MISSION AND MINISTRY PLAN

On Sunday, November 11, 2007 the Vestry approved The Mission and Ministry Plan for Saint Paul's.  The approved Plan is below. We received input from parish members, parish committees and groups, friends in the community, civic and religious leaders, and finally the Vestry.  This Mission and Ministry Plan will be our guide as we continue to move forward and "together build the Kingdom of God."  Status Updates will be added at the end of each calendar quarter.

The plan has three components: our mission and ministry as a parish family as we grow in spirituality, service and disciples; our goals and objectives regarding the renovation and use our wonderful facilities; and specific leadership goals for the vestry.

SAINT PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH

A JUBILEE MINISTERY CENTER

Year of Saint Paul

June 29, 2008 - June 29, 2009

"A variety of gifts; but the same Spirit"

MISSION AND MINISTRY PLAN

2008 – 2012

Saint Paul Episcopal Church is an integral part of the Episcopal Diocese of Central PA, the Episcopal Church in the United States, and the worldwide Anglican Communion. Our mission is “Together Building the Kingdom of God.”   We do this by feeding, nourishing, and sustaining the People of God in word and in sacrament, in prayer, in service, and in the bonds of friendship and affection based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We will grow in spiritual development, in outreach ministry, and in the number of disciples as we pray, worship, learn, and grow together. We see Scripture as containing all that is necessary for salvation and as the Word of God. We see the great Traditions of our Church as important in understanding our past as well as a guide to our future. As Anglicans, we also see Reason – the great gift that was given to us by God – as a way to learn and understand how God speaks to us in Scripture and Tradition.

This Mission and Ministry Plan is divided into three sections: Mission and Ministry; Facilities; and Vestry Leadership.

This section of the Mission and Ministry Plan is divided into three sections: Spiritual Development; Outreach Ministry; and Growth in Disciples. The following goals and objectives are those things that we must accomplish over the next five years in order for us to continue our presence in, and impact on, our community. They are not a set of arbitrary or process driven goals and objectives; they are directly related to our mission and our ministry in this place at this time.

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

• Visitation of new members, guests, and former members by clergy and current members - In Progress
  • Identify a list of former members to be visited - Done
  • Develop and implement a plan of visitations to former members by the Rector, Vestry, and other members of the parish - In Progress
  • All new members will be visited by the Rector within 30 days of completing a parish registration form - In Progress
  • All guests (who leave contact information) will be visited by a parish member within 30 days of their visit (this is in addition to a visit by the Welcome Committee) In Progress
  • All guests will receive a gift of “bread” the day of their visit - DONE
  • All guests (who leave contact information) will receive a “thank you for visiting” card and a folder of parish information from the Rector during the week following their visit - DONE (A starter folder is given to every guest along with the bread)
  • Increase the number and train greeters for all services.  Have at least two per service - In Progress
  • Put a welcome table in the back of the church with information about the parish and its ministry and programs
  • Put up pictures of new members so that everyone will recognize them and welcome them to the parish
• Get more of the current membership involved in the full life of the parish
•            Develop and implement a plan of contact with all current members to     document their past and current involvement of the parish (for recognition and celebration)
•           Specifically ask those not currently involved in the parish what limits their involvement and how we can help them become more involved.
• Increase the level of Bible study (Sunday, weekdays, evenings)
  • Conduct bible study programs on Sundays between September and Lent (when Adult forum is on Monday evenings)
  • Plan a bible study program during Lent (possibly before or after Stations)
  • Plan a bible study program during the day
  • Encourage group study by members on their own
• Form a men’s group for mutual prayer and study
  • Send a letter to every man (age 16 and above) in the parish inviting them to a breakfast to discuss the possibility of a men’s group
  • Outline the possible activities of a men’s group for discussion at this breakfast (e.g., study, service, fund-raising)
  • Implement recommendations of the group
• Increase the number of combined Sunday services (at 9:30 a.m.)
  • Conduct combined Sunday Services at 9:30 a.m. on the following occasions: Feast of Saint Paul (when celebrated on a Sunday); Feast of Saint Patrick; Bishop’s Annual Visitation; Homecoming (normally held in September or October); and possibly the Sunday before Thanksgiving - DONE
• Increase the size of the choir and / or begin other choirs (youth, Handbell, etc.)
  • Explore the possibility of a Community Youth Choir
  • Make direct invitation to specific members of the parish to join the choir
  • Make more of a general effort to gain new choir members from the parish membership
  • Have each choir member approach one member or person from the community to join our choir
• Increase the ways that attendees of the various Sunday services can communicate with one another
  • Have quarterly “meet and greets” between the two services
  • Mix people from both services at parish social events
  • Have greeters from one service greet at another service
  • Assign vestry members to a service that they do not normally attend to meet people that they do not normally see / meet and let people meet them
• Strengthen the Adult Forum program
  • Continue the Monday Night Adult Forum with Saint John Lutheran and Saint James Lutheran (from the first Monday in October through the Monday before Ash Wednesday) - DONE
  • Increase the number of outside speakers for the Sunday Adult Forum (from the First Sunday of Lent through the Sunday before Memorial Day)
  • Seek suggested topics for the Sunday Adult Forum from members of the parish
• Involve young people more in the liturgy (readings, Prayers of the People, etc.)
  • Drop the age (from 16 to 14) for members to be Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Prayer Leaders, Ushers, and Greeters - DONE
  • Schedule the young people on the regular rotation - DONE
  • Explore the possibility of a children’s sermon and a young people’s sermon for Sunday services
• Have more Saturday evening services
  • Pilot a program during the summer of 2007 of having a Saturday evening service at 5:30 p.m. at the chapel of the Saint John Herr Retirement community - DONE - This is now a weekly service throughout the year
  • Do a press release about this service inviting the whole community
  • Place ads in the local papers for this service
• Institute a contemporary Eucharist
  • Conduct an education program about what a contemporary Eucharist is and is not
  • Implement a contemporary Eucharist on a regular basis (at least monthly)
• Institute an early morning service (Eucharist or Morning Prayer) on weekdays at 7:00 or 7:30 a.m.
  • Do survey of parish members to see if there is wide-spread support for this
  • Implement a service if warranted by the feedback of the parish

OUTREACH MINISTRY

• Conduct regular and targeted advertising / press releases
  • Continue ads in the Columbia/Wrightsville and the Hempfield/Mountville Merchandisers for all events - In Progress for specifically identified events
  • Place targeted ads in the Columbia Ledger for specific events - DONE - we are using press releases and event notices which are free rather than ads.  Father Patrick is also doing a monthly column on faith / church issues
  • Do press releases for all activities and events and send them to Merchandizer, Ledger, and Lancaster papers - DONE.  We have a Marketing / Publicity Director
  • Attempt to determine source of why new people start attending
  • Develop a specific evangelization program for each year of this mission and ministry plan - DONE for 2008. It will revolve around the Bimillenial Year of Saint Paul - June 29, 2008 - June 29, 2009
• Increase the amount of community outreach and other ministry with other churches and organizations
  • Talk with each church in the Columbia area to determine if a partnership is possible
  • Create additional partnerships with other churches to support outreach ministry programs
  • Encourage participation in civic groups (VFW, Rotary, library, etc.) by members of the parish
  • Add these affiliations to the parish directory and possibly the web site
• Bring the parish together more via bus trips, social events, etc. – include wider community in these events
  • Implement the plan to have a trip to Ireland – Summer off 2008 - Will not happen due to lack of sufficient numbers to go
  • Survey the parish to determine what bus trips and social events they would like to see us offer
  • Look at local trips and attractions
  • Implement the plan as determined by the survey
• Host an annual Free Community Christmas dinner
  • In discussion with other churches see if this is a program that can be offered jointly - In Progress - In disucssion with a Columbia business that would like to do a Thanksgiving Dinner and possibly a Christmas Dinner.
  • Determine if this would be a replacement for, or an addition to, our already scheduled Free Community Christmas Breakfast
  • If not feasible at Christmas, determine if another date (e.g., Thanksgiving, Easter) might be a better time
  • Consider an additional breakfast at a non-holiday time
• Implement a nursery for both services, during any Sunday / Monday Adult Forum and during Sunday School
  • Create a pool of nursery volunteers
  • Create a schedule based on the number of volunteers
  • Utilize parents of nursery age children to help with nursery
• Obtain a handicapped van to bring people to church and other church-sponsored events
  • Determine cost (purchase / lease, maintenance, insurance, license, etc.)
  • Determine the team of possible drivers
  • Seek grants to offset the costs
  • If not feasible; then determine if there can be a volunteer team to do this with their own vehicles
• Increase our evangelization efforts
• Determine an annual evangelization program each year of this plan - DONE - It will revolve around the Bimillenial Year of Saint Paul - June 29, 2008 - June 29, 2009
• Seek grants to offset the costs
• Evaluate all current brochures, bulletins, newsletters, visitor cards, etc.- DONE - We have a new Guest Pew Card and have ordered a new Guest Packet of Information that will be given out to the guest on the Sunday that they visit.
• Increase among members the view that all community activities and events are opportunities for evangelization
• Determine how our buildings can be used more by the communityh (concerts, plays, etc.)
• Determine how our social events can be used for evanglization

GROWTH IN DISCIPLES

• Inspire young people to join our parish and to participate in the life of the parish
  • Study the possibility of a full-time, paid youth minister to develop and conduct programs that would attract young people beyond the current membership
  • Determine what it is that brings young people to church
  • Obtain statistics about young people in the Columbia (and area) community
  • Partnership with other organizations (Boys / Girls Club, Teen Haven, school, etc.) in reaching out to young people
  • Study the possibility of a family ministry program that involves all members of a family as a unit
• Increase membership (especially young singles and young parents)
•            Develop a program of outreach to these families
•            Develop a mentoring / pairing program with parish members to provide support and assistance
•            Develop a program for single parents
• Increase average Sunday attendance to 155
  • Commit to every current member inviting at least two people  (of their choice - e.g., former members, people they know who do not go to church, etc.) to visit, attend, and become members of Saint Paul’s between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010 - In Progress

FACILITIES: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• New roof on the church and parish hall - DONE - It was decided after an analysis by Leelands Slate that continued and regular maintainence would enable our roof to last at least another 50 years before replacement is needed.  Vestry at the April 2008 meeting voted to 250 hours of maintainence for the next 5 - 8 years.
  • Get three bids on a new roof for the church and parish hall (separate costs of each building) No longer needed
  • Determine whether to be slate, slate look-alike, or shingle - No longer needed
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign both within and outside the parish
• Improve the general cleanliness of the church and parish hall – create a better image
  • Instill in every member and user of the facilities that all our space is sacred and thus should be treated with care and respect
  • Implement rules that all users take an active part in the cleaning of the church and parish hall
  • Work with the sexton to ensure that general cleanliness is part of their job description and schedule
• Build new cabinets for the food bank - DONE - AUGUST 2007
  • Finalize design specifications for new cabinets
  • Get bids on the cost
  • Seek grants to offset the costs
• Air-condition the main floor of the parish hall - In Progress
  • Continue with our consultant-assisted evaluation of our HVAC needs
  • Determine system and related costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
  • Seek grants to offset costs
• Install new heating in the parish hall and church - In Progress
  • Continue with our consultant-assisted evaluation of our HVAC needs
  • Determine system and related costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
  • Seek grants to offset costs
• Create new Sunday School classrooms
  • Determine number of rooms needed
  • Determine what amenities are needed in each classroom
  • Integrate them with the new food bank cabinets
  • Explore new room dividers (source, costs, etc.)
  • NOTE:  Current ones are temporary
• Refinish the wood floor in the church - In Progress
  • Determine what floors will be redone
  • Get bids on the costs
  • Seek grants to offset the costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
• Finish the repairs to the slate floor in the church -  Scheduled for the Summer 2008
  • Determine what needs to be done
  • Outline schedule for completion
• Renovate the parish hall – all three floors (including kitchen)
  • Engage architect to determine best way to renovate
  • Get bids on costs
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
• Install additional lighting in the church
  • Have a lighting consultant determine what is needed
  • Get bids on costs
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
• Improve the parking situation - In Progress
  • Seek ownership of the parking lot across the alley from the church
  • Meet with borough officials about this issue and seek assistance
• Create better handicapped access to the church and parish hall - In Progress
  • Finalize specifications in keeping with ADA - DONE
  • Get bids on costs - DONE
  • Seek grants to offset costs
• Re-point the stone on the outside of the church and parish hall
  • Get bids on costs
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
• Re-paint the main floor of the parish hall (temporary item)
  • Determine color and costs
  • Implement
• Pave and use the crypt of the church and the area under the offices
  • Detgermine uses of these areas
  • Seek bids on cost to do this
  • Seek grants of offset costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
• Install new carpet in the church
  • Determine where carpet will go
  • Select the carpet
  • Determine the costs
  • Seek grants to offset the costs
• Install an elevator in the parish hall for access to all floors
  • Have architect determine placement
  • Determine costs
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
  • Note: This item is essential if we are to use the basement and second floor of the parish hall
• Fix all cracked and broken windows in the church and parish hall - In Progress for the Church
  • Parish Hall
    • This should be considered as part of the parish hall renovation project
  • Church
    • Have stained glass experts inspect our stained glass windows -
      DONE
    • Determine needs and costs - DONE
    • Seek grants to offset costs
    • Conduct a capital campaign
• Install a fire stairwell for access and exit from all three floors of the parish hall - In Progress
  • Have architect determine placement - DONE
  • Determine costs
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
•           Note: This item is essential if we are to use the basement and second floor of the parish hall
• Create a memorial garden in the church yard - In Progress
  • Determine placement - DONE
  • Place markers to outline
  • Determine plaque placement
• Implement better landscaping for the church yard
  • Have a master gardener / landscaper create a staged garden plan (including placement of memorial garden)
  • Determine costs
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Implement plan in stages
  • Create maintenance program for continued care
• Fix the chapel steps
  • Determine what are the needs and what can be done
  • Examine handicapped access to the chapel in keeping with ADA guidelines
  • Implement plan
• Air-condition the church
•          Continue with HVAC consultant staged approach to this issue, which will include type of system, costs, etc.
• Create a parish library for study, reading, and reflection
  • Select location
  • Obtain shelves and other furniture
  • Obtain and catalogue books
  • Implement
• Re-place kneelers in the church (more suited for our pews) - In Progress
  • Determine if this is feasible
  • Should kneelers be taken out completely and not replaced
  • Determine costs
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Also review the possibility of cushions for the pew seats and seek grants / donations for this
• Move the parish offices off-site
  • Working with the architect determine amount and type of space needed
  • Explore all options (including location, costs, etc.)
• Install pipe organ
  • Explore the type of organ needed and related costs
  • Seek input from parish to see if this will be supported
  • Seek grants to offset costs
  • Determine maintenance costs
  • Conduct a capital campaign
• Create new meeting rooms
  • Determine location
  • Determine purpose
•           Implement plan
• Install technology in the building so it can be used for meetings and conferences
  • Seek consultant to review our current situation
  • Seek proposals to include phone, Internet, video conferencing, etc.
  • Determine costs
  • Seek grants to offset costs

VESTRY LEADERHSIP: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• Improve communication among vestry members, between the vestry and parish members, and between vestry and vestry committees
  • Minutes of vestry and vestry committees be shared with the full parish via bulletin board and web site and communicate to the parish that they are in these locations - DONE
  • Monthly financial report shared with the full parish - DONE - Both posted monthly and quarterly statments in the parish newsletter
  • Each Saturday / Sunday service will have a vestry member assigned to be present and available for questions and discussions - In Progress
  • Vestry members will wear name tags at all parish functions - In Progress
• Become more focused as a vestry and as vestry committees
  • Develop a Mission and Ministry Plan - DONE
  • Commit to full attendance at annual vestry retreat in January - DONE for 2008
  • Read and discern materials in advance of vestry meetings - In Progress
• Improve the strength and dedication of the vestry and vestry committees
  • Be open, honest, and respectful in discussion - In Progress
  • Share viewpoint even if different from others - In Progress
  • Ensure that it is the Gospel that drives our actions - In Progress
  • Decide based on “what is in the best interests of the parish” not a personal agenda - In Progress
• Ensure that the vestry is accountable and trustworthy
  • Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest all information - In Progress
  • Be honest and forthright with all members - In Progress
  • Be respectful - In Progress
  • Be supportive – even if the decision is different from your position - In Progress
  • Accept responsibility – don’t’ “pass the buck” - In Progress
  • Ensure committees are really doing their work
• Increase the active participation of all members in the vestry and on vestry committees
  • Talk with those not involved and issue a personal invitation
  • Explore possibility of “automatic involvement” (vestry, committees, etc.)
  • Develop way to share with the full parish just what the needs are in terms of time and talent
  • Develop “job descriptions” for all volunteer positions so that people know what is expected when they do volunteer
• Improve the knowledge base and level of the vestry and vestry committees
  • Document (more than just the minutes) everything we do
  • Re-do the stewardship “talent survey” to find out what people would like to do and what skills they have
  • Create a list of “professionals” or “experts” (even if they are outside the membership) as those we can call on for guidance or expertise when needed
• Develop a long-term outlook perspective by the vestry
  • Create a strategic (mission and ministry) plan - DONE
  • Reaffirm our mission and our vision for the future in a clear statement - DONE
  • Commit to attendance at the annual vestry retreat - DONE for 2008
  • Consider two consecutive terms as a possibility rather than the current one term (this will require a By-Law change)
• Be more visible to the members of the parish
  • Wear name tag at all parish functions including Sunday services - In Progress
  • Put up pictures of parish leadership in the parish hall - In Progress - will also be on the parish website
  • Have vestry members speak at Sunday services on a rotating basis
  • Include vestry members in the annual Stewardship Campaign
• Display a leadership role in the areas of stewardship: time, talent, and treasure
  • Commit to being a leader in this area by giving abundantly in time, talent, and treasure to the mission and ministry of the parish
  • Set a goal / plan to increase the level of giving in time, talent, and treasure
  • Set a goal / plan to eventually tithe (if you are not already there)
• Increase the level of leadership skills in vestry and vestry committee members
  • Develop a leadership training program that can be used each year to provide leadership skills to vestry member and others in leadership positions within the parish especially in the area of personal comfort with communications so that they can feel comfortable speaking to members of the parish personally or as a group about issues in the parish (this type of communication should not always be left to the Rector or the Treasurer)
  • Attend the above training program at least annually
  • Attend other leadership training programs sponsored by others that would increase the level of leadership skills in vestry and committee members
• Maintain a high level of ethical behavior as a vestry and as vestry committees
  • Constantly ask parish members, "What more can we do?" or "What would you like to see happen?" or other questions to solicit feedback and input
  • Play by the rules and don’t cut corners - In Progress
• Create a decision-making process that is effective
  • Outline a decision-making process for various situations, document it, and then follow it

Approved by the Vestry of Saint Paul Episcopal Church, Columbia on Sunday, November 11, 2007