Ministry Action Plan (MAP)

Ministry Action Plan (MAP)

SPRING HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS MINISTRY ACTION PLAN DEVELOPED JULY 2008 I. Ministry Action plan # 1 A. Implement a Nurture Ministries Program Nurture ministries will encompass holistic care of the congregation, providing opportunities for spiritual, social, emotional, and cognitive growth within the congregation. The first areas of action under this plan include: 1. Offer mid week and small group, short term studies and include free childcare for the benefit of families with young children. 2. Offer mid week activities for children and youth to coincide with adult mid week studies. 3. Begin offering Disciple Bible Studies. 4. Begin a 5th Sunday Fellowship that would include a meal and a welcome celebration for new members of the congregation. 5. Utilize the talents of the pastor by adding to our staff one part time Administrative Assistant. 6. Additionally, we plan to add to our current summer Duke Intern a nine month Duke Intern through the Duke Endowment program. B. Specific goal(s) of this plan: 1. To strengthen the local church through Worship, Study, and Fellowship by increasing opportunities for the congregation to participate together throughout the week with activities 1 4 above. 2. An administrative assistant will be utilized to free up our pastor, enabling him to spend more time in ministry and shepherding of the congregation and community. Additionally, an administrative assistant will be a great asset for organizing the day to day operation of the church office, organizing volunteers, and ensuring that office matters are attended to in a timely manner. 3. A nine month Duke Intern will bring an additional presence of ministry leadership to our congregation. Through our past experiences with the summer intern program, an intern provides additional opportunities for the congregation, complimenting the gifts and graces of the pastor. C. The specific elements of the plan for improvement: 1. Mid Week and small group meetings, including children and youth, will begin in September. Most of the resources needed are in place to begin adult studies. Resources are being reviewed for children and youth programming. 2. Disciple Bible Studies to begin in September 2008. Disciple I Kit and study booklets have been purchased. 3. 5th Sunday Fellowship to begin in the fall.

4. PPRC and the Church Council have already approved the additional staff for our congregation. An Administrative Assistant has been hired and will begin in late August 2008. An application has been submitted to Duke Field Education for an intern. D. How and when improvement will be measured: 1. Improvement will be measured by the participation of the members of the congregation for items 1 4. Reviewed quarterly. 2. Additionally, feedback from the participants will also be utilized to measure the success of the ministry programs for items 1 4. 3. Improvement in the area of staff will be measured by improvement in the organization of the church office, increased efficiency. II. Ministry Action plan # 2 A. Implement an Outreach Ministries Program: The specific goal of this plan is to encourage our congregation to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a hurting world. Through our Lay Leadership Team we are prayerfully seeking individuals to lead and serve in Outreach ministry. Our Ministry Team will have three primary components: 1. Ministries of Compassion: a. Implement a regular giving campaign for the local food pantry (monetary& grocery items) b. Implement a plan of church wide participation in special giving during Advent/Christmas. 2. Ministries of Advocacy and Concern: a. Develop at least one new outreach ministry program that encourages our congregation to get involved at the community level to offer assistance to those in need. 3. Mission Ministries Development Team: a. Develop a team to increase awareness of missions, locally and globally through Mission Moments, distribution of literature, displays, bulletin boards, etc. b. To increase awareness and participation in Special Sundays Giving through the United Methodist Church; and c. To provide and promote a plan for Advance Giving at SHUMC, leading the congregation to become part of the Rainbow Covenant of the NCCUMC. B. Specific Goal(s) of This Plan: To increase awareness and participation of the congregation in the local community and globally through outreach ministries. C. The specific elements of the plan for improvement (include time line and resources needed):

1. Plans are currently underway to begin a weekly campaign for the collection of resources for the local food pantry and a special campaign for collection of gifts for Advent/Christmas. 2. The Lay Leadership Committee has identified a Chairperson for Ministries of Advocacy and Concern. Currently a team is being built to support this work area. This team will begin their work January 1, 2009. 3. The Lay Leadership Committee has identified a Chairperson for Missions. Currently a team is being built to support this work area. This team will begin their work January 1, 2009. D. How and when improvement will be measured: 1. Ministries of Compassion: SHUMC has previously conducted a food drive once or twice a year. Improvement in this area will be gauged by a comparison of collection over a six month period using weekly collections vs. bi annual collections. 2. Advent/Christmas campaign will be measured by participation level of the congregation. 3. Ministries of Advocacy and Concern and Missions will be measured by the participation level of the congregation in new ministries provided. III. Ministry Action plan # 3 A. Implement a Witness Ministries Program: The specific goal of this plan is to encourage our congregation to live out the Great Commission. Through our Lay Leadership Team we are prayerfully seeking individuals to lead and serve in Witness Ministries. Our Ministry Team will have four primary components: 1. Worship & The Arts 2. Evangelism 3. Communications 4. Stewardship B. Specific Goals of the Plan: 1. Worship & The Arts: Creating an atmosphere for worship that will enhance the worship experience for the current congregation and for those who visit. Encourage greater participation of the laity in the worship setting. 2. Evangelism: To further develop SHUMC s evangelistic efforts within the community to reach out to the un churched, de churched, and pre churched, carrying out the Great Commission. 3. Communications: To coordinate the efforts of the church s communications, bringing all areas under one umbrella. This will enable us to be united in the message that we send out into the community, giving SHUMC a greater brand identity. The Communications team will be charged with overseeing the general lay out of Worship Programs and Newsletters, Audio/Visual, Sound & Lights, Photography, Web site, Marketing & Advertising, Church Directory, and Radical Hospitality Awareness. This group will also

assist other ministry areas in the church with development of promotional materials, insuring a continuing theme in the presentation of ministries at SHUMC. 4. Stewardship: Developing a team and coordinator to lead the church in an annual pledge campaign of time, talents, gifts, service and discipleship. The purpose of this group will be to increase awareness of opportunities of service and to encourage congregants towards greater service. C. The specific elements of the plan for improvement (include time line and resources needed): Note: Lay Leadership is providing the framework for these areas as they seek leadership for the next year and beyond at SHUMC. 1.Worship & The Arts: In July, SHUMC began to increase the participation of laity during the worship service with the participation of lay readers. In August we have utilized the laity during the offering time to share words of encouragement about stewardship. Additionally, individuals and small groups have begun to participate by bringing special music during the offertory, prelude, and postlude. It is our desire to continue to increase this participation. Other plans to increase participation and enhance the worship experience include: a. the organization of a drama team to assist in worship b. work with greeters and ushers to increase their awareness of visitors in our worship and enhance their experience by introducing them to and seating them with members of the congregation c. greater participation by youth and children in the worship setting 2. Evangelism: Our Evangelism Team is currently working on two large projects: a. Open House Month in September (utilizing the Igniting Ministry Campaign b. Family Fun Day an outreach program to the community that provides an afternoon and evening of free entertainment and food 3. Communications: There are numerous goals for the communications team to work on for the re mainder of 2008 and 2009. As this team comes together they will begin their focus on: a. Continue to work towards development of a brand identity for SHUMC b. Updating and streamlining the church s website to make it more user friendly and in creasing its appeal to those seeking information about SHUMC c. Resurrecting the church s newsletter and seeking information and articles from each ministry area in the church to keep the congregation aware and interested in the ministries of the church d. Develop an in house published directory that can be updated and distributed regularly to include those who join and/or associate with SHUMC

e. Continue to document through photography activities and events at SHUMC and in the community, utilizing photographs in our publications and displays f. Begin development and training of a hospitality team to increase our awareness of visi tors and creating an inviting and welcoming environment g. Assist all groups within the church with development of printed or other media materials 4. Stewardship: SHUMC currently does not participate in any planned giving campaign or pledge campaign. Throughout the year there are numerous drives to collect additional monies or manpower to operate the budget and to get things done within the church and community. The Stewardship component of Witness Ministries will be utilized to begin an annual pledge campaign that focuses on pledged funds to meet our budget, and also focusing on time, talents, service and discipleship. In addition to training, this team will require a planned giving campaign. D. How and When Will Improvement Be Measured: 1. Worship & The Arts: Improvement will be measured by feedback from the team, Lay Leader, SPPRC, and the congregation. Also by increased attendance and participation in worship 2. Evangelism: Improvement will be measured by increased participation in evangelism efforts of the congregation. The purpose of these efforts is to lead individuals into relationship with Jesus Christ and it is hopeful that evangelism efforts will increase the number of individuals and families that become a part of SHUMC. 3. Communications: Improvement will be measured by teams working together to create a brand identity through all communications efforts of the local church. Additionally, the production of monthly newsletters utilizing contributions from the various ministry teams and groups within the church will be used to measure effectiveness. 4. Stewardship: A visible increase in individual giving of time, talents, gifts, service and discipleship. 5. Improvement in each of these areas will be regularly evaluated with plans unfolding throughout the next 18 months and beyond.