In 2006 All Souls Community Church of West Michigan faces a turning point as it looks back on its first five years as a growing pastoral church and moves forward to the opportunity of fulfilling its mission of liberating and cultivating the spirit as a fully fledged program church.

A program church is defined both by size (150-350 members) and by the variety and quality of its programs for a range of age and interest groups. Major programs include music and religious education programming for all ages. Special interest programming may include covenant groups, community life, social justice, and other opportunities for congregational life for a wide range of people.

Both the size of the congregation and the desire of the congregants for strong programs suggest that ASCC is poised to make the transition to being a program church.

Two closely related challenges face the congregation and its leadership at this crucial and exciting time: remaining focused on All Souls’ mission and developing and supporting a financial stewardship plan that will allow us to grow and flourish.

The chief purpose of any strategic plan is to assist an organization to fulfill its mission. Thus, the purpose of the present strategic plan is to define key objectives that All Souls Community Church of West Michigan should pursue over the next two years to fulfill our mission of liberating and cultivating the spirit. These key objectives stem from (1) issues that ASCC members designated as significant at the congregation-wide strategic planning meeting held at New Branches School on April 30, 2006, and (2) ASCC members’ responses to the Facilities Needs Survey that was completed in April, 2006.

The primary issues identified at the strategic planning meeting and through survey responses were calling a full-time minister, obtaining our own building, establishing strong music and religious education programs that included paid RE and music staff members, improving communication, developing social justice opportunities, and increasing membership.

Some of the needs and desires of the congregation have been modified by two considerations, both of which involve the time required to achieve our objectives.

First, the objectives of this strategic plan necessarily coincide with its duration. While the majority of the congregation would like to have its own church building, obtaining this goal by the end of 2008 is not feasible given the present financial commitment of our members. As a result, the strategic plan focuses not on obtaining our own facility but on increasing the effectiveness of our financial stewardship.

Second, while our various goals to strengthen the church and fulfill our mission do not conflict with each other, we have been advised by UUA development consultants Terry Sweetser and Wayne Clark that they cannot be accomplished concurrently. Following the recommendation of the Rev. Brent Smith and at the request of the board of trustees, ASCC members Elgin Vines, Jackie Vines, and David Soet met with Terry and Wayne at General Assembly in St. Louis in June, 2006 to discuss All Souls’ plans for growth. Both consultants stressed that ASCC’s goals of establishing strong music and religious education programs, obtaining our own building, and calling a minister would meet with failure if they were attempted during the same period of time. Based on the tested experience of dozens of other congregations, they advised All Souls to achieve one major goal before moving on to the next one. The present strategic plan reflects this advice.

All Souls was urged to focus on its programs before attempting to call a minister and to delay a capital campaign for our own building for a minimum of four—preferably five—years. Thus, major annual objectives are as follows (details of these objectives are available in the strategic plan):

2006 children’s religious education program

2007 music program

2008 adult religious education program

2009 called minister

2010 capital campaign

These major annual objectives are by no means discrete. In other words, the first year focuses on establishing a religious education program for our children; the second year asks that the congregation maintain its commitment to building the religious education program while shifting its focus to establishing a music program. During these years ASCC would also continue its commitment to programming that is already established, such as community life and covenant groups.

The 2009-2010 objectives, which are beyond the scope of this strategic plan, have been included here to show the recommended progression of major annual objectives.

The strategic plan is divided into four sections (finances, programs, internal communication, and external communication) and concentrates on specific actions the members of All Souls can take to fulfill its mission of liberating and cultivating the spirit.

Program board members were invited by the strategic planning committee to contribute to their respective sections; the strategic plan includes their responses.

Because the liberation and cultivation of the spirit embraces both members and friends of ASCC as well as the greater Grand Rapids community, the strategic plan emphasizes not only those objectives that seek to enhance our own spiritual experience but also objectives that encourage All Souls to look beyond itself to the larger community, particularly by means of adult education and social justice initiatives.

The goals and objectives of the present strategic plan focus on actions the congregation and its leadership can take to live out our mission rather than on specific, measurable endpoints. Thus, rather than a stated goal of “increase membership to 250 by 2008,” the strategic plan encourages activities that will drive growth, such as the development of key programs.

Each of the four sections follows the same general format: goal(s), objectives, strategies to accomplish those objectives, and the specific tactics (action steps) that can be taken to implement the strategies.

1. statement of goal(s)

2. a brief discussion of the present state of the particular issue

3. statement of objectives

4. strategies to accomplish the objectives

5. specific tactics to implement the strategies

With the exception of the second item (a discussion of the present state of the issue), the entries move from the abstract to the concrete. Thus, a goal is the broadest statement of the plan and is most closely related to the mission of the church; objectives are more specific statements that will lead to achieving the goal.

The tactics are intended as specific suggestions for implementing particular strategies, but they are by no means the last word. Members of the congregation are encouraged to supplement the stated suggestions with other tactics to achieve the objectives of this strategic plan.

Most of the suggested tactics are ongoing activities that don’t require a specific timeline. In a few cases, specific times have been suggested. Assigning responsibility for implementing, assessing, or completing many of the tactics has been left to the board of trustees or the appropriate program boards.

But the fulfillment of our mission and the strength of our church cannot and should not reside solely in the hands of boards and committees. Every All Souls member can actively contribute to our success.

Activities marked with a chalice are for everyone, not just members of committees, program boards, or the board of trustees. The generous commitment of each of our members will ensure our vitality for years to come.

From the Strategic Plan Committee

We are grateful to the congregation of All Souls Community Church for entrusting us with the creation of this strategic plan. We have strived to set out a pragmatic, workable plan that remains faithful to All Souls’ mission of liberating and cultivating the spirit while reflecting the needs and desires of the congregation, and we are confident that all of our members working together can follow this plan to increase the health and joy of our church.

In peace,

Elaine Eldridge, Meribeth Nudelman, Mike Arents, Steve Compton, and Herm Sullivan

To fully realize the financial resources available to All Souls Community Church so that it may pursue its mission of liberating and cultivating the spirit

Pledge drives at All Souls have failed to result in an annual budget that reflects the economic status of many of our members and the vision our members have for the church. Too few of our members pledge, pledges are not always fulfilled on time, and some pledges are never received. As a result, All Souls sometimes struggles to honor its financial commitments.

· On December 31, 2005 membership totaled 134 people. Of those, only 103 members had pledged for 2006. This means that 23% of the membership failed to pledge at all.

· There were 63 pledge units at the beginning of 2006, down from 68 pledge units for 2005. Additional pledges made during 2006 restored the total number to 68 pledges by the end of August.

These 68 pledges represent 98 membership units, which means that by August 31, 2006, 31% of the membership units were not pledging.

· On August 31, 2006, pledge collection year-to-date was down by $12,258 ($53,132 collected of $65,390 pledged).

Nonetheless, members of All Souls have shown themselves to be generous in their charitable donations: during 2005, special collections totaled $10,220. The frequency of the special collections (as often as once per month), however, tends to dilute their “special” quality and subtracts from the general plate collection.

Budgeting is made difficult because the church year (beginning in mid-August) and the fiscal year (beginning January 1) do not coincide.

To develop and establish an effective, year-round financial stewardship program

To maintain effective non-pledge fund-raising activities and establish new ones

Engage the services of a UUA fundraising consultant for 2007

Apply to participate in “Forward Through the Ages: A New Stewardship Development Program,” a three-year demonstration project led by UUA development consultant Wayne Clark (2007-2009)

Evaluate the effectiveness of fund-raising activities both financially and in their ability to foster a sense of community and shared purpose among congregants

· Enlist the aid of Rev. Brent Smith, Jackie Vines, Elgin Vines, and David Soet to co-lead fund-raising for the fall of 2006

· Implement the tactics recommended by UUA fund-raising specialists (2007-2008)

· Develop and implement ways of consistently demonstrating the ASCC mission in action

· Consider changing the present fiscal year to match the church year

· Evaluate implementing guidelines for the frequency of special collections

· Continue popular fundraisers such as the silent auction and triathalon while developing new ones

· Partner with other organizations for community-wide fund-raising and increased visibility

· Investigate having a food booth for Celebration on the Grand

· Apply for a Chalice Lighter grant

· Institute financial planning for members (gifts, donations, inheritances, legacy donations)

  Help support the mission of our church by pledging

To liberate and cultivate the spirit of each individual while providing opportunities for our children, members, and friends to gain knowledge, deepen their spiritual lives, and make connections and develop relationships with others walking a spiritual path

The overall state of most of our church programs is strong; however, several programs are floundering without enough board members and sometimes without enough volunteers. Finances remain a challenge for most of our programs.

To move the church from a pastoral church to a fully funded program church

To fully fund children’s religious education (2006), music (2007), and adult religious education (2008)

Fully staff all program boards

Follow the recommended annual sequence of program development

To enable our children to make their own religious choices; to be comfortable with their own identities; and to be tolerant, respectful, and aware of their effect on others

Children’s religious education is led by a strong, dedicated board and an effective part-time interim religious education coordinator. From September through early June, weekly classes are provided for grades 1-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9, and 10-12. A nursery and toddler program is staffed by a paid childcare provider. With the help of many volunteers, ASCC serves approximately 75 K-12 children. The 10-12 grade program is new and still being developed. Over 90% of the respondents to a 2006 parent survey wanted more emphasis on Unitarian Universalist teachings for all grade levels. New curricula have been obtained to meet these needs.

The largest challenge facing the RE program is a lack of funds, particularly for needed supplies. RE leadership believes that ASCC will not need a full-time RE coordinator until the increase in number of children requires some or all of the grade-level groupings to split and require additional classrooms.

To continue to offer a quality, well-run program that reflects the values and objectives of our members, accommodates the needs of our busy volunteers, and encourages our children to come to church on Sundays

Maintain part-time RE coordinator in 2007 and a part-time or full-time RE coordinator in 2008

Provide two years of non-repeating curricula with a Unitarian Universalist emphasis for each classroom in the current grade ranges (combined with our many special Sunday traditions, this would offer three years’ worth of material so that each child would experience a new curriculum each year)

· Provide support and recognition from the RE board for all our volunteer teachers

· Continue to research and obtain Unitarian Universalist-centered curricula that engage our children and are reasonably easy for volunteers to teach

· Continue to develop the grade 10-12 high school program

· Have volunteers critique each lesson they teach to help future volunteers

· Create a buddy program for visiting children with volunteer buddies from each grade level

· Gather parent and child input concerning satisfaction with the RE program at least once per year

· Schedule annual RE board planning sessions to develop short-, mid-, and long-term goals

  Volunteer to help with religious education activities

To have music be an anticipated, joyful, and integral part of our services that serves to cultivate and liberate the spirit of all who attend

The music program enjoys dedicated leadership as well as gifted musicians and is ready to expand its program opportunities to include choirs, instrumental music, and greater participation by the adults and children of All Souls. The difficulty of some of the hymns in the present hymnal decreases the participation and enjoyment for some members of the congregation. There is a paid accompanist but no hired staff to assist with the music program. Two choirs are planned: the first will be by invitation and the second will be a Community Choir open to all members and friends of ASCC.

To hire and retain a music director and possibly a choral director in 2007

To develop a full range of choral and instrumental opportunities for all our members and friends to include family choir, youth choir, teen bell choir, and instrumental music

Identify and interview candidates for music director and/or choral director

Raise the level of our music program so more people want to be involved

Have a music board planning session to determine how to develop and showcase choir opportunities

· Hire a temporary choral director to lead the Community Choir’s Sunday practice until a permanent choral director is hired

· Develop a list of attributes and experience that candidates should possess to increase the likelihood of their success at ASCC

· Develop interview questions and information that will allow candidates to make informed choices about working with a liberal religious community

· Hire the best-suited candidate(s)

· Supplement the present hymnals with Singing the Living Tradition

· Invite guest performers to share their gifts with the congregation

· Provide opportunities for more people to participate in the music portions of the service

· Continue to enrich the service with instrumentalist music

· Have the Community Choir sing during the second service of each month

· Hold music board planning sessions annually

  Join the choir!

To provide a thought-provoking adult religious education program that will fulfill All Souls’ mission of liberating and cultivating the spirit both in the greater Grand Rapids community and among our members and friends

Adult religious education made an excellent start in 2005-2006 with a First Amendment lecture series by ASCC members, a three-lecture series on evolution by Dr. Greg Forbes, and a mid-winter lecture series by the Rev. Suzanne Meyer. Leadership has been secured for an adult religious education board and plans are underway to finalize its by-laws. The new board, which should be established by the end of 2006, will need additional members.

To establish an adult religious education board

To enrich the lives of our adult members

To attract visitors to ASCC

Identify individual(s) to fully staff the new adult religious education board

Continue to build on the excellent momentum started during 2005-2006

Hold one-time events or lecture/discussion series throughout the year, including summer

· Hold at least one annual winter lecture series

· Co-sponsor a lecture series and bring in a national speaker (2007-2008)

· Coordinate marketing efforts to maximize use of free or low-cost media placement

· Publicize speaker schedules in all ASCC communications outlets

· Solicit suggestions for thought-provoking, engaging speakers through The Weekly Expression, website, and announcements

  Attend adult religious education functions and bring a friend

To provide programs and services to welcome new persons into the church community and encourage them to find a religious home at ASCC

Thanks to its capable, diligent leadership, the newcomers program is focused and effective. In addition to welcoming visitors on Sunday mornings and contacting them during the week, staffing the visitor table, and coordinating New Member Sundays, board members and volunteers explain Roots classes to newcomers and encourage Roots sign up. The first Newcomers Social (September 17, 2006) drew eight visitors and will be repeated periodically as there are enough newcomers and visitors to invite.

The board is also working on a coordinated method to track visitors, including how visitors heard of ASCC, whether they return for additional visits, and the first impressions of our visitors.

To increase our effectiveness at making visitors feel welcomed and comfortable

To learn our visitor demographics so that ASCC can be marketed more effectively

Utilize the numerous resources available on uua.org to improve our ability to welcome and track visitors

Foster awareness that making visitors feel welcomed and comfortable is each congregant’s responsibility

Continue to promote newcomers’ activities and events

· Have non-board members serve as greeters

· Institute table greeter training program

· Increase visibility and accessibility of newcomer table to make it more welcoming

· Have Unitarian Universalist informational brochures and pamphlets available at greeter table

· Revise visitors’ card to gather newcomers’ interests, talents, and special needs

· Work to connect newcomers with people and programs they are interested in

· Set up newcomer area for newcomers to congregate before and after services and have members available to answer questions and socialize

· Hold social/informational events two to four times per year to help newcomers to meet members and learn about church programs

  Watch for visitors and greet them warmly; volunteer to be a greeter

To provide small, safe, stable groups that encourage the cultivation and liberation of the spirit as members walk together in spiritual exploration

Covenant is a strong and popular program at ASCC. Almost 50% of our members belong to a Branches (covenant) group. These groups provide ASCC members an opportunity to make deep connections in our church community, to explore our spirituality, and to practice our covenant of walking together “in words and actions of peace and goodwill.” New ASCC members must sometimes wait for months before a new Branches group is formed. Existing Branches groups that have admitted new members have had varying success.

To continue to foster close relationships within covenanted small-group settings

Create and support diverse covenant groups so all ASCC members have an opportunity to join at least one group

· Promote non-Branches covenant groups, e.g., groups that focus on music or social action

· Encourage more openness around the covenant group structure so new members can join existing groups

· Build a resource library of videos and reading materials to support covenant groups

· Utilize the resources of uua.org to gather and implement covenant group suggestions and materials

· Encourage each new Branches group to complete Branches: Part One: The Vision Quest within 18 months after the group forms

  Participate in a covenant group

To provide ASCC members, children, and friends with church-wide and special interest opportunities to make, keep, and deepen our relationships with one another

Community life continues to be a popular program at ASCC. Although the community life board dissolved in mid-2006, leadership has been secured to reconstitute the board. Additional board members are still needed, and enthusiastic non-board volunteers are also needed to help with community life’s many activities, such as the annual Thanksgiving Seder, church picnics, the annual Banned Books Bonfire, and the Welcome Sunday potluck.

To provide opportunities for our members, friends, and children to get to know each other by having fun and enjoying each other’s company

Fill community life board

Create an annual calendar of activities that will appeal to a variety of interests and ages

Develop a system for securing volunteers

· Advertise community life activities in all available ASCC outlets—website, The Weekly Expression, orders of service, lobby bulletin board and table

· Advertise for community life volunteers in all available ASCC outlets

· Have sign-up sheets in main lobby before and after services to solicit volunteers

· Offer training and support to volunteers as needed

· Explore possibilities for interest-specific activities (e.g., social justice)

· Explore possibilities for intergenerational activities (e.g., a garden at Ahavas)

  Volunteer to help with a community life event

Goal

To establish and maintain an effective communication system for members and friends concerning the operation and activities of the church

All Souls Community Church relies primarily on its electronic newsletter, The Weekly Expression, to communicate information about church activities to its members and friends. Subscribers must request to receive the newsletter. The ASCC website provides access to sermons preached at All Souls, but it has not been developed as a vehicle for internal communication. There are few links between the newsletter and the website. The recently updated orders of service are the only other regular vehicle for printed information.

The church lacks a means of emailing its congregants, although the various boards and committees have developed their own email lists.

Oral communications are restricted to occasional announcements during the service. Volunteers staff tables in the lobby to promote the work of various boards.

Information about the work of the boards and covenant groups and decisions made about the church governance, budget, and policies are not always communicated clearly to the congregation. Members do not always read available information, such as the contract with Ahavas.

Objectives 

To improve the reach and scope of internal communication at ASCC

To encourage every member and friend to use all available means of communication to familiarize themselves with the work and activities of the church

Strategies 

Redesign website to include internal as well as external communication

Redesign The Weekly Expression to be the launching point for all other internal communications

Increase lobby presence of program boards’, board of trustees’, and covenant groups’ activities

Expand messaging capabilities

Tactics 

Website

· Create and maintain an annual community calendar that can be accessed by day or month with dates, times, and details for all ASCC events

· Publish internal documents, such as minutes from board of trustees and program board meetings, the ASCC budget, and the Ahavas contract, using a secure password-protected area of the website

· Revise navigation and formatting to make finding information more intuitive

· Obtain software to create a true Podcast that would allow automatic downloads

· Consider adding an interactive map and online discussion forums/boards

The Weekly Expression

· Include links from The Weekly Expression to the website (e.g., the community calendar)

· Investigate a subscribe/unsubscribe system

· Establish opt-in E-mail distribution lists for social action topics

Lobby

· Improve lobby presence by providing better signage for each table

· Publicize social action initiatives in a regular location (e.g., a table) every week

· Have hard copy of community calendar available at newcomers’ table

Messaging

· Obtain an ASCC cell phone and assign a rotating cell phone schedule

· Investigate outgoing voice phone messaging (i.e., a recorded listing of events that is available to subscribers)

· Investigate voicemail on an ASCC cell phone

· Investigate ASCC-staffed office space at Ahavas where we could respond to inquiries, maintain literature, answer calls

· Investigate outgoing short message service (SMS) for scheduling information

  Stay informed about our church—visit our website and read The Weekly Expression

To raise awareness of Unitarian Universalism and ASCC in greater Grand Rapids so that we may more broadly fulfill our mission of liberating and cultivating the spirit

At present our print exposure is almost entirely restricted to the Grand Rapids Press, and consists of a small weekly ad in the religion section, at least one major annual ad in a special section of the paper, and occasional announcements for adult RE and articles that refer to ASCC. The church website provides an introduction to our church and beliefs, a brief overview of Unitarian Universalism, and access to sermons preached at All Souls, but it is incomplete and difficult to navigate. Links to Rev. Brent Smith’s blog and to uua.org do not open up in new windows, making it difficult for viewers to return to our website. ASCC lacks a general information telephone number.

The cost-effectiveness of our present advertising is unknown. Few visitors report having learned about ASCC through the weekly Press ad. During 2006 the newcomers’ board began to make a coordinated effort to track how our visitors hear about us. As data accumulate ASCC will be able to make increasingly efficient decisions concerning its marketing expenditures.

To increase community visibility and draw visitors to ASCC

To raise awareness of Unitarian Universalism in the greater Grand Rapids area

Diversify print ad content and placement

Review UUA “Uncommon Denomination” research and suggestions to ascertain which practices would be most beneficial to raising awareness of Unitarian Universalism and ASCC in the greater Grand Rapids area

Improve website for visitors

Encourage members to speak about liberal religion and our faith tradition

Print advertising

· Survey available publications and costs

· Determine ad content and place ads

· Track ad/visitor correlation

· Effectively market adult religious education offerings by using marketing redundancy: place announcements in GR Press, other targeted local print sources, website, The Weekly Expression, order of service, lobby bulletin boards

UUA Uncommon Denomination

· Determine cost of Uncommon Denomination postcards and mailing to a demographically targeted mailing list (2007)

· Order and mail UUA postcards at recommended intervals (2007-2008)

· Order UUA brochures and obtain brochure rack for lobby placement

· Design and produce visitor DVD to be available at newcomers’ table

Website

· Add links to specific uua.org web pages that offer an introduction to Unitarian Universalism

· Clarify ASCC website layout so visitors can easily locate map, contact information, FAQs, sermons, and “about us” information

Speaking out

· Hold annual or semi-annual workshops in "witnessing" the good news of Unitarian Universalism using source materials from uua.org

· Run member-contributed “elevator speeches” in The Weekly Expression

· Add a “Why I’m a UU” page to the website and keep it updated

· Encourage discussion at Branches and other special interest groups of how to respond to questions about Unitarian Universalism

  Inform yourself and tell others about our church and faith tradition