Mission Resourcing

So often when we advertise a parish visioning day someone will say “What a waste of time, we had one three years ago and nothing changed”, or words to that effect.

And sometimes they are right!

A common concern after a parish planning day, or before the next one, is that we have all these bright ideas but nothing actually gets done afterwards.

A measure of a successful planning day is what actually happens in the six months or so afterwards; whether the goals we set ourselves ever come to fruition.

During last month I worked with St James Union Parish, Greerton, planning for their next few years. I was delighted to hear people comment afterwards that the six small goals they had set themselves felt both energizing and achievable. Even more so when people said that the process of working together had built a sense of community and togetherness. It looks like these goals will “stick”

So what are some of the secrets of making goals stick?

Encourage ownership:

Use a process that involves as many people as possible.

Help people to set goals for areas of mission they are interested in and prepared to be a part of.

Build trust:

Some people will feel confident to share their ideas and dreams out loud in a big group.

Others won’t – make spaces for them also by

a) giving people time to think and prepare beforehand.

b) allowing written as well as verbal responses.

c) using a brainstorm technique where all ideas are listened to and treated as equally valid and important.

Only set a FEW goals

Your brainstorm will have produced lots of ideas. Give people stickers – dots , hearts etc. - to “vote” for the (say) 3 things they are most enthusiastic about.

Then break into interest groups, each to plan a goal for one of the top three things.

Build on what you are already doing and doing well

The majority of your goals should come from reflecting on “what are we already doing well?” and be small “add ons” to enhance that work /those skills.

Focus on the positive but allow negatives, concerns to be expressed.

If folk are dwelling on the “we used to do/ have/ manage” help them to see that everything has its time and for a new activity or dream to have space and energy to develop and old one may need to be retired.

Work SMART – think small and cut it in half, develop something for which you can see measurable results in 6 months at the latest. Jot down a sentence about how you will know you have achieved your goal. Clearly identify the first step and who will do it.

Affirm and celebrate the goals you have decided on – write them up, have those involved sign them, create a thanksgiving or dedication liturgy at the end of the exercise

Keep your goals and vision in front of you:

At St James’ we made a pictorial record of our goals and the day in the following way:

In the centre of a large piece of card a mirror was taped. Above it were these words from the book of James: “if you hear God’s message and don’t do anything about it, then you are like people who look at themselves in a mirror but forget about what they are like as soon as they leave”

Appropriate words for a parish whose motto is “hearers and doers”

Around the mirror were pasted the goals – each signed by those who had developed them and now would implement them.

One person had been designated the photographer for the weekend. We added developed photos of all those involved and the identified activities to the collage.

Then we placed the finished record strategically in the foyer for all to view entering and leaving worship.

Plan to meet again in six months to review, celebrate and expand those goals.

You will have found other ways to make goals stick in your congregation.

I and others would be delighted to hear about them.

Drop me a line or an email and I will include them on our web page.

phone Mission Resourcing on (09) 5254179

MAY 2004

Mission Resourcing has a variety of resources to help parishes plan well for the future:

Are you thinking of having a Parish review or a goal setting day for your congregation?

Not sure where to start or what sort of process to follow?

Written booklets:

Mission Resourcing can provide your parish or district with written guidelines for ministry reviews as well as comprehensive outlines for a goal setting day which include plenty of creative exercises you can easily adapt to your particular needs.

If you would like copies, or more information, please contact the Great South Road offices on (09) 5719148

People resources:

I am also able to lead workshops with your parish or district on, for example, how to create constructive processes which help congregations to move forward.

Alternatively I am available to (co-)facilitate reviews or goal setting days.

Mission Resourcing also offers workshops on developing facilitation skills and consensus decision making.

For any of these workshops the parish is asked to cover my travel costs.

Feedback and resource sharing:

Many of you will already have been involved in successful and creative parish planning exercises. I would be delighted if you passed these resources on to me with a view of making them available to the wider Connexion (suitably acknowledged of course)

One such exercise that I have found works well in a variety of congregational settings is the “treasure in clay pots” exercise.

Sometimes using a metaphor helps a group detach themselves enough from the feelings/tensions around the question “who are we now as a congregation” so that they come up with an answer that is both more honest and more “fruitful”

One such metaphor, with a Biblical basis is “treasure in clay pots” (2 Corinthians 4:7-9)

Assemble a collection of containers from the beautiful to the purely functional; china through to plastic and paper. Include those that are chipped or otherwise less than perfect. Think outside the square: cans of baked beans, batteries and boxes of matches are all containers and powerful metaphors, as are rubbish bins!

Invite people to choose one that in some way speaks to them about how they are as a congregation. Share responses. Facilitator jots down all qualities mentioned. Time to look at the responses and reflect.

People can then be invited to choose, or draw etc., a container that represents something of how they would wish the congregation to be. Again the responses are shared and reflected on.

A useful story to end this exercise is: The Indian Water Carrier (anonymous folk tale)

A water bearer had two large pots. Each pot hung on the end of a pole that he carried across his neck. One pot was perfect, but the other was cracked. Every day the water bearer filled the pots from the stream and carried them to the master’s house.

A full portion of water was delivered from the perfect pot, but only a half portion of water arrived from the leaky, cracked pot. That continued for two years.

The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. After all, it was performing perfectly—doing exactly what it was created to do. But the cracked pot became more and more discouraged and ashamed of its imperfection. It seemed it was only fulfilling half of what it had been created to do.

Eventually, the cracked pot apologized to the water bearer. "Because of my flaws, you have had to do extra work and you have not received full value from your efforts." The water bearer was sympathetic but responded only by saying, "As we walk to the master’s house today, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

As they made their way up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the beautiful wildflowers on one side of the path and was cheered somewhat. The despondency returned, however, as they came to the end of the trail and it was evident that half the water supply had leaked out once again.

But the water bearer spoke to the cracked pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers on your side of the path but not on the other side? That’s because I have always known your flaw and took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. You have watered them every day while we walk from the stream. For two years now, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers and decorate the master’s table. If you were any different from the way you are, he would not have had this beauty to grace his home."

What other types of resourcing would benefit your parish?

Please let me know of other areas of parish life where you feel mission resourcing

could be offering written and people resources. Or perhaps of an area in which you have developed resources that could be more widely used.

I see one of my tasks this year as highlighting the depth and variety of resources and resource people out there that people throughout the Connexion can call on.

Each of us is part of that.