Operational Strategic Plan January 10, 2011
Introduction... 3 The Operational Strategic Plan (OSP): A Living Document... 3 Definition of Terms... 3 Functions of Operational Strategic Plan (OSP)... 4 Ends... 4 Ends with Strategies... 4 End 1: The Triumphant Love community grows in faith, embodies Christ, and enriches.... 4 Education Ministry strategies... 4 Nurture Ministry strategies... 5 Social Service Ministry strategies... 5 Witness Ministry strategies... 5 Worship Ministry strategies... 5 End 2: Triumphant Love is a Christ-centered family where people find acceptance,... 5 Education Ministry strategies... 6 Nurture Ministry strategies... 6 Social Service Ministry strategies... 6 Witness Ministry strategies... 6 Worship Ministry strategies... 6 End 3: Triumphant Love is dynamic, vital and relevant to our community.... 6 Education Ministry strategies... 7 Nurture Ministry strategies... 7 Social Service Ministry strategies... 7 Witness Ministry strategies... 7 Worship Ministry strategies... 7 End 4: Children want to be at Triumphant Love.... 7 Education Ministry strategies... 7 Nurture Ministry strategies... 8 Social Service Ministry strategies... 8 Witness Ministry strategies... 8 Worship Ministry strategies... 8 Monitoring and Review Process... 9 Modification Process... 9 2
Introduction The Operational Strategic Plan (OSP): A Living Document The Operational Strategic Plan (OSP) was developed in response to section 4.3 of the Council Policy Manual, which requires the Executive Director to have an operational strategic plan with a time frame of not less than three years. This document was developed relying heavily on input from the TLLC staff and Board of Ministries. The format is based on a drill down technique, which begins with the macro vision and goals and drills down, becoming more and more specific. This Operational Strategic Plan is a living document and will evolve based on careful analysis by the Executive Director with input from the Board of Ministries. It can also be modified in response to changes in the Council Policy Manual. Additionally, this document is a work in progress and will be modified and refined in the coming months. Definition of Terms Ends Strategy Tactic Board of Ministries Operations Resources of TLLC The Ends are the vision and direction of TLLC as defined by the Congregation Council. Ends Statement: Our organization will provide said benefit to said benefactor at said cost. In this document, a strategy is a method or philosophy intended to achieve an End. Strategic Statement: We will use said method or philosophy to meet said End. In this document, a tactic is a course of action in executing a strategy. Tactical Statement: We will pursue said course of action in executing said strategy. The Board of Ministries (BOM) comprises the five Mission Focus Areas (MFA) of TLLC: Education, Nurture, Social Service, Witness, and Worship. In this document, Operations (when capitalized) is defined as all ministry support functions and non-ministry functions at TLLC. In this document, mention of the resources of TLLC refers to the staff, the facilities, and the donated time, talents, and treasure of the congregation. 3
Functions of Operational Strategic Plan (OSP) The OSP is an operating manual for the organization. The focus of the organization is to meet the Ends designed by the Council and this OSP provides the Means to meet those Ends. The OSP is designed to be comprehensive. Any strategies or tactics employed by TLLC are to be included in the OSP. Ends 1) The Triumphant Love community grows in faith, embodies Christ, and enriches the lives of others. 2) Triumphant Love is a Christ-centered family where people find acceptance, support, and connected relationships. 3) Triumphant Love Lutheran Church is dynamic, vital, and relevant to our community. 4) Children want to be at Triumphant Love. Ends with Strategies Strategies are numbered with the following structure: AA#B AA = First two letters of Mission Focus Area (example: ED = Education, NU = Nurture, etc.) # = End Number (example: 1 =End number 1, 2 = End number 2, etc.) B = Strategy variable progressing A through Z (example: A, B, C, D, etc.) End 1: The Triumphant Love community grows in faith, embodies Christ, and enriches the lives of others. Education Ministry strategies ED1A Offer activities and events that are transformative in nature, experiential and relational, and not limited to simply acquiring knowledge. ED1B Embody Christ by meeting and valuing learners exactly as they are, without regard to abilities or past experience, and enrich their lives by nurturing their faith through a variety of means. ED1C Offer educational activities that are meaningful to the learners and help them make connections between faith in God and daily life. 4
Nurture Ministry strategies NU1A Offer opportunities for members to grow in faith as they experience the love of Christ in action through acts of internal service at TLLC. NU1B Offer opportunities for members to embody Christ through support for each other in times of need and shared times of celebration. NU1C Offer opportunities for members to delight in each other and make the condition of others our own. Social Service Ministry strategies SO1A Offer opportunities for members to grow in faith and embody Christ as they give and receive the grace of Christ through serving. SO1B Offer programs and opportunities to directly enrich the lives of others. Witness Ministry strategies WI1A Offer opportunities for members to grow in faith by seeing the results of spreading the love of Christ. WI1B Offer opportunities to embody Christ by following His instructions from Matthew 28:16-20, also known as The Great Commission. WI1C Enrich the lives of other by spreading the gospel of Christ and sharing the love and grace that are freely given to us. Worship Ministry strategies WO1A Enable members to grow in faith and enrich their lives through inspiring music, liturgy and preaching, through the observance and receipt of the sacraments, and through sacrificial giving. WO1B Gather together as the body of Christ to bolster our faith, and to send us out to be Christ to the world. WO1C Encourage members to enrich the lives of others by serving during worship as worship leaders and artists. End 2: Triumphant Love is a Christ-centered family where people find acceptance, support, and connected relationships. 5
Education Ministry strategies ED2A Keep all activities welcoming to people of all abilities. ED2B Provide opportunities for learning that are relevant for specific populations within the church that enable learners to apply their faith to daily life. ED2C Enable members become to become acquainted and share their stories and faith with one another. Nurture Ministry strategies NU2A Encourage a Christ-centered family environment through fellowship and service. NU2B Actively pursue opportunities to unconditionally meet the needs of all people. NU2C Promote connected relationships by bringing people together with commonalities and provide opportunities to allow the TLLC community to better know each other. Social Service Ministry strategies SO2A Promote TLLC being a Christ-centered family by recognizing all the members of our community as members of our community. SO2B Offer direct advocacy and financial support to those in need. SO2C Encourage developing connected relationships to those we serve. Witness Ministry strategies WI2A Spread the triumphant love of Christ to those seeking acceptance, support, and connected relationships. Worship Ministry strategies WO2A Form close relationships by bringing together people with common talents to serve in a variety of ways. WO2B Welcome all people to participate in worship and Holy Communion. WO2C Develop a Christ-centered bond among us by worshipping together and taking communion together. End 3: Triumphant Love is dynamic, vital and relevant to our community. 6
Education Ministry strategies ED3A Regularly assess learning activities for growth, meaning, and overall effectiveness. Teachings provided by TLLC are life-giving in that they proclaim the gospel of Jesus death and resurrection and promote the Kingdom of God. ED3B Address current issues in the context of faith in Christ. Nurture Ministry strategies NU3A Focus on serving each other. As we become a family in Christ, focused more on the needs of each other than our own, we become salt and light in our community. Social Service Ministry strategies SO3A Support activities and programs that are vital to our community. SO3B Promote a Christ-like love to the world through the true concept of stewardship. Witness Ministry strategies WI3A Promote the activities at TLLC to our community. WI3B Stay in-tune with the community and provide feedback regarding the community s opinion of TLLC and what the community desires from the church. Worship Ministry strategies WO3A Offer meaningful worship in a variety of styles and with a message that engages the community. WO3B Offer activities and events in addition to Sunday worship that attract the community. WO3C Provide worship in a manner that is relevant to the community in which we serve. End 4: Children want to be at Triumphant Love. Education Ministry strategies ED4A Provide safety, love, and inclusion for all children. ED4B Provide engaging opportunities for children. 7
ED4C Encourage families to make TLLC an extension of their homes by providing activities and events that encourage families to support one another. ED4D Teach children about the unconditional love and grace of Christ. Nurture Ministry strategies NU4A Provide meals and snacks for children. NU4B Support activities and events for children. NU4C Support families going through difficult times. NU4D Celebrate the achievements of children. NU4E Provide transportation to events and activities for children. Social Service Ministry strategies SO4A Provide service activities for children in order to give children the opportunity to help those in need. SO4B Develop activities using the facilities of TLLC to attract those in need from the community around us, including children. Witness Ministry strategies WI4A Spread the triumphant love of Christ to children and families that visit TLLC and the CDC for worship, activities, and events. WI4B Promote the activities and events for children to the community. Worship Ministry strategies WO4A Provide a variety of musical opportunities for children. WO4B Enable worship experiences that engage children. WO4C Provide opportunities for children to learn about and be involved in worship. 8
Monitoring and Review Process The success of the strategies in this OSP will be based wholly upon the Council s perception of their success in meeting the ends of the Council. Monthly reports should be formulated in such a way to show the success of each strategy in meeting the ends. The monitoring and review process will be as follows: 1) Develop strategies designed to meet the ends of the Council. 2) Implement strategies, prioritized from most likely to succeed to least likely to succeed. 3) Staff and Board of Ministries will provide continuous monitoring and analysis of all strategies. 4) Any strategy that fails to be implemented per the developed implementation schedule will require a detailed explanation and revised implementation schedule.* 5) The staff liaisons to each MFA will provide monthly reports to the Executive Director regarding the success or failure of each implemented strategy in meeting the ends of the Council.* 6) The Executive Director will submit periodic information to Council for review, along with any data gathered which is relevant to the success or failure of implemented strategies. 7) The Congregation Council will accept or reject the findings of the Executive Director and provide feedback to the Executive Director. Modification Process The following are the steps for modifying the Operational Strategic Plan: 1) The master OSP will reside on the server in the user/mike folder. One back-up will reside on the Executive Director s PC and a second back-up will be provided, as updated, to the President of the Congregation. 2) The most up-to-date version of the OSP will reside on the website in PDF format (on January 31, 2010). 3) Minor corrections, such as grammar or spelling corrections, formatting corrections, etc. can be submitted to the Executive Director (ExD) in writing or through e-mail. The ExD will make necessary minor corrections to the master OSP. 4) Modifications to the Introduction, Monitoring and Review Process, and Modification Process can be requested either in writing or via e-mail to the Executive Director. The Executive Director will respond to all such requests within 1 week of receipt. 5) Modifications to the Implementation Schedule must be approved by the Mission Focus 9
Coordinator and the staff liaison to the applicable Board of Ministry. Submissions to the Executive Director must include written authorization of both MFC and staff liaison. Once approved, the Executive Director will modify the OSP within 1 week of submission. * 6) Modifications to strategies or tactics must be approved by the MFC, staff liaison, and Executive Director before being incorporated into the OSP. Any modification to the strategies must be reported to Council. Upon approval by all parties, the ExD will incorporate necessary changed to the OSP within 1 week of approval. * 7) If in any of the above mentioned steps, the Executive Director refuses to modify the OSP for any reason, the submitter(s) may appeal the Executive Director s decision to the Senior Pastor. Even though the final decision rests with the Executive Director, the opinion of the Senior Pastor will be very carefully considered. * These items also refer to internal processes and procedures regarding the Operational Strategic Plan. 10