Strategic Plan Training: Agenda

Welcome, orientation and group introductions. —15 minutes 

Explanation of the history of the development of the Strategic Plan—10 minutes

Poll— Poll questions. Check all that apply: 

Did you participate in:

  • Strategic plan Focus groups

  • CAT (Congregational Assessment Tool) related to Strategic Planning

  • Vestry development of strategic focal areas

  • Nourish, Grow or Go Committees

  • Small Zoom groups that responded to Strategic Plan Draft

Response to poll (How many people in the group helped develop the strategic plan—clearly a congregational endeavor).

Vision of St. Gregory’s—5 minutes

Group response to the vision statement

How to read the strategic plan. Define parts—5 minutes

  • Strategic Focus Areas and Rationale

  • Goals

  • Strategic implementation: action steps, responsibility, success indicators

Small group discussion around accountability and committee responsibilities—10 minutes

Break out groups

Reconvene with questions and next steps—10 minutes.

Adjourn

Strategic Plan Training Session Moderator’s Notes

WELCOME:

Slide 1 “Thank you for coming to this meeting to help us understand the Visioning plan for St. Gregs. Before we get started, let me share our goals for the this training. (Slide 2)

So let’s start with revisiting how this plan came about.

Shortly after Mother Nikki joined our parish as rector, the vestry and the church embarked on a strategic planning process. We began with seven focus groups in which parishioners told us what they hoped our parish would look like in 10 years. We asked them to think about what God was calling us to do.

We also asked the parish to participate in a Congregational Assessment Tool so we could capture more data to inform our process.

The vestry took all this information and summarized it into three categories that later were named Nourish, Grow and Go. The point being that we had to first nourish our own spirit before we could grow our parish or go out into the world. Once we nourish, we can spread the spirit into the world and that will enable us to grow. Our growth will give us the resources to go beyond our parish walls to share the good news.

What the church leadership learned from these assessments is that the parish is ready for growth and change but anxious for more spiritual nurturing.

With that in mind, the Visioning Oversight Committee worked over a period of nine months to develop the Visioning Plan for St. Gregory the Great. Your (Our) committee will play an important role in helping to bring that vision to reality.

 I’m curious to know what part you might have played in this process. You’ll see a poll on the screen. Check all the items that apply.

 As you can see from the results, many of you had a part in this plan. Thank you for all your participation.

Now, let’s look at the plan so we can understand how to read and interpret each part.

Centered around the Vision for the parish, each part of the plan emerged. (Slide 3). What comments do you have about that vision statement?

Let’s define each of the pieces of the Strategic Plan and then we can discuss the parts that affect our work.

Slide 4—Nourish, Grow, Go are the Strategic Direction. Basically the overall direction of each part of the plan.

From there we move to the Strategic Focus Area. For example the Strategic Direction might be Nourish. Within that direction are several Strategic Focus Areas —Slide 5. (Read an example from the plan). For each Strategic Focus Area is a Rationale. The reason that Strategic Focus Area emerged from our Vision.

Slide 6 Breaking it down further, we get Goals under each Strategic Focus Area. Then Action Steps under each Goal. All action steps pinpoint responsibility, timelines and success indicators. 

Again, we start with the overarching Strategic Direction (Nourish, Grow or Go). We narrow that down to Strategic Focus Areas. We narrow each Strategic Focus area into Goals and finally we get the action steps to lead to the accomplishment of that goal.

(Use an example from the Strategic Plan).

Notice how the development of the plan resembles a funnel. It goes from broader to more narrow all the way down the the actual steps to accomplish each goal.

As you read the plan, keep in mind that the timeline, although very important, can be adjusted. Some things might be accomplished faster than we anticipated, others may slow down due to unforeseen circumstances. These adjustments will be carefully monitored by the vestry. Each committee working to accomplish the strategic goals will submit reports as to their progress on a regular basis. Slide 7

Now, as you go into your smaller break out rooms, take a look at the Strategic Plan.

1) Note places where your committee will have responsibility 2) List the next steps you will take to make that goal a reality.

Coming back to the larger group

Let’s hear from the breakout groups. Share your next steps with us.

Thank you for participating today!