Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

ECF Vital Practices and our new Vestry Resource Guide provide helpful insights on strategic planning and direction for congregations and dioceses. It’s uplifting to witness congregations as they identify their ministry strengths and then prayerfully create a vision for the impact they could make by using those strengths to the glory of God.

Mission. Vision. Strengths. Values. All are positive! So what happens after the strategic planning or visioning retreat in which these are so enthusiastically created? What happens when the idea-filled flip chart pages are rolled up and tossed in the recycling bin? Is the vision statement placed somewhere deep in the parish web site rarely to be seen again?

If your leadership spends valuable time and powerful prayer to create a vision and set priorities, respect that effort enough to do something really important: Commit to using them.

The nitty-gritty of implementation begins with sharing the strategic tools you’ve created with the congregation and church staff. Invite everyone to prayerfully consider what they can do in support of the mission, to help the church move toward the vision, starting with the priorities identified in strategic planning.

For instance, if your vision includes being a welcoming parish, perhaps the buildings & grounds committee might review signage and accessibility. Christian formation could plan an open house for families in the neighborhood to learn about your Sunday school. The outreach commission might invite clients of the food bank to a meal with an Evening Prayer service that introduces the newcomers to the Prayer Book and assures them that they are welcome to worship with you any Sunday.

Ask each ministry group, and each clergy and staff person to keep the vestry posted on their activities designed to help the church live into the vision. Record the plans and celebrate the actions as they occur. In communications, remember to explain how people are working together to achieve a shared vision, bit by bit in their own special way.

Vestry has a lead role in not just promoting but staying committed to the priorities and vision. For instance, when considering the annual budget, review the priorities and vision to determine whether your budget is structured to achieve them. Or is it the same basic spending plan as last year because you’ve always done it that way?

Nitty-gritty, every day actions that align with your strategic plan, when publicized and celebrated, are encouraging reminders that your church is aiming to make a difference, to impact the world on behalf of Jesus Christ.

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