key documents of parish development
DESCRIPTION
This material is drawn from the professional nonprofit development community and written from an Orthodox Christian perspective.TRANSCRIPT
Key Documents for Parish Development
Stewardship AdvocatesTM
Why Key Documents?• Focuses the attention and energy of the faithful for
greater impact• Gets everyone marching in the same general direction• Provides parameters for parish decision‐making• Assists new members or inquirers to become quickly
integrated into parish life• Builds the case for an ongoing program of major gifts• Shows key historical and current trends• Shapes governance to become more strategic and less
tactical• Helps priest to work not just “in” his parish but also “on”
his parish
Key Documents
• Mission Statement• Values Statement• Vision Statement• The Case Statement• New Member/Inquirer Packet• Written Strategic Plan or Executive Summary• Key Strategic Indicators• Parish Council or board member manual
The Parish Mission Statement*• Describes the primary purpose of the parish• May answer the question: “For what reason did the parish
come into existence?”• Active, missionary, compelling language• Not more than one succinct paragraph• Think Scripture and more particularly the Gospel here• Consider a “tag line” that encapsulates the mission – one
priest was successful in identifying his parish as “the church that love built” – this goes on stationary, signs, etc.
*Note: written by the priest and reviewed by the parish council; one priest had it blown up into a large poster and invited every man, woman and child to sign their names on it to confirm that it was not only the parish’s mission statement but that it was also each individual person’s mission within the parish.
The Parish Values Statement*• The Values Statement captures the basic operational
philosophy or way of the parish. It is an affirmation of lasting truths and behaviors which inform all the activities and organizations of the parish.
• In some respects it is an articulation of a moral position.
*Sample parish values statements:• We are an accepting and compassionate community• We conduct ourselves in a professional manner• We are consciously inter‐Orthodox• We practice good stewardship• We are committed to bringing others to Orthodoxy• We listen well
The Parish Vision Statement*• Articulates the mission of the parish in future terms• Describes the potential inherent in the parish’s future• Identifies objectives that the parish strives to achieve• Active, missionary, compelling language• May reflect key goals stemming from a strategic plan
Sample vision declarations:• The parish annual budget will be funded 100% through the
biblical practice of sacrificial giving• The parish membership will grow by 5% each year• The parish will support the work of at least one full time
missionary• At least one new sustaining service program or activity will
be offered to the surrounding community in each of the next three years
The Parish Case Statement
• A comprehensive document articulating all the reasons why a person should join, become more involved or increase giving to the parish
• Early in the case statement there should be a short theological description of the Church (not just the parish), its purpose and function and a copy of the Nicene Creed
• It contains all the documents described in earlier slides, a brief history of the community, programs, ministries, organizations, governance, any key studies, general assembly minutes, the written strategic plan, the annual operating budget, the “whys and hows” of stewardship, major gifts program, endowment, the biography or résumé of the priest, key contact numbers, parish activities calendar, etc.
• The Case Statement is used to substantiate and justify fundraising, quickly integrate new members into the community and provides the general membership with a parish “operations, goals, battle plan and reference manual”
• Elements of the Case Statement need to be updated each year
Key Strategic Indicators• Those factors by which progress (or lack thereof) is
measured in light of the mission and vision of the parish
• Provides a “dashboard” for the priest and the parish council to see where the parish is headed
• Describe historic performance looking back 5‐10 years and current performance
• May include easily understandable charts• Look for trends• Information that allows analysis and forecasting• Indicates where attention, energy, funding and staff
or volunteer time should be allocated
Examples of Key Strategic Indicators
• Number of baptisms, chrismations and new members (already Orthodox) compared to loss of membership through death or departure
• Growth of the endowment• Operational costs versus income by source• Number of pledging stewards and average pledge• Number of participating youth• Average Sunday liturgy and Sunday school attendance
• Participating adult education members
Contents of the Parish Council Manual• The parish’s articles of incorporation, bylaws and amendments • The parish’s mission, vision, and values statements• The services and programs of the parish• Parish council member responsibilities• The parish’s strategic plan• A description of the board development process• Regular financial and operating reports from the past year • The most recent audited financial statements• Key strategic indicators document• A contact sheet listing the names, addresses and contact
information of all board members • Minutes of meetings held within the past year• The conflict‐of‐interest policy
Ordained Bastille Day 1974; 38 years a priest; four parishes served; B.A., M.Div., plus 30 courses of study in nonprofit institutional development;12 years serving as Vice Chancellor of Advancement at St. Vladimir's Seminary; 15 years as consultant to well over 100 Orthodox parishes and organizations; author and editor of Good and Faithful Servant: Stewardship in the Orthodox Church.
In June 2012, at his own request, Anthony was honorably returned to the ranks of the laity in order to receive the sacrament of holy matrimony.
Anthony L. Scott
The Principal of Stewardship Advocates
Contact Information and Additional Material
phone/text: 347.831.1848email: [email protected]: www.stewardshipadvocates.orgfacebook.com/stewardshipadvocatesfacebook.com/anthonyscottsatwitter.com/stadvocateslinkedin.com/in/anthonylscottpinterest.com/anthonylscott/slideshare.net/anthonyscottsanewsletter: http://www.stewardshipadvocates.org/