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Long-Range
Planning
In 2006, Channing Memorial
Church (CMC) began a process to assess itself as it went from a
relatively new church to becoming a ‘teenage’ church. The hope was,
as this process began, that members would be able to determine what
the church was successful at doing, whether it was living up to its
mission statement, and whether it was strong enough and effective
enough to maintain its early momentum. At the time, there was
declining membership, a feeling of ‘burnout’ by some church leaders,
disinterest among members in assuming leadership roles in the church
and in participating in existing church groups or activities, and a
general lack of planning for the future.
A workshop, based on the Ken
Callahan book,
Twelve
Keys to an Effective Church,
and open to all members, was an awakening for those dozen or so
members who attended. After the Twelve Keys workshop, the attendees
decided that a similar, but longer and more intense follow-up
process was necessary to involve as much of the whole church
community as possible. The Board selected a Long-Range Planning (LRP)
team to design and execute a process that would involve the entire
congregation. This was eventually to lead to the start of a
Long-Range Plan for the church (for 3 to 5 years, and planning to
continue out each year after the first year).
Thus began the group
discussions in March 2007 during Sunday Morning Worship (when most
members would most likely come together as a church). The LRP team,
Maureen Hayes and Lorraine Hughes, with Reverend LaMar in agreement,
decided Sunday discussions were the best way to get as many members
as possible involved in this important process. The committee
wanted
everyone – not just
the leaders – to look seriously at:
The church’s strengths,
accomplishments, and setbacks since it was formed,
Church
growth and what that means for the church’s future,
Church
leadership and decision-making,
Church
communication among its members and with the greater community
outside,
What the
church
needs
and what it
wants
(considering its physical and financial resources),
Changes
in members’ needs and what that means for the church’s future, and,
What the
church could do better, or differently, to serve its communities and
their needs.
The
congregation together, in March and again in October, looked at and
talked about many of the items listed above. Our Sunday worship
services during the summer, each led by a LRP team or Board member,
continued the discussion format as well. Most of the Channing
congregation is familiar with seeing Maureen and Lorraine hanging
posters around the sanctuary and moving chairs around into circles
on Sunday mornings.
Now
going into 2008, the process is approaching its main goal – creating
a plan for CMC’s future. January 13th and February 17th are the
dates for the next Sunday Worship LRP discussions. The LRP team and
the church need congregation input to decide what CMC will do and be
in the coming years. In January, the LRP team will guide the
congregation in an exercise on spreading the word about what’s good
about CMC to those outside our current membership. In February, the
LRP team will ask the congregation to think more about what our
congregation should look like in the coming years. Be there for both
discussions to listen and to share your ideas.
--Lorraine Hughes, Long-Range Planning Team
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