2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Planning
Committee Report
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
Fort Collins, Colorado
as of April 20, 2015
Most church boats don’t like to be rocked; they prefer to lie at anchor rather than go
places in stormy seas. But that’s because we Christians view the Church as the
object of our love instead of the subject and instrument of God’s.
—William Sloane Coffin
Prepared by:
Jacque Amweg
Hal Chorpenning
Jillian Harrison
Anna Olsen
Terri Schulz
Wayne Shepperd
Ben Slocumb
Nancy Sturtevant
Table of Contents
2015-2020 PLYMOUTH STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT ........................................................... I
I.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................................................. 1
II.
VISION STATEMENT, MISSION STATEMENT, VALUES AND FIVE YEAR OUTCOMES .......................... 2
III.
THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS ........................................................................................................... 4
IV.
A.
RECOMMENDATIONS (FIVE YEAR OUTCOMES/GOALS) .......................................................................... 5
SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP ................................................................................................................... 5
1. Adaptive Challenge for Plymouth .........................................................................................................................................5
2. Lay Leadership Development and Retention ...................................................................................................................6
B. IMPROVE ON STRENGTHS ........................................................................................................................................................... 7
1. Staffing ..............................................................................................................................................................................................7
a.
b.
c.
C.
V.
Committees of Leadership Council.......................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Organizational Structure .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Volunteer Staff................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
2.
Facilitating Congregational Connection ...........................................................................................................................8
GROWTH AND IMPACT ................................................................................................................................................................ 9
1. A Growing Church ........................................................................................................................................................................9
2. Colorado State University Stadium Plan/City of Fort Collins West Central Corridor Plan ..................... 11
3. Facilities ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
APPENDIXES............................................................................................................................................................. 13
A. LEADING LARGE CLASSIFICATIONS FOR THE LARGE CHURCH .......................................................................................... 13
B. SARAI RICE ANALYSIS .............................................................................................................................................................. 13
C. STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS ................................................................................................... 13
D. TOWN HALL MEETING NOTES ............................................................................................................................................... 13
E. SURVEY ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
F. YOUNG ADULT (YUCCA) MEETING NOTES ........................................................................................................................ 13
G. PERCEPT DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY ............................................................................................................................................ 13
H. PLYMOUTH STAFF ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS.................................................................................................................... 13
I. PLYMOUTH ANNUAL INCOME, 2002-2015 ........................................................................................................................ 13
J. 2004 STRATEGIC PLAN........................................................................................................................................................... 13
K. PLYMOUTH WEEKLY WORSHIP ATTENDANCE, 1983-2014 ............................................................................................. 13
L. WHAT WAYS SHOULD WE GROW ......................................................................................................................................... 13
M.
PLYMOUTH ARCHITECTURAL MASTER PLAN ................................................................................................................. 13
Note: Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ herein referred to as Plymouth and United
Church of Christ herein referred to as UCC.
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
ii
I.
Executive Summary
Five Year Outcomes/Goals: The Leadership Council and Strategic Planning Committee believe that
getting involved in Plymouth is exciting and fulfilling. Where do we see Plymouth in 5 years?
1. Spiritual Growth and Active Membership. Plymouth has become a fellowship with a sense of
belonging and interdependence among our members. We encourage all to pursue their passions
in God’s realm here and provide companionship for the journey. An important part of active
involvement is the fostering of lay leadership. Mentoring, support and training of lay leaders is
provided to strengthen our connections to one another and allow everyone to bring their talents
to bear for the greater good of our community.
2. Improve on strengths. Plymouth has continued to expand on what we hear God calling us
toward: We continue to be a generous congregation, sharing and giving love, time, talents and
financial support within our church and in the wider community and world. We exemplify peace
with justice, an open and affirming community, and we promote the practice of our faith in daily
life. We offer wide ranging education and spiritual growth opportunities for all ages.
3. Growth and Impact. Northern Colorado is a growing, dynamic area filled with talented people.
Plymouth reflects and contributes to our community in many ways. We have increased outreach to
the campus and region, provided community leadership, continued growth in our membership,
and growth in our church’s programs. Plymouth has become well known in the region for our
values and what we do within Plymouth and in the wider world. The church has such an impact
that the community responds: “What would we do without Plymouth?"
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
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II.
Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Values and Five Year Outcomes
The 2004 Strategic Plan included Plymouth’s Mission Statement and Values. Part of this committee’s
activities was to review these statements, build upon them, and then apply the statements in the
formation of a new strategic plan. Hence, we felt it was useful to include the Mission Statement and
Values and add a Vision Statement as listed below.
We recommend that the Leadership Council, by June 1, 2015, adopt the vision statement and
the one addition to Plymouth values: Encouraging and fostering the next generation of
ordained leadership for the church.
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
VISION STATEMENT
Plymouth Congregational Church will enhance the spiritual growth of its members and actively engage
every member in the use of their God-given gifts for the greater good of the kingdom of God. We will
embody Progressive Christianity and exemplify peace with justice and an open and affirming community
marked by compassion and extend this welcome to all. As we reach out to the wider community, we
continue to grow spiritually and in numbers, continually discerning ways of evolving into the
congregation God calls us to become.
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
MISSION STATEMENT
It is our mission to worship God and help make God’s realm visible in the lives of people individually and
collectively, especially as it is set forth in the life, teachings, death and living presence of Jesus Christ. We
do this by:
Inviting: Actively inviting others into our faith community, providing a safe welcome for a diverse people.
Transforming: Creating an open and affirming faith community with opportunities for caring and
fellowship that deepen relationships and promote a spirit of unity. Encouraging the spiritual growth of
our members, engaging their ministry by nurturing their relationship with God, calling forth their gifts,
and equipping them for Christian service.
Sending: Joining others within broader communities to promote the integrity of creation and a more just,
inclusive and peaceful world.
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
VALUES
(underpinning of Plymouth Culture)
We value:

Holding God as the center of our lives.
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Jesus as a model of human wholeness and human responsibility.
The encompassing love and presence of the Holy Spirit.
An inclusive environment that encourages diversity.
The legacy of our founders and the traditions of our UCC heritage.
Education of children and others of all ages.
Stewardship of time, talent and resources.
Compassion.
Peace based on justice.

Autonomy balanced with covenant.
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
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
Individual and communal journeys of thought, faith development and biblical interpretation.

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Risk-taking leadership of social issues.
Creed as testaments of faith rather than tests of faith.
Encouraging and fostering the next generation of ordained leadership for the church.
Five Year Outcomes/Goals: The Leadership Council and Strategic Planning Committee believe that
getting involved in Plymouth is exciting and fulfilling. The following statements define where we see
Plymouth in 5 years.
1. Spiritual Growth and Active Membership. Plymouth has become a fellowship with a sense of
belonging and interdependence among our members. We encourage all to pursue their passions
in God’s realm and provide companionship for the journey. An important part of active
involvement is the fostering of lay leadership. Mentoring, support and training of lay leaders is
provided to strengthen our connections to one another and allow everyone to bring their talents
to bear for the greater good of our community.
2. Improve on strengths. Plymouth will continue to expand on what we hear God calling us toward:
We continue to be a generous congregation, sharing and giving love, time, talents and financial
support within our church and in the wider community and world. We exemplify peace with
justice, an open and affirming community, and we promote the practice of our faith in daily life.
We offer wide ranging education and spiritual growth opportunities for all ages.
3. Growth and Impact. Northern Colorado is a growing, dynamic area filled with talented people.
Plymouth reflects and contributes to our community in many ways. We have increased outreach to
the campus and region, provided community leadership, continued growth in our membership,
and growth in our church’s programs. Plymouth has become well known in the region for our
values and what we do within Plymouth and in the wider world. The church has such an impact
that the community responds: “What would we do without Plymouth?"
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
3
III.
The Strategic Planning Process
The 2014 Leadership Council established this Strategic Planning Committee in accordance with the
Leadership Council Operating Policy. With regards to Strategic Planning, this policy states:
1. Once created, a five-year strategic plan will be assessed annually and refreshed every four years.
2. As a Leadership Council we recognize the vital importance of making the discernment and
decision process of strategic planning open and transparent and will actively work to include the
congregation and stakeholder constituencies within the congregation in the process.
3. The Leadership Council will have primary accountability for accomplishing the strategic goals and
will provide leadership and communication to the members of Plymouth.
The members of this Strategic Planning Committee were carefully and prayerfully considered by the
Leadership Council in March, 2014. The process began June 4, 2014. Two major phases of the process
were completed by December 15, 2014. The first phase consisted of meeting with Sarai Rice, a non-profit
organization executive and consultant formerly of the Alban Institute. A workshop lead by Sarai Rice on
June 28, 2014, identified current trends in American Churches and discussed these trends in relation to
Plymouth UCC. Plymouth was defined as moving from a “Multi-Celled Church” toward a “Professional
Church” according to size and trends during this workshop. A primary implication of being a
“Professional Church” is increased reliance on paid staff (as discussed in the Staffing Section). The size
diagram, Leading Large Classifications for the Large Church, is included in Appendix V.A. The report from
Sarai Rice, Sarai Rice Analysis, is included in Appendix V.B.
The second phase of the strategic planning process was the information-gathering phase, which involved
four activities:
1. An analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) was completed with the
staff, the Leadership Council and each of Plymouth’s Boards. This process was completed July 17,
2014 with a compilation of results completed July 31, 2014. This compilation is included under
Appendix Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,
Threats.
2. Three “Town Hall” congregational discussions were held on September 28, 2014; November 17,
2014; and, December 7, 2014. Notes from these meetings are found in Appendix Town Hall
Meeting Notes, Town Hall Meeting Notes.
3. The Hartford Institute for Religious Research Congregations Survey was modified to answer
Plymouth-specific questions and conducted from November 9, 2014 through December 15, 2014.
A summary of the survey results is included in Appendix Survey, Survey.
4. A “young adult” gathering of 25 folks discussed their hopes and dreams for Plymouth. This group
met March 7, 2015 and the results are included in Appendix Young Adult (YUCCA) Meeting Notes,
Young Adult (YUCCA) Meeting Notes.
Participants from the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats activity totaled 42 members of
Plymouth. Participants from the three Town Hall Discussions totaled 41 members of Plymouth.
Participants from the young adult gathering totaled 25 members of Plymouth. Finally, Plymouth members
and constituencies that participated in the Survey totaled 144. Combined, we heard from 252 people,
which is approximately 39% of Plymouth’s membership of 650.
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
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IV.
Recommendations (Five Year Outcomes/Goals)
A. Spiritual Growth and Active Membership
This topic will be an area of focus for the next five years for Plymouth, specifically in addressing the
adaptive challenge described below as well as lay leadership and retention.
1.
Adaptive Challenge for Plymouth
The SWOT analysis conducted with various boards, council, and staff as well as the survey reveal a trend
that is an adaptive challenge for Plymouth. (An adaptive challenge is one that requires people involved to
learn new ways of behaving, rather than relying on authority figures to use routine know-how to solve an
easily defined problem.)
The challenge can be summarized this way: Currently, members of the Silent Generation and Baby
Boomers (50s-80s) provide the majority of financial support and programmatic leadership at Plymouth.
The congregation itself must grapple with the soon-to-be-urgent need to develop ways to nurture youth
and young adult leaders and encourage their involvement in giving both financially and of their time, as
well as attracting more members and more participation in their age group.
The Strategic Planning Committee thinks it is imperative that our situation at Plymouth be compared to
the current trends in American churches that were presented by Sarai Rice in her June 28, 2014
workshop:
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Changing Attendance Patterns. Church members do not attend as regularly as in the past.
Nationally, members attend on average one Sunday per month. Sunday School attendance has
shown an erratic pattern nationally, and yet members expect worship and Sunday School to be
there for them consistently when they choose to attend. It should be noted that according to the
survey, Plymouth does not yet follow this trend as those that answered the survey (66% were 55
years of age and older) attend Plymouth regularly with nearly 50% saying they attend four or
more times a month and another 43% saying they attend 2-3 times a month.
Spiritual But Not Religious. Many Americans consider themselves to be “spiritual but not
religious” meaning that going to a church building or involvement with a church is not important.
This trend is age based1. The Percept demographic study we commissioned (See Appendix Percept
Demographic Study, Percept Demographic Study) finds “faith receptivity” in a five-mile radius
around Plymouth to be “very low.” Church attendance in Colorado is lower than most states; only
three northern New England states have lower levels of church attendance2.
Committee/Team Participation. Regarding church committees or Ministry Teams, the survey
revealed that many Plymouth members are not willing to attend traditional monthly evening
meetings on a regular basis. On the other hand, we need to grow Lay Leadership. Hence, we need
to find alternatives that keep people involved but do not require traditional committees or
meetings.
Responsibility Ambiguities. There is some ambiguity around staff responsibilities and lay
responsibilities, both nationally and at Plymouth.
We recommend that the Leadership Council, by May 31, 2016, develop a plan (and report it
1
According to the Pew Religious Landscape Survey, “People not affiliated with any particular religion stand out for their
relative youth compared with other religious traditions. Among the unaffiliated, 31% are under age 30 and 71% are under age
50. Comparable numbers for the overall adult population are 20% and 59%, respectively.”
2
Pew Religious Landscape Survey.
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
5
to the congregation) that addresses this adaptive challenge. This plan should specify an
approach to be completed within one year and will require congregational participation.
2.
Lay Leadership Development and Retention
The previous Strategic Planning Committee report, completed January 11, 2004 (See Appendix 2004
Strategic Plan, 2000 Strategic Plan), identified the need for Plymouth to develop the laity by stating “An
important mission for us at Plymouth is to encourage the spiritual growth of our members by nurturing
our members’ relationship with God, calling forth their gifts and equipping them for Christian service.” A
review of the accomplishments by Plymouth towards the 2004 Strategic Plan showed that the church did
not fully achieve its goals in this area, and that the development of lay leadership is still a critical need at
Plymouth. Moreover, the success of the new governance structure of Plymouth depends upon significant
participation from trained and equipped lay leaders. Thus, the future success of Plymouth depends on the
implementation of a significant Leadership Development Program.
The results of both the survey and the SWOT analysis indicate that Plymouth’s congregation remains
committed to the goal of developing lay leadership. Specifically, Plymouth congregants stated the
following concerns and suggestions when asked about “barriers in engagement in the life of the
congregation:”
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The congregation is concerned that program leadership consistency is lacking because there is
significant staff turnover, clergy burnout, and excessive expectations of a few skilled and
committed lay leaders.
Clear definitions and expectations regarding the function of staff and the role of Ministry Team lay
leaders are needed.
Individuals are hesitant to step up and fill leadership roles without clarity of roles and training.
Plymouth needs to develop committed lay leadership through a clear training and development
program.
There is a desire to find new ways to attract strong leadership (be it via staff or consistent
volunteer lay leaders) to keep our youth programs fresh, vital, and engaging to our youth.
Based on the above, this Strategic Planning Committee strongly recommends to the
Leadership Council that the issues with Lay Leadership Development be addressed in the
following ways:
1. A training plan should be designed or adopted by September 30, 2016, that identifies
the various aspects of Lay Leadership on which individuals need to be trained. The
plan should identify materials for training and the need for external resources.
(Note: part of this plan is already being implemented by Council and staff through
the new “Good-to-Go” training program.)
2. Management of the training program is the responsibility of the Leadership Council
or a Committee of Council and should be coordinated by a Staff Member who will be
tasked with developing a sustainable and measurable protocol. It is imperative that
the training workload be distributed, not only among the clergy and staff, but also
among the congregants.
These additional staff responsibilities and roles in this area need to be clarified in job descriptions and
information disseminated to the congregation. As lay leaders are needed for additional trainings and
responsibilities in this area, they should be identified, recruited and their roles clearly articulated.
We recommend that the program plan be ongoing and identify specific goals and positions
for leadership development, expected outcomes, dates for implementation and the resources
required to implement the program. Resource requirements and budget considerations for
implementing the training program should be identified and put in the annual budget.
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
6
Plymouth has a plethora of talented, gifted members and staff across all age groups. We realize that many
of our members lead very busy lives, and we appreciate the gifts of time and talent they share. The future
of Plymouth depends upon all of us working toward retaining current staff and congregants and
expanding our mission to “worship God and help make God’s realm visible in the lives of people
individually and collectively, especially as it is set forth in the life, teachings, death and living presence of
Jesus Christ.”
This issue speaks also to the Adaptive Challenge we identified at the outset of this report, namely charging
the entire congregation with finding innovative ways to incorporate young adults and youth in leadership
and mission. It is the collective responsibility of our congregation to nurture and foster youth so that they
may choose to become future church-goers and leaders.
B. Improve on Strengths
This topic will be an area of focus for the next five years for Plymouth, specifically in addressing staffing
needs and facilitating congregational connections.
1.
Staffing
Plymouth is blessed with gifted, talented and competent paid and contract staff and volunteer “staff.” As
Plymouth has grown since our last Strategic Plan, the complexity of our operations has increased in
manifold ways: an entirely new service each Sunday (Plymouth 3.0); full-time ministries in Christian
Formation (children & youth) and music; new governance and responsibilities; and different roles for our
staff. The recommendations of the Strategic Planning Committee regarding staffing concern the following
three areas: Committees of Leadership Council; Organizational Structure; and, Volunteer Staff.
a. Committees of Leadership Council
The Personnel Committee, as well as all the other committees of the Leadership Council, provides
essential information and recommendations for the Leadership Council to be operational. It is essential
that these committees be fully staffed and functional at all times.
We recommend the Leadership Council address the ability to correct any dysfunction of any
committees in the Leadership Council Operating Policy as quickly as possible.
Results of the SWOT analysis revealed confusion around job descriptions and functions of paid staff
relative to boards and Ministry Teams.
We recommend that all staff job descriptions should be carefully reviewed and revised to
resolve this confusion by June 30, 2015.
b. Organizational Structure
The current organizational structure is listed in Appendix Plymouth Staff Organizational Charts, Plymouth
Staff Organizational Chart. Plymouth has adequate program staff in both quantity and quality. With the
departure of Sharon Benton, the previous Associate Minister, the Leadership Council and the congregation
approved the division of the Associate Minister into two acting positions: Jane Anne Ferguson as 50% Full
Time Equivalent (FTE), and Jake Joseph as 100% FTE. Staffing levels recommended in Susan Beaumont’s
“Inside the Large Congregation” are described in the following table:
Avg. worship
200-399
400-599
600-799
PLYMOUTH:
330
Clergy FTE
2.2
2.5
3.0
2.5 - only UCC in conference. with 3
Program Staff FTE
1.9
3.0
5.6
2.4
Admin Support FTE
2.3
3.4
3.7
1.75
services
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
7
With the understanding that staffing needs are dynamic, we recommend the following
actions regarding staffing:
1. The Leadership Council, as soon as reasonably possible, begin the search process to
permanently fill the Associate Minister positions.
2. Keep clergy staffing at 2.5 FTE because of the workload we require of clergy given
increasing pastoral care and communication needs in the congregation as well as
three Sunday services. Returning to 2.0 FTE is not sustainable for our staff.
3. The bookkeeping/administrative functions be filled as soon as budget considerations
allow and determine whether all staff functions are being adequately addressed.
(See Appendix Plymouth Annual Income, 2002-2015, Plymouth Annual Income 20022015.)
4. Require that the Personnel Committee prepare a “State of Plymouth’s Staffing
Report" to be included in its annual report given every January to the congregation
and to present salary recommendations to the Budget & Finance Committee each fall.
c. Volunteer Staff
The Strategic Planning Committee commends the volunteers at Plymouth and envisions growth in
volunteer efforts as Lay Leadership is developed. Given the anticipated growth among volunteers, we
believe that more coordination will be required going forward.
Therefore, we recommend that the Leadership Council develop the position of a “Volunteer
Coordinator.” The Volunteer Coordinator would be part of the Board Support Resource
Team (BSR) and work with staff and Board Chairpersons to match volunteer needs at
Plymouth with volunteer gifts and talents. This Volunteer Coordinator should be in place by
Jubilee Sunday, August 30, 2015.
2.
Facilitating Congregational Connection
Our congregation has a very strong sense of identity that needs to be maintained and passed along to new
members as we grow. Most people who responded to the survey stated that Progressive Christianity is
important to them and it is one of the reasons they were drawn to Plymouth. Other aspects that drew
them to and keep them at Plymouth are the minister, the worship style, Plymouth’s reputation,
friendships, open and affirming, social justice, and education. From the surveys, as well as interviews with
middle school, young adults, there is also a strong desire to expand inter-generational opportunities.
Plymouth can help people deepen their spiritual journey by continuing to do what we do well: good
sermons, meaningful educational programs, small group activities, and the speaker series. Surprisingly,
the desires for congregational connections were very similar across age groups, from youth, young adults
and older adults. Some examples of ways to expand these connections are the following:
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Experiencing the sacred through music, dance and art (small groups in these areas)
Support groups
Develop the spiritual practice of giving
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Mentoring
Teaching and sharing of spiritual practices
One of the themes we heard from some of our members in the listening phase of the strategic planning
process (both in person and in survey form) was that they hungered for what William James called “firsthand religious experience” as opposed to knowledge about religion.
Part of Plymouth’s uniqueness and its treasure is that it has high intellectual appeal. We acknowledge that
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
8
the brain is, for many of us, a primary organ of religious knowing. The challenge for us is not to allow our
intellectualism to become arid. For many Christians, uniting the “head and the heart” is a challenge, and
this is likely the case for many at Plymouth. This is not new in our tradition; it has been going on literally
for centuries.
Some in our congregation yearn for more direct experience of the sacred, and yet many in our
congregation are not interested in attending classes on prayer and other spiritual disciplines. Historically,
adult education classes in such areas are less well attended than others. New efforts at using methods in
Lenten studies have not been particularly well received, but may be worth trying again.
In the past, our primary thrust in Christian Education has been in providing knowledge. The change of
nomenclature with governance revision a few years ago (to Christian Formation) is a more encompassing
term that includes all of the ways we prepare, augment, inform, and experience all aspects of the Christian
life.
We recommend our Christian Formation Board develop a plan by December 31, 2015 to
include spiritual practices and prayer among learning opportunities for children, youth, and
adults. We encourage them to look not only at education, but also at discipleship that
engages participants in the fullness of their being.
We recommend our Congregational Life board develop a plan by December 31, 2015 to offer
additional experiential groups such as short retreats, and other opportunities for spiritual
exploration in addition to the current Healing Prayer Group and the two Celtic Christian
Spirituality groups.
C. Growth and Impact
This topic will be an area of focus for the next five years for Plymouth, specifically in addressing our
growing church, Colorado State University Stadium Plan/City of Fort Collins West Central Corridor Plan
and facilities.
1.
A Growing Church
The population of Larimer County is expected to increase by 150,000 by 20403. Churches decline or they
grow ... stasis is not an option. Since Plymouth’s three-step mission statement begins with the word
“inviting,” the congregation needs to take growth seriously. Since the last strategic plan in 2004,
Plymouth has enjoyed steady, significant growth, from an average worship attendance of 265 in 2004 to
335 in 2014 (See Appendix Plymouth weekly worship attendance, 1983-2014, Plymouth Weekly Worship
Attendance, 1983-2014). At the time of the last strategic plan Plymouth was grappling with the challenge
of moving from a “Pastoral-Size” church to a “Program-Size” church. Today we are on the threshold of
moving from a “Multi-Celled” church to a “Professional-Size” church, so a renewed focus on how Plymouth
chooses to grow is important.
The capabilities and leadership of Plymouth’s quality staff are a strength related to our current growth, as
is our progressive theological stance and open and affirming commitment. Our mid-town location and
functional, well maintained, debt-free facilities as well as the parking arrangement with the Islamic Center
also set the stage for continued growth in membership and attendance. The UCC in general and Plymouth
in particular are in a good position regarding the changing face of faith and trust in organized religion in
America.
In the next five years changes in our midtown neighborhood location, due to CSU expansion, the close
proximity of the new football stadium, and city plans for redevelopment of the Prospect Corridor will need
to be factored into our long-range (greater than five years) growth plan, However short-term (next five
3
https://dola.colorado.gov/demog webapps/dashboard.jsf
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
9
years) opportunities for growth include expanding our relationship with CSU faculty, staff, and students;
and, the potential to generate income from parking revenue once the new stadium is constructed. Current
feedback overwhelmingly supports expansion of Plymouth’s current facility before considering expansion
to an off-site campus in a different location in Fort Collins or starting a new church (see Appendix What
Ways Should We Grow). This will, however, require additional parking.
The new stadium represents a landmark opportunity for enhancing Plymouth’s visibility in the
community, with numerous cars and pedestrians passing Lake Street and Prospect Road with each
stadium event. Over the past 40 years, Plymouth has shifted from being an ethnic German congregation to
a mainstream “university” church.
We recommend, by December 31, 2015, that we accelerate this trend to become “the
unofficial church of CSU.”
We also recommend that the Leadership Council and congregation consider doing what our
German forbears did in 1941: to change the name of our congregation. Renaming and rebranding our congregation as “University Congregational UCC” identifies what part of town
the church is in, encourages members of the CSU community to affiliate here, and says who
we are: a congregation that invites you to bring your brain to church.
The Inviting/Evangelism/Community Relations functions of our congregation have been diminished by
demise of the Evangelism Committee under the former governance structure. Some functions still exist
under the Congregational Life Board, others as a new committee of council, and others have been let go.
We recommend, by December 31, 2015, the formation of a new Evangelism Board or
Evangelism Committee of Council to regain focus in this area.
Significant growth is expected in Larimer County in the coming years due to high quality of life in the area.
Opportunities exist for Plymouth to target growth in all age groups: Youth, Millennial, Generation X, Baby
Boomers, and the Silent Generation. Plymouth also has the opportunity and the experience to expand
ministry and develop further alliances and community involvement in social issues including
homelessness, immigration reform, peace with justice, housing for seniors and students, and further
involvement in local elderly ministries.
Perceived weaknesses affecting growth include pledge commitments not keeping pace with growth,
insufficient endowments for future sustainable financial commitments, our lack of ethnic, race, and class
diversity, and retention of new members. Fully embracing the governance structure and the ability to
retain staff will be important if we are to continue to grow.
SWOT feedback and the survey results suggest the congregation want sustainable growth that includes
fully engaging members in leadership and stewardship through an expanded focus on:
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Spiritual growth (where God is calling us)
Dynamic vibrant children & youth experience
Leadership development
Personal and family financial education
Small group ministries that allow all ages to feel included & supported
Outreach to the community
We recommend the Leadership Council, by December 31, 2015, develop the following plan in
coordination with addressing the adaptive challenge:
1. A plan for Encouraging Growth that focuses internally with our congregation to help
members understand extravagant welcome and embrace the necessity for growth.
This should have an external focus as well to work on replacing street signage on
Prospect Road; enhancing visibility of our facility from Prospect Road; potentially
2015-2020 Plymouth Strategic Plan
10
renaming and re-branding our congregation as University Congregational UCC;
appointing a new Board or Committee of Council for Evangelism.
2. A strategy for Managing Growth includes recommendations in other sections of this
report: Staffing, Congregational Connection, Facilities, CSU Stadium/West Central
Plan.
2.
Colorado State University Stadium Plan/City of Fort Collins West Central Corridor Plan
Colorado State University plans to begin construction in the summer of 2015 on the new football stadium
with the completion date of the 2017 football season. (See further comments in the A Growing Church
section of this report.)
The City of Fort Collins4 has a vision statement regarding the restructuring of the Prospect Corridor as
follows: An “attractive and functional, well-integrated, mixed-use corridor that serves the mobility needs
of nearby neighborhoods, CSU, and the community.” Specifically, the City’s goals toward this effort
include: a safe and comfortable corridor for all modes of travel; safe crossings; attractive gateway to
campus, downtown, and midtown, and seamless connection to MAX. These construction events will affect
Plymouth’s parking lot regarding ingress and egress as well as parking lot use.
To address these issues, the Strategic Planning Committee recommends that the Leadership
Council form a specific committee starting June 30, 2015 that reports, ongoing, to the
Leadership Council to anticipate, track and deal with all on-going stadium and Prospect
Corridor issues that will affect our church.
This new committee will serve as our official liaison with Colorado State University and the City of Fort
Collins for these issues. Specifically, the strategic planning committee recommends that the duties of this
new committee will be to:





Determine if Plymouth should consider leasing the parking lot during stadium events.
Determine the legal structure for any leasing arrangement to preserve Plymouth’s 501(C)3 tax
status.
Determine management of the leasing arrangement.
Determine if expansion of the parking lot is feasible.
Determine changes in Plymouth’s ingress/egress due to Prospect Corridor restructure including
the parsonage.
The Strategic Planning Committee suggests that the Leadership Council consider the
following members of Plymouth because of their unique experience and connections to the
City of Fort Collins and Colorado State University: Wayne Shepperd, Gary Olsen, Nic Redavid,
Judy Barth, Karen Cumbo, Tom Nesler, Don Bundy, and Laura Nelson.
3.
Facilities
As a result of the last Strategic Plan (dated January 11, 2004) Plymouth engaged in a successful large scale
capital campaign that met the 2004 Strategic Plan goal of keeping our existing sanctuary and growing to
approximately the size that can be accommodated by two services before attempting to spawn additional
congregations. Consequently, the decision was made to enlarge Christian Formation facilities, remodel
the Fellowship Hall, add the west wing and reconfigure office space. As part of the re-design process,
Plymouth does have an Architectural Master Plan (See Appendix V.M, Architectural Master Plan), for
future expansion that includes razing the parsonage, enlarging the sanctuary, adding a new fellowship
4
The West Central Plan is online at www.fcgov.com/planning/west-area-plan-php
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hall, and developing a future hallway that leads to a chapel on the parsonage site.
Plymouth requires additional programmatic space, therefore, we recommend looking to the
parsonage as a primary solution in the short term.
This Strategic Planning Committee has concluded that it is premature to expand the current facility to the
degree described in the Architectural Master Plan. The survey results regarding renovating, enlarging and
adding to current facilities showed that this is a low priority for Plymouth congregants. However, as a
result of our inquiry regarding space, the kitchen requires attention and action. Specifically, the
appliances, which include the stove, dishwasher and refrigerator, need attention. The stove needs to be
refurbished or replaced. The dishwasher/sanitizer needs to be updated with a new model and the hot
water shifted to an on-demand system. The refrigerator is not energy efficient and should be replaced
with a commercial-sized refrigerator. An icemaker should be purchased. A large size microwave oven
should be build into the kitchen and the counter tops replaced. The basic design of the kitchen is sound
and the cabinets are sufficient.
We recommend that Plymouth use the Building Reserve Account to complete these kitchen
upgrades and the project completion date be March 27, 2016, which is Easter Sunday.
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V.
Appendixes
A. Leading Large Classifications for the Large Church
B. Sarai Rice Analysis
C. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
D. Town Hall Meeting Notes
E. Survey
F. Young Adult (YUCCA) Meeting Notes
G. Percept Demographic Study
H. Plymouth Staff Organizational Charts
I.
Plymouth Annual Income, 2002-2015
J. 2004 Strategic Plan
K. Plymouth weekly worship attendance, 1983-2014
L. What Ways Should We Grow
M. Plymouth Architectural Master Plan
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