St Gregory's
Strategy – Phase 1:
Spiritual Growth—
Transforming Hearts
January 31, 2016
This past fall, St. Gregory’s embarked on its three-phased
spiritual journey to progress “from good to great”
Sept. 2015 – Jan. 2016
1
Phases
Objectives
Feb. – Dec 2016
2
Phase 1 – Spiritual Mission
Baseline Congregation on Spiral
Continuum and Establish the
Spiritual Vision and Mission
 Launched with Congregation;
Strat. Leaders. Team formed
 Completed Spiritual Life
Inventory
 Conducted five workshops
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Where have we been?
Where are we now?
Where do we feel called to go?
How do we get there?
What is our Mission—and
spiritual priorities?
 Developed “Spiritual Growth:
Transforming Hearts” report
 Re-Engaged Congregation—
Rector’s Address and Annual
Meeting (last Sunday/today)
Phase 2 – Strategic
Roadmap
Jan. 2016 forward
3
Phase 3 - Implementation
Wed the Spiritual Mission with
Three-Year Enabling Org Strategy
Prioritize Investments/Actions to
Bring the Strategy to Life
Three Sub-Phases:
A. 2/1-4/30 - Pre-Sabbatical:
Quick Hits/Org. Baselining
1. Transition RenewalWorks
Committee to Spiritual
Life Committee (SLC)
2. Implement quick hits;
conduct demographic
focus groups
3. Collect baseline info. (e.g.,
Org/staffing, financial)
B. 5/1-8/31 - Sabbatical: Reflect
upon/hone Mission
C. 9/1-12/31 - Rector’s “ReEntry”: Define three-year
org. strategy goals/roadmap
1. Charter/budget strategic
initiatives
2. Leverage SLC as “PMO” for
ongoing projects
3. Build resourcing needs into
Capital/Stewardship
campaigns
4. Measure results—including
a follow-on Spiritual Life
Inventory in late 2018
Phase 1 started with the Spiritual Inventory survey
which over 200 of you completed
Key Takeaways from the survey and workshops provided key
“Design Principles” for our Spiritual Growth Mission…
We need to…
• Respect as a Congregation that there is no “one size fits all”
for spiritual growth (e.g., service length or type) because we
are on various points of the Spiritual Continuum
• Gather more input (e.g., focus groups and surveys) from
various segments of our Congregation (e.g., single
parishioners 18 - 30) to learn more about wants and needs
• Pursue individual spiritual growth, starting with daily
disciplines
• Seek ways to make a closer connection between our
deeds/ministries/small groups and spiritual discipleship
• Develop a Strategic Roadmap for the organization to enable
us to realize the Mission
RenewalWorks Best Practice Principles were another framework
with which the Steering Committee organized its ideas...
Best Practice Principles:
…And the “Heart of the Leader” principle was the avenue for
Andrew and lay leaders to share their personal visions and ideas
Heart of the Leader
Among Father Andrew’s thoughts…
•
Rector as Chief Spiritual Pastor (CSP) versus CEO
•
Parish administrator to be “COO”
•
More sabbatical/annual retreat options
•
Expanding/Advancing Bible study to higher levels
•
Pastoral support team/enhanced role of assistant rector
•
“Transforming Hearts” as the theme/Mission of St. Gregory’s
Spiritual Growth strategy
We aligned on “Spiritual Growth: Transforming Hearts” as the
overall mission for St. Gregory’s for the next decade
Transforming Hearts means we, St. Gregory's want to…
1) …Grow spiritually—to help people progress wherever they
find themselves in their relationship with God today
2) …Identify and provide the resources to help us grow
spiritually as individuals and as a congregation
3) …Cultivate a culture of expectation among our members
that Spiritual Growth: Transforming Hearts” is the norm of
our life together—it is part of our “spiritual DNA”
4) …Ensure that all we do—all our ministries—connect with
and flow from our relationship with God in Jesus Christ as
enabled by the Spirit
We will not delay; we will pursue “Low-hanging fruit”
or “quick hits” in the near term
Some low-hanging fruit that Father Andrew mentioned in his
Rector’s Address last Sunday includes…
1. Embedding of Scripture and Prayer time into all our
ministry gatherings
2. Introducing "Growing a Rule of Life" as a Lenten program
for the entire congregation
3. Spiritual Growth will be a preaching theme in Lent offered
by the clergy
4. Grow our retreats offerings for all our members—e.g., this
Spring will offer a men's retreat after Easter
5. Initiate a "Spiritual Life Committee” (SLC) to encourage
and hold us accountable to these commitments
The next phase of work—Phase 2—will included three subphases to help us hone the thoughtful work of Phase 1
Sept. 2015 – Jan. 2016
1
Phases
Objectives
Feb. – Dec 2016
2
Phase 1 – Spiritual Mission
Baseline Congregation on Spiral
Continuum and Establish the
Spiritual Vision and Mission
 Launched with Congregation;
Strat. Leaders. Team formed
 Completed Spiritual Life
Inventory
 Conducted five workshops
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Where have we been?
Where are we now?
Where do we feel called to go?
How do we get there?
What is our Mission—and
spiritual priorities?
 Developed “Spiritual Growth:
Transforming Hearts” report
 Re-Engaged Congregation—
Rector’s Address and Annual
Meeting (last Sunday/today)
Phase 2 – Strategic
Roadmap
Jan. 2016 forward
3
Phase 3 - Implementation
Wed the Spiritual Mission with
Three-Year Enabling Org Strategy
Prioritize Investments/Actions to
Bring the Strategy to Life
Three Sub-Phases:
A. 2/1-4/30 - Pre-Sabbatical:
Quick Hits/Org. Baselining
1. Transition RenewalWorks
Committee to Spiritual
Life Committee (SLC)
2. Implement quick hits;
conduct demographic
focus groups
3. Collect baseline info. (e.g.,
Org/staffing, financial)
B. 5/1-8/31 - Sabbatical: Reflect
upon/hone Mission
C. 9/1-12/31 - Rector’s “ReEntry”: Define three-year
org. strategy goals/roadmap
1. Charter/budget strategic
initiatives
2. Leverage SLC as “PMO” for
ongoing projects
3. Build resourcing needs into
Capital/Stewardship
campaigns
4. Measure results—including
a follow-on Spiritual Life
Inventory in late 2018
Some near-term dates/milestones for all to keep in mind…
• Saturday, February 13: Vestry and Ministry leaders
conversation/training/equipping for adding scripture and prayer
into all St. Gregory’s gatherings
• Friday, February 19: Parents of St. Gregory's monthly meeting—
to be used as a focus group for input from this key constituency
• Sunday, February 21: “Come One, Come All" town-hall style
conversation with full Congregation
• Saturday in late February/early March: Focus group discussion
for experienced members of the congregation (e.g., over 55)
• Saturday/Sunday in March/April: Focus group discussion with
20- and 30-somethings
Questions?
If questions or ideas arise after today, please follow-up with
anyone on the Ste. Gregory’s Strategic Leadership Team
Name
E-Mail Address
• Walter Jones
walter.jones@raymondjames.com
• Patricia Jordan
patjordan09@comcast.net
• Rob Mitchell
rob.mitchell@whiting-turner.com
• Charlotte Pelton
charlotte@charlottepelton.com
• Andrew Sherman
asherman@st-gregorys.com
• Roberta Stanley
roberta.stanley@brinkleymorgan.com
• Stephen Von Oehsen
stephenvonoehsen@southernwine.com