Strategic Plan Update 3 - We Might be Being Led (Keith Howard)

During the next two years we will

1. Welcoming, Hospitality and Community Formation

• develop and execute an intentional advertising plan that includes direct mail, the web site, Twitter and Facebook, the Oak Bay News and other media
• continue the development and provision of education and training events for the Hospitality Team
• continue the focused reading and conversation in the Hospitality Reading Group
• develop and test the Connection Card concept
• develop further the practice of intentional conversations by trained people with people new to the OBUC community to assist them in discovering their place within the community
• intentionally and regularly recognize the work of volunteers
  

2. Worship and Community Care

• work to continually improve the development and provision of extraordinary worship services that meet the spiritual needs of the congregation
• explore the implications of growth and an alternative worship service
  

3. Spiritual Formation

• develop further the gathering of new family parents
• continue to develop the Sunday School program with the welcoming of new children and increasing our capacity through leadership development
• develop, promote and deliver small group focused events, e.g. Enneagram, Hospitality Reading Group, “A Christianity Worth Believing” conversational group
• explore further the possibility of a Healing Ministry based in OBUC
• continue the development of Godly Play, VBS, the Sunday School and Pro-D day initiatives
  

4. Serving the world

• continue to explore and develop the WonderCafe concept
• continue to explore and develop partnerships as outlined in the Serving the World brochure
• continue to refine, resource and expand the work and partnerships fostered by the Thrift Shop and Annex
  

5. Managing our Resources

• develop and execute a two year Stewardship plan
• achieve greater Clarity in the Governance structure – clarify the decision-making process and communicate who talks to who about what; and how are particular resources allocated.
• develop a new model of property management that reflects the new realities facing volunteers, the (volunteer) property manager and the custodian
• hire a front office staff person
• continue to build our capacity on the web with new materials and updates
• complete the Donor Recognition Project
• develop a different reporting model that will allow those responsible for spending budget areas to manage their commitments against their budgets
• continue to develop and promote the Community Garden
• adjust our revenue and expenses so that we have a break even operating budget by 2013.

Strategic Plan Update 2 - Where We've Been (Keith Howard)

During the past two years there is much to celebrate. Here is a sample.

1. Welcoming, Hospitality and Community Formation

a. A more intentional advertising/marketing plan has begun that includes direct mail, a website, Twitter and Facebook, Oak Bay News and other media outlets

b. A team of positive people interested in the ministry of hospitality has assembled with an identified Hospitality Team and team leader

c. Three educational and training gatherings were held with those involved in the ministry of hospitality

d. A Newcomers’ breakfast was held

e. “Second Coming” and “September 11, 2011” events were joyous events that were both celebratory and outward focused

f. The Hospitality Reading Group formed and has covenanted to read and to meet monthly over the period of the next two years

g. Successful September 11th launch to the new year of 2011-2012.

2. Worship & Community

a. Vibrant, relevant worship with inspirational preaching, excellent music that often features world class musicians and artists and creative, appropriate ritual

b. An event planner has been identified (June Carver)

c. Responsive pastoral care – Joy Hunter, Gaye Sharpe, People of Outrageous Hope, the Prayer Group, occasional worship services at Oak Bay Lodge, hospital and home visitation

3. Spiritual Transformation

a. Attendance at Sunday School has significantly increased during the past two years

b. The Vacation Bible School team is alive and very well and conducted another very successful VBS during July 2011

c. A youth minister was hired and began her ministry January 2011

d. The library continues to keep current with timely additions and editions.

4. Serving the World

a. WonderCafe was started in conjunction with the Thrift Shop

b. The Thrift Shop and Annex continued their strong work, expanding their community partnerships

c. Partnerships were formed with Sportball, Alzheimer’s Arts Group and the Native Plant Society, as well as various other partnerships outlined in the Serving the World brochure.

d. ProD events were launched in 2010 and enrolment increases with each event, reaching our capacity in the September 19, 2011 session.

5. Managing our Resources

a. The “new” building was occupied

b. A very successful “Second Coming” service to celebrate the renewed sanctuary

c. Completion of the Godly Play room

d. Painting of the exterior trim

e. Start of the repointing the brick project

f. Start of the Garden Project

g. The purging and reorganization of the office and record-keeping files

h. A massive renovation of the financial records system and the institution of current accounting practice and software

i. The telephone and internet system were integrated (with the exception of the alarm) resulting in a significant saving annually.

j. The duplex painting is completed

k. The number of groups using our facility has increased

Strategic Plan Update 1 - Who we Are (Keith Howard)

At the September 20th meeting, the Board approved the circulation of this draft of the Strategic Plan to the congregation for response. I'll post it in three parts: Who We Are; Where We've Been and Where We Think We Might be Being Led. We will use multiple means to foster conversation and response. This blog is one so please respond with your comments.

The Mission
To be a vibrant, growing, inclusive &intergenerational Christian church that

• Reaches out, Welcomes with genuine hospitality and Helps people find their place in the Oak Bay United Church community
• Transforms lives through caring support, spiritual development and the opportunity to serve
• Serves God and the world effectively through the intentional use of our gifts and resources.

We seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ who are

• Connected with God, with each other and with the world
• Passionate/Compassionate about our individual and congregational life as we share God’s work in the world
• Grateful for our lives, the resources and gifts we have been given and our call to serve
• Open to discover new things about ourselves and God
• Joyful in our community life and service in the world
• Relevant and Effective making a real difference in the lives of individuals, our community and the world

The core practices that sustain us include

• Worship through inspirational preaching, quality music and excellent, creative ritual
• Individual and community growth through prayer, the study of Scripture, focused conversation about things that matter, and the practices of generosity, radical hospitality and Christian community
• Service to one another and the world

We organize our work in five areas

1. Welcoming, Hospitality and Community Formation
2. Worship and Community Care
3. Spiritual Formation
4. Serving the world
5. Managing our Resources

HRG 1.9 But what if we don't want to?! (Keith Howard)

9. Based on study of Dave Gibbons, The Monkey and the Fish.

This quote might summarize the first 107 pages.

“All of this presents an amazing opportunity for the church to become the most relevant, most vibrant, most vital element of people’s lives – both to the young and the old. But to pull that off, we need to radically shift our thinking from believing that success means being a safe place for people to catch up and be together for an hour or two on Sunday and maybe hear an entertaining message, to recognizing that we are, first and foremost, a movement of people called to a dangerous mission.”

What is there in us that might resist this being true?

HRG 1.8 Is Comfort really our prime value? (Keith Howard)

8. Based on study of Dave Gibbons, The Monkey and the Fish.

On page 75ff Gibbons takes a run at the Theology of Comfort (Comfortology). Is this primarily a US affliction or does it have anything to do with the Oak Bay United culture?

HRG 1.7 How will we know when we are successful? (Keith Howard)

7. Based on study of Dave Gibbons, The Monkey and the Fish.

Gibbons says that one of the key changes for the church involves a change in the criteria we use to describe “success.” NOT to be unkind, but two previous powerful criteria that we used for a long time were the number of people who attend worship and the budget givings. Gibbons suggest some new criteria (p. 62 and 93).

What do you think are the prime criteria we use at OBUC?

HRG 1.6 Is it really that urgent? (Keith Howard)

6. Based on study of Dave Gibbons, The Monkey and the Fish.

Throughout the book runs a deep sense of urgency. Take this quote (p. 36)

“The church has an amazing opportunity to become what God is hoping we will become. It’ll take the resculpting of our organizations and corporate culture, the incubation of new art forms, new languages and expressions, new symbols, flexible ways of being organized and led, and even a fuller explanation of what we know as the gospel ... We need creative forms, methods, and practices for sharing the truth we love and believe in that will work in the new world and with a new generation. We need fresh counterintuitive ways of leading – in practice and in philosophy.”

Do you think that sense of urgency is warranted?