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TABLE OF
CONTENTS:
Pastoral Letter 3
Executive Summary 5
Church History 7
Vision Statement 8
Brand Promise 8
Core Values 9
Beliefs: Who is RUMC? 11
RUMC Member Pledge 11
Church Organizational Structure 12
Strategic Staffing Plan 13
Ministry Strategic 5-Year Initiatives 14
Yearly Goals/Action Plan Overview 15
Action Plans
Launch Strategic Ministry Plan 17
Every
Member Serving 19
Culture
of Gratitude—Stewardship 21
Growing
Outreach 23
Cultivating
Diversity 25
Enhancing
Congregational Life 27
PASTORAL
LETTER:
Catch on fire with the Spirit, and people will come for miles to watch you burn.
John
Wesley
Jesus was bold. His
sense of himself and his teaching was deeply rooted in the commandments of his
faith. Jesus taught in the schoolroom of communal life. There was
no private/public divide. Faith and life were integrated in action.
We are called to be
bold. Our sense of ourselves and our teaching as a church community is
deeply rooted in the commandments of our faith. We live our faith in the
arena of communal life. For the follower of Jesus, there is no such thing
as a private faith. Faith informs all of our lives, and is meant to be
lived in an integral way.
We are the church of
Jesus the Christ. We are a movement called to be bold. We are
grounded in the teachings of Jesus and set to action by the insistent power of
the Spirit. We are called to be witness to a vision for living profoundly
more expansive and eternal than the fear mongering of our day. We are
called to allow the fire of the Spirit to burn boldly through our ministry.
We are a community
uniquely equipped to open the doors of possibility for the many in our midst
seeking spiritual relevance and meaning in life. We are a large mid-sized
church in the midst of a population in which 50% are unchurched
and 57% of that population is under the age of 44.
We must be bold in our
outreach.
Spiritual hunger is
becoming ever more keen in our fractured and
fracturing culture. As information and life move at an ever-increasing
pace, it becomes more and more important that people of faith seek spiritual
sustenance, community and a vision greater than fear. We want to be a
church devoted to the vast possibilities of the gospel vision. We must be
a church devoted to creativity and the rigors and stretching of change.
We must be bold in our
willingness to cultivate deep faith community.
We are a people who seek
to live the teachings and way of Jesus. Discerning what this means in the
21st century is a crucial component of our call. We can no
longer “do church” the way it was done in the glory days of the past. As
we seek to open the doors of this faith community to all who hunger, we must
offer programs which meet the needs of the spiritually seeking as well as the
spiritually ensconced. This commitment to offering the gospel of Jesus in
ways new and fresh will invigorate our community, even as it unleashes
blessing.
We must boldly trust the
Spirit of creativity.
As a people of Jesus, we
are called to see the wounds of the world around us. To be a Christian in
the tradition of John Wesley is to know that our faith is never a solely
private matter. To be a disciple of Jesus is to see and respond to the
needs of our neighbors, whether in the pew beside us or in the world around us.
We must boldly love self
and neighbor in ways tangible, relevant, and clear.
We are a remnant of an
almost bygone day. In a culture increasingly stratified and isolated, we
joyously mix up those of differing generations, political view points, economic
means and theological convictions. We believe that in seeing the Christ
in each, we can explore what it is to be a reflection of the Body of
Christ: varied, honored, gifted, and brought to voice in such a way that
each voice is heard and respected. We seek in our living of community to
be a people who practice the Rule of Christ as we go about resolving our
inevitable differences. We will speak our truth and trust our neighbors
to hold us accountable for the ways we use the gifts of communication to build
the Body.
We must boldly embrace
the ways of living diversity as blessing.
In the years to come,
Richfield United Methodist church will embody bold discipleship. We will
be a joyous, vigorous, and thankful community of God’s beloveds, living into
the way of Jesus.
We do this work of
ministry in the company of our God; the same God spoken through Jesus, present
throughout our history, and at labor with and through us in the birth of that
which is to come.
We are a people led by
and lit with the Spirit. Thanks be to God.
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY:
Creating and claiming a
vision is ministry catalyst.
Articulating a vision for
ministry and a specific plan to bring that vision to life is essential if we
are to most effectively celebrate the many gifts of our congregation. We
are at a unique crossroads. After more than a decade of decline, we are
beginning to experience a reinvigoration of our sense of possibility. The
Holy Spirit has sparked in this church a sense of our power and our ability to gift
creation through our witness.
In this document you will
find the fruits of long hours of prayer, discernment, consultation and
collaboration through which we present a five-year plan for the growth and
development of
The plan starts with
high-level concepts for the role of RUMC in Christ’s community. It defines a Vision that seeks to recognize Christ
in all we meet and our specific
How we meet these
objectives is very important. A code of conduct in the form of common Core
Values (“how we treat others”) together with the common Beliefs (“who we are”)
and Member Pledge (“what is expected of every RUMC member”) are defined to help
us share our faith through activities of service to the community.
Although God’s love is
infinite, we as a congregation have finite human and physical resources. The
Strategic Ministry Plan committee has spent many hours discussing and defining
the areas of primary focus. We present initiatives that, when successfully
undertaken, will establish the infrastructure to support the teaching, learning
and organization of the skills and talents necessary to achieve our
Below are initiatives
arrived at as a way to move us toward vital and life giving community, each
supported by concrete steps embraced by our leadership and congregation:
1. Clearly
communicate who we are and what we have to offer.
2. Develop
a community of believers where each is in service to each other and to God.
3. Cultivate
a stewardship culture of generous giving of time, talents and resources.
4. Nurture
an atmosphere of Christian behavior that embodies the teachings of Jesus
through mission outreach.
5. Cultivate
a culture of diversity that celebrates and honors differences even as we claim
our kinship through Christ.
6. Enhance
our congregational life by building the church family; encouraging all
families—traditional and emerging—to nurture one another; developing new
ministry opportunities through music, drama, and young adult ministries; and
relevant outreach.
Working methodically is a
hallmark of our Methodist tradition. Method, in this case, is a practice
followed in order to ensure deepening communion with the Holy. Just so,
we embark upon the method of putting in practice these initiatives as a way of
working in concert with the Holy to spark discipleship life through our church.
The potential for the
future as set forth in this document is tremendously exciting. Sharing God’s
love is what the People of God are called to do. This plan is only words on
paper; but once applied, the concepts described here become real and
meaningful. That together, with God’s help, we can truly be transformed into
RUMC where We seek to recognize Christ in
all.
Your partners in
ministry,
Meg Alexander, Debra
Hampton, Margaret Kersteter, Lisa Oster, and Sue Restemayer (Strategic Ministry
Plan Team 2007)
CHURCH HISTORY:
In 1869, the Methodists
and Baptists, who had been freely visiting and attending each other’s
Originally, the exterior
of the church was painted brown and the interior was lit by oil lamps with
reflectors. It was said that when the Baptists got a new chandelier, the
Methodists went out and got a bigger one. The floors were carpeted, the pews
handmade, and the windows were of plain glass. This little church measured 30
feet by 50 feet with a bell tower in the southwest corner. This bell now stands
in almost the exact same spot on the corner of the current church building.
A voracious neighbor,
This is who we were. Now
the question is, “Who are we to become?”
In her message commemorating RUMC’s 150th anniversary, Pastor
Macaulay said that our future lies in our ability to discern where we are
called to share the good news of Jesus Christ and who we intentionally invite
to the feast of grace we celebrate as disciples of an inclusive Messiah.
“We are blessed with so
much. We have tenacious forbears, abundantly gifted current members, and above
all, we are in the presence of the spirit, calling us to embrace the challenges
and gift of being a people of Jesus the Christ in this place and this time.”
VISION:
We seek to recognize Christ in all.
d Worshiping God
d Cherishing creation
d Cultivating wisdom
d
Living gratefully
d Seeking justice
. . . . in the way of
Jesus
BRAND
PROMISE:
CORE VALUES:
We practice our faith through:
1. The
teachings of Jesus. We are a curious people (of inquiry) both intellectually
and spiritually. We celebrate a church culture that addresses the
un-addressable with a passion for life-long Christian growth (inquiry).
Never
lose a holy curiosity. (Albert Einstein)
Happy are those who find wisdom, and those
who get understanding, for her income is better than silver, and her revenue
better than gold. She is more precious that jewels, and nothing you desire can
compare with her. Long life is at her right hand; and her left hand are riches
and honor. Her ways are pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a
tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called
happy.( Proverbs 23: 13-18)
2. Treating
every person as a child of God. Our congregation has open hearts, open minds
and open doors. Everyone who enters our space deserves to be heard, encouraged
to question, embraced for their imperfections, and made to feel that we are a
community where all can belong.
“Who is a Methodist . . . ? A Methodist is
one who has ‘the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy ghost given
unto him;’ one who ‘loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his
soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strength.’ God is the job of his
heart and the desire of his soul.’
(John Wesley, The Character of
a Methodist, Vol. 8, pg. 341. Non-inclusive language is the
author’s.)
3. Seeing
Christ in one another. This is demonstrated through our willingness to be
respectful, open-minded, to celebrate change, to disagree without lasting
damage, to value one another in our differences, and to speak the truth in
love.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the
same spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there
are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in
everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good
. . .How you are members of the body of Christ and individually members of it. (I
Corinthians 12: 4-7, 27)
4. The
use of our spiritual gifts, and the obligation it requires of us to share God’s
blessings, by freely giving back through our time, talents and financial
resources.
Awe came upon
everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell
their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had
need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they
broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising
God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord
added to their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2: 43-47)
5. Growing
the program life of RUMC by enhancing current programs and developing new
ministry opportunities.
What is almost unbelievably remarkable is that God
chooses friendship, available to everyone, as the means of changing the world,
its peoples, and societies. (Michael Williams)
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I
am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and
talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down
and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 6: 5-7)
6. Providing
a spiritual relevance to accommodate the intellectual and emotional climate of
the population and spiritual guidance that can be applied to make sense of the
world today as we “live the questions of our time.”
You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors
in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public
with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers,
you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting
you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a
light stand – shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives.
By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this
generous Creator in heaven. (Matthew 5: 14-16, The
Message, Eugene Peterson)
7.
Our courageousness in our social justice work, taking up and acting upon the
key issues of our time and making a positive impact in ways that are
measurable.
Then the righteous will answer him ‘Lord,
when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you something to
drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and
clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The
King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth whatever you did for one of the least of
these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew
25: 37-40 (NIL)
Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to
resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present
themselves? (Membership vow, UMC)
8. Developing a spiritual leadership climate
where every member is in ministry.
But be doers of the
word, and not merely hearers. (James 1:22)
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
(John
Wesley)
BELIEFS: WHO IS RUMC?
1. We are a
United Methodist Congregation practicing Wesleyan values of faith practices
paired with action through outreach.
2. We
provide multiple Christ-centered worship experiences with varying types of
music with strong, relevant messages.
3. We are a
theologically progressive church. Our congregation has open hearts, open minds
and open doors.
4. We are a
community that’s striving to give of our time, talents and financial resources.
RUMC MEMBER PLEDGE:
As members of
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STRATEGIC STAFFING PLAN:
To fully accomplish the
initiatives presented within this Strategic Ministry Plan, the following
staffing changes will need to take place:
1. Part-time
Executive Director. This position will have the responsibility of
coordinating and directing the implementation of the Strategic Ministry Plan.
In addition, this person will manage the office and oversee all office and
custodial staff.
2. Full-time
position to oversee Congregational Life. This position will partner with
the pastor, staff and RUMC leadership to enhance and grow the program life of
the church.
MINISTRY 5-YEAR INITIATIVES:
Our focus for the next five years: (2008-2012)
1. Create a
presence and a plan so we communicate clearly to those seeking a church
community who we are and what it is we offer.
2. Nurture a
community of believers where every member of the RUMC community will be in
service to each other and to God.
3. Cultivate
a culture of generous giving, of time, talents and resources. Establish a
shared vision with ambitious financial goals that meet annual financial
objectives and program needs. Develop a stewardship culture emphasizing time,
talent and money that will be equal to or greater than program needs.
4. Develop a
model for modern-day Christian behavior where we reach in to the humanity of
our souls and reach out to the community of God by:
* Spreading
the gospel through mission outreach
* Embodying
the teachings of Jesus by working for social justice
* Demonstrating
hospitality that is inclusive of all
* Showing
mercy (love) toward those in need
* Carrying
the message of peace among people and to oppress none
* Inviting
others to join us on our journey towards perfection
5. Cultivate
a culture of diversity that celebrates and honors differences even as we claim
our kinship through Christ. We are diverse in theological conviction, race,
culture, sexual orientation, age, economic status and physical conditions. We
honor these differences and build upon them as we intentionally reach out to
all people as we learn about the various “isms” that keep persons disconnected
and marginalized.
6. Support
the growth of the family ministry program by valuing the building of church
family and encouraging all families—traditional and emerging—to nurture one
another through the blessings of children, adult education, the marking of
faith transitions from birth to death, and the power of community across the
generations
YEARLY
GOALS/ACTION PLANS:
2008
Goals and Action Plans:
1. Launch
Strategic Ministry Plan
a. Build internal awareness and excitement for new
vision and positioning.
b. Build external awareness of new vision and
positioning.
2. Every
member serving
a. By March
1, 2008, establish an every person serving plan incorporating all ministry
areas that grows serving by 10% per year.
b. Expand
congregational participation in ministry projects by identifying gifts,
talents, skills, abilities and passions of the members.
3. Culture
of gratitude--stewardship
a.
Establish stewardship practices all year
b. Increase
the Foundation
c.
Establish an environment for giving
4. Growing
outreach
a.
Identify, plan and implement 3 outreach projects.
b.
Continued support of on-going outreach programs
c. Worship
services continue to appeal to a diverse population
5. Cultivating
diversity
a. Begin to
integrate the Vietnamese community with the larger church.
b. Support
intergenerational Sunday school program.
c. Reach a
decision on whether to become a Reconciling Congregation.
6. Enhance
family ministries
a. Add a
full-time position to support and oversee the growth of Congregational Life.
b. Develop ministries to enhance and grow
ministries to children, youth and families.
.
(SMART goals)
1. Build internal
awareness and excitement for new vision and positioning
2. Build external
awareness of new vision and positioning
|
Initiative |
2008 Goals to support initiative |
Desired Outcome |
Action Needed |
Timeline |
Who |
|
Launch Strategic Ministry Plan |
Build internal
awareness and excitement for new vision and positioning |
Educate congregation and ministry committees |
·
Announce during services ·
Between services meeting to roll out new
brand position, vision ·
Heartline info spread ·
Information delivered during dinners on
Wednesday nights ·
Brand position/vision with ministry map
prominently displayed ·
Prepare messaging ·
Schedule committee meetings ·
Check Heartline timing ·
Set up display ·
Format SMP for distribution ·
Create a “mini-brochure” that presents an overview of the SMP |
January 2008 |
Communication Committee |
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|
Build external
awareness of new vision and positioning
|
Update communication materials |
·
Find creative resource ·
Develop brand look and feel ·
Update as budget allows ·
Directory ad ·
Heartline ·
Bulletin ·
Web site ·
Poster/bulletin board format ·
Entry way update ·
Outdoor signage ·
Branded email template for updates and other
communication ·
Incorporate new brand into communication
plan for 2008 ·
Rename Heartline ·
Corporate identity update (stationery,
business cards, etc.) ·
Update Welcome Kit |
Spring 2008 |
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|
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|
·
“Got Christ?” contest with entries posted on
bulletin board and web site ·
“Face of the Congregation” as installation
art piece |
·
Contest rules ·
Contest board develop ·
Board and web site kept updated |
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(SMART goals)
1. By March 1, 2008, establish an every person
serving plan incorporating all ministry areas that grows serving by 10% per
year.
2. Expand congregational participation in
ministry projects by identifying gifts, talents, skills, abilities and passions
of the members.
|
Initiative |
2008 Goals to support initiative |
Desired Outcome
|
Action Needed |
Timeline |
Who |
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Every Member Serving |
By March 1, 2008,
establish an every person serving plan incorporating all ministry areas that
grows serving by 10% per year. |
To design and implement a documented every
member serving plan. Plan provides serving options for every
member to serve at their capability |
Identify and equip a volunteer coordinator. Identify a tracking tool for the
congregation serving internally and externally. Document current serving by membership |
January 2008 |
Kathy Currie |
|
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Expand congregational
participation in ministry projects by identifying gifts, talents, skills,
abilities and passions of the members. |
|
Ask ministry directors
to identify new ways to serve. Serving service:
Highlight ways people are serving in/out of church . . . Faith at work. SHALOM week . . .
serving the community. Establish a program to integrate
newcomers Identify underserved
members and find ways to expand ministry to them . . . e.g. men of the
church. |
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(SMART goals)
1. Establish stewardship practices all year
2. Increase the Foundation
3. Establish an environment for giving
|
Initiative |
2008 Goals to support initiative |
Desired Outcome
|
Action Needed |
Timeline |
Who |
|
Culture of gratitude - stewardship |
Establish stewardship practices all year |
Supporting the financial and volunteer needs
of the church on an on-going basis, throughout the year |
Create visuals on monies taken in and monies
spent, that can be updated monthly Have a monthly financial update in the
Heartline of budget to contributions taken in – high level look Identify the various out reach programs and
the monies contributed to them – in the Heartline, in the Bulletin & on
the Bulletin Boards Talk about tithing and the importance it
plays in the life of the church |
February 2008, then monthly Monthly Quarterly Quarterly |
Stewardship Committee Finance Committee or Finance Coordinator Finance Coordinator Stewardship Committee |
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Increase the Foundation |
Gifts given to the
Foundation |
Educate the congregation on what the
Foundation is and what it does Provide information on how to donate to the
Foundation thru gifts or wills Discuss benefits of Foundation donations on
Income Taxes |
Ongoing Before December 2007 At tax time & in the fall |
Foundation Committee Foundation Committee Tax Expert |
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|
Establish an environment for giving |
A
congregation that gives freely of its time, talents & financial resources |
Create monthly or quarterly “giving” theme to target specific needs –
both financial needs and resource needs Recognize volunteers, groups or individuals,
for their time and/or talents given |
Ongoing Monthly |
Stewardship Committee & Outreach
Ministry Committee Kathy Currie |
PLAN OF ACTION FOR
(SMART goals)
1. Identify, plan and implement 3 outreach
projects.
2. Continued support of on-going outreach
programs
3. Worship services continue to appeal to a
diverse population
|
Initiative |
2008 Goals to support initiative |
Desired Outcome
|
Action Needed |
Timeline |
Who |
|
Growing Outreach |
Identify, plan and implement 3 outreach
projects 1 – community 2 - national |
Outreach is a vital ministry that fosters a
culture of desired participation in outreach and mission opportunities |
Identify potential outreach projects Frequent communication of outreach planning
and participation opportunities |
Identify the 3 projects by end of January
2008 |
Outreach Ministry team |
|
|
Continued support of ongoing outreach
programs such as God’s Hands and Rich Harvest -
advertise -
financial and stewardship support |
Continuation of current outreach programs
with increased stewardship support |
Frequent communication of program results
and how these programs support our core value of sharing God’s blessings. Develop a plan to increase volunteer
participation in the programs |
Ongoing |
Missions work area, Marj Wittenborg |
|
|
Worship services continue to appeal to a
diverse population |
Continued increase of attendance at both
worship services |
Monitor worship services and adapt as needed
to ensure outreach to a broader demographic group |
Ongoing |
Worship Chairperson |
(SMART goals)
1. Begin to integrate the Vietnamese community
with the larger church.
2. Support intergenerational Sunday school
program.
3. Reach a decision on whether to become a
Reconciling Congregation.
|
Initiative |
2008 Goals to support initiative |
Desired Outcome
|
Action Needed |
Timeline |
Who |
|
Cultivating diversity |
Begin to integrate the Vietnamese community
with the larger church |
Joint worship services held every 5th
Sunday and during Lent with pastors sharing responsibilities and both joint
and individual choir presentations. |
Coordinate with Vietnamese pastor, choir
directors, to plan service, decide on music, lay readers and who preaches
each time. |
Immediate |
Pastors and choir directors of both
congregations |
|
|
|
Joint classes and other events attended by
both congregations. |
Meet with
representatives from Vietnamese congregation to decide on area of study. Invite Vietnamese
congregation to participate in scheduled activities, Wednesday evening
events, etc. |
January 2008 Fall 2007 |
Adult Education and representative from Vietnamese
congregation, Family/Youth ministries |
|
|
|
Hold cooking class(es) featuring Vietnamese
cuisine. |
Ask members of Vietnamese congregation if
they are willing to teach cooking class |
Spring 2008 |
TBD
|
|
|
Support
intergenerational Sunday school program. |
A minimum of 20 adults attend Biblesong
every Sunday. |
Promote and encourage adults to attend
Biblesong by asking individuals to attend, articles in newsletters, short
demos of activities during church services. |
Fall 2007 |
Kayla Daniels, Kaia Kegley, Adult Education |
|
|
Reach a decision on
whether to become a Reconciling Congregation. |
Determination is made regarding the question
of becoming a Reconciling Congregation |
Reconciling Committee completes presentation
and gathering of information and presents recommendation to Ad. Board. Ad. Bd. receives and discusses
recommendation; discusses and votes on recommendation and final
responsibility for acceptance or rejection. Ad. Board decision communicated to RUMC
congregation |
September 2007 September-December 2007 Dec. 2007-Jan. 2008 |
Reconciling Committee Ad. Board Ad. Board |
(SMART goals)
1. Add full-time position to support and oversee
the growth of Congregational Life.
2. Develop and support ministries to enhance and
grow ministries to children, youth and families.
|
Initiative |
2008 Goals to support initiative |
Desired Outcome
|
Action Needed |
Timeline |
Who |
|
Grow congregational life |
Add full-time position
to support and oversee the growth of congregational
life |
|
|
|
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