Congregational Growth Plan
Theodore Parker Church
Spring, 2010
May ours be a religion which, like sunshine, goes everywhere;
its temple, all space;
its shrine, the good heart;
its creed, all truth;
its ritual, works of love;
its profession of faith, divine living.
-Theodore Parker
Submitted by:
Nancy Dale, Beverly Hope, Kristina Lentz,
Joel Neiditz, and Carol Thomas
TPC Congregational Growth Plan
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Congregational Growth Plan
Theodore Parker Church
Spring, 2010
DRAFT (05/04/2010)
I. Introduction/Abstract
Table of Contents
II. Mission Statement/Intro to TPC
III.History, Demographics and Community Context
IV. Benchmarks and Goals
V. Membership Strategies and Objectives
a. Attracting Visitors
Current Strategies
Growth Strategies
b. Welcoming Visitors
Current Strategies
Growth Strategies
c. Inviting Visitors to Become Members
Current Strategies
Growth Strategies
d. Inducting New Members
Current Strategies
Growth Strategies
e. Retaining New Members
Current Strategies
Growth Strategies
f. Nurturing Current Members
Current Strategies
Growth Strategies
VI. Conclusion
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I. History, Demographics and Community Context:
Theodore Parker Unitarian Universalist Church has a long and distinguished history that is
interwoven with the history of Boston and it’s neighborhoods of West Roxbury and Roslindale.
Our history traces the evolution of the church as one of the original Protestant churches of the
region known as the First Church of Roxbury and founded by the newly settled Puritans of the
Massachusetts Bay colonies. Taking our name from the Transcendentalist leader and minister during
the early 19th century, Theodore Parker lead the congregation firmly into the newly evolving
Unitarian movement. Our congregations have remained active though the merger with the
Universalist movement in the 1960’s to the present day. Displaced by fire and relocated several times
as the city built southwestward into local farm and woodlands, TPC is currently a thriving church
located prominently in the heart of downtown West Roxbury.
TPC borders Roslindale, Dedham, Brookline, and Newton, all of which have UU churches as does
Jamaica Plain, a few miles to the north. We are served by the Mass Bay District of the UUA and
take advantage of their support and resources as well as our connections with nearby UU churches.
Our church has enjoyed substantial membership growth over the past decade and beyond according
to a recent UU Mass Bay District report. According to UUA Mass Bay District data (Growth
Report, 2007) while congregational membership at most UU churches in the District has stayed
relatively flat, TPC experienced a substantial increase over time; in the past 15 years we have nearly
doubled our membership from 50 members to 97 members. With this momentum and a proven
track record of outreach and growth, we eagerly anticipate a continued ascending trajectory upon
which to continue to build our Membership over the next 3-5 years.
While Theodore Parker Church draws members from several Greater Boston communities, the
primary communities served are West Roxbury, Roslindale, and Jamaica Plain.
West Roxbury:

Founded in 1630 (contemporaneously with Boston), West Roxbury was originally part of the
Town of Roxbury and was mainly used as farmland; it seceded from Roxbury in 1851, and
was annexed[1] by Boston in 1874.

TPC is located centrally on Centre Street, West Roxbury's main thoroughfare, which is lined
with local restaurants and commercial establishments. Today, the neighborhood's tree-lined
streets and mostly single family homes give it a suburban feel in an urban setting.

In our location at the busy corner of Centre and Corey Streets, the Theodore Parker Church
features seven stained glass windows made by the Tiffany Studios between 1894 and 1927.
The original church, designed in 1890 by Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow, Jr., is now a
parish hall. Henry Seaver designed the current church in 1900. Theodore Parker (18101860), an advocate of progressive religious ideas including the Transcendentalist Movement,
abolitionism, and women's suffrage, was minister from 1837 to 1846.

Life in the neighborhood centers on political and civic activism as well as local parishes and
youth athletic leagues. West Roxbury is home to many of Boston's civil servants. The
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community boasts a significant proportion of persons of Irish descent as well as a smaller
number of more recent Irish immigrants.

West Roxbury is home to many residents affiliated with the nearby Longwood Medical Area
and Boston universities and colleges. The Roxbury Latin School, founded in 1645, is the
oldest boys' school in the US.

West Roxbury is home to several houses of worship, including three Catholic parishes,
several churches of various Protestant denominations, and a Jewish temple.

The West Roxbury neighborhood was home to an experimental Transcendentalist utopian
community called Brook Farm, which attracted notable figures like Margaret Fuller and
Nathaniel Hawthorne.

According to the 2000 census, the most recent data available shows our population as
24,050. The population’s growth/decline for the period of 1990 – 2000 was -3.51%. The
population growth/decline for the previous decade, 1980 – 1990 was -5.19 %.

As of 2000, the demographic breakdown of West Roxbury’s population was listed as 88%
white; 3.5% Hispanic; 2.1% Black/African American.

The median education levels and household income are listed as higher than US average.
Roslindale:

Roslindale is primarily a residential neighborhood of Boston bordered by Jamaica Plain,
Hyde Park, West Roxbury and Mattapan.

Located six miles southwest of downtown Boston, Roslindale was originally part of the town
of Roxbury. In 1851, current day Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and West Roxbury seceded from
Roxbury to become the Town of West Roxbury. The area voted in 1873 to be annexed to
the City of Boston.

In 1985, Roslindale Village Main Street was established to reinvigorate the town’s
commercial center known as Roslindale Village, into an appealing destination and town
center.

As of the 2000 census data, Roslindale’s population was listed as 32,527.

Roslindale is a diverse neighborhood—the ethnic breakup as of 2000 was 56% NonHispanic White, 16% Black or African-American, 20% Hispanic or Latino and 3% Asian or
Pacific Islander.

The median education levels and household income show as higher than US average.
Jamaica Plain:


Jamaica Plain, or JP as it is known locally, with a population of approximately 38,000 according
to 2000 US census data.
Founded by Boston Puritans seeking farm land to the south of Boston, it was originally part of
the city of Roxbury. The community seceded from Roxbury as a part of the new town of West
Roxbury in 1851, and became part of Boston when West Roxbury was annexed to the city in
1874.
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In the 19th century, Jamaica Plain became one of the first “streetcar suburbs” in America; it is
also home to four of Boston's seven parks known as “the Emerald Necklace” and designed by
Frederick Law Olmsted, the famous landscape architect of the nineteenth century who also
designed New York City’s Central Park.
The neighborhood had attracted a large community of college-educated professionals, political
activists, and artists.
Hyde, Jackson, and Egleston Squares have significant Spanish-speaking populations from Cuba,
The Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. As of 2000, the ethnic make-up of Jamaica Plain was
50% Non-Hispanic White, 23% Hispanic or Latino, 17% Black or African-American, 7% AsianAmerican, 3% Other.
There is a strong Jewish presence in Jamaica Plain, with several reform and conservative
synagogues.
A hot real estate market has driven conversion of homes and older commercial buildings into
condominiums. Numerous formerly vacant structures are being converted to residential use.
The median household income for JP as of 2000 was $46,592.
The population breakdown of those who completed high school or higher as of 2000 was 82%;
for those who completed college it was 42%.
Benchmarks and Goals:
In this section we found it helpful to include Benchmarks as they give us a snapshot of
congregational size and membership activity at a specific point in time and provides the point of
comparison for the Goals also included in this section. We have tried to create specific, measurable
goals against which we can track progress and trends in our membership development and church
outreach efforts. These data and goals will guide our planning and mark our progress over the next
3-5 years and beyond.
1. Number of Current Visitors Annually
We estimate that we average approximately 50 visitors to TPC annually for services. Of
that group we estimate that about half fill out visitor cards allowing us to track their visit,
providing contacting information and opportunity for follow up.
 Goal
To increase the number of visitors by 10% and increase the number of visitors
that provide us with contact information by 25%.
2. Number of New Members Annually
2007-2009 We have averaged about four a year.
 Goal
Grow the congregation by 10% annually. This would include not only adding
new members but also retaining current members and minimizing attrition.
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3. Annual Number of Pledging Units1
Over the last four years this number has averaged about 60. It is significant to note that
despite a loss in the last two years of total pledging units, the total dollars pledged over
that same time period increased 21%.
 Goal
To sustain the current momentum and to increase the number of pledging units
consistent with congregational growth.
Attracting Visitors:
A major goal over the next 3-5 years will be to increase the number of visitors to the church and to
engage more deeply with the local community. Centrally located at the busy corner of Centre and
Corey Streets, the church offers great curbside and sidewalk visibility, parking, and access to local
shops, restaurants, the library, YMCA, Family Community Centers, non-profits, and schools. The
section below provides a detailed look at our current strategies and future plans to engage the
community and attract visitors to the church and to the life of our congregation.
Current Strategies:
 Occasional press releases when we have a special program/speaker/music
 Signboard out front
 Community Engagement Opportunities
o Saturday Night Alive monthly coffeehouse/folk music venue
o Plant Sale (annual)
o Rummage Sale (annual)
o Holiday Homes Tour (annual)
o Irish Step Dancers (on-going)
o AA Meetings (on-going)
o Christmas Eve Service (annual)
o Kimchi Festival (annual)
o Slow Food Film Festival
 Sermons on Web
 Welcoming Congregation
 Web Site
o Newsletter
o Archive Sermons
o Weekly Announcements (TPC and Regionally)
o Calendar
 Dynamic RE Program
 Tiffany Window Tours
 Production of TPC Cookbook
 Common Security Clubs
We are using this unit of measurement as an indication of active families
within the church or as another way of looking at active Membership.
1
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Future Strategies:
 300th Anniversary of Church/Congregation Event
 Capital Campaign
 More dynamic/up-to-date website (currently underway)
 Regular Press Releases on sermons, speakers, events, music
 Lecture Series at Library (Lilli)
 Lectures at TPC (UUA?) – press releases
 Continued community engagement opportunities
o All of the above AND
o Blood Drive
 Possible combined programming with W. Roxbury Churches
 Possible combined programming/marketing with area UU Churches (JP, Brookline,
Newton)
 Audio files on the web
 Dynamic and better-staffed (i.e. more volunteers) for RE
 Bring a Friend Sunday
 Movie Night – all ages
 Concerts
Welcoming Visitors:
Offering an ongoing, warm welcome to visitors and new attendees is a key element of our plan for
membership growth. We have created a multi-faceted approach to new member welcoming to
assure continuity and connection with those who seek us out. This is an activity that involves all
church members and occurs in all aspects of church life.
Current Strategies:
 Welcome message as part of the service highlighting Yellow Card, Welcome Booklet, and
Coffee Hour
 Welcome material at front entrance of church
 Information on UUism
 Visitor Cards (“Yellow Cards”)
o Placed in each pew
o Follow Up (within a week or so, email welcome)
o Follow Up 2 (within a month or so, additional check in)
 Welcome Booklet (re-written 2009)
 Welcome Table at Coffee Hour
o Staffed by Membership Committee
o Populated with information about UUism and TPC
 Name Tags at coffee hour
 Some congregational members feel comfortable in an “ambassador” role, seeking out
newcomers after the service in the sanctuary and/or at coffee hour so they are not standing
alone awkwardly.
 Outreach letters to visitors over the past year, seeking feedback/providing check-in.
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Welcoming Congregation
During the past decade, the congregation engaged in discussion, education and outreach
strategies in order to complete the process for becoming a Welcoming Congregation within the
UU church community. As a result, the GLBT community is well represented within the church
membership and leadership.

Annual Gay Pride service in June

Weekly welcome statement

Social gatherings
Future Strategies:
 Instituting long-term Follow up with Yellow Visitor Cards
 Bi-annual correspondence seeking feedback/providing check-in
 Congregational commitment to being ambassadors defined as greeting newcomers after
church and at coffee hour. Shared commitment to reaching out to help ease the
awkwardness and discomfort at being new and an outsider.
Inviting Visitors to Become Members:
Deciding to become a member of the congregation is an important step for any church participant.
Our goal is to give interested attendees many opportunities to get to know the church and its
members, in both formal and informal settings. We seek to provide a smooth, clear pathway to
deeper involvement and the process of membership for those who choose to make this
commitment.
Current Strategies
 Membership Committee (with minister) goes through Active Attendee list and determines
who might be appropriate to reach out to personally to invite to become a Member.
 Invite Actives – regardless of Membership decision – to engage with Getting To Know You
U class, twice a year.
 Candlelight Supper constitutes second session of GTKYU Class.
 New Member Sunday, twice a year.
Inducting New Members:
Providing opportunities for engagement of new members is an important and sometimes
overlooked step of nurturing Members. We encourage active attendees as well as new members to
participate in church activities as a way of getting deeper into the heart of life at TPC. With a wide
choice of places to “jump in,” each new member can find a committee, project, or class that suits his
or her interests, needs, and schedule. These initial connections allow new members to get to know
others more quickly and deeply.
Current Strategies
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


Getting to Know You U Class
Invitation to serve on Committee
Committee Fair
Future Strategies
 More active recruiting for Committee service
Retaining/Nurturing Current Members:
Meeting the ongoing needs and concerns of current members is an important part of our
congregational development plan. TPC offers a wide range of small and large groups, RE classes,
and events to meet the evolving needs of our diverse community. Below are examples of our many
current and proposed offerings as well as plans to make these programs more accessible and visible
to members though enhanced use of technology.
Current Strategies
 Committee Service (see Committee Structure)
 Occasional Adult RE
o Discernment Class
o Dexter’s Class
o Discussion Groups after the service
o “Cakes for the Queen of Heaven” Curriculum
 Regular Adult RE
o Parker’s Pens – Writing Group
o Theodore’s Thespians – Improv Group
o Book Group
 Summer Vespers
 Music
 Social Gatherings
o Women’s Group
o Men’s Group
o Saturday Night’s Alive in W. Roxbury
o Candlelight Suppers
 Caring Ministry
 RE Parent Dinners
 Dynamic children’s RE
 Capital Campaign/Pledge Drive
 Photograph Board of Regular Attendees
 Directory
 Choir
 Annual Supper
 Annual Pilgrimage to Brook Farm
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
Pastoral Care
Future Strategies
 Additional Adult RE offerings
o Go to UUA conferences
o Bring in UUA speakers
o Bring in speakers from area churches
o Sub-Groups by spiritual practice (i.e. meditation group, UU Bible study, UU look at
Judaism, etc.)
o Programs featuring local history
o Programs featuring local food
 300th Anniversary
 Community-wide pot lucks
 An all ages dance(?)
 Silent Auction and dinner for Campaign
 Directory on-line
 Calendar on-line
 Calendar at Welcome Table along with a list of the week’s activities
 “Who Knew, UU?” feature on the back of the leaflet, website, and/or eNews – changing
and sharing the stories of how each of us discovered UUism from other paths.
 Shared R.E. duties for children
 Add acknowledgement of Lilli’s sabbatical in Welcome Announcements
 Contextualize Announcements for Visitors (help them not to feel like “outsiders”)
 Send someone to General Assembly
 Make better use of/engage UUA resources of the Mass Bay District
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Managing for Success:
As we embark upon this effort as a whole church community, we are mindful of the challenges such
an ambitious plan can pose in a church community: burnout/fatigue; getting lost in the shuffle;
over-scheduling; and losing a healthy balance between activity and worship. These factors can put
the best plan at risk. We have included strategies for monitoring and addressing these challenges
early on:
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Regular progress updates;
clear communications plans;
committee chair training;
volunteer leadership retreats;
formal evaluations (using evaluation forms) of certain events and reported results.
celebrating our success!
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Conclusions:
The portrait we have tried to paint of our congregation is one which is active, engaged, alive,
committed, and growing. Each active member and participant is individually committed to the TPC
community and our success. Our demographics indicate a deep, rich population of educated and
diverse individuals from which to draw. Our worship practice has been committed to an emphasis
on the process of the search for truth and an active interest in other traditions that offer relevant
ideas, approaches, and spiritual meanings. This translates into a general theological inclusiveness.
This means we are proactively in search for a personal theology, rather than having a theology based
on “no theology.” We hope we have demonstrated through this Congregational Growth Plan that
our current efforts and future plans will continue to extend our presence within our community, and
steadily grow our congregation so that the words of our namesake, Theodore Parker, can be more
fully realized:
May ours be a religion which, like sunshine, goes everywhere;
its temple, all space;
its shrine, the good heart;
its creed, all truth;
its ritual, works of love;
its profession of faith, divine living.
TPC Congregational Growth Plan
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