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(using a process of brainstorming and questioning about ‘meaning’,leading to discussion and finally to an agreed/owned statement for each section)
A. Who are we?
- Who/what are we? What can we celebrate (i.e. strengths and opportunities)? What do we need to take note of (i.e. threats and weaknesses)? What do we have?
- What is our present situation? People? Finance? Buildings? Ministry and Mission? Life?
- Are we happy as we are? Can we/should we stay as we are? Why/why not? How will we be in five years time? Bearing in mind our history, what are our realistic prospects for the future? What do we need to do about all this, if anything, and why do we need to do it?
B. What are we for?
- What are we for? What is our purpose? What is the purpose of the church?
- Why are we going to create a vision statement/dream and stategic objectives? Who are we creating it/them for?
C. What could we become?
- Bearing in mind our context (i.e. where we are based, the nature of the community, who we are and what we are for etc.) - what should we become? – are we being realistic?
D. What do we need to become it?
- What do we need to do to become it?
- Do the ‘job descriptions’ of people/what people do fit in with this direction forward?
E. What things get in the way?
- What are the things that we don’t need to become it?
- What are the other things that might prevent us from realising this dream?
F. What actions are we now going to take in order to realise this dream?
Notes
- Section A is ‘preparatory’, Sections B and C are to do with creating a dream/vision/purpose, Sections D-F are to do with setting Strategic Objectives.
- Particularly for Sections D-F, use SMART objectives - ie any plans we make need to be:
- Specific (as possible)
- Measurable (so we can assess whether we have achieved something)
- Agreed (so that, as far as possible, everyone is 'on board')
- Realistic (no good setting totally unrealistic goals!)
- Time Bound (setting a time so we can see how we are doing)
- We need to note the implications of prayer of Teresa of Avila:
- Christ has no body but yours.
- No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
- Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on his world.
- He has no body now on earth but yours.
- Need to be challenging - not letting people off the hook - not letting people ' get away with things'. The problem is knowing what to say and how to say it in order to facilitate as effectively as possible.
- Some may not have a concern about how the future of the church is as long as it is there for them in the way they want it until they are no longer around.
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