Executive Summary of Youth Ministry Task Force Report

Executive Summary of PLC Strategic Long-Range Planning Task Force

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Report on Youth Ministry at Peace Lutheran Church

 Executive Summary

 Youth programs at Peace Lutheran are a high priority for many members, and a significant portion of the members feel those programs are not as effective as they could be.  An examination of other congregations in our community showed that our programs and general level of participation were similar, and that those congregations are facing the same challenges of reaching members that deal with busy family lives.  After examining Peace’s youth programs and listening to youth and adult members, the committee makes the following recommendations.

 ·        Increase programming efforts intended to prepare parents to be faith examples and teachers for their children, particularly in the home. 

·        Increase opportunities for youth to interact with non-parent adults in a faith developing setting. 

·        Provide increased training for adult volunteers in all youth programs. 

·        Increase and improve the availability of educational materials for instructors and leaders and parents. 

·        Provide more opportunities for stewardship and service, particularly for high school age youth. 

·        Identify and train non-parent adults with a passion for youth programming to work with the high school age youth. 

·        Add a Family Care Ministry group to the congregation’s organizational structure. 

The committee recommends that the Congregational Council establish an implementation committee that would be charged to work in 2004 with existing staff and committees to develop a coordinated plan addressing the above recommendations.  The implementation committee should be given a three part charge; 1) to determine the most appropriate structure for the Family Care Ministry committee, 2) to work with the existing committees to adopt as many of the recommended actions as possible in the short term and 3) to develop a communication plan that will highlight an increased emphasis within Peace on youth and family ministry. 

 The issue of adding a youth and family ministry staff person was discussed with focus groups and within the committee.  A straw poll of members in the congregational survey discussion groups on adding a youth and family staff member was overwhelmingly positive.  While a staff member with youth and family responsibility could be a positive addition to the Peace staff, adding staff is not the only means of improving our youth ministry.  The committee strongly feels that adding staff without a commitment by congregational members to participate in expanded programs is not likely to make a long-term improvement in the participation or perceived satisfaction with the programs.  The committee believes that a restructuring of Peace’s youth and family effort based on the above recommendations is more likely to result in an improved program than simply relying on additional staff.  While the committee does not oppose the hiring of a youth and family minister, the first action should be to put in place a structure and programs that will increase involvement by the congregation.  ###

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Peace Lutheran Church Strategic Long-Range Planning Task Force

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Our mission at Peace Lutheran Church is to be a community of faith, vision, witness, service and prayer, accepting the grace of God in Jesus Christ.  In turn, our overriding purpose is to make disciples of Jesus Christ by sharing the gospel with others.  As we journey together a clear direction and plan are needed.  The purpose of this report is to provide the congregation guidance in preparing for the future by recommending programs and initiatives for the next five years (2004-2008). 

A series of steps were taken to assess the current status of PLC programs.  A strategic planning survey instrument was constructed covering issues such as church participation, program preferences, concerns, life satisfactions, background information, and congregation programs.  The written survey was completed by 306 individuals at the two worship services on Sunday, September 28, 2003.  Using the results of the written survey, questions were developed for three focus group meetings held on October 26, 2003.  Additional data were provided through a recent demographic analysis of Bryan/College Station [Population and Survey Analysts, College Station, TX].  Another database used by the Strategic Planning Committee was the ELCA Congregation Trend Report for Peace Lutheran Church, which contained substantial statistical information about our congregation for the years 1995-2002.  The Strategic Planning Committee reviewed all results of the congregational survey, the focus group meetings and the demographic and statistical data to determine what members of PLC valued most.  From the values, specific goals and some preliminary strategies were derived.  This forms the basis of the strategic plan proposed.

The Strategic Planning Committee offers the following goals for 2004-2008:

Value 1 A deep sense of mission and evangelism that compels us to be concerned for those outside our congregation

§         Maintain our current commitment and possibly increase our support of Campus Ministry

§         Establish new Lutheran missions

§         Continue to support individuals interested in pursuing careers in the ministry

§         Develop a focused response to a social concern

§         Increase efforts in evangelism

Value 2 Vital worship, Bible study and prayer, especially as it pertains to our Lutheran identity

§         Expand adult Bible study

§         Consider alternate worship service days, times and styles, including the addition of a third worship service

§         Enhance our prayer ministry

Value 3 The youth of our congregation and those responsible for the nurture and spiritual development of our young people

§         Prepare parents to be faith examples and teachers

§         Increase youth interaction with non-parent adults

§         Provide increased training for adult volunteers

§         Increase and improve availability of educational materials

§         Involve high school age youth in stewardship and service

§         Identify and train non-parent adults for high school ministry

§         Develop a strategy to care for families

Value 4 Growth, particularly in regard to strengthening the inner faith of our individual members, realizing that through positive inner growth, expansion of our ministry and programs and physical facilities becomes possible

§         Pursue co-ministry options with Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church

§         Establish an effective method of evaluating individual faith life

§         Achieve goals for existing membership regarding, worship attendance, financial giving, and participation and involvement

§         Increase the extent of contact with members and stay in touch more frequently and effectively

§         Develop a plan for growth of the Sunday School program

Value 5 Creative and innovative leadership, demonstrating sound management, directed at communicating with our members.  Through enhanced communication information is shared and relationships are developed

§         Consider possible reorganization of PLC Council and committees and redefinition of staff responsibilities

§         Evaluate the need to add staffing to PLC

§         Enhance use of volunteers

§         Improve communication

§         Strengthen PLC financial stature

§         Implement a continuous strategic planning process

Value 6 Active involvement of our members in our ministry to allow for effective discipleship and meeting the needs of others

§         Develop and implement follow up phase of new member program

§         Develop small group ministry program

§         Address the growth of active retirees in community

It is highly recommended that strategic planning be continued on an annual basis.  Beginning in 2005, several members of the Strategic Planning Committee (along with newly appointed members) should be reconvened to review progress and to assess accomplishments.  At that point, the plan should be modified, accordingly, rather than waiting an additional five years.  This will meet the aims of the original charge to the committee and allow a continuous process for planning.