Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church Strategic Management of Ministries Plan: 2008 – 2011

Dear God, help me to be part of what you want to bless. Help PVUMC to be part of what it is that you are blessing.

The purpose of PVUMC is to develop a community made of Christians who extend the ministry of Jesus Christ to the world for the glory of God and the salvation of humanity.

PVUMC accomplishes this purpose by growing in Faith, 0utreach, and Worship

The PVUMC Strategic Management of Ministries Plan is designed to cover the three year period of 2008 – 2011. The content of this plan reflects data collected from members of the congregation during focus group meetings and a demographic congregational survey. The Visioning Team also incorporated the Virginia Annual Conference’s focus on “Let’s Get Growing…more people, more young people, more diverse people.”

Specific strategies and tactics identified in this plan reflect the purpose of PVUMC and a SWOT analysis conducted by the Visioning Team. These strategies and tactics are a result of comprehensive thinking concerning how to successfully close the gap between the current state and the desired state of PVUMC, as reflected in the purpose statement above. This three year plan provides the framework for PVUMC to set annual organizational and individual goals and actions.

PVUMC has identified the following to facilitate the process of developing strategies and tactics,  prioritizing actions, allocating resources and evaluating ministry outcomes:

· Warm Them to Christ

Question: What strategic ministries and activities does PVUMC conduct that serve the surrounding community and intentionally invite people to become a part of the community of Christians at PVUMC?

· Win Them to Christ

Question: What strategic ministries and activities does PVUMC conduct so that both newcomers and members of the community will be positioned to hear a cogent presentation of the claims of Christ?

· Win Them to the Community of Christians

Question: What strategic ministries and activities does PVUMC conduct that serve to

connect newcomers and existing members of PVUMC’s spiritual community?

· Help Them to Grow

Question: What strategic ministries and activities does PVUMC conduct that identify

various small groups and move them forward in spiritual growth within PVUMC’s community of Christians?

· Equip them to participate in Ministry

Question: What strategic ministries and activities does PVUMC conduct that equip

believers to discover and utilize their gifts and callings to extend the ministry of Jesus Christ to the world for the glory of God and the salvation of humanity?

STRATEGY ONE – Growing in Faith:

Faith is the evidence of things not seen, conferred by the Holy Spirit; a body of truth which, since reason did not give it, reason cannot take away. (2 Cor. 4:18) We are committed to the process of making disciples of Jesus Christ.

Tactics and Actions	Support/Resources Required	Individual Responsible	Start Date	End Date	Measurement Of Success	Status
1. Assess current/future ministries to determine which support growing in faith. ACTIONS: A. Identify criteria and conduct assessment using Percept Information and other appropriate sources of information. B. Determine demographic demand for various ministries.	Charter an ad hoc team to conduct the assessment. Use the District Office as a source of information/resource identification Use district connectionalism resources	Church Council	1 Sep 07	15 Nov 07	Comprehensive, criteria based, demographic report to use to make ministry decisions (reflects current state and desired state for PVUMC)
2. Based on the assessment above, determine which ministries will/will not continue. ACTIONS: A. Review ad hoc team report B. Make appropriate decisions	Comprehensive, criteria based, demographic report to use to make ministry decisions Congregation Survey (May/June 07)	Church Council	1 Dec 07	31 Dec 07	Council minutes reflect List of Ministries to continue and ministries leaders notified.
3. Based on the assessment above, determine which ministries need to be developed/modified. ACTIONS: A. Review ad hoc team report B. Make appropriate decisions C. Develop specific team charters and appropriate job descriptions for ministry leaders	Comprehensive, criteria based, demographic report to use to make ministry decisions Congregation Survey (May/June 07)	Church Council	1 Dec 07	31 Dec 07	Council Minutes reflect List of Ministries to develop/modify and ministries leaders notified.
4. Align space requirements, staffing requirements, dollar requirements with the outcome of the assessment above and other requirements as identified. ACTIONS: A. Review ad hoc team report B. Make appropriate recommendations	Charter ad hoc team composed of one representative from each of the teams below: 1. Building Study Committee 2. SPRC 3. Finance Committee 4. Trustees 5. Education 6. Worship	Church Council	1 Jan 08	1 Mar 08	Definitive space showing use of current space and requirements for additional space/repurpose space and $ requirements Definitive staffing plan of required positions, JD’s, timeline, $ requirements
5. Approve recommendations from the ad hoc team ACTIONS: A. Ad hoc recommends date for Charge Conference to DS B. DS sets final date, appoints convener C. Conduct Charge Conference D. Gain approval from Bi-District CLB	Reports from ad hoc team	Charge Conference	1 Mar 08	30 Mar 08	Minutes of the Charge Conference reflect budget requirements
6. Communicate with Congregation ACTIONS: A. Introduction of approach communication strategy B. Progress communication strategy C. Final Outcome of approach communicated to all target populations D. Determine methods of communications	Joint Building Study Committee and Visioning Team Final Report	Communications Team/Vision Team	4 Aug 07	Ongoing	Communicate through newsletter, bulletin, church e-mail, worship service announcement. Feedback from congregation – understanding of plan

STRATEGY TWO – Growing in Outreach:

Outreach is the proclamation of the mercy and grace of God through words, deeds and prayer to win others as disciples of Christ. (Matthew 28: 19-20). We are committed to evangelism and missions as necessary acts of every Christian. In this regard, we welcome people of diverse age, race, and cultural backgrounds.

Tactics and Actions

Support/Resources

Required

Individual Responsible

Start

Date

End

Date

Measurement

Of Success

Status

1. Review and redesign website to be user friendly with current information.

ACTIONS:

A. Assess what the website should contain

B. Redesign website

C. Post new website and keep it up to date

Designated webmaster

Worship Team and other selected teams

Nathan Beach

Cecelia Taylor

Jackie Robey

July 2007

October 2007

Redesigned website

Number of hits

2. Develop a culture of evangelism

ACTIONS:

A. Four sermons per year focused on evangelism

B. Conduct several small group studies each year focused on evangelism

C. Conduct classes on cultural diversity and understanding

Bible

Appropriate study literature

Members from different cultures

Pastor

Evangelism Team

TBA-appointed by Evangelism Team

Quarterly

TBD

Ongoing

TBD

Solicited and unsolicited constructive feedback

3. Explore ways to reach out to the children of the church

ACTIONS:

A. Kids Club (K – 3)(4-6) –ID volunteers to lead

B. Validate the need/desire for Children’s Church during both services

C. Identify need/want/frequency for Family Night during the week

D. Continue multi-generational drama nights

E. Validate the need/desire for Singing Angels/Children’s Choir

Core of volunteers to facilitate these activities

Material for the groups

Space to accommodate group(s)

Education Team

October 2007

Ongoing

Number of volunteers to lead selected ministries

Attendance

Feedback

4. Continue conduct mission activities

ACTIONS:

A. ID local, regional, national, international mission projects to work with

B. ID ways to get youth actively involved in mission projects

C. ID ways to get adults actively involved in mission projects

D. Engage/invite non-members who use the church during the week to participate in all PVUMC activities

E. Sponsor Seasonal events and specific non church groups celebrations

F. Develop materials to distribute at various PVUMC outreach events

6. Deliver Basic Christian Courses

A. Consider Awakenings and Christian Believer

B. Consider partnering with another UMC and conduct at non-traditional sites

Non traditional site

Course material

Mission Team

Evangelism Team

Communications Team

Education Team

Partner with GUMC

Individuals who have completed Disciples Study

September 2007

4^th quarter 2007

Ongoing

End 1^st quarter 2008

Level of participation

Number of people who start to attend PVUMC

Number of people who join PVUMC

STRATEGY THREE – Growing in Worship:

Worship is the act of paying homage to God as the Divine Being. Although worship can occur in the absence of others, Scripture also encourages collective worship. (John 4:20-24, Mt. 18:20) We are committed to providing vital worship experiences in which persons encounter the Spirit of God and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. Worship is ALWAYS intended to be focused on God, and at the same time elicit participation from the gathered congregation.

Tactics and Actions

Support/Resources

Required

Individual Responsible

Start

Date

End

Date

Measurement

Of Success

Status

1. Engage PVUMC youth in Worship Service

ACTION:

A. Define roles for youth to participate in the service

B. Provide appropriate training for these selected positions

C. Schedule youth to fill these position on a weekly basis

Junior/Senior High students

Job descriptions for each position

Training material and space

Youth Leaders provide names/addresses/phone numbers for youth to Worship Team (Nancy, Chair)

Youth Leaders and Worship Team

Worship Team and Church Secretary and Vince Jones

August 2007

October 2007

Roles Identified

Training Conducted

2. Explore and determine the style of worship that attracts and sustains a diverse attendance

ACTIONS:

A. ID different music styles and make time for diverse music in worship

B. ID different worship styles and determine which ones will work for PVUMC

C. ID different levels of congregation – seeker, lapsed church, minimal churched, churched and who/how PVUMC will meet their spiritual growth needs

D. ID ways to impact knowledge about UMC doctrine and beliefs using sermons, small group, other ways