Where is Your Parish Going?

In my presentations I typically refer to the great work by the Gallup organization, Leisa Ainslinger and others on the topics of Strengths and Engagement. In his book Growing an Engaged Church, Al Winseman refers to levels of engagement. The highest level is " Where Are We Going?". Parishioners who are the most engaged in their church or parish have moved far beyond what they can get from the parish and what they can do for the parish to a concern for the direction the parish is headed.

Does your parish have a direction? I refer to this as a "point B" for the next year. Today we are at "point A" in our community and our programs. What is the "point B" we are aiming for this year? A typical response has been "we have a mission statement and we try to act according to the mission". While this is very important, the mission statement is likely not clear enough to direct our actions for the next period of time. We need goals for the next year in regards to the priorities we want to set. This may include capital improvements, but also must include something about how we are changing lives both within the parish and externally. And it needs to have a measurable endpoint ("point B") so we gain the sense of direction and accomplishment.

As good stewards we know we must return with increase. Can we determine if we have done this as a parish over the past 12 months? What should we do to increase or improve over the next 12 months? With the plan we can engage our parishioners in the direction of our parish and rally their support for our future goal.

I am personally motivated when I find a way to help my parish move forward. I feel at loss if I don't know what the direction is or when sadly there is no direction. I have been a member at parishes where the only sense I had was that we were maintaining our activities week after week. Not motivating at all!

So what is your "point B"? Where is your parish going?