Growth Plan

Growth Plan

for Atonement Lutheran Church

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Our Mission:

Make Disciples, Grow Disciples

Deliver Invitations Ÿ Deliver Love Ÿ Share Blessings Ÿ Use Gifts

Our Vision

We will GO to people in need

Not waiting for them to come

Delivering invitations to new life in Jesus

Delivering God’s love

By sharing our blessing and using our gifts

We believe that the following growth plan will serve the congregation well in recognizing our growth priorities and focusing our efforts on the most effective ways to pursue them. We invite all members to participate in the implementation of the plan.

The Growth Task Team: Steve Klaers, Convener; Bev Johnson; Marilyn Nelson; Pastor Tim Thompson; Tim Blank; Shirley Teig, Facilitator; with help from Ron Anderson and Erik Olson

August 2005

Introduction

The growth plan’s underlying assumption is, if we grow individually and as a congregation, our numbers and financial resources will also grow. The guiding image for that growth is a “Tree.”

Purpose	Tree	Explanation
Worship	Roots	Our relationship with God in Jesus
Fellowship	Trunk	Our relationships with each other
Discipleship	Branches	Our faith practices, that shape our lives
Ministry	Leaves	Our unique service with gifts and blessings
Evangelism	Fruit	Our faith sharing through love and invitations

There is a natural growth progression “from root to fruit” in the Tree and in our congregation. This metaphor helps us identify the current priorities for our overall growth and development. Like the roots and trunk of a tree, Worship and Fellowship form a necessary foundation for the work of growing as a disciple, serving others and sharing our faith (evangelism).

Where are we now?

Worship – Atonement’s corporate worship life has been greatly strengthened in recent years. It’s critical that we maintain that momentum and keep working to expand and develop our worship life. The Council has acted on this by designing a Worship Director position and our search team is contacting potential candidates.

Fellowship – Developing and deepening relationships throughout the congregation remains a foundational priority. Small Groups will continue to be an important part of this commitment. We have a coach and apprentice who will continue to identify and train leaders and grow groups. They are also working to nurture “Group Life” more broadly by planning an opportunity for all of the congregation’s groups to tell their stories and invite people to join them.

Discipleship, Ministry, Evangelism – are addressed in this Growth Plan, which sets out strategies for us to grow as disciples, develop our unique gifts and ministries, and become more intentional in sharing our faith with others. These strategies are organized around Atonement’s Vision Statement:

· Specific strategies to increase both individual and congregational growth

· Suggested action steps and/or examples

· Suggested groups or individuals to facilitate the task (either do it or delegate it)

· Cost estimates

Suggested timelinesStrategies for delivering invitations to new life in Christ:

Strategy Action Steps/Examples Who will facilitate it Cost Timeline

Equip and support members to discover and share their faith stories.

Create a small group to find and develop resources on faith stories and effective faith sharing (Bible studies, CDs, audio files, etc.)

Generate excitement for faith sharing through sermons, special ceremonies, newsletter articles,

posters, celebrations

Challenge all groups to study faith sharing and intentionally invite non-members to join them.

Review learning opportunities (Sunday School, Adult Forum, Classes, etc.) for inclusion of: small group membership; spiritual gifts; faith stories; faith sharing.

Surround faith sharing efforts in prayer.

Review new member classes to include: small group membership; faith stories; and faith sharing.

Outreach Committee

Pastor, Nancy Maeker, Synod

Outreach Committee

Council

Education Committee

LAMS, Prayer Ministers, Prayer Chains

Pastor

None

Minimal

None

Minimal

None

Minimal

Sept 2005-Jan 2006

Sept. 2005

and continuing

Sept-Dec. 2005

Sept. 2005

and continuing

Sept. 2005 and

continuing

Jan. 2006

Create materials to support members’ efforts in faith sharing.

Create Atonement Brochure(s) that supports invitation efforts & includes: our phone #s, web site, e-mail address, map, worship and office hours, mission, vision, values, and prayer, education, small group opportunities.

Create and distribute Atonement business cards for all members to share with seekers.

Shelly McDonald or recruit volunteer

Volunteer

$20-$500 ask for donor/printer

$20-$150 ask for donor or printer

Completed by December 2005

Completed by May 1, 2006

Expand and formalize follow up with visitors

Recruit volunteers to help Bonnie with this ministry so visitors know they’re recognized and valued and that there is a place for them here.

Outreach Committee

and Bonnie A./Virginia B.

Minimal

Dec. 2005

Pastor greet visitors between services

Free pastor of other tasks & encourage visiting

Staff Support Committee

None

Completed by October 2005

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Strategies for delivering love:

Strategy Action Steps/Examples Who will facilitate it Cost Timeline

Challenge every group to make at least one “delivery” each year outside of Atonement.

Create space to report/record these visually.

Examples:

Education: Sunday School delivers May Baskets & service schedule to Meadowood Shores.

Singers: Deliver music to nursing homes

Contemporary Worship Team: deliver Christmas gift bags to Silver Oaks Apartments.

Property: Invite community to “Housecleaning Tips from a Professional” (workshop offered by Marni at Brite Services for no charge).

Team Leaders

with support and encouragement from Council Liaisons and Small Group Coaches

Variable

Sept 2005-

May 2006 and continuing

Teams bring reports of their deliveries to the May 2006 Congregational Meeting.

Formalize a Christian Care Ministry to ensure that those not involved in Small Groups are cared for.

Examples:

Expand and formalize visitation of bereaved and ill members beyond pastor and a passionate volunteer to teams of care ministers (preferably 2 members to a team).

Create a “Connection Tree” (recruit 10 members of the congregation to contact people by phone whose mailboxes are full or who have not been active to intentionally build relationships).

Pastor and Lynn Miller develop and conduct training/recruitment.

Outreach or Recruit

volunteers

$500/year for flowers/gifts

None

Fall 2005

Musical groups routinely go out to the community.

Include in new music staff job description

Examples:

Hold rehearsal in nursing home, Meadowood, etc.

Create a quarterly song fest with other community groups/churches & invite community.

Council & Music staff

$100 for music

Sept. 2005 continuing

Hold annual community needs forum

Renew community contacts from 2004 forum (city government, schools, food shelves, etc.)

Charitable Giving Team

None

Fall 2006

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Strategies for sharing our blessings:

Strategy Action Steps/Examples Who will facilitate it Cost Timeline

Make Stewardship a year-round focus, not just a few month campaign.

Offer member classes that include: tithing; communication of Atonement’s financial needs for operations, mission opportunities, & dreams. Include these classes in Adult Forum, New Member Classes, & Sunday School.

Sponsor “Counting our Blessings” classes for all members (also open to the entire community), which include: how to budget; how to save; how to establish priorities; how to align resources with priorities; how not to be your child’s ATM; debt reduction; good sense money management.

Use resources from Thrivent (booklets, banks, etc.) to help members implement their money management plans.

Stewardship Committee

$500-$1,500 for training and materials

Dec. 2005 and continuing

Jan. 2006 and continuing

Implement a fall Stewardship campaign to support Atonement’s mission.

Follow up written contacts with calls to every member to answer questions and encourage pledging and identify specific needs for which donations can be given.

Financial targets (with weekly visual updates):

Commitments will meet operating expenses

Commitments will meet operating expenses, benevolence, new mission and staff expenses.

Stewardship & Finance

Minimal

Sept 11 - November 2005

January 2006

January 2007

Optimize use of facilities in support of Atonement’s mission. Create an inviting, hospitable space for members and for our larger community.

Examples:

Kitchen, sanctuary, fellowship hall, conference rooms

Technology ─ Satellite broadcasts

Fundraising activities

Meals for those in need

Market space to generate revenue

Property to continue streamlining facility use process.

Council encourages all groups to seek opportunities to use facility to maximum support of our mission.

None

Minimal

Sept-Dec. 2005

Sept. 2005

and continuing

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Strategies for using our gifts:

Strategy Action Steps/Examples Who will facilitate it Cost Timeline

Develop a process for discovering and deploying people's gifts.	Hire a part time 2-year-term staff person in collaboration with two other churches to train leaders on gift discernment and deployment Establish a small group responsible for training resources for putting individuals' gifts to use. Personally invite every person at Atonement to discover and utilize their gifts.	Council (collaborate with other church) New hire Council	Salary unknown $500 for gift assessment instrument	Early 2006 and continuing
Gather and distribute information on Atonement's committees, teams and service groups. (brochure, posters, etc.)	Use a brief questionnaire so committees’ needs are consistently identified (including to whom they are responsible) Determine and document what gifts are needed to serve on existing groups (include purpose, responsibilities, duties, etc.).	Bev J. initially Council in future Office Administrator from Small Group & Committee Leaders	None Minimal	January 2006, then annually December 2005
Revise new member orientation (including transfers) to include gift discovery.	Include expectations (giving/worship, etc.) and needs (music, usher, interior design, etc.) of the church in new member orientation.	Pastor	Minimal	May 2006
Provide annual orientation, training and support for leadership.	Example: Isaiah membership	Council	Unknown	October 2006
Create an annual recognition/celebration for groups.	Identify contributions and hours donated.	Council	$100 for materials	April 2006
Seek, identify and encourage musical talents/gifts to promote growth.	Examples: Choirs collaborate to share music between first and second service. Take choirs "on the road" to other venues. Joint choir concerts	Worship Team Music Staff	None	Ongoing

Thursday, September 15, 2005