Q: Should we take the time to hold a retreat to create a vision statement? A: Synagogue leaders have heard that organizations need a vision, strategies, and goals, but they often are not sure what they should do next. Observers…
Read MoreCENTERview: Choosing Technology That Forwards Mission and Ministry
My two-member household is awash in a sea of technology. That’s one reason we were interested in reading Better Off by Eric Brende. A technology consumer, Brende did graduate studies at M.I.T. on technology and its effect on society. He…
Read MoreShine Your Light: How to Build Buzz and Reach Your Community
It was a lovely winter Sunday, and I was sitting with four friends in the pews of a Unitarian church in the small town of Littleton, Massachusetts. Nothing terribly unusual—except that none of us were Unitarians and we had never…
Read MoreWorship Is Mission
My mandate was clear when they called me to be their pastor: “Help our church to grow.” Looking back, I was very naive. It honestly never occurred to me that the members of a congregation would, on the one hand,…
Read MoreKnowing Your Community, Defining Your Mission
Getting to know the community that your congregation will focus on is a critical step in defining your mission. To start, work on getting answers to several key questions: What are the primary issues in your community? How do the…
Read MoreOur New Front Door: How Congregational Web Sites Communicate Church Vision
Jonathan, 28, believes Web sites function like a “front page” for organizations. He notes that his generation surfs the Internet continuously, both during the work day and during leisure hours, and that they would almost never visit a church or…
Read MoreCongregational Readiness for Visioning and Planning
Before I agree to work with a planning team, I determine if the leadership is ready for the test. Congregations are different. Some are doing great and don’t need to do developmental planning now. Others lack a readiness to plan….
Read MoreCENTERview: The Congregation as Author: Sharing Stories, Listening Deeply, and Finding New Creative Vision
Once upon a time… The Center for Congregations encourages faith communities to reflect on once upon a time—that is, we listen to and encourage stories. Sharing stories builds commitment to the congregation’s mission. Stories testify to the rhythm of a…
Read MoreThe Performance Planning Meeting: Putting Our People Where Our Mission Is
Whether we are talking about congregations with one staff person or very large congregations with dozens, volunteer and employed staff—people—are the primary resource used to accomplish the mission of the congregation. Commonly 65 percent or more of a congregation’s annual…
Read MoreCongregations and Foundations: Meeting in the Spaces Between
“Everything is connected…no one thing can change by itself.” —Paul Hawken, entrepreneur The nation’s clergy and congregations might be dismayed or exhilarated by what foundation leaders had to say at a recent meeting convened by the Alban Institute. The meeting…
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