Mutual Ministry Review
22 May 2010
A group of about twenty of us met with Archdeacon Bill Coyne at Trinity on
Saturday, May 22, for our biennial Mutual Ministry Review. During the review,
we discussed four questions:
What can we rejoice about?
What are our concerns?
Where do we discern God's preferred and
promised future for Trinity?
Who will do what by when?
The responses were written on newsprint by Archdeacon Coyne.
This page contains what was written, and the original newsprints are
in the Parish Hall. Please feel free to add your own comments, if you wish,
in the Parish Hall.
What can we rejoice about?
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- Committed, loving priest
- Same priest in place (4 years)
- Good clergy through the years
- Core group of lay leaders — committed
- Good programs
- Stephen ministers
- Healing meals
- Community dinner
- Prayer shawls
- Covenant relationship / St. Mary's
- Moral support
- Prayer
- Fundraising
- New ideas from new people are being listened to —
open/welcoming
- Strong sense of community
- Food
- Friendly
- Welcoming
- Strong support
- Informative
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- Strong Sunday School program — about 30 students per week
- Strong relationship with local churches
- Palm Sunday
- Good Friday
- VBS scheduling
- Good website
- Content up-to-date
- For newcomers and visitors
- Facebook
- Monthly newsletter
- Great Christmas Fair
- Chocolatefest
- Movie night
- Young adult participation / older teens
- Scholarship program for seniors
- New Bible Study format
- Great worship / great message
- Buildings / Property / Assets — volunteer help
- Fun youth group — about 10 members
- Shifting paradigms — ask specific people for help
- Many people understand our way of doing Vestry, etc.
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What are our concerns?
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- Fresh blood into the system
- How to keep healthy programs and continue
- Average Sunday attendance
- More community mission
- What the concerns are within half-mile radius of the Church?
- Several stores
- Staying in communication with those unable to attend
- Birthday cards
- Clergy
- Eucharistic visitors
- Stephen ministers
- Who is reaching out to those who aren't here yet?
- Open house
- Web
- Sign out front
- Refridgerator magnet
- Bookmarks
- Need demographics
- Lack of legacy stewardship
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- Fiscal health
- 150 pledging households
- 50 contributors
- 2010 pledge $165,000
- $1,190 average pledge
- Deficit $18,000
- Personal witness / stewardship
- Reach out to Brazilian population?
- How many former RC in town?
- Don't burn the cleric out
- How do we engage people to support new initiatives?
- Not enough people power
- Increase nucleus of active members
- Vestry retreat
- Stephen ministry — new session Fall 2010
- Memorable mission statement — compelling / simpler
- Mission, Vision, Values
- Blessing of the Motorbikes
- Outside groups use of parish hall
- Allow people to continue existing programs
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Where do we discern God's preferred and promised future for
Trinity?
- Outside of ourselves
- Acknowledge we have a future and desire to be here
- A new steeple
- Doing/discerning this in MMR/vestry retreat
- Retain/keep/care for the present household of faith – meet their needs
- Allow priest to continue spiritual development – sabbatical
- Learn to listen to God / the Holy Spirit / prayer
- Wayne Schwab – Member mission
- A level of witness in the world
- Non-judgmental message
- How to help people to "try" us?
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Who will do what by when?
- Getting in touch with existing parish members
- To encourage involvement
- Fran Phaneuf, Brian O'Toole, John Ellis, Gayle Ruscitti
- First meeting 5/26
- Church development group / membership development
- Demographics / reach out
- Magnets, benchmarks, visitor parking
- John Ellis, Jorja Ketcham, Cheryl Taylor
- First meeting before June 14 vestry meeting
- Newcomer / Welcoming group
- Ambassadors / vestry person of the day
- Penny principle – first 10 minutes
- Intentional
- Persons of hospitality
- Ushers / greeters
- Mary Torian, Wayne Stokaj
- By July vestry meeting
- Revise mission statement / clarity — Mission / Vision / Values
- Gayle Ruscitti, Justin Varteresian, Beth Stokaj
- By September vestry meeting
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