Five Year Strategic Plan 2014 – 2018

At the request and guidance of the Board of Trustees, the Strategic Plan Steering Committee prepared a Five Year Strategic Plan (PDF). This plan charts a course for the next 5 years. It is the result of a year-long process to engage the congregation, to evaluate needs, and to craft an achievable vision to ‘Strengthen the Church We Love’. This plan is organized by 3 primary Goals that should serve as a tool to guide all of our efforts:

  1. Expanding and Deepening Our Spiritual Life
  2. Strengthening Our Connections
  3. Stewarding Our Resources

Each of these goals is supported by Objectives. These objectives can be embraced at all levels of church organization and collective effort. To provide specific examples of ways to progress to the objectives, a series of Initiatives are recommended. These initiatives are intended to provide the Board a road map that has emerged through a broad and inclusive process with the congregation. Initiatives to achieve the stated objectives should not be considered limited to those proposed. Time and further deliberation may determine additional ways to achieve the stated objectives. We encourage regular evaluation of the progress of the implementation of this plan. The effectiveness of the proposed objectives and initiatives may be determined by the suggested Outcome Measures.

 Strategic Plan Summary: Goals and Objectives

GOAL 1: Expanding and Deepening Our Spiritual Life Objectives:

  1. Continue to deepen and expand the spiritual connections of the Sunday morning experience
  2. Continue to expand spiritual life beyond Sunday mornings
  3. Deepen our connection with our place
  4. Strengthen the connection between social justice and our spiritual lives

GOAL 2: Strengthening Our Connections Objectives:

  1. Establish Communications Task Force to improve internal communications (how we communicate), evaluate external image and marketing (what we communicate) and make recommendations to the Board and congregation.
  2. Establish Governance Task Force to analyze current governance structures and processes and make recommendations to the Board and congregation.
  3. Deepen denominational connection.
  4. Strengthen integration between RE families (including parents, children, and youth) and the wider congregation.
  5. Deepen Congregational connections.

GOAL 3: Stewarding Our Resources Objectives:

  1. Support and appreciate volunteers.
  2. Renovate existing facilities to maximize functionality and accessibility.
  3. Engage the congregation to create cohesive grounds master plan to guide future decisions.
  4. Cultivate a culture of spiritual generosity.
  5. Establish a responsible, balanced budget that achieves congregational values and responsibilities.
  6. Ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency.

This plan will be implemented by the Board of Trustees and Staff. The success of this plan will rely on a commitment of the Board to follow through with these objectives, to lead the congregation in its implementation, to delegate where necessary, and to evaluate progress along the way. This is a remarkable community, and these recommendations suggest additional ways that we can further strengthen the church we love.

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee:

  • Breck Gastinger
  • Jamie McReynolds
  • Walt Megonigal
  • Mike Murphy
  • Karen Ransom
  • Erik Wikstrom

Special thanks to :

  • Katie Corish
  • Cathey Finn-Derecki
  • Leia Durland Jones
  • Bob Gross
  • Don Landis
  • Shirley Paul
  • Trish Schechtman
  • Ian Sole
  • Sally Taylor
  • Betty Warner

How it Started:

The Board committed itself, and the congregation, to engage in a Strategic Planning Process beginning in the fall of 2013, culminating in a vision and a plan for 2020 by the spring of 2014. During the months of November, December and January the work groups form in each of the six focus areas for the plan: Communication/Marketing, Outreach, Stewardship, Worship, Facilities, and Governance/Organization met and prepared the following reports based on their meetings. During the March 11th board meeting these reports were presented. Here are the results from those sessions: