BROOK STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
CONSULTATION REPORT
NOVEMBER 24, 2013
INTRODUCTION
We, the Consultation Team, would like to thank Pastor John Huff, the staff, the lay leadership and the congregation of Brook United Methodist Church for the invitation to consult with this body of Christ.
The following observations and prescriptions are the result of this team studying the following information: 1) Brook UMC’s self-study document provided by its leaders; 2) FCJ on-line survey; 3) interviews with pastor, 4) interviews with staff and ministry team leaders; 5) a focus group with participants from the congregation; 6) a meeting with the Church Council; 7) a MissionInsite demographic report of the area’s population; 8) Mystery Guest Report; 9) and input from Saturday’s leadership workshop.
Our prayer is that God will use this assessment experience and consultation report to help Brook UMC more effectively make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the community and the world.
STRENGTHS
Brook United Methodist Church’s greatest strengths are as follows:
1. A FRIENDLY AND ACCEPTING CONGREGATION
The Consultation Team heard repeatedly across a wide-spectrum of the congregation that Brook UMC is a very friendly church that was often referred to as “a family.” Additionally people described the church as very accepting, even upon their first visit. They used phrases like “I felt the love here” and “I felt at home here.”
2. OUTREACH TO THE COMMNUNITY
The church is reaching out in a variety of ways to assist people in the Brook area. The ministries of outreach include the Preschool, the Vacation Bible School that last year had 130 children present, the Free Community Meal which is serving a free meal now to over 100 people, the weekly backpacks of food that are taken to the South Newton schools, and funeral dinners that are served to those not even connected with the church. The Fellowship Hall has become a community center for the town of Brook as people gather daily during the week for coffee and conversation. These “beyond Sunday morning” experiences form an authentic ministry to the population that surrounds the church, and has the potential to extend the gospel message of Jesus’ salvation.
3. COMMITTED LAY LEADERSHIP
As the FCJ team visited with the leadership of Brook UMC, we discovered leaders who have a deep love for the church and a hunger to see the church be more vital, effective, and outwardly focused. People appreciate the ministry of Pastor John. This combination of dedicated lay and clergy leadership is an asset that is needed to embrace the mission and vision that God has for this church.
4. FINANCIAL STABILITY
Brook UMC in the last few years has become financially stable as is evidenced in its bold step of faith to pay 100% of the tithe to the Annual Conference. The church last year ended the year with a positive balance and this year appears to be a similar year as people support the ministries of the church with their tithes and offerings. The church’s willingness to take this step of faith could point the way for the church to take additional steps of faith in other areas of church life.
5. FACILITIES
The Consultation Team was impressed with the building and the care that is taken of Brook UMC facilities. The rooms are nicely decorated with attractive colors and the building is kept clean and uncluttered. With the addition of Hathaway Hall built in 1991 and the restoration of the sanctuary in 2010 the church has a building that is functional and is an asset for ministry.
CONCERNS
Brook UMC’s greatest areas of concern are as follows:
1. INABILITY TO CENTER ON A COMPELLING, SHARED VISION TO FULFILL THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH
The church has a vision statement printed each week in the worship bulletin. However, no one could clearly articulate the statement or tell how the vision was used to give direction during a decision-making process. In fact, the church does not have a vision at this time, only a vision statement. The church needs to focus on its mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and discern God’s specific, unique vision for the church that will be so compelling that the congregation will center on the mission and vision and seek to become a more fruitful congregation.
2. AGING CONGREGATION WITH FEW YOUNG FAMILIES
The church survey, which members provided the Consultation Team, revealed that the number one concern is an aging congregation. Close behind that was the concern about the lack of children and young families in the life of the church. The Consultation Team concurs with these self-identified concerns and lifts them up as major issues for the church to address. While many persons talked about the lack of young families, no one has a strategic plan to reverse the decline of children and young families.
3. DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERS AND ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP
When asked how leaders are developed at Brook UMC, the Consultation Team heard that there is no intentional plan to develop new leaders for the ministry of the church. Without an intentional system to identify, recruit, train, mentor and launch new leaders, the mission and vision of the church will suffer.
The Consultation Team also discovered that the church has an administrative structure from the 1960’s that has too many committees and too many people serving on committees. The role of the Church Council appears to be receiving reports and granting permission to committees to proceed with their ministries. Currently, decisions about the ministry of the church are made without reference to the mission and vision of the church.
4. INADEQUATE CONNECTION AND FOLLOW UP
The mystery guest worshippers indicated they received no follow-up contact from the church after visiting worship services. The church has no method to gather pertinent information about those who attend worship or outreach ministries in order to facilitate follow-up. Additionally, the mystery guest worshipers reported inadequate interior and exterior signage and a lack of adequate communication to those outside the church. The bulletin and church newsletter are not visitor-friendly and are more focused on “insider information.” The church does not effectively use social media such as website, Facebook, and Twitter.
5. SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
While the Consultation Team heard good reports and support for the outreach ministries of the church, many persons expressed a hunger for the continued spiritual development of those within the congregation and those who are new to the congregation. Someone phrased it this way: “We need to fan the fires of our faith.” The church lacks an intentional plan to help people grow in their faith.
PRESCRIPTIONS
The Consultation Team is confident that the leadership of Brook UMC is capable and equipped to implement these prescriptions. We are also confident that with Christ’s help, the church will be able to discern the next steps and strategies in order to be faithful and fruitful in the future.
Brook UMC’s prescriptions are as follows:
1. DEVELOP A CLEAR, SHARED VISION FOR THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH
The congregation understands that the day this consultation report is accepted (should that be the case) this congregation will affirm its adoption of the United Methodist Church’s mission: “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
The congregation will have a worship service focused on prayer and forgiveness to become focused and unified in mission, and begin to seek unity in the spirit of Jesus Christ. This will help the congregation to be more spiritually prepared for the Lord’s vision for the future. This will be organized by the coach and the pastor and conducted by February 28, 2014.
The coach will conduct two coordinated workshops on Core Values and Vision for the congregation by March 31, 2014. The purpose of these workshops is to help the congregation define the values and discern the vision that will guide future decisions and ministries of the church.
Following the Core Values and Visioning workshops, the pastor, in consultation with the coach, will establish a leadership team of five to seven persons who will lead the process to define the values and discern the vision. This will include redrafting the current vision statement to reflect God’s vision that will guide the ministries of the church. This redrafted vision will be presented to the Church Council for discussion and adoption by May 31, 2014 and then presented to the congregation.
Upon adopting the new vision, ministry leaders will demonstrate how each ministry will accomplish the mission and vision. To that end, the leaders will conduct a ministry audit to evaluate all ministries for their faithfulness and fruitfulness to the mission and vision. Any ministries that are not faithful to the mission and vision will be dissolved; any ministry that is faithful but still not fruitful will be modified and re-evaluated for fruitfulness. All continuing ministries will set goals and objectives in alignment with the mission and vision. This audit must be completed by September 30, 2014. All new future ministries must demonstrate how they will be aligned to the mission and vision and have a plan for fruitful ministry.
The Consultation Team recommends that the church discontinue the Contemporary Worship Service and form a task force to explore the possibilities of an alternative worship experience that aligns with the church’s adopted mission and vision. We know that some individuals have invested themselves heavily in this service and that commitment is not minimized but is deeply appreciated. The reality is that the Contemporary Service has not developed into the service it was intended to be. This service began in 2007 but even its strongest supporters admit that it has not attracted the audience it was seeking.
2. DEVELOP A PLAN FOR YOUNG FAMILIES
In order to develop inspiring, relevant ministries with young families in the area surrounding the church, the pastor, coach and education chairperson will create a Ministry Team of five persons to work with Helene Foust, Associate Director of Student Ministries - Indiana Conference or the person she designates, by May 31, 2014.
The team will develop a plan for this ministry that will include the following components:
1) Develop a strategy to reach young families in the Brook community;
2) Identify and recruit a team of volunteers to lead the Family Ministry;
3) Evaluate the existing Safe Sanctuaries Policy including its utilization.
This team will complete its work by December 31, 2014.
3. ADOPT AN ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE AND DEVELOP LEADERS
The coach will lead an Accountability Leadership Workshop for the leaders of the church by June 30, 2014. Following the workshop, a team made up of the pastor, the chair of Trustees, Finance, Church Council, Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) and the Lay Leader will evaluate the administrative structure of Brook UMC and will adopt a new structure to enable the church to more effectively and efficiently accomplish its mission and vision. In consultation with the District Superintendent, a new structure will be adopted at the fall charge conference in 2014.
Clear, measurable goals and outcome-based job descriptions will be set for all staff and team leaders by December 31, 2014. The goals must be directly related to the fulfillment of the mission and vision. Staff and ministry team leaders will receive annual evaluations based on accomplishment of their goals. The implementation of the model will be coordinated with the pastor, SPRC and the coach.
The team will explore different models of developing new leadership. The team will then develop a system to help people new to the congregation become connected to the church and mobilized for ministry. The new system will also encourage persons already within the congregation to use their gifts and talents to mentor others in making new disciples and developing the next generation of leaders. This plan will be presented to the Church Council for adoption by September 30, 2015.
4. CONNECTION AND FOLLOW-UP
The coach will lead a church-wide Radical Hospitality Workshop by April 30, 2014. Immediately following the workshop, the pastor, in consultation with the coach, will create a Connection Team of three persons. This team will develop a system to connect with guests that includes:
· A guest connection card
· A communication strategy for follow up
· Newcomer orientation opportunities
The Team will implement this system for the Sunday morning worship service by August 31, 2014. This process will then be expanded to include other ministry connections.
The pastor, in consultation with the coach, will create a Communications Team of three persons by April 30, 2014, that will review all communication materials (bulletin, newsletter, social media, signage, etc.) and develop any new communication materials that would be helpful to new guests and young families.
5. SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
The pastor, in consultation with the coach, will put together a team of five people on or before June 30, 2015, to create a plan of spiritual development for those within the congregation as well as those served by the congregation. Just as every person within the church needs to grow in their commitment to Jesus Christ, the church must find ways to invite those whom they serve to join in a discipleship process. The team will explore the necessary opportunities for entry onto the discipleship path that could include small groups, Bible studies, prayer meetings, service opportunities, mission trips, and additional Sunday school classes.