services and getting members to contemplate the range of diversity of needs for Spiritual Nourishment that we have.
- In the past, probably too much, we focused more on spiritually nourishing the mind, now we focus on nourishing a sense of community, an admirable goal. But we come to church for other reasons that to give hugs and hold hands. We want to leave with a thought or thoughts that we can take home and absorb.
Meaningful items included:
1. Community and meaningful relationships
2. Specific offerings that encourage meaningful relationships included:
This I Believe (quite popular), discussions before service (RE) and after service (social time), milestones, clusters, covenant circles, bag lunches, circle suppers, book and film discussions, and holding hands for the closing/benediction.
3. Ritual, specifically: chalice lighting and extinguishment, hymns/music, Easter Parade, shared Thanksgiving, flowers on the altar.4. Pastoral care and the caring committee, particularly: Memorial services, memorialchalice lighting, pastoral visits, and the Memorial Garden.
5. Church projects, with the most mentioned roles being institutional support functions and second most, choir.
G2 - Question 2: In what ways is participation in our congregation meaningful in your life?
a. 15 – Exploring beliefs about the meaning of life
b. 17 – Sharing in our covenantal community
c. 18 - Learning through intellectual stimulation
d. 15 – Attending to social and environmental justice
e. 13 – Participating in tradition and rituals
f. 9 – Participation in church programs or projects
g. 6 – I am not getting enough spiritual nourishment
h. 0 - Other
G2 - Question 3: Do you have any thoughts on how we can improve our offerings for spiritual nourishment?
1. The answers to this question were contradictory:
We need more intellectually stimulating sermons (highest frequency).
We need less emphasis on the intellectual and more on the heart.
We need more time for meditation and reflection.
We need less meditation and reflection.
We need more activism and recognition of activism.
We need less emphasis on social activism.
Ways to address this dilemma could include programming outside of Sunday services to address some needs.
2. Some said sermons are too short, too much time is spent on social (e.g. greeting each other early in the service) and business items, or we try to do too many things, shortchanging sermons.
3. There is a hunger for more audience participation. Some suggestions included minister talkback at the end of a sermon, Matthew’s Wild Cards, more member participation in lay led services, and book and film discussions. End of life issues, meaning of life, and white privilege were suggested as topics for exploration.
4. Some wanted more connection to the denomination and its history and more “traditional” and inspiring hymns that are less difficult to sing. A couple of people thought clapping for performances (but clapping along with gospel type music is okay) distracted from sacred space.
5. Training for Greeters and Worship Associates, especially to reflect changes in procedure or terminology, was suggested.
Diane Farone, 12/3/2015
Goal 3: To reaffirm our position as a welcoming congregation that appreciates diversity
Diversity can refer to cultural or legal factors such as race, ethnicity,sexual orientation, religion, disability, or it may refer to diversity of beliefs or philosophies.
G3 - Question 1: What are your thoughts about how well we are doing as a welcoming congregation that appreciates diversity?
Summary of All Responses (focus groups and survey)
Many think both the minister and congregation are consciously welcoming and appreciative of diversity, but it does not show up in the composition of our membership. We may be doing the best we can given the limitations of our church location and demographics. We are somewhat diverse in sexual orientation. Most of our members are white middle class retirees, Democrats, and supporters of liberal/progressive ideas. We are not sufficiently respectful of members who are Republican or Libertarian. We have been doing what we can to help the Amado community through donations and those who volunteer in their interest areas.
Sampling of Responses:
G3 - Question 2: Which of the following describe how we are living our appreciation for diversity?
a. 5 – We need to be more openly welcoming of diversity
b. 16 – Our inner community welcomes diversity.
c. 13 – Our outside community knows little about our interest in diversity.
d. 4 (+1?) – We have made progress in appeal to people of diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
e. 3 (+1?) – Our emphasis on accepting a diversity of ideas may create moral dilemmas.
f. 4 (+1?) – We need to seek greater unity within our rich diversity of thoughts and beliefs.
g. 3 – Other
G3 - Question 3: Any comments on what has contributed to your choices in (2) above?
G3 - Question 4: Do you have any thoughts about how we can, or whether we need to, strengthen ourselves as a welcoming community that appreciates diversity?
• Continue to do everything we can to attract members who come from different cultural , racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, economic and educational backgrounds.
• Keeping ourselves open to thoughts and beliefs. Getting to know more people, groups, and organizations in the community.
• Inviting other diverse groups to our services. I find I can communicate with people of diverse circumstances and persuasions if religion is let out of the conversation.
• We should make a safe and affirming place to explore diverse opinions.
• We need to write more letters or articles to the newspapers and identify ourselves as UUs, being careful to make it clear we do not speak for the church.
Patricia Greenig, 12/4/15
Summary of All Responses (focus groups and survey)
Many think both the minister and congregation are consciously welcoming and appreciative of diversity, but it does not show up in the composition of our membership. We may be doing the best we can given the limitations of our church location and demographics. We are somewhat diverse in sexual orientation. Most of our members are white middle class retirees, Democrats, and supporters of liberal/progressive ideas. We are not sufficiently respectful of members who are Republican or Libertarian. We have been doing what we can to help the Amado community through donations and those who volunteer in their interest areas.
Sampling of Responses:
- We need to be actively and publicly involved in social and environmental issues.
- I think we have done well in Amado and communities to the south.
- Despite having a unique faith which differentiates us from all other faiths, we seem to not make this known to the greater community.
- I don’t know how much we really want to expand…some like the size we are.
- Taking account of our age group and location, we are doing quite well.
- I have seen a great deal of growth in terms of greater acceptance of sexual orientation.
- I have some reservations about how well we do in terms of appreciating and accepting different beliefs and philosophies.
- We also need to be aware of diversity in education and economic backgrounds and how these differences may play into our attitudes toward one another.
- I think we are a welcoming congregation, but I don’t see a lot of diverse individuals… think we look like a bunch of “bleeding heart liberals,” and we lack the intellectual stimulation we used to have.
G3 - Question 2: Which of the following describe how we are living our appreciation for diversity?
a. 5 – We need to be more openly welcoming of diversity
b. 16 – Our inner community welcomes diversity.
c. 13 – Our outside community knows little about our interest in diversity.
d. 4 (+1?) – We have made progress in appeal to people of diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
e. 3 (+1?) – Our emphasis on accepting a diversity of ideas may create moral dilemmas.
f. 4 (+1?) – We need to seek greater unity within our rich diversity of thoughts and beliefs.
g. 3 – Other
G3 - Question 3: Any comments on what has contributed to your choices in (2) above?
- I am interested in “e”. If, in fact, some moral dilemmas are created – this may be the very thing to stimulate an interesting, worthwhile discussion.
- Personally I am satisfied with our congregation’s acceptance of diversity…I don’t feel we have an obligation to pursue affirmative action type quotas.
- I’m not sure what defines greater unity within thoughts and beliefs.
- People of color and LGBT community I feel are welcome if they come.
- I don’t think we have made much progress in item “d”, but it is not easy.
- Rev. Matthew is instrumental in giving us opportunities to be more diverse. His time in Arivaca each month has brought several people to the church.
G3 - Question 4: Do you have any thoughts about how we can, or whether we need to, strengthen ourselves as a welcoming community that appreciates diversity?
• Continue to do everything we can to attract members who come from different cultural , racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, economic and educational backgrounds.
• Keeping ourselves open to thoughts and beliefs. Getting to know more people, groups, and organizations in the community.
• Inviting other diverse groups to our services. I find I can communicate with people of diverse circumstances and persuasions if religion is let out of the conversation.
• We should make a safe and affirming place to explore diverse opinions.
• We need to write more letters or articles to the newspapers and identify ourselves as UUs, being careful to make it clear we do not speak for the church.
Patricia Greenig, 12/4/15
Goal 4: To expand our visibility in the community as an active, concerned congregation
G4 - Question 1: What are your thoughts about how well we are doing in expanding our visibility in the community as an active, concerned congregation?
Some positive things we do, but…:
1. We are visible in Amado but not in Green Valley.
2. Admirable work with border issues, food bank, youth center, but this does not attract members.
3. We give turkeys to the food bank, but who knows about this.
4. Sharing of our offering is a visible factor.
5. Rev. Crary holding office hours in various locations was a great idea.
6. The website is excellent.
7. The concert series are wonderful.
8. Showing foreign films was a great idea.
9. Visibility is great in the White Elephant parades.
10. We are seen as intellectuals, but perhaps as atheists.
G4 - Questions 2: How bright does our light shine in our community?
a. 14 – dimmer than we would like.
b. 10 – we are beginning to be noticed.
c. 11.5 – we are appreciated for our support of the local community.
d. 11 – we should share our seven principles in the public arena.
e. 9 – we must increase our efforts as an active, concerned congregation.
f. 16 (+ 2 ?) – our minister is actively engaged in outreach.
g. 9 – our members are actively engaged in outreach.
h. 7.5 (+ 1?) – our newspaper ads, newsletter and website are effective tools for outreach.
i. 2 - Other
Commentary:
With proper acknowledgement of Rev. Crary’s impressive active outreach effort, Question 2 captures well the message about how well our light is shining in our community as viewed by the respondents with about 50 percent of the total selections suggesting that we have “miles to travel before we sleep” with lots of suggestions for increasing our Visibility entered later in this Survey Report. Borrowing a bit more from Robert Frost’s “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening,” I would like to express the results from questions 1 and 2 as follows:
Our local Visibility is admirable, of commitment true, and deep,
But we have a covenant to keep,
And more Visionaries to invite before we sleep,
And more Visionaries to commit before we sleep.
G4 - Questions 3 and 4: Any comments about what has contributed to your choices in question 2? Do you have suggestions for increasing our visibility in the community?
Our Visionary members energize us with their many suggestions for increasing our visibility. These suggestions reflect the tabulations in question 2 rather well. They are:
1. Be more forceful, provocative and informative in ads, newsletters, and on our website.
2. Recognize the extraordinary potential and challenge of the Outreach Ministry.
3. Produce better ads that emphasize our thoughtful sermons. Ex: What is a Connection Sunday?
4. Place the 7 Principles back on the Service Bulletin and highlight them in brochures.
5. Form a group promoting church activism as a whole in the public arena regarding social & environmental issues.
6. Offer unusual programs that provoke attendance.
7. Conduct one or two high impact projects annually that make us stand out.
8. Form a speaker’s bureau for speaking to community groups on topics that fill our mission.
9. Prepare to rent our facilities.
10. Place ads in the Tubac Villager.
11. Recruit more Visionaries.
12. Things that the public likely does not know about Unitarians:
• the nature of our religion.
• our faith works for justice.
• we donate turkeys to the food bank.
• the nature of our 7 Principles.
• the meaning of “Standing on the side of Love.”
• as individuals we are Unitarians. We keep that a secret.
13. Distribute or display our brochures for visitors at Services, film showings, and events.
14. Hold Interfaith Gatherings again.
15. Educate people about our Vision and Missions.
16. Publish, “Ten Questions I wish people would ask.”
17. Consider that we are in the wrong location to appeal to our local community.
18. Rent an office in the mall to facilitate knowledge about who and where we are.
A repeatable conclusion:
Our local Visibility is admirable, of commitment true, and deep,
But we have a covenant to keep,
And more Visionaries to invite before we sleep,
And more Visionaries to commit before we sleep.
Paul Taylor, 12/3/2015
Some positive things we do, but…:
1. We are visible in Amado but not in Green Valley.
2. Admirable work with border issues, food bank, youth center, but this does not attract members.
3. We give turkeys to the food bank, but who knows about this.
4. Sharing of our offering is a visible factor.
5. Rev. Crary holding office hours in various locations was a great idea.
6. The website is excellent.
7. The concert series are wonderful.
8. Showing foreign films was a great idea.
9. Visibility is great in the White Elephant parades.
10. We are seen as intellectuals, but perhaps as atheists.
G4 - Questions 2: How bright does our light shine in our community?
a. 14 – dimmer than we would like.
b. 10 – we are beginning to be noticed.
c. 11.5 – we are appreciated for our support of the local community.
d. 11 – we should share our seven principles in the public arena.
e. 9 – we must increase our efforts as an active, concerned congregation.
f. 16 (+ 2 ?) – our minister is actively engaged in outreach.
g. 9 – our members are actively engaged in outreach.
h. 7.5 (+ 1?) – our newspaper ads, newsletter and website are effective tools for outreach.
i. 2 - Other
Commentary:
With proper acknowledgement of Rev. Crary’s impressive active outreach effort, Question 2 captures well the message about how well our light is shining in our community as viewed by the respondents with about 50 percent of the total selections suggesting that we have “miles to travel before we sleep” with lots of suggestions for increasing our Visibility entered later in this Survey Report. Borrowing a bit more from Robert Frost’s “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening,” I would like to express the results from questions 1 and 2 as follows:
Our local Visibility is admirable, of commitment true, and deep,
But we have a covenant to keep,
And more Visionaries to invite before we sleep,
And more Visionaries to commit before we sleep.
G4 - Questions 3 and 4: Any comments about what has contributed to your choices in question 2? Do you have suggestions for increasing our visibility in the community?
Our Visionary members energize us with their many suggestions for increasing our visibility. These suggestions reflect the tabulations in question 2 rather well. They are:
1. Be more forceful, provocative and informative in ads, newsletters, and on our website.
2. Recognize the extraordinary potential and challenge of the Outreach Ministry.
3. Produce better ads that emphasize our thoughtful sermons. Ex: What is a Connection Sunday?
4. Place the 7 Principles back on the Service Bulletin and highlight them in brochures.
5. Form a group promoting church activism as a whole in the public arena regarding social & environmental issues.
6. Offer unusual programs that provoke attendance.
7. Conduct one or two high impact projects annually that make us stand out.
8. Form a speaker’s bureau for speaking to community groups on topics that fill our mission.
9. Prepare to rent our facilities.
10. Place ads in the Tubac Villager.
11. Recruit more Visionaries.
12. Things that the public likely does not know about Unitarians:
• the nature of our religion.
• our faith works for justice.
• we donate turkeys to the food bank.
• the nature of our 7 Principles.
• the meaning of “Standing on the side of Love.”
• as individuals we are Unitarians. We keep that a secret.
13. Distribute or display our brochures for visitors at Services, film showings, and events.
14. Hold Interfaith Gatherings again.
15. Educate people about our Vision and Missions.
16. Publish, “Ten Questions I wish people would ask.”
17. Consider that we are in the wrong location to appeal to our local community.
18. Rent an office in the mall to facilitate knowledge about who and where we are.
A repeatable conclusion:
Our local Visibility is admirable, of commitment true, and deep,
But we have a covenant to keep,
And more Visionaries to invite before we sleep,
And more Visionaries to commit before we sleep.
Paul Taylor, 12/3/2015
Goal Five:To increase our membership base to a financially secure level, with a strong emphasis on stewardship and commitment
G5 - Question 1: What is your perception of how we are doing financially?
SUMMARY OF ALL RESPONSES (focus groups and survey)
With a few exceptions, there was a strong combined response that “we are barely getting by” financially and that much must be done to increase our membership in the face of losses through moves and deaths.
SAMPLING OF RESPONSES :
• Our outstanding minister and building are necessary but not sufficient.
• Present finances are inadequate – we must increase revenues or decrease costs.
• We need a minister!
• Can we afford a settled minister if our membership and financial support do not increase?
• Our average pledge is in line with national numbers.
• There has been progress in a “sense of ownership.”
• We have made incredible advances – our own building, a full-time minister.
• Membership before Matthew – 135; presently 100.
• We are on the cusp of increasing our membership base.
• The majority of our new members . . .are with us, in big part, because of our spiritual leader.
• Membership loss has been through deaths and moving.
• We need younger members to replace older ones – “nones” and “boomers.”
• Increasing membership just for money is a bad policy.
• Some potential members worry about money expectations.
• Not enough encouragement for people to become members.
• Classes needed to familiarize interested persons and/or potential members about our beliefs and church activities.
• We apparently do not meet the needs of Hispanics and other locals of Amado.
G5 - Question 2: Which of the following options could you support with your vote or your time, talent or treasure?
14 – Increase our membership base.
7 - Emphasize stewardship and our pledge drive.
12 - Increase fundraising.
18 - Rent our facilities.
10 - Apply for grant funding.
9 - Defer hiring a full-time, settled minister
3 - Pursue an austerity program.
5 - Other
COMMENTS:
• We actually need a minister and should not go back to outside speakers. Keep and hire a minister.
• I have liked the developmental minister, the new ideas he brought, and the Baja Four participation.
• Continue the developmental minister until finances improve
• I don’t think we are in a position to call a settled full-time minister that carries with it at least a 3-year commitment . . . we need a full or halftime contract or interim minister. . . .
• We have struggled to support and/or justify a full time minister for my 12 years in the congregation. Realistically, we should consider half-time ministry; minister sharing with other congregations; or event “contract” minister.
• We need a minister because of the pastoral needs of our congregation and because of the limited volunteer energy we have at this point in time.
• To go back to being on our own without a spiritual leader would be disastrous.
• We burn out volunteers.
• Renting our facilities/grounds make good sense but requires significant volunteer commitment. Renting is a business and needs to be approached that way.
• Renting is another way to help expand our visibility in the community as an active, concerned congregation.
• The single most untapped and immediate source of revenue is our facility rental. We must make this a priority ASAP!
• Think about what programs we really want. Do we really want/need a music program and a minister?
• Please, no austerity. Please, no deferring hiring a full-time settled minister! We cannot go backwards. We have worked too hard to get to where we are.
• Recruit members to lead fundraisers, a team to rent our facilities, a team to run the garden, maybe a grant or Faithify.
• Have meetings after church to discuss these options.
Loretta Carmickle
12-3-15
SUMMARY OF ALL RESPONSES (focus groups and survey)
With a few exceptions, there was a strong combined response that “we are barely getting by” financially and that much must be done to increase our membership in the face of losses through moves and deaths.
SAMPLING OF RESPONSES :
• Our outstanding minister and building are necessary but not sufficient.
• Present finances are inadequate – we must increase revenues or decrease costs.
• We need a minister!
• Can we afford a settled minister if our membership and financial support do not increase?
• Our average pledge is in line with national numbers.
• There has been progress in a “sense of ownership.”
• We have made incredible advances – our own building, a full-time minister.
• Membership before Matthew – 135; presently 100.
• We are on the cusp of increasing our membership base.
• The majority of our new members . . .are with us, in big part, because of our spiritual leader.
• Membership loss has been through deaths and moving.
• We need younger members to replace older ones – “nones” and “boomers.”
• Increasing membership just for money is a bad policy.
• Some potential members worry about money expectations.
• Not enough encouragement for people to become members.
• Classes needed to familiarize interested persons and/or potential members about our beliefs and church activities.
• We apparently do not meet the needs of Hispanics and other locals of Amado.
G5 - Question 2: Which of the following options could you support with your vote or your time, talent or treasure?
14 – Increase our membership base.
7 - Emphasize stewardship and our pledge drive.
12 - Increase fundraising.
18 - Rent our facilities.
10 - Apply for grant funding.
9 - Defer hiring a full-time, settled minister
3 - Pursue an austerity program.
5 - Other
COMMENTS:
• We actually need a minister and should not go back to outside speakers. Keep and hire a minister.
• I have liked the developmental minister, the new ideas he brought, and the Baja Four participation.
• Continue the developmental minister until finances improve
• I don’t think we are in a position to call a settled full-time minister that carries with it at least a 3-year commitment . . . we need a full or halftime contract or interim minister. . . .
• We have struggled to support and/or justify a full time minister for my 12 years in the congregation. Realistically, we should consider half-time ministry; minister sharing with other congregations; or event “contract” minister.
• We need a minister because of the pastoral needs of our congregation and because of the limited volunteer energy we have at this point in time.
• To go back to being on our own without a spiritual leader would be disastrous.
• We burn out volunteers.
• Renting our facilities/grounds make good sense but requires significant volunteer commitment. Renting is a business and needs to be approached that way.
• Renting is another way to help expand our visibility in the community as an active, concerned congregation.
• The single most untapped and immediate source of revenue is our facility rental. We must make this a priority ASAP!
• Think about what programs we really want. Do we really want/need a music program and a minister?
• Please, no austerity. Please, no deferring hiring a full-time settled minister! We cannot go backwards. We have worked too hard to get to where we are.
• Recruit members to lead fundraisers, a team to rent our facilities, a team to run the garden, maybe a grant or Faithify.
• Have meetings after church to discuss these options.
Loretta Carmickle
12-3-15