DRAFT 8/9/10 BRIGHTON HEIGHTS REFORMED CHURCH

DRAFT 8/9/10 BRIGHTON HEIGHTS REFORMED CHURCH STRATEGIC PLAN 2010 to 2015

BRIGHTON HEIGHTS REFORMED CHURCH STRATEGIC PLAN 2010 TO 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview. Page 3 Our Vision.. Page 4 BHRC Strategic Plan...... Pages 5 to 10 Next Steps. Pages 11, 12 Survey Summary Report Appendix A Retreat Agenda. Appendix B OVERVIEW Ministry Teams. Needs Assessment. Appendix C Appendix D In the spring of 2010, the Brighton Heights Reformed Church (BHRC) Consistory recognized a need for a strategic plan that would provide the church with a vision and direction for the next five years that would help the church grow and meet the spiritual needs of the congregation and greater community. The overall purpose of the plan was to define who we wanted to be as a church by affirming our mission and vision, identifying goals that could guide our work going forward 2 P a g e

and creating objectives that would help accomplish the established goals over the next fiveyear period. The Consistory convened a Strategic Planning committee to provide oversight and guidance. The role of the committee was to: a. review the church Policy and Procedures Manual, Book of Church Order and relevant materials to help inform the strategic planning process; b. ensure that the planning process involved all stakeholders; c. keep the congregation informed about the on-going planning process; d. develop and administer a survey to the congregation that assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges of the church; e. report the findings of the survey (see Appendix A); f. coordinate and facilitate the strategic planning day and; g. collect the information from the Strategic Planning Retreat and consolidate into a document format. The Strategic Planning Retreat was held on July 24, 2010. Refer to Appendix B for the retreat agenda. During the retreat the Consistory focused on six key areas: 1. Membership 2. Administration & Communication 3. Community Service & Missions 4. Spiritual Growth and Evangelism 5. Finance & Stewardship 6. Facility This Strategic Planning document outlines the outcomes of the discussions and work completed at the retreat. 3 P a g e

OUR VISION Taking into consideration the input given by the BHRC congregation, the BHRC Consistory developed a 5 year vision for the church based on six (6) categories: 1) Membership 2) Administration & Communication 3) Community Service & Missions 4) Spiritual Growth and Evangelism 5) Finance & Stewardship 6) Facility Membership Vision We envision increasing our membership of committed members who have a passion for Christ and service to our community. Administration & Communication Vision We envision a church of that communicates effectively both internally and externally. Community Service and Missions Vision We envision being a mission focused church with mission teams that ministers to the needs of those in our local and worldwide community. Spiritual Growth Vision We envision nurturing and strengthening the spiritual growth of children, youth, adults and the greater community through annual revivals, youth driven fellowship, and creating engaging ways to cultivate an eagerness for studying, embracing and applying the Word of God. Finance and Stewardship Vision We envision a church that is financially stable and has diverse streams of financial resources to support the work of the church. Facility and Property Vision We envision a church that owns additional property that will help support the anticipated growth in our congregation and the needs of the community we serve. 4 P a g e

BRIGHTON HEIGHTS REFORMED CHURCH STRATEGIC PLAN (1) THE MINISTRY OF WORSHIP AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH The Worship Ministry Faiza Zaki Arranges for all aspects of the regular and special services of worship. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Provide additional services to meet the spiritual needs of the congregation Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. Develop a revival program that will help the church congregation embrace and apply the Word of God and increase their spiritual commitment and outreach to the community. Look for seminary interns as an assistant to minister/youth minister On-going Increase opportunities for youth to participate in the worship service and life of the church Offer a praise and worship service from 10:30am to 10:45am In conjunction with MYG develop a youth driven jam/worship service once a month Identify ways that young people can be involved in the weekly worship service (i.e., ushers, greeters, assist with fellowship, etc.) Develop a procedure to work with MYG to determine the best way to move forward with integrating the youth in the weekly worship service and church events and activities. and on-going 5 P a g e

The Spiritual Growth and Youth Development Ministry Dawn Rannie-White Nurtures the spiritual growth and development of the church family. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. On-going Develop ways to engage youth that are more youth driven. Survey and/or conduct a focus group with the youth to assess their interests (i.e., sports night, basketball team, fitness night, movie night, sports night, after school activities, etc.) Identify what activities will be done for the year and by whom Calendar the chosen activities Plan, implement and evaluate activities to assess level of success. Year 1 to 5 6 P a g e

Provide opportunities for learning, sharing, and coordination in the SGYD ministry Provide the congregation with diverse opportunities to grow spiritually. Develop a regular schedule for classes that happen on an ongoing basis. Bi-annually convene leadership from Sunday School, MYG, Adult Bible School and Bible Study to share their 6 month plans, calendars and resources. Obtain information about Tres Dias. Tres Dias is a weekend 3 day retreat centered on growth in an individual's Christian life. Put into bulletin, Church Herald and on bulletin boards Invite Tres Dias to have monthly meetings at BHRC Identify who will teach the New Member and Confirmation class Schedule the New Member and Confirmation class Conduct outreach to recruit new members and confirmation class members and on-going (2) 7 P a g e

The MINISTRY OF CHURCH LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION & COMMUNICATION The Ministry of Church Life Thelma Kingsale Oversees all programs and activities that promote fellowship and communication among the church family. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. On-going Increase family oriented activities that help build stronger family connections. Identify what activities could be done to achieve goal (i.e., Family Movie Night, Family Fun Day, Candlelight Night) Calendar the chosen activities. Plan, implement and evaluate activity to assess level of success. and on-going Year 1 to 5 The Administration and Communication Simone Richards Handles all internal and external communications to ensure that everyone is well informed of the activities and events occurring at the church. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. On-going Improve internal and external communication through enhancing the functionality of the BHRC website Recruit members to the ministry that have expertise in web development. Identify what we want to the website to do i.e., accept donations, video streaming, etc. Apply changes to the website and pilot for 6 months. Assess functionality of website. Get broad based feedback on effectiveness Year 2 8 P a g e

Ensure that effective policies and procedures that help govern the church are in place and are clear, understandable and in writing. Promote the church to the broader community. Increase communication channels Get recommendations from Consistory and the congregation to identify areas that could be enhanced by improved communication. Develop a brochure or pamphlet that can be used for outreach. Create a database of email addresses of members and adherents Year 1 to 5 Year 1 to 5 (3) 9 P a g e

THE MINISTRY OF MISSIONS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE The Missions Sub-ministry Tony Bryan Identifies ways for the church family to support both domestic and foreign missions. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. On-going Increase local mission work and develop mission teams to support the work. Explore the level of interest of the youth to participate in RCA s Project Timothy. Project Timothy allows young people to explore and experience hands-on ministry in teams. a. Research how to get involved. b. Explore feasibility of incorporating Project Timothy into MYG. Research mission opportunities on RCA website and choose at least 2-3 to work on for the year. The Community Service Sub-ministry Ivy Hasandras Develops ways for the church family to be of service to the community and abroad through special projects and events. Conducts outreach to encourage people to join the church. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. On-going Increase membership by 25 members per year. In collaboration with the Worship Ministry hold membership campaign through revivals and evangelism Send mailings to targeted adherents on the benefits of membership Working collaboratively with the Administration and Communication Ministry, and on-going 10 P a g e

develop information package that can be given to visitors during service or used for outreach Recognize young people for their participation in community service activities and projects. Identify the types of community service activities that our young people can participate in (i.e., working with children in the crying room, Vacation Bible School, food pantries) Develop a list, schedule and identify someone to oversee. Inform the children of the available activities. Provide a letter to the young people that indicates the number of community service hours volunteered. Year 1 to 5 (4) 11 P a g e

THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND STEWARDSHIP The Finance Sub-ministry Kenneth Taylor Creates systems for counting and depositing all church monies and arranges for the payment of bills. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. On-going Generate $1 million by 2015 through a variety of fundraising strategies (i.e., grants, special events, endowments, etc.) Increase the churches ability to raise funds for non-secular activities Assess Strategic Plan financial needs Assess financial needs of church Develop annual fundraising goals Identify specific fundraising strategies that will be used to achieve each of the goals Meet with Stewardship Committee Grant Writing ministry to discuss goals and strategies Annually assess level of achievement of fundraising goals Research how to become a 501C3 Community Development Corp Identify the process and time frame and IRS implications Year 1 to 5 The Stewardship Sub-ministry Mary Bryant Conducts programs and activities, which encourages the members of the church family to give. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. On-going 12 P a g e

Generate $1 million by 2015 through a variety of fundraising strategies (i.e., grants, special events, endowments, etc.) Increase the level of tithing at BHRC Recruit members to grant writing team. In collaboration with the Finance Ministry identify annual goals and grant writing opportunities to apply for. Apply for at least 3 grants Meet with all of the church groups to coordinate all fundraising efforts Working in collaboration with the Property Ministry create a space rental annual goal and ensure that the proper forms, advertising, etc are in place to support the goal. Develop a BHRC common definition of tithing Identify a process for how tithing will be done (i.e., paper work, automatic deductions, etc.) Develop ways to diversify the ways the congregation is informed of what tithing is and how they can start tithing at BHRC Include a tithing orientation for new members (5) THE MINISTRY OF PROPERTY Year 1 to 5 The Ministry of Property Barrion McKibben and Abraham Joseph Ensures that the structural integrity of all buildings and property owned by the church are maintained and is in compliance. Goals Objectives Complete By Increase ministry membership Conduct on-going recruitment of members for ministry and meet regularly. On-going 13 P a g e

Obtain a church owned vehicle to help meet the needs of the church. Explore the need to plant new churches Research to assess price. Research to assess options such as getting donations. Research grants that could be used towards the purchase of a vehicle. Make an informed decision of desired direction. Develop a criteria to help the Consistory determine when BHRC needs to add additional locations. Determine the cost to plant a new church. Research the availability and cost of the Convent. Identify funding to support. Year 2 14 P a g e

Next Steps Check when completed Elder Rannie-White will take all of the notes and outcomes of the Strategic Plan retreat and develop the plan. The Consistory will review and vote to accept the Strategic Plan. The Consistory will meet with the leadership of all of the church groups in September 2010 to: a. present and discuss the Strategic Plan b. have the groups share their calendars c. coordinate upcoming fundraising events The Consistory will present the Strategic Plan to the congregation in September 2010 and identify how they can become involved. This will be an opportunity to recruit new members to each of the ministries. The Consistory will create on-going ways to recruit members for the Ministries. Each of the Consistory Ministries will develop a standing meeting date. Strategic Plan updates will be given through the Ministry Reports at Consistory meetings. In the event that the chair of the ministry will be absent from the Consistory meeting they will be responsible for submitting a report to the Clerk of Consistory. The goal is to have a centralized calendar that combines the calendar events maintained by Barbara Shannon and Barry McKibben. There is a software that can be used. The Consistory needs to explore whether Rebekah would be willing to input the data to the calendar. 15 P a g e

In an effort to make the most of our time together future Consistory meetings will begin on time. Next Steps Parking Lot Issues 1) Deficit a. How do we address? (need to increase cash flow, need to analyze cost, explore different way to present finances) b. The need to improve voucher system. 2) Visiting i.e., home visits, communion, etc. Thelma a. Can it be organized or communicated better? 3) Care Groups Rev. Seawood, Mary & Simone a. How do we do it? b. What does it look like? 4) Identify Gifts of Congregation a. How will we incorporate these gifts into the life of the church To consider: 1- Getting membership bio s 2- Introducing the ministries on Sundays 3- Put in Herald 4- Care Groups could assess and use a form 16 P a g e

APPENDIX A BRIGHTON HEIGHTS REFORMED CHURCH Survey Summary Report Overview In preparation for the Strategic Planning Retreat, during the months of June and July 2010, the Consistory distributed a Survey to the Brighton Heights Reformed Church congregation to obtain feedback. The Consistory wanted to get the congregations input and ensure that the 5 year Strategic Plan was inclusive of the congregation s ideas and vision for the church. The following summary is a compilation of the input from the members and adherents. Thirty-seven (37) individuals completed the survey. Of the thirty-seven (37) respondents, 70% were members. In addition, of the thirty seven (37) respondents, 62% have an email address and of those with email addresses 43% check their email frequently. Survey Responses The survey requested feedback on the following statements. Respondents were asked to rate each statement on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 was Strongly Agree and 5 was Strongly Disagree. The number next to each of statements represents the average response. Average Response 1) The Sunday worship service meets and addresses my Spiritual needs. 2.42 2) I feel well informed about the events and activities at the church. 2.31 3) I believe the church is making an impact on the community. 2.46 4) I understand the role of the Consistory. 2.41 5) The minister is responsive to the needs of the congregation. 2.21 6) The Consistory is responsive to the needs of the congregation. 2.63 The survey also had open-ended questions where respondents were able to share more qualitative information. The bolded statements for each question represent responses where there were overlapping similarities in responses. 1) What does Brighton Heights do well? What is BHRC known for? Friendly church, welcoming to new visitors the community and kids, fellowship hour Feeding ministry, food is leader, always serves great food Helping and assisting others in need, service to the community Outreach and reaching out to the community Helping in disasters and giving spiritual support through trouble times Good Sunday School program MYG Vacation Bible School 17 P a g e

Health forum, health program very good BHRC Survey Summary page 2 Mid day prayer Making space available for community events Great choirs Meeting, discussing, organizing, fellowshipping Putting on special events that are well planned Senior Center Spanish Congregation A lot of activities Bible classes 2) What do you feel BHRC should be doing or could be better? Visit the sick, homebound, those that don t come regularly or miss Sundays, equipping the congregation to minister to the sick, the poor and the despaired Use grade 12 youth in the church service at least once a month, incorporate youth in the leadership of worship, ask them what talents they have and give them the means to use their skills in worship Youth worship services and youth minister, do more for youth, let youth have more events that they would like, have a teen service, more programs for youth and those in the surrounding community, develop teen ministry that is relevant to teens. Better communication between BHRC groups and congregation, lack of communication i.e., events and plans, no planning ahead everything is last minute, more transparency as to what the church does in the community, better use of newsletter to inform congregation of church activities Outreach to age divisions more, reach out to 20 to 40 year olds, outreach to the HIV positive community, get more youth, reach out to our young men Evangelizing to bring more members in Helping those in need More medical or social issues discussed at workshops Better discipline of children during fellowship hour Prayer, accountability, transparency and humility More family days, board game night, gym activities, basketball, exercise, volleyball Return to sports like basketball Activities and programs for seniors Need for Pastor s letter each month in newsletter We need a minister who is around more Teaching programs need more consistency More member participation and involvement Offer a praise worship session from 10:45am to 11:00am Bringing Christianity back to the church and community 18 P a g e

Are we doing any missions? Provide other music to attract a diversity of people, include instruments Offer boy scouts BHRC Survey Summary page 3 3) What is your vision for BHRC? What do you believe BHRC should be doing in the next 5 years? BHRC should diversify their funding, more fund raising events to supplement church income, develop a grant writing committee to seek outside and matching funds After school programs, computer teaching, exercise program for adults See the congregation grow by having revival crusades, have revival crusade so individuals can recommit their faith in Christ, holding crusades BHRC should be more unified, meeting regularly with the other Staten Island Reformed churches, and hosting and annual Experiencing God weekend retreat Visit the sick and help the needy Use multiple ways to inform everyone about what is happening in the church Look outside to see what is needed to uplift the community and then work to develop programs that will address those needs Provide day care service for low income families, offer day care, after school, youth & young adult services and programs, counseling programs More programs for youth (i.e., Boy Scouts) Opening to receive more young adults and young people in the church Get additional help through seminaries, colleges and social service agencies for interns, volunteers and part time staff interested in building toward full paid positions Training to teach youth how to be more courteous Promote higher education for our youth Children pastor, children s musician Church service should be finished at the right time Be known as the come as you are church where all are welcomed and not judged Increase/expend scholarship/educational opportunities for youth A second English service on Sundays Reaching out to more teens as well as the community More meaningful outreach Known for helping everyone in the Staten Island community BHRC should be known throughout the community Known for the church that is provides faith healing to the poor, the sick and the despaired according to the book of James Library open thrift shop 2 days a week Morning bible study More people willing to volunteer to help After school programs for adults as well as youth 19 P a g e

Improvement in the Sunday School Give the young people more meaningful opportunities to participate in the service Spiritual and effective Sunday School for all children in church A better Sunday School youth are our future, without the knowledge of God we are nothing Community programs such as: Health Education Workshops More summer programs Baptizing babies of adherents & families BHRC Survey Summary page 4 To be open to the community in the afternoon with games, activities, youth groups 24/7 Associate Pastor to operate the church 7 days a week as a safe place for teens Improve use of technology to offer multimedia worship and programming Develop couples Bible study to strengthen marriages and enhance opportunities for Christian centered dating and relationships 4) What could be potential obstacles to achieving the vision you described? We have to be willing to accept change and it does not mean losing traditions but instead creating new ones, persons not being open to change, fear of change Not getting and sustaining volunteers to help An inactive minister, a part time minister Not having adequate money, lack of fund raising ideas, not having a grants committee, not enough willing or committed workers, to get more money we may need a tithing ministry with specific objectives priced, targeted and preached from the pulpit and tracked on a graphic picture in the sanctuary. Not putting God first, not achieving what we want without the respect and knowledge of God, faithless workers or faith without deeds No unity of purpose, not working together for a common goal, not setting measurable goals Not growing in membership If people don t feel the church is welcoming Divisiveness or an unwilling spirit of unity Not having discussions and congregational meetings Lack of help from the congregation and the minister New ideas clashing with old minds People who are set in their ways and create many obstacles in the way of helping the church to grow, not open to new ideas Not being transparent The youth not having more of a say in things concerning them and losing the youth we have now People thinking someone else will do it Limited resources Coordination of efforts Getting it past Consistory 20 P a g e

The Synod Some members Commitment, if we are committed and prayerful to see a ministry of God s fulfillment it will happen. Disagreements Doors not being open 21 P a g e

APPENDIX B BRIGHTON HEIGHTS REFORMED CHURCH STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT JULY 24, 2010 AGENDA "And Jesus said unto them..., "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you." Matthew 17:20 1) Opening Prayer 2) Review Group Promise 3) Team Building Exercise 4) Review Mission Statement 5) Survey Themes 6) Needs Assessment 7) Vision 8) Lunch 9) Goals and Objectives Development 10)Our Resources 11) Strategic Plan Next Steps 12)Policy and Procedure Manual Recommendations 13)Reflections 14)Closing Prayer "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3 22 P a g e

APPENDIX C BRIGHTON HEIGHTS REFORMED CHURCH MINISTRY TEAMS 2010 According to the BHRC Policy and Procedures Manual, the Consistory has five ministries, each with sub-ministries. 1) THE MINISTRY OF WORSHIP AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH The Worship Sub-ministry Faiza Zaki Arranges for all aspects of the regular and special services of worship. Sanctuary Choir Women in Christ Choir Altar Flowers Greeters Men s Fellowship Choir MYG Choir Communion Ushers The Spiritual Growth and Youth Development Sub-ministry Dawn Rannie-White Nurtures the spiritual growth and development of the church family. Sunday School Christian Endeavor Millennium Youth Group Adult Bible School Confirmation Class Christian Literature Vacation Bible School New Member Class 2) THE MINISTRY OF CHURCH LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION & COMMUNICATION The Church Life Sub-ministry Thelma Kingsale Oversees all programs and activities that promote fellowship and communication among the church family. Fellowship Hour Care Groups Scholarship Committee Women s Fellowship Men s Fellowship Birthday Celebrations The Administration and Communication Sub-ministry Simone Richards Handles all internal and external communications to ensure that everyone is well informed of the activities and events occurring at the church. Church Herald Newsletter Announcements & Bulletins 3) THE MINISTRY OF MISSIONS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE/OUTREACH The Missions Sub-ministry Tony Bryan Identifies ways for the church family to support both domestic and foreign missions. Mid-day Prayer Mission of the Month The Community Service and Outreach Sub-ministry Ivy Hasandras Develops ways for the church family to be of service to the community and abroad through special projects and events. Conducts outreach to encourage people to join the church. Health and Wellness Program Community use of Church Facilities Back to 23 P a g e

School BBQ Angel Tree Program Membership Drives Community Service Days 4) THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND STEWARDSHIP The Finance Sub-ministry Kenneth Taylor Creates systems for counting and depositing all church monies and arranges for the payment of bills. The Stewardship Sub-ministry Mary Bryant Conducts programs and activities which encourages the members of the church family to give to the church. Steeple Lighting Carillon 5) THE MINISTRY OF PROPERTY Barrion McKibben and Abraham Joseph Ensures that the structural integrity of all building owned by the church are maintained and is in compliance. BHRC Forever Young Senior Center Gardens APPENDIX D NEEDS ASSESSMENT During the Strategic Planning retreat, the Consistory did a Needs Assessment to assess the needs of the BHRC and broader community and identify those needs that the church meets and the needs that the church does not meet. Guiding Questions 1. What are the needs of the people in our church? Jobs/Job Training Knowledge of Bible Parenting Training Knowledge of Social Service programs More educational choices (parents and children are not aware of opportunities) Food donations Health care Education on tithing Spiritual growth education/praise and worship service Revival Computer classes for adults 2. What are the needs of the people in the Staten Island community? More political involvement, making politicians more responsive to community needs To know Christ To band together Affordable housing Prison outreach for re-entry to society 24 P a g e

More open communication with law enforcement Community learning to live together Job Fairs at BHRC Anger management workshops Address gangs in the community and racial profiling Opportunities to learn personal growth and etiquette 3. What community needs do we address currently? Mid Day Prayer Every 5 th Wed Women s Fellowship cooks for the homeless shelter Offer our space to others Youth programs (i.e., MYG, choir) In house Scholarship programs Vacation Bible School Girl Scouts Back to School Wednesday Bible Study Sunday Service Senior Center Forever Young 4. What community needs do we not address? Youth and family oriented activities (i.e., sports night, family night, movie night, Candle Light night, talent night, singles night, etc.) Educational services to adults and youth (i.e., after school programs, opportunities to use computers) Youth driven events Youth driven worship service Prison ministry that include family, consider reviving Angel Tree Safe place for battered women and abused children, able to offer assistance and provide support HIV/AIDS Outreach Financial literacy, get out of debt Improve relationships with the justice system Teen mothers, be a resource to, offer proactive education and support Boys to men mentoring program 25 P a g e