Missional Church Consultation Report April 26-28, 2013 Jerome United Methodist Church Plain City, Ohio
The West Ohio Conference Consultation Team would like to thank Pastor Dave Cady and the paid and unpaid leadership of Jerome United Methodist Church for your hospitality this weekend and for the privilege of teaming with you. Our prayer is that God will use this process to focus and maximize the potential of your congregation for fruitfulness for Christ. Jerome UMC embodies numerous resources and strengths ideally suited for next-level transformational ministry, as well as some concerns that need to be addressed in order for the church to move forward. Strengths 1. Location, location and spiritual heritage. Jerome UMC has served our Lord and the people of this township for over 175 years! Currently, the church building and properties are located strategically within a seven-mile population of over 53,222 persons. More than 40,000 of these newer residents have not found a faith community in which to belong. This wonderful outreach potential, our new fast growing neighborhood mission field, is still ours to learn how to make new disciples for the transformation of the world." 2. People make the world go round. Jerome UMC, fueled by Pastor Dave s preaching and teaching plus a dedicated lay leadership with a growing spiritual desire to reach the unchurched, is renewing the hearts of many in this congregation. This emerging desire in the people of Jerome UMC can be used by God to birth a new life cycle, reach the surrounding population, care for the membership and focus hearts on new possibilities for the future of Jerome UMC. The youth report that they are so very thankful for the way people in the congregation have supported their spiritual development and mission trips and acted as the role models teens need to guide their futures. The people of Jerome UMC care about the world God loves. 3. Got by GET! Did they Get you? Some churches think they are friendly, some churches say they are friendly, but very few congregations are really friendly to the outsider. Jerome UMC truly lives up to the highest levels of friendliness to the insider and most uniquely to the visitor. Every mystery worshipper gave the highest marks we have ever received in the Consultation Initiative to the incoming and outgoing interaction greeters have with visitors. Mystery worshippers said this is an extremely friendly church. People before, during and after worship greeted them, offered help and even offered to give them a tour of the building. Have you been got by GET? Thanks be to God for Barb and Jan, and all the servants of GET! 4. Responding t0 people's needs through missions. Jerome UMC has demonstrated a compassionate desire to meet the needs of people as evidenced by mission to Mountain Top, Habitat for Humanity, Honduras, Haiti, Boy Scouts, the Free Store, VBS in the park and the list goes on. When asked about the top strengths of this church, almost everyone said, Our mission outreach in so many different areas locally, nationally and internationally is one of our primary strengths. Adding to what is already happening in missions through this church, the many voices we have heard are repeatedly saying, We can do even better than we currently are in making a difference in God's world. 2
5. Land acquisitions and excellent financial resources. Thank God for the current acreage that leadership has negotiated and acquired for the establishment of the future development of the Jerome UMC campus. The property footprint will give options for current and future leaders to dream amazing possibilities for greater mission effectiveness through this church. The one-, threeand seven-mile average household incomes are the highest this consultation team has recorded around any congregation in the West Ohio Conference. The seven-mile radius average household income of a family of four is about $159,000. Even household incomes that are half this amount are approximately $30,000 higher than the average in the state of Ohio. Land and financial resources are potential strengths of the Jerome UMC congregation. Concerns 1. A failure to make disciples for Jesus Christ and fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Jerome UMC members are now, on average, older than the average age of their surrounding population (37 years). Most people who are members have either transferred in or were born into this congregation. Though there is a sizeable number of unchurched people in the church s seven-mile radius, Jerome UMC has failed to fulfill its biblical calling to make new disciples for Jesus Christ. 2. Lack of organizational efficiency. Jerome UMC has been faithful to the traditional United Methodist governance structure, with many persons currently serving on various committees (and some on two or three). We heard that the staff works hard but often are "silo-ed" in their own areas of responsibility rather than working collaboratively. This has made teamwork and effective communication challenging. Many shared that they wish for a more streamlined church administrative structure and a realignment of staffing responsibilities. 3. No systematic discipleship pathway for every age. Although Jerome UMC has children s, youth and adult classes, there is no intentional process for helping newcomers (as well as current members/attendees) become deeply committed, spiritually mature followers of Christ. As a result, commitment to serving, generous giving and ongoing spiritual growth opportunities are not well developed across the congregation for all ages. 4. Worship quality. Mystery worshipers to Jerome UMC reported they enjoyed Pastor Dave's preaching and the friendliness of the congregation but found several other aspects of worship less energetic and effective. 5. Need for updates. According to Jerome UMC's youth and also the adult focus groups, the church needs to increase the pace and means for connecting with the rapidly growing outside community. This small rural village is quickly becoming suburbia. 3
Prescriptions 1. Reflection and Refocus. Immediately upon the acceptance of this report, Pastor Dave will call for and launch a 30-day season of churchwide prayer. Pastor Dave will create a daily prayer devotional with scriptures for people in the congregation, including youth, to use during the 30 days. In addition, West Ohio Conference Bishop Gregory Palmer will create a specialized daily prayer for Jerome UMC's use. Each person will be asked to pray this prayer, read the daily scripture and reflect on the difference they can make for the mission of the church throughout the 30-day season. In addition, every team, group and committee will use the final 10 minutes of every gathering to prayer walk an area within Jerome UMC or its properties or neighborhood, asking God to awaken a new hunger to look outwardly and reach new people for Christ and seek new ideas and possibilities. The 30-day season will culminate with a church-wide Reflection and Repentance Service. Pastor Dave, along with a designated representative from the West Ohio Bishop, will lead the congregation in prayers of repentance for having lost the focus to reach new people for Christ, as well as prayers for new possibilities and restoration of evangelistic zeal for unchurched people. From this point on, the mission/vision statement of Jerome UMC will be To make new disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. 2. New Leadership Structure. With the oversight of the pastor, a streamlined Breakthrough Leadership Board of 12 people will be selected and trained by June 30, 2013, and will be given full authority to begin and lead work on the prescriptions outlined in this report for the next three years. All should demonstrate a vital spiritual maturity and desire to make new disciples, a track record of regular ministry service and a history of generous giving (which represents personal investment in Jerome UMC s mission). The nominations committee will make the first six selections, and the pastor will choose the other six. These leadership selections will be made with the approval of District Superintendent Marcus Atha. The very first assignment for this new board is to read/study together Winning on Purpose by John Kaiser and (with the help of a prescription coach) to structure itself to follow the Accountable Leadership Model principles the book espouses. The Breakthrough Leadership Board will have oversight of all areas of administration and church resources to align with and support the vision/mission statement for this time period. (All other existing committees will be redeployed as small groups or mission/ministry teams.) In addition, by July 31, 2013, a Staff Audit Team consisting of the senior pastor, the district superintendent and a prescription coach will be formed. All existing paid staff positions and responsibilities will be audited, with potential outcomes that may include position reconfigurations, new positions, outsourcing and/or elimination of some current positions or other changes. New job descriptions will be created with alignment to best support the accomplishment of the prescriptions in this report. A structured staff accountability system for tracking and assessing individual fruitfulness goals will be put into place and implemented by Pastor Dave (with guidance from the prescription coach). Staffing will be fully realigned by a date determined by the prescription coach, the district superintendent and the Breakthrough Leadership Board. Pastor Dave, in conjunction with the Breakthrough Leadership Board and a prescription coach, will also create a Jerome UMC personnel employment policies handbook with completion by January 2014. 4
To assist Pastor Dave with leading the implementation of prescriptions, the prescription coach and district superintendent will provide him with personalized training/coaching for additional skills that will include paid staff leadership/supervision and healthy conflict resolution. 3. Door to Core Discipleship/Assimilation Process. Upon acceptance of this report and in conjunction with the staffing realignment, one staff person will be assigned responsibility for oversight, design and implementation of a new door to core assimilation process for newcomers and current attendees. This will include a discipleship path strategy and system for all ages including children and youth. The door to core process will be implemented, with all new teams recruited, trained and in place by beginning of Advent 2013. A crucial part of the door to core process will be to build upon the GET team s newcomer follow-up and fill in the missing gaps for assimilating people into Jerome UMC. This staff person will ensure that the assimilation pieces for fully integrating newcomers will be created, implemented and put together in a checklist manual. These first-time visitor welcome and follow-up procedures will become the minimum standard to deploy in every newcomer guest outreach including Sunday worship and all other events and programs that draw newcomers. As part of this prescription, the Breakthrough Leadership Board and Pastor Dave, in consultation with a prescription coach, will identify a staff person or a small group ministry task force within 90 days to institute a comprehensive small group ministry that will become a central component of the door to core process. Initial recruiting and training of leaders will begin by August 2013 for a launch date of October 2013. Participation in a small group is an expectation of all members as it is essential to the door to core process and the spiritual formation of people who call Jerome UMC their home. Also the Breakthrough Leadership Board and Pastor Dave, in consultation with a prescription coach, will identify and deploy a staff person who will oversee a new Children/Family Ministry Task Force within 60 days or less of the acceptance of this report. Its purpose will be to create a new fruitfulness plan for vital, growing, strategic ministry, with implementation steps (and dates) to create entry points for reaching and discipling new families and their children/youth. This plan will be completed through application and participation in the West Ohio Conference s All in the Family Consultation Cluster that will launch in September 2013 and continue through 2015. The Breakthrough Leadership Board will champion the urgency and needs of this new plan to reach children/youth and their families and will ensure that these receive primary financial and space/schedule priority. The steps of the fruitfulness plan will be implemented according to dates and deadlines set by the prescription coach. The priorities of the Children/Family Ministry Task Force s recommendations and implementation (with the prescription coach s assistance) will include the following: The staff person in conjunction with the Children/Family Ministry Task Force will be responsible to make sure all events and activities have an evangelistic component (not just groups using church space) and that every such event, group and activity is a funnel through which participants might be drawn into the congregation to be discipled. The evaluation of existing children/teen groups and activities will be focused on successfully targeting and reaching new unchurched individuals with an evangelistic intent. The creation of an intentional discipleship path for children/teens along with one for their parents/adults, to help new believers grow and mature in their faith, will be instituted into Jerome UMC s ministry to children and families. 5
4. Worship and Music: Leverage Enhance Create. With the guidance of a prescription coach, Pastor Dave and the Breakthrough Leadership Board will appoint by the end of July 2013 a Worship Enhancement Team. This team, along with Pastor Dave and the prescription coach, will work on these areas that are listed: Assess the two Sunday services and all aspects of each. With the direction of Pastor Dave, visit services at other churches for "best worship practices." Create a guiding principles and covenant document for all music groups and choirs. This assessment work will be completed by January 2014 with the intention of leveraging the many positive aspects of worship that the mystery worshippers identified while enhancing all areas of each service to increase quality and spiritual experience. This team will also work with Pastor Dave and the coach to create a new service that will respond to the younger targeted demographics. This work will be completed by August 2014. 5. Readiness to Reach the Community. In order to prepare Jerome UMC to proactively reach its growing neighborhood, the Breakthrough Leadership Board will constitute a "Neighborhood Mission Field" Strategy Team to be led by Sara Meriweather. By the end of June 2013, Pastor Dave will arrange for a half-day of on-site consulting with Brad Aycock, nationally recognized consultant. The outcomes of this consulting will include: Guidance toward Jerome UMC's ability to appeal to unchurched neighborhood newcomers. Ideas on how to continue to update Jerome UMC's print and media materials (website, newsletter, bulletin, print and electronic communication) with a fresh look/feel that will appeal to the neighborhood mission field. This updating of print and media materials will be complete across all platforms by the end of fall 2013 or before. Ideas for quarterly strategic outreach events (at least two of the four occurring off-site during the next calendar year) targeted solely to connect the Jerome UMC congregation with unchurched neighbors in order to build acquaintances and invite neighbors to worship. These events will engage large numbers of Jerome UMC volunteers on various teams to prepare, coordinate and execute, as well as include carefully pre-planned follow-up of newcomers by volunteer teams. Pastor Dave will plan a sermon series that will appeal to the "neighborhood mission field" to immediately follow each of the quarterly outreach events. The Breakthrough Leadership Board will identify a Signage/Environment Team. This team, along with a prescription coach, will do a careful audit of all outside and inside signage of the church facility and will ensure that clear, readable, professional and appealing signage is in place prior to the first quarterly neighborhood outreach event. The Signage/Environment Team will vet its new/updated signage plans with at least ten individuals who have never been to Jerome UMC for feedback and validation before creating and placing the signage. The prescription coach will also partner with the Signage/Environment team to bring recommendations for environment décor updates inside the church entry ways and hallways, bulletin board appearances, etc. areas most immediately visible to newcomers so that guests feel fully welcomed and served. 6
Immediate Governance Decision Steps The congregation will hold three Town Hall Meetings within the next 30 days to discuss these prescriptions: Sunday, May 5 at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. Monday, May 13 at 7 p.m. Facilitators for these Town Hall Meetings will be identified by Pastor Dave in conjunction with the West Ohio Consultation team. The congregation will vote on this report to either embrace it or reject it within 30 days of today at an official church charge conference led by district superintendent Rev. Marcus Atha on Tuesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. If embraced by a 70% or more vote of the official membership present, the West Ohio Conference will designate prescription coaches and team with Jerome UMC to implement these prescriptions. If the prescriptions are rejected, the West Ohio Conference consultation partnership process will cease. Respectfully Submitted by: Rev. Joseph Bishman, District Superintendent Shawnee Valley District Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey, Director of Missional Church Initiatives of the West Ohio Conference Rev. Marcus Atha, Capitol Area North District Superintendent Rev. Bill Lyle, Peace United Methodist Church, Pickerington Rev. Steve Judson, United Methodist Church of the Cross, Toledo 7