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Strategic Planning Commission update 10/20/09
The Diocese’s of Central Florida’s Strategic Planning Commission, mandated by the 2009 Diocesan Convention, has been meeting monthly for much of the year. The commission, led by the Rev. Rob Lord, rector of All Saints’, Winter Park, is working to craft a working plan that would share with all members of the diocese the core values and theological vision of Bishop Howe’s April 15th, 2008 Pastoral Letter to the Diocese.
Fr. Lord gave a report on the commission’s work at the Oct. 20 Clergy Conference in Oviedo.
One of the challenges in building consensus around a strategic plan is an agreement about what the plan is and what it does, he said.
“All of you are familiar with planning, but I’d like to mention a few definitions that we are working with,” he told the group.
The purpose of the Strategic Planning Commission is to guide the Clergy and Laity of the Diocese in the development of a strategic plan. But, possibly more important is to assist parishes and missions of the Diocese in their own local response to and versions of the Strategic Plan.
Creation and implementation of the plan includes visioning, planning, setting goals, identifying resources needed, and evaluating progress.
Fr. Lord discussed some definitions assumed by the commission:
STRATEGIC PLANNING is the process of determining what an organization intends to be in the future and how it will get there. Our strategic plan will be an action plan to move us toward who God calls us to be as the Diocese of Central Florida, based upon the vision and direction of our Bishop.
A GOAL is a future state or condition called forth by the vision statement and Bishops Pastoral Letter. Setting a goal involves thinking such as this: If we are true to the vision of God and the Bishops Pastoral Letter, then “this is what we are all about.” Having more than six or seven major goals in a strategic plan can be overwhelming.
AN OBJECTIVE, illuminates the goal, fleshes it out, and adds a degree of measurability, a metric. An objective might be an instrumental or incremental part of the goal.
A STRATEGY is a specific, measurable plan, action that is necessary to achieve a specific objective.
“You all know these kind of things, but it’s important for you to see how we’re using the language for strategic planning,” he said. “The hope really is that the strategic plan is to be realized not just at the diocesan level, but primarily within the local parishes and missions.”
Results of the plan must be measurable, he said, and should include:
- A church responding to Christ’s call to boldly proclaim the Gospel with enthusiasm.
- A church striving to form disciples.
- A church rejoicing to serve Christ in others
Some evidence that the Strategic Plan is working would include:
- Maintaining the Bishops Core Values and Theological Vision as he “guards the faith, unity and discipline of the Church.” (Book of Common Prayer passages on Ordination of a Bishop)
- Fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.
- New parishes
- Healthy parishes
- Retaining our young people
- Empowering lay ministry
To work, the strategic planning process must involve parishes and missions in implementation.
In support of this, the commission has reached out to all of the clergy and vestries for answers to three questions:
1. What is the most important part of the Pastoral Letter to you and your people?
2. How do you envision implementing this vision in your congregation and community?
3. What would be of most help to you in terms of Diocesan support as you seek to implement this vision?
Responses are still coming in from the congregations.
Implementation on the congregational level might include such considerations as:
- What does the Strategic Plan mean for our parish?
- How do we intend to realize it in our parish?
- Does this plan inspire mutual trust and accountability?
Once the Strategic Plan is adopted and in place, every parish and mission will have a set time period in which to establish its own local plan and goals consistent with the Bishops Pastoral Letter and the Diocesan Strategic Plan.
These plans and goals will be submitted to the Bishop for his reference and conversation with each church and their leaders, both clergy and lay.
As Bishop Howe wrote: “… I am recommitting myself to these core values on the anniversary of my consecration, and I invite the Diocese to reflect on these commitments that we might strengthen our common life and that we might bear a united witness to Central Florida, to The Episcopal Church, and to the world at large.”
Fr. Lord concluded with a prayer that we may:
- Grasp the Vision
- Have imagination in planning
- Be open to God’s call
- Have enthusiasm as we implement our goals
