Let’s Build a House ... All Are Welcome
St. Michael and All Angels Forward Plan
September 27, 2009
The Mission of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church is to gather as an inclusive community of Christ, celebrating scripture, tradition, and reason, and to send forth disciples with a lifelong commitment to service, spiritual growth, and faithful witness of Christ’s love.
The Vision of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church is to be a welcoming community where all are invited to worship, challenged to grow in Christ, inspired to serve, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to reflect God’s love into the world.
The Long Range Planning Commission … Who and When?
Long Range Planning Commission Members
- Bill O’Neill
- Fritz Edmunds Sr.
- Krissie Wiggins
- Will Henderson
- Andy Mohn
- Leta Anderson
- Kirk Isenhour
- Jack Britton
- Steve Adams
- Gail Greenwell
Our Process
- Discovery
- Diligence
- Discernment
The Raw Materials
Ministry Group Meetings
- Choir
- Worship
- Outreach
- Youth
- Altar Guild
- Young Adults
- Adult Formation
- Young Families
- Men in Ministry
- Pastoral Care
- Clergy & Staff
What is the Forward Plan?
The Foundation
Objective:
St. Michael and All Angels calls people to discipleship and a deeper relationship with Christ as we:
- Foster deep connections between our members and Christ Jesus, and our members in their relationships with one another and the world
- Serve as a resource and catalyst for a ministry of reconciliation between individuals and whole communities
- Embrace our Anglican tradition while enriching our communal life with authentic diversity
- Serve a world in need with our resources and gifts for ministry
Ministry of Reconciliation - Strategies:
- Foster a culture of reconciliation within the walls of St. Michaels
- Provide an academy of reconciliation to the community and to individuals, offering education, conversation, and venues for gathering
Ministry of Reconciliation - Tactics:
- Create a parish-wide curriculum for the study and understanding of the Biblical mandate of reconciliation
- Identify and form a Reconciliation Ministry Steering Committee, to share discernment about our parish needs and to work with clergy and staff to address those needs.
Authentic Diversity - Strategies
- Offer varied worship, formation, and reflection opportunities
- Foster a spirit of welcoming and acceptance to all
- Broaden our exposure to diverse populations
Authentic Diversity - Tactics
- Assign a youth liaison to ministry groups, Vestry, and Commissions, to enhance youth access to parish leadership and governance.
- Connect with the community and activities of the city of Mission, to be recognized as a welcome and involved place and resource.
Worship
Objective
- We celebrate our Anglican worship identity with invigorating and diverse expressions and involving all of God's people.
Strategy 1:
- Expand worship opportunities to a broader menu of forms, times, spaces, purposes, and occasions.
Tactics:
- Take video of Worship events and post excerpts to youtube.com.
- Explore additions and enhancements to Worship, such as monthly Evensongs or Earth Day outdoor Eucharist
Strategy 2:
- Provide an element of Anglican education during each worship service.
Tactic:
- Introduce a quarterly Instructed Eucharist in Spencer Hall, concurrent with the 10:45 Sunday service.
Strategy 3:
- Enhance worship through more varied music, expressions, and visual arts.
Tactic:
- Engage our youth more intentionally in choral and instrumental parts of Worship.
Strategy 4:
- Ensure the highest quality of worship experience.
Tactic:
- Commit to and support continuing education for liturgical staff.
- Enlist a focus group of parishioners to assess and recommend changes to our facilities, to enhance the Worship experience for everyone.
Worship Strategies:
- Expand worship opportunities to a broader menu of forms, times, spaces, purposes, and occasions.
- Provide an element of Anglican education during each worship service.
- Enhance worship through more varied music, expressions, and visual arts.
- Ensure the highest quality of worship experience.
Serve
Objective
- We perform targeted, intentional and inspired outreach that creates mutual care and learning.
Strategy 1:
- Educate, for clarity and discernment, about outreach and opportunities.
Tactic:
- Explore new ways, including “Outreach Sunday”, to communicate opportunities to serve.
- Connect with local resources to learn of community needs and resource gaps that might be served by St. Michaels.
Strategy 2:
- Make outreach a personal, relational experience of selfless ministry.
Tactic:
- In collaboration with Adult Formation, create models and opportunities for being good stewards of ministry gifts for each StMAA member.
Strategy 3:
- Encourage requests for support, and identify where and how outreach support can best serve local and international needs, and by what expressions.
Tactic:
- Include those we serve in brainstorming needs and solutions for outreach.
Serve Strategies:
- Educate, for clarity and discernment, about outreach and opportunities.
- Make outreach a personal, relational experience of selfless ministry.
- Encourage requests for support, and identify where and how outreach support can best serve local and international needs, and by what expressions.
Grow
Objective
- We engage all ages and life stages in diverse programming for:
- Understanding our Anglican identity to assist in the challenges of life
- Life-long vocational and ministry discernment.
Strategy 1:
- Enhance parishioner understanding of formation, and provide various “entry points”
Tactics
- Form a pathway for lay teachers, especially EFM and confirmation graduates, to offer their gifts and knowledge.
- Take video of Formation events and post excerpts to youtube.com.
Strategy 2:
- Develop a core curriculum about formation, with resources and leadership.
Tactics
- Explore the concept of “visiting scholars” (e.g., scholar, artist, author, or musician in residence)
- Develop a list of achievement goals for children ages 3 - youth confirmation
Strategy 3:
- Achieve specific outcomes in personal spiritual formation.
Tactics
- Create pathways for every member to discern spiritual gifts and vocation.
- Establish models/resources for every ministry to incorporate Theological Reflection as a regular part of their work.
Grow Strategies:
- Enhance parishioner understanding of formation, and provide various “entry points”.
- Develop a core curriculum about formation, with resources and leadership.
- Achieve specific outcomes in personal spiritual formation.
Share
Objective
- With thoughtful appreciation for God’s generosity and gifts, we live into transformational giving of time, treasure and talent.
Strategy 1:
- Achieve a high level of parishioner awareness to share gifts and to practice stewardship.
Tactics
- Offer Dave Ramsey and similar practical financial workshops.
- Develop gratitude-based theological resources for use with all members.
Strategy 2:
- Market and measure stewardship in year-round creative and compelling ways.
Tactics
- Give a face to the impact and results of stewardship through year-round communication and education of results and benefits.
- All clergy and program staff will identify how they promote stewardship values in their ministry areas.
Share Strategies:
- Achieve a high level of parishioner awareness to share gifts and to practice stewardship.
- Market and measure stewardship in year-round creative and compelling ways.