Robert's Ramblings

A Twisted Fairy Tale and Church Planning

      For the past couple of months, the session has taken a different look at long range planning.  Of course, the Capital Stewardship Campaign and building plans have taken priority, and planning is always "a work in progress."  But it is time to share thinking with all of us.  It begins with a Twisted Fairy Tale:

      Goldilocks was indulging in her favorite past time, breaking and entering.  She went into the deep woods and discovered the Bear residence.  Inside, she saw three stools.  One stool was very tall and had only one leg.  She perched on the stool with one leg and sat there only long enough to realize it was unstable.  Then it tilted and sent her crashing through the TV picture tube. She extracted herself from the innards of the TV and muttered invectives about a serious design flaw.

      Next, she sat on the shorter stool with two legs.  It was more stable than the first.  By careful concentration, she was able to maintain her balance, but in a few minutes, her muscles began to cramp.  Goldilocks said (she had an annoying habit of talking to herself), "This one is better, but as stools go, it still needs work."

      Then she spied the third stool.  It was the shortest of all and was decorated in a Hollie Hobby motif.  Most importantly, it had three legs.  "This stool is just right," she told herself.  "No, actually, it's a bit short, but as stools go, it's a stool as stools were meant to be."

This congregation is like a stool.  At the top is the seat, Ministry.  Ministry is all we do in the name of Jesus Christ to live our faith and reach out to others.  Ministry must be supported by three legs.  Take any one away, and the issue becomes not merely stability but quite literally survivability.  Those legs are: —Property —Programming —Staffing or personnel

PROPERTY:  We are well on our way.  The Capital Stewardship Campaign is nearing completion of the commitment phase.  The campaign will go on through the next thirty-eight months.  The architect is close to completing construction documents for our renovated and expanded campus.  But property, as important as it is, will never be enough in itself.

PROGRAMMING:  It does no good to have fine new facilities unless we have ministries to meet the needs of our own members and those to whom we reach out.  Equally important are ministries through which people can give themselves to the work of God's kingdom among us.

STAFFING or PERSONNEL:  Expanded facilities and increased ministries will lead us to create new or different staff positions.  We simply cannot afford the mistake of not supporting our ministries with trained and capable people.

      If, as you suspect, the work is just beginning, you are correct.  Of course, there's a broad sequencing here: some programming will be dependent upon building, and some staff positions will depend upon programming.  But we will not wait until one is completed before we look to another.  They interlock.

      You will be hearing more in the weeks and months to come.  More importantly, you will be involved.  For now, please share your thoughts with a member of the session or with me.  Our Ministry must be supported by three strong legs:  Building, Programming and Staffing.

-- Robert E Shelton