Sylvania UCC Transition

Faith in Questions: Questions of Faith

2012-02-29T14:12:00.001-05:00

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.

-I John 4:11-13

Transitions can be a lot like Festivus from Seinfeld. First there's an airing of grievances and then come the feats of strength. Old scabs can be picked at, old fights re-started, and then there's a force of wills that follows this on who was/is right and who was and still is wrong.

We haven't had that.

After two consultants, we still don't have that. It seems we are acting as we are called to through the letter of John. We are trying our best to love one another, understand each other and express that God is within our neighbor just as God is within us.

That's pretty cool!

Now comes the hard part. We have to change the way we do things. Well, not yet. First we have to figure out what exactly to change that will get us toward our vision of who we are and who we want to be. And actually, THAT is the hard part. So let's get into the questions:

We are a moderately sized pastoral church, do we want to be a large programmatic church?
We are already a welcoming church, do we want to become an Open and Affirming church?
We need to attract young families, but how do we do that and what exactly are they looking for?
We are largely a progressive church theologically, how do we affirm that yet keep those who are moderate to traditional in theology feeling like they are still welcomed and part of the community?
How do we as the clergy, staff, and transition teams keep our laity informed and up-to-date on what's going on?

These are serious questions. These are constantly on my mind as we enter the next phase of this transition. I am grateful for how far we've come and how we've gotten here. It is my prayer that we continue in this fashion.

We have done so without picking old wounds, without conflict, and all things in love. Our anxiety levels have remained low and manageable, and we walk with one another in faith.

And we have shown our faith in this time through our works, as faith without works is dead. Or to put it another way, a faith that isn't lived out is no faith at all.

More news from the Search Committee

2012-02-21T18:35:00.001-05:00

We have a new member of the Search Committee. Please welcome Renee Long who has agreed to join the "team" and kindly sent us the following background information about herself:

Renee Long has been an active Christian as long as she can remember, and has been an active member at Sylvania UCC since 2006. She has lived in the Toledo area all her life, and attended the University of Toledo and BGSU where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s in Counseling, and a PhD. in Gifted Education. She has worked exclusively in the field of education for a variety of school districts for the past 22 years. Renee and Steve, her husband of 21 years, have been blessed with 4 children, Jacob (15), Larson (14), Nathaniel (10) and Jacquelyn (8). Renee is very active in her children's lives, volunteering as Cub Scout Den Chief, Brownie Leader, Room Mother, PTA Secretary and Sunday School Teacher, among others. To relax, Renee likes to read, cross-stitch, cook, visit historical and cultural sites, view Toledo Rep and other theatre productions, travel, and take long walks.

-- Jeanne

Our sincere thanks to Renee and all the members of the committee who are volunteering to serve our church in this capacity. Your willingness to give of your time and talents is much appreciated.

News from the Search Committee

2012-02-16T17:12:00.000-05:00

The members of the Search Committee have been meeting and Jeanne Brockmyer, chairperson, sent us this update:

The Search Committee met with Reverend Dan Busch on January 23, 2012. We had a great conversation about both broad and nitty-gritty search issues. The Association is definitely there to help us in this critical journey.

Now the Search Committee is hard at work on the Church Profile. It is a difficult task because we need to show potential candidates who we are in both statistical data and in the deepest sense of our convictions. Fortunately, we have the help of the survey from Russell Crabtree and the work of the Vision Team.

We invite your input to any of the Search Committee members. Working together, we will know God's direction for our pastoral leadership.

- Jeanne

A warm welcome to Carolyn

2012-02-06T13:44:00.001-05:00

Sylvania UCC welcomes Carolyn Weese, Consultant, of Multi-Staff Ministries, Goodyear AZ, who agreed to leave sunny 75° weather to spend the week with us in 40° Toledo. (But, hey, no snow -- it could be worse!)

Carolyn is apt to see little of the outdoors anyway as her 13-hour days are filled with meetings, meetings ... and more meetings. Approximately 45 to 50 by my count. Added to that will be lunch and dinner meetings, church services and education hour attendance and Sunday School observation.

As we talk with Carolyn, both individually and as members of staff, committees, boards and Cabinet, she'll get to know us and learn a great deal about our church. With this insight and knowledge of our organization Carolyn can:

Present an objective perspective
Provide guidance through the preparation for transition and call process
Recommend needed and necessary changes that will prepare Sylvania UCC to receive a new pastor. *

Thank you, Carolyn, for visiting us this week and sharing with us your experience and expertise in creating viable and healthy attributes for our church.

* from "Request for Proposal" for Sylvania UCC, Multi-Staff Ministries, January 3, 2012.

- Bonnie

Forum Review

2012-01-26T18:08:00.006-05:00

Thanks to all who attended the forum last Sunday to hear about the CAT results. 70-75 people learned about several key findings, including the Top Five Drivers of Satisfaction (which place Sylvania UCC on the High Energy/High Satisfaction quadrant of the Energy-Satisfaction Map), Descriptive Indices such as our theological perspective and flexibility style, and numerous Performance Indices relating to hospitality, morale, conflict management, governance, spiritual vitality, readiness for ministry, educational engagement, and worship and music.

We continued with an overview of our top Critical Abilities for the Pastor and Ministry Priorities. For suggestions from the congregation on how we will accomplish our Ministry Priorities we broke into small discussion groups. The Transition Team will compile the various ideas for those in the relevant ministry areas to use in future planning.

Our thanks to Al Palmer who unveiled the draft of the Vision Statement and to Jeanne Brockmyer who gave an update on the activity of the Search Team. Both committees have done great work as evidenced from their reports.

For those who are interested in reading the survey documents please see Amy in the office. You'll find 70+ pages of information about our church, how we see it now and our goals for the future.

The members of the Transition, Vision and Search Teams are listed under the "About the Blog" tab above -- all of us welcome your thoughts, suggestions, questions, comments and concerns!

--Bonnie

Findings in more detail -- Part 6

2012-01-19T16:16:00.002-05:00

To wrap up this series on the Findings we continue with #18 - 20 from BridgeDesign for Sylvania UCC, Findings:

Finding #18

When asked what changes might improve their level of effectiveness or satisfaction the staff's top three priorities were

Improve supervisory skills of those managing others through training and coaching.
Develop better communication among the staff.
Involve staff members in a planning process so that more clarity regarding long-term vision and direction is understood.

Other potential work areas include providing more opportunities for professional development and addressing the concern that staff members are often spending an excessive amount of time recruiting members to work in their ministry areas.

Finding #19

Staff members are mixed in their level of comfort with the transition process. There is a relatively high level of satisfaction with the way leaders are communicating with them and clarity that their work is a good fit for who they are. There appears to be a significant, though typical, level of anxiety about their future employment with the church. It is important to note that more than half of staff members indicate there are staffing issues that need to be resolved prior to the calling of the next pastor.

Finding #20

The current staffing configuration evolved as a way to support the church during the illness of Dr. Chidester and has been maintained during the interim period. This appears to be working well for both the church and the staff. However, with the calling of the next pastor it is possible that significant changes will take place in the organizational structure and management philosophy of the staff.

A final reminder about the forum on January 22, 2 - 4 pm, where we will continue the discussion about the survey results and the succession process. Hope to see you there!

-- Bonnie

Findings in more detail -- Part 5

2012-01-17T07:32:00.006-05:00

Next up: Findings #15 - 17 from BridgeDesign for Sylvania UCC, Findings:

Finding #15

Members are less confident that the congregation has adjusted well to the loss of the former pastor. 46% of members are on the fence on that question, scoring lower than 72% of the churches in the database. Members also indicated a lower level of readiness of the members to follow the leadership of a new pastor. When asked about the level of difficulty for the congregation in adjusting to the loss of the former pastor and accepting the leadership of the next pastor, staff members estimate a level of difficulty higher than any other church staff in the database.

Finding #16

Members indicate a relatively high level of comfort with the pace of the transition (77th percentile) and the way that members are being utilized in that transition process (82nd percentile).

Finding #17

Staff members at Sylvania UCC indicate a high level of morale with strengths in the areas of flexibility, working as a team, conflict management, and general management. Staff members appear to feel best about their work when they also feel that:

There is not a disturbing level of conflict
The staff is good at identifying and building on the strengths and gifts of staff members
The assignment of work is fair and balanced between the needs of the church and the needs of individuals

Look for the Findings series to wrap up in our next post ... and plan to attend the forum on Sunday, January 22, 2 - 4 pm to hear more about our survey results. As always, questions and comments are welcomed!

-- Bonnie

Findings in more detail -- Part 4

2012-01-15T15:16:00.004-05:00

We're continuing our series with Findings #11-14 below. Two more posts this week will cover Findings #15-17 and, finally, #18-20 to wrap up the set of 20 Findings generated from our CAT. A complete set of documents from our surveys is in the church office and is available to be read -- or borrowed for a short period for copying purposes -- by all.

Before we begin with the Findings, we have a great suggestion about our Facebook page from Luke, published in the January 15th church bulletin:

SYLVANIA UCC ON FACEBOOK: Don't want to dive into the world of Facebook? You don't have to have a Facebook account to see the church's page. Go to http://www.facebook.com/SylvaniaUCC to see links to blog posts, sermon audio, transition updates, event pictures, breaking UCC news and more! If you do have a Facebook account, please "Like" us.

Thanks, Luke, for the helpful reminder! I would add that you can also find direct links to the Facebook page and to this blog (along with links to several other sites) on the homepage of our church website: http://www.sylvaniaucc.org/ The Facebook link is found towards the bottom of the left side under "Follow us on Facebook!" and the link to this transition blog is directly under the title "Claimed by God, Responding as Disciples."

Now on to our Findings.

Finding #11

Generationally, the members of Sylvania UCC indicate a very high level of unity in the priorities across generational cohorts including church growth, healing, strengthening the process for calling and equipping leaders, and expanding outreach ministries. Each cohort has an area of focus which is unique to it. For persons under 35 it is working to renew and revitalize the community around the church; for persons 35 to 64, it is strengthening the management and support of persons in ministry; for persons 65 and older it is developing the spiritual generosity of the membership.

Finding #12

Infrequent attenders differ from more frequent attenders in that they give higher priority to 1.) renewing and revitalizing the community around the church, and 2.) advocating for social and institutional change. Impatience with progress in these areas may account for their lower level of engagement.

Finding #13

On the whole, members see the church as maintaining its strength during the interim period, though there is a diversity of perspective on this issue: about 20% of members see the church as stronger or much stronger and 15% as weaker or much weaker.

Finding #14

Overall, members believe the leadership is doing a good job communicating with the congregation during the transition, scoring higher than 75% of the churches in the database.

Sunday, January 22, 2 to 4 pm, is our church-wide forum to discuss these Findings. Hope to see you there. In the meantime, you're welcome to leave a comment or question below.

-- Bonnie

Findings in more detail -- Part 3

2012-01-12T12:24:00.003-05:00

For those of you still with us here we continue on with additional Findings from our CAT.

From BridgeDesign for Sylvania UCC:

Finding #7

With the exception of the Spiritual Vitality Index, Sylvania UCC scores "high" or "very high" in every performance index of our instruments including hospitality, governance, conflict management, engagement in education, readiness for ministry, and worship. In the area of education, Sylvania UCC set a new high in our database.

Finding #8

Worship attendance at Sylvania UCC has declined slightly over recent years. Church records indicate that the current average Sunday attendance is 217 persons compared to 246 persons three years earlier.

Finding #9

Financially, Sylvania UCC has an average level of giving as a percentage of household income. This is consistent for a church with a low-average level of spiritual vitality. With an average household income of $93,000 and a level of giving around 1.8%, the church could potentially expand its annual revenue by $300,000 given the right motivation and emphasis. However, the church is challenged by the fact that members give a relatively low priority to spiritual generosity (8th).

Finding #10

In looking to the future, members of Sylvania UCC give the typically high priorities to reaching new people and healing those broken by life circumstances. What makes the congregation distinctive are unusually high priorities given to

Expand outreach ministries that provide direct services to those living on the margins of society.
Work as an advocate for social and institutional change.
Strengthen the management and support of persons in various ministries.

Questions, thoughts, input? Please leave your comments in the box below. Also plan to attend the forum on January 22 from 2 to 4p and we'll share our ideas.

-- Bonnie

Findings in more detail, Part 2

2012-01-10T11:55:00.004-05:00

Sunday's post listed our CAT Findings #1 - 3 (out of 20 total) and we'll continue the series today with Findings #4 - 6.

From BridgeDesign for Sylvania UCC, FINDINGS:

Finding #4

On the whole, Sylvania UCC is theologically progressive. However, it is important to also recognize that there is a relatively high level of theological diversity among members of the congregation. Approximately one in six respondents (16%) clearly agrees that the Bible is the literal Word of God without error of any kind. About a third (56%) clearly disagrees with the same statement. The unusual capacity of a church to live with this level of diversity is almost always a reflection of a pastor who has helped negotiate these differences.

Finding #5

Sylvania UCC is very flexible in its approach to change. This flexibility appears to be moderate in the area of worship, but high or very high regarding efforts to address the needs of those in the community and those within the church, and the willingness to deviate from an established way of doing things. Overall, Sylvania UCC appears to be more adaptable than 83% of the churches in the database.

Finding #6

The combination of a more progressive theological perspective combined with a flexible approach to change reflects an organizational culture that is typically well-educated, articulate, analytic, curious and open. Persons in this culture tend to approach problems from a systems perspective and the need to develop safeguards for those with minority status or who lack the power to protect themselves. They also tend to be permission-based, inviting members to take initiative in a variety of areas with relatively modest support from or accountability to the formal structure of the church. The shadow side of this organizational culture is that it may perceive the development of a specific collective vision as closing down dialogue and, therefore, fail to capitalize on opportunities that require a coordinated, system-wide response. While rationally robust, this organizational culture may tend to intellectualize issues and may struggle to deal with the emotional and relational side of life in a direct and healthy manner.

So, good stuff to mull over! Consider the above Findings, along with the others, and engage fellow church members in conversation. Remember our forum on Sunday, January 22, 2 to 4 pm, where we will further discuss the survey results.

-- Bonnie

Findings in more detail -- Part 1

2012-01-08T19:16:00.004-05:00

Our last post, pre-holiday, outlined a short "Executive Summary" of the Findings from the Church Assessment Tool. The longer version contains 20 such Findings in a 5-page report. This report - titled BridgeDesign Findings - is available in the church office, but to save you a trip and time we will reproduce the list here by posting a few Findings several times a week.

And we're not done yet! In addition to the Findings, key points from the 39-page report Vital Signs will be discussed at the forum on Sunday, January 22 from 2 to 4 pm in Wright Hall. The full report is available in the office for those interested in reading it.

So, without further ado -- From Holy Cow! Consulting: BridgeDesign for Sylvania UCC, FINDINGS

Finding #1

Sylvania UCC is a vital church with unusually high levels of energy and satisfaction. The overall morale score for Sylvania UCC is higher than 90% of the churches in our database. This places the church in the transformational zone and suggests long-term strategies focused on growth, replication, extension, and external impact. Like other transformational churches it runs the risk of idealizing its recent past and failing to capitalize upon its opportunities.

Finding #2

Members at Sylvania UCC tend to feel best about the church overall when they believe that

Persons who serve as leaders in the church are representative of the membership.
The worship services at the church are exceptional in both quality and spiritual content.
Being part of the church community has given new meaning to their lives.
The church provides high quality education that is appropriate to every age and stage of life.
The church prepares for ministry by helping them discern their gifts.

Conversely, they tend to feel less positively about the church overall when they believe that leaders do not represent them, when they have concerns about the worship experience, when they feel that being part of the church is failing to give meaning to their lives, when the educational ministry is not sufficiently comprehensive, and when the church is failing to help members discern their gifts as preparation for ministry.

Finding #3

Members of Sylvania UCC bear witness to significantly higher levels of involvement beyond worship than most mainline churches and they find that activity very meaningful. High levels of involvement beyond worship in meaningful activities can have a buffering effect during times of stress and is an asset to the church in its succession process.

That's it for now, we'll take this in small bits -- watch for Findings #4 - 6 in Wednesday's post.

We welcome your questions and comments in the box below or in person!

-- Bonnie

Findings Report

2011-12-18T15:41:00.003-05:00

Forty-five members of the Ministry Team, program staff, Cabinet and the Vision, Transition and Search Teams attended the Findings and Recommendations Retreat December 16 and 17. Russell Crabtree of Holy Cow! Consulting presented the reports from the Pulse survey (taken by the staff) and the CAT (responded to by 221 members).

Good news! Overall, very positive results came out of the CAT, a summary of which is posted below. The full report is located in the church office and is available for review. Have at it!

Findings Report*

The Church Assessment Tool (CAT) was recently administered in our church. 273 households were sent an authentication letter inviting them to participate and 424 persons were identified in those families as being eligible to take the survey. Of these, 221 persons responded. A response from every member is not required to provide valid results. Holy Cow! Consulting recommends a response goal of 80% of the average weekly service attendance. Our average weekly attendance for the first eleven months of 2011 was 217 people. (0.8)(217) = 174. At 221 responses, we far exceeded the suggested 174 responses.

A summary of the report is provided below. For a complete readout, please review the Vital Signs report located in the church office.

Overall, approximately 72% of our members are clearly satisfied with things in the church. In combination with other questions, this suggests that the morale in our church is very high. Morale is important in a church because it is one of the best predictors of overall health and numeric growth. The indication that our morale is very high suggests that members are highly energized about the ministry of the church.

Members tend to feel positive about their church overall when they also feel that
• persons who serve as leaders in our church are representative of the membership.
• the worship services are exceptional in both quality and spiritual content.
• being part of the church community has given new meaning to their lives.
• the church provides high quality education that is appropriate to every age and stage of life.
• the church prepares our members for ministry by helping them discern their gifts.

The conflict management score for our church is high. Approximately 2% of members are clearly disturbed by the level of conflict. The church has become relatively skilled at dealing with potentially divisive issues that arise from time to time.

Our responses indicate that theologically the church tends to be progressive in its perspective. On the flexible style index, our church appears to be adaptable. This suggests that in the life of our church we may be comfortable making frequent adjustments to the way we do things.

As members look to the future, their top four goals are:
• Make necessary changes to attract families with children and youth to our church.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to reach new people.
• Develop ministries that work toward healing those broken by life circumstances.
• Expand outreach ministries that provide direct services to those living on the margins of society.

The urgency that members indicate in addressing the above goals is low. This suggests that while members have a clear sense of priorities for the future, there is not a high level of concern that the church must act quickly.

In comparison to other churches, two goals that are unusually strong for our church are:
• Work as an advocate for social and institutional change.
• Make necessary changes to attract families with children and youth to our church.

These may warrant attention from the leadership even if they are mid-level priorities.

All the information in this report should be explored and validated in further conversation. Survey data is not the end of a conversation but the beginning.

* Report submitted by Holy Cow! Consulting and presented at the retreat by Russell Crabtree of HCC; edited by Bonnie Loeser

Questions or comments? Ask or talk to any member of the Vision, Search or Transition Teams. Check out the blog tab above for members of these committees.

- Bonnie

Meet the Search Committee

2011-12-14T17:07:00.005-05:00

The Search Committee has eleven members representing many facets of the congregation. Here is some information that they wanted to share:

Jeanne Brockmyer is the Chair of the committee. She is a longterm SUCC member, currently involved in the choirs, Health Ministries, and the Personnel Committee. She is passionate about the welfare of children and is involved in research on violent video games. She is retired from UT but still works with several graduate students in clinical psychology.

Anne Reed will be handling the committee’s minutes and blog postings. She describes herself as a “recent” member. Anne keeps busy teaching Sunday School, singing in the Treble choir, and serving on the Board of Christian Education, among other church activities. She was “Mary” for VBS and is directing the Christmas pageant. Anne also keeps busy with her family including her three girls ages two, four, and nine.

Al Compaan is a longterm member (23 years). Among other activities, he is involved in the choir, Stewardship, the Green Team, and the Science and Theology series. He served on the very successful Associate Pastor search committee. Al is passionate about renewable energy and lives in a solar home. He drives an electric truck that he and his family converted in 1999. Al has been married 42 years and has four grown children and four grandchildren. He is retired from UT and helped start Xunlight 26 Solar.

Dave Walker has been a member at SUCC since 1965. His past activities include service as a trustee, deacon, Stewardship Board Chairman, Fellowship Committee, Sunday School teacher, and the Action Auction. Currently he is involved in children’s worship, serves as a confirmand mentor and is a member of the Church Growth Committee. Among his passions are Grace Community Center and the Sylvania Academic Excellence Foundation (he is president of both), and his work as a Chartered Financial consultant.

Rini Ng is a relatively recent addition to the SUCC family. Her activities include the Church Growth Committee, music ministry, Hospitality Committee, and Holy Chow. Her current passions include running in half-marathons and marathons, playing the cello, crocheting, spending time with her husband, daughter and two sons, teaching 6th grade, and raising awareness about extreme poverty through Beads for Life.

Amber Ulrich is a longterm SUCC member. She is a senior at Northview High School and is involved in the Youth Group at SUCC. Amber plays soccer and will be attending Bowling Green State University next fall. She will be a business major and plans a career in Human Resources.

James (Jim) Overmyer is a relatively recent addition to SUCC. He is a member of the Board of Christian Outreach and the Open and Affirming Committee. Jim also helps the Personal Needs Ministry by doing Food Bank shopping. Jim is a retired public school elementary teacher. He enjoys reading, nature study, yard work, art museums and classical music.

Barbara Eikost is also a relatively recent SUCC member. She serves on the Nominating Committee, and participates in adult Sunday School. She was also a member of the amazingly successful Associate Pastor Search Committee. Barbara grew up in south Toledo attending Park Church, has two sons and two grandsons. She is passionate about Hospice of Northwest Ohio, public education, current events and political issues. Her additional volunteer involvement includes working with a 5^th grader at Martin Luther King Academy for Boys and participating in Bridges out of Poverty.

Bob Forcht is a longterm SUCC member. He serves on the Stewardship Committee, is an usher team member, and a board member of Grace Community Center. Bob has four children. He was born and raised in Butler, PA. He follows all Pittsburgh teams. Bob is the District Manager for First Merit Bank.

Warren Henry has been a member at SUCC since 1972. He has served on many Boards and Committees including Trustees, Diaconate, Endowment, and Pastoral Relations. He currently serves on the Nominating and Endowment Committees, and is a member of the Open and Affirming study group. Warren was the church Moderator when our congregation extended a call to Bill Chidester. Warren’s family includes wife Leann, three children, and four grandchildren. Warren is retired from Finkbeiner, Pettis & Strout, and now is responsible for transportation planning in NW Ohio and southern Monroe County.

Scott Russell is a relatively new member to the church, joining in the spring of 2007 with his then fiancé, now wife, Kate, who is part of the Growth & Membership Committee. He has served on the Fellowship Committee, been involved with Habitat for Humanity, and is excited to be part of the Search Committee. Most of his free time is spent with his 16 month old daughter, Lorelai, his wife, their two dogs, and soon their second child that is expected any day now!

- Jeanne

We Are Here: Something to check out on Sunday

2011-12-07T13:24:00.001-05:00

We are here: the transition process fully mapped out

A big thanks to Cheryl Crandell for putting together this wall graphic of the transition process. Check it out!

It shows where we are in the process divided up by each team: transition, vision, and search teams.

This graphic is on the left wall when you walk in the parking lot doors.

The graphic is based on Russel Crabtree's method for the transition process. Each step in the process is explained. There are arrows showing where we are in each step. If you have any questions from this graphic, feel free to leave a comment here or contact any of the staff or any of the team members listed in the "About the Blog" page.

We did it ... and more!

2011-12-01T05:41:00.004-05:00

218 CATs submitted! 109% of our goal of 200

This is truly a remarkable response -- thank you to all! Moving on ... we won't stop posting entirely but our efforts can now be directed to what the assessment tells us.

The data will be compiled and evaluated by Holy Cow! Consulting and reports will be distributed at the Recommendations Retreat, December 16 and 17, attended by the program staff, Cabinet members and the Vision, Search and Transition Teams. Soon after the retreat, condensed reports will be available in the gathering area and the full report may be accessed in the church office.

Next up: Mark your calendars now for January 22, 2012, 2 - 4 pm, to attend a church-wide forum in Wright Hall to learn more about the CAT's findings and our plans to implement the suggestions. This will be an opportunity to engage in discussions concerning the transition period and perhaps to discover areas in which you may be willing to serve.

A reminder: This Sunday, December 4, we will have a brief congregational meeting following the second service -- and preceding the Advent Gathering -- to approve the nominees for the Senior Pastor Search Committee.

Look for soon: A wall chart in the gathering area depicting the timeline for the Vision, Search and Transition Teams with descriptions of 'where we're at' during each phase of the journey.

As always, we're available for questions, concerns and comments.

Again, thanks for making your voices heard!

Bonnie

Latest CAT update

2011-11-29T05:42:00.004-05:00

186 assessments completed = 93% of our goal of 200

What a fantastic job so far and we still have two days to boost those numbers! The deadline to complete the CAT is tomorrow, November 30. This is our opportunity to help guide our church and community as we move into the future and begin our search for a senior pastor.

Thanks to all who have participated! Your time and commitment are much appreciated.

Bonnie

Holy Cow! We're moving up!

2011-11-27T14:21:00.003-05:00

156 CAT responses to date = 78% of our goal of 200 surveys!

We can do it. I know there are 44 people -- and many more -- out there who are simply waiting for a quiet block of time to complete their assessment.

We have until Wednesday, November 30, to submit our surveys. Help us reach 100+%!

Thanks to those who have participated -- everyone's input is important and appreciated.

Need some help or have a question or comment? Please leave a comment below or contact any member of the Transition Team -- members' names can be found under the 'About the Blog' tab.

Thanks to all,

Bonnie

We're on our way

2011-11-24T08:38:00.005-05:00

CAT count today: 120! Thanks to all who have helped us climb towards our goal of 200 completed surveys -- we've reached the 60% mark.

The malls open at 5am tomorrow and the big box retailers at midnight tonight ... but the CAT is open 24 hours a day for your convenience. A perfect interlude during halftime, or after the turkey feast and before tackling dessert today.

Our MC friend above is intently eyeing the finish line of 200 completed surveys by November 30. Let's follow his lead!

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Count your blessings and NOT your calories!

Bonnie

The CAT's stats and more

2011-11-20T16:07:00.006-05:00

273 Letters of Authentication mailed to Sylvania UCC families on November 12, 2011

424 family members eligible to participate in the CAT survey

85 completed surveys as of 5:30 pm November 19th -- Day 6

1 can caffeine-free diet Coke to write this blog post

Have you taken the CAT yet? For the 20 to 25 minutes of time required to complete the assessment, we believe this is the most important thing you can do for our church right now. Your input is critical to help us guide Sylvania UCC into the future.

All eligible family members in a household should respond to the survey individually and file (i.e. submit) it separately. (We're not the IRS ... no joint filing option available on this return!) Multiple surveys can be filled out and submitted from the same computer. Who's eligible? All members of your household who are over the age of 16 and capable of responding to questions and are active participants in the life and worship of the congregation. Parents of members under the age of 16 are to determine if their child is capable of responding to the questions.

Are you more comfortable with pen and paper, has your computer crashed or gone haywire, or would you just like to 'get it done' while at church? That's fine, we have the perfect solution for you -- paper copies are available on the table in the gathering area. You can complete the survey on site or take it home and mull it over at your leisure (until November 30th that is). Return the survey to the collection box and the data will be entered anonymously.

While your individual assessment is confidential, the collective story will be shared with the congregation over the next several months. Watch for more information about The CAT's Meow (tentative name/working title/comic relief for those who can't let go of the theme) to take place on January 22 in the afternoon in Wright Hall, an opportunity to learn about our findings and recommendations.

The survey will close November 30, and we suggest considering doing it now before the Turkey Tryptophan syndrome kicks into high gear.

If you are one of the 85 who has completed the survey, we offer you a huge thank you. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated.

Questions, comments, suggestions or concerns? Please contact any member of the Transition Team and share your thoughts. Members' names can be found under the 'About the Blog' tab.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bonnie

The CAT's out of the bag

2011-11-15T19:05:00.004-05:00

and found its way to your computer! We hope you received a letter by now describing the CAT survey and explaining how to access it from a computer or, alternatively, to call the church office or pick up one in the gathering area at church. The survey is anonymous and paper copies may be placed in the covered drop box (with an air slot, as Luke points out, for the CAT to breathe) on the table in the gathering area.

Please take the time to fill out the assessment. It took me 25 minutes to complete ... and that included a quick refrigerator check for a snack break.

Your participation is very important and truly appreciated.

Questions, concerns or comments? Please leave a comment below, call or email anyone on the Transition Team -- members' names can be found under the 'About the Blog' tab.

Bonnie

Why an Assessment

2011-11-12T08:09:00.001-05:00

Why are we conducting a church assessment? Why are we asking church members to carve out thirty minutes of their day to participate in a survey? What will we do with the results?

I think we've looked at those questions from the perspective of what we want the church to "look like" in the future, or what guidelines will help us determine the future direction of the church. Those concepts are exactly what the data from the evidence-based assessment are designed to provide us. And we look forward to the findings compiled from the (hundreds of ... right?) returned responses.

How about considering the assessment from a spiritual viewpoint? Russell Crabtree of Holy Cow! Consulting has written an insightful and thoughtful essay titled "Assessment as a Spiritual Journey: A Reflection" and has kindly given us permission to print copies to distribute for our own study and observations. Russell contemplates the merging of fact-driven results with a "robust spiritual practice including prayer, reflection, confession, study and worship."

Copies of "Assessment as a Spiritual Journey: A Reflection" are available in the gathering area of the church. Or you may request one to be sent via email to you -- leave a comment below (no need to disclose contact information; I'll find you if you're in the church directory) or call or email me (Bonnie Loeser -- I'm in the directory).

And please participate in the CAT this week! A letter describing the survey and explaining how to access it from your computer will be in your mailbox early in the week.

--Bonnie

Vision Team Update

2011-11-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Vision Team has been charged with the responsibility for developing a working vision for the church as part of the search process. The statement will describe important qualities and characteristics that will define the church throughout the region over the next five years. Guiding the church in the creation and maintenance of programs to enhance those qualities and characteristics will be among the tasks for a new pastor.

We will not be writing the “Vision Statement” for the church. That will come later and require heavy participation by members of the congregation. A new pastor will be expected to contribute to that statement.

To date, we have been trying to identify those core values which underlie what we do here at Sylvania UCC church. We have summarized these core values in the following statement: The overarching value is that we are a Christian community open to all those interested in worshiping God, growing in their faith, caring
for one another, and using their skills and talents to serve the church community and the community at large. We do all that we can to maintain and enhance that community by recognizing and valuing diversity, welcoming others who wish to join us on this spiritual and service journey, and by loving and caring for one another, our community and the planet.

We welcome input. Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with any member of
the Vision Team. Those members are: Lynn Adkins, Pete Hildebrandt, Eric Klinger, Kerry McMurray, Jenni Miller, John Miller, Nancy Settles, Les Schultz, and Al Palmer.

-- Written and contributed by Al Palmer

Here comes the CAT

2011-11-04T11:40:00.000-04:00

We'll be rolling out the CAT (Church Assessment Tool) survey in the next couple of weeks. You've heard talk about this 'thing' over the past month or so, and now is your chance to experience it and actively participate in our time of discernment. This tool will provide a clearer picture of who we are as a church and what directions might be important for our future.

Look for a letter in your mailbox soon describing the survey and with instructions on how to access it from a computer to respond electronically. We will also have hard copies of the CAT available at church as another option to take the assessment.

Questions? Please ask!

Kudos to Our Amazing Staff

2011-10-30T08:02:00.000-04:00

Thank you, staff members, for a remarkable 94%participation rate in the Pulse® survey, aka the SAT and SCAT (Staff Assessment Tool and Staff Climate Assessment Tool)!

Your responses -- totally anonymous -- will be evaluated and compiled in a final report to be presented at our December 16-17 Recommendations Retreat.

Your commitment to our church’s future is truly outstanding, and the time and effort you devoted to taking the survey are much appreciated.

The Making of a Vision Statement

2011-10-24T12:55:00.000-04:00

Artist rendering of our Transition Team
hard at work.

“A vision is the mental snapshot of a preferred future that serves as the source of guidance and inspiration to all of our actions.”¹

One of the first steps in succession planning is for the Transition Team to compose a vision statement that reflects our intentions for the process as we move through the months ahead in our search for a new pastor. “A vision for the succession process begins with the imagination.”²

As an exercise to help us get our imagination juices flowing and to discern our goals for the transition, we divided into five work groups of five to six people each at the Foundations Retreat, and each group created its own vision statement.

Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, common elements and themes ran through all five versions. Concepts including communication with the congregation, transparency, engaging members to participate in the process, growth of our church community, a shared future with our new pastor, encouragement to develop new opportunities and ministries and a feeling of ownership of the process by members. The Transition Team then took these five statements and, incorporating the several common elements, constructed its own statement.

Artist rendering of our church feeling positive,
informed, involved, and secure (even though
they are standing in a bulls-eye).

So, without further ado, the unveiling of the team’s Vision Statement:

Our vision for the succession process is a positive experience in which our congregation feels informed, involved and secure; a process which provides healing from our loss, a clear focus on our mission and call, and that, building on the foundation of Christian community, leads us to our shared future with a new and
differently-gifted pastor.

Keeping these core values in mind -- and putting them into practice -- we will work together to navigate the transition process as we continue the journey.

¹ BridgeDesign® A Field Manual for The Elephant in the Boardroom, p. 14, Holy Cow! Consulting.

² BridgeDesign® Field Manual, p. 14.

We've Been Busy

2011-10-16T08:53:00.001-04:00

The retreat took place in Wright Hall. Here's some of the
mess we made!

Russell Crabtree from Holy Cow Consulting led our retreat on October 14th and 15th. Members from the cabinet, transition and vision teams were there along with the church staff.

The upcoming posts will share some of the insights that Russell shared with us.

OUR TIME OF TRANSITION

2011-10-04T20:23:00.000-04:00

from the Intercom for Week October 09, 2011

Since Cabinet approved contracting with Russell Crabtree to be our transition consultant, there has been a lot of work happening to begin the succession planning process that he brings and to prepare for the search of our new senior pastor. In the last few weeks, several things have happened:

1. Succession Planning Teams
On Sunday, September 18 at the 10:40 worship service, two teams were commissioned to help us prepare for the search of our next senior pastor.

The Transition Team is a group that will function until our next pastor is called. They are responsible for ensuring that:

• our congregation’s key ministries continue
• the Church Assessment Tool, a part of the process brought by Russell Crabtree, is completed by a vast majority of the congregation
• effective and regular communication about the transition process is offered the congregation
• adopted recommendations of the succession plan are implemented

Members of the Transition Team are Ellen Bowers (co-chair), Marge Cater, Jeff Crandell, Sandy Hauter, Leann Henry, Bonnie Loeser (co-chair), Larry Williams

The Vision Team will build off the existing call, vision, and mission statements to determine

• broad strategies to fulfill existing goals of the congregation
• new strategies and goals for the congregation’s future
These goals and strategies will provide the search committee a framework for the skills and interests that our new pastor will need to have to lead the congregation into our future. The group will begin to meet in October and their work will be concluded by January.

Members of the Vision Team are Lynn Adkins, Peter Hildebrandt, Eric Klinger, Kerry McMurray, Jenni Miller, John Miller, Al Palmer (chair), Les Schultz, Nancy Settles

2. Leadership Clarity Assessment
Congregational leadership has been offered the chance to take the Leadership Clarity Assessment to provide Russell and the leadership a sense of how the congregation views our current ministries and transition. This information will be utilized at the Foundations Retreat.

3. Foundations Retreat
A Foundations Retreat will be held for Cabinet, Transition Team, and Program Staff on October 14-15. The retreat will be led by Russell Crabtree and provide these congregational leaders the opportunity to create a clear plan for the coming months.

4. Church Assessment Tool
Following this retreat, the congregation will receive more information about Congregational Assessment. Every member of the church will be asked to take this survey. More information to come!

5. Pastor Search Committee
A sub-committee of Cabinet has been working to identify members to serve on the Pastor Search Committee. A nominations form can be found in this Intercom. Please return all nominations to the church or email Sue Crescitelli by October 10 for your nomination to be considered. The proposed slate of members for the committee will be presented to the congregation in late October.

Transition Expectations by Pastor Luke

2011-09-20T09:25:00.000-04:00

I have had the privilege and honor to be your associate pastor for about a year now.

I am proud to say that I served under and learned from Rev Bill and the staff he has put together.

In the many meetings since his death, I have learned many things from the ministry team and their knowledge, experience, and history with this church. Susan Rowland Miller and Al Palmer have really helped me understand the need and process of transitions in new ways.They also pointed out that there are at least two experiences and expectations of transitions held in this congregation.

On one hand we have the "old guard" here at Sylvania. They were here when The Rev. Sanford Souers was here and experienced the last transition to Pastor Bill. Al notes that it took a matter of months to find both Pastor Souers and Pastor Bill. So the old guard knows what they want, who they are, and who they want (as in what type) as pastor.

On the other hand we have people who came from Pilgrim church (whom I’ll call “Pilgrim People” here, for the sake of brevity). They have had a bad experience in their last transition and do not have a whole lot of confidence in consultants.

Thus we have two competing expectations in our congregation.

I think the route that is being taken now is a good middle ground for these two views on transition. It makes sure that the work that needs to get done get's done. That way we are not jumping into anything, but that we're clear on who we are and what we want. I think this will appease the Pilgrim People yet the process is fast; much faster than the traditional interim process which will make the Sylvania "old guard" feel comfortable.

I have full confidence in this process mainly because I have full confidence in our people here. Both Pilgrim People and Sylvania OG's as well as those who don't fit in either category are smart people open to new ideas and ways of doing things. That will serve us in the coming weeks and months ahead. I am really excited to see what this brings!

-Luke

A quick note: It is not my intention to say we have two separate congregations and there is some division between those who came from Pilgrim and those who have been life-long Sylvania members. I have not experienced any divide nor do I see any difference.

We are one congregation and that has been my experience from the start.

What I was trying to point out was the past histories we all bring to the table. To get anywhere, we must acknowledge what we're expecting in the present moment and that stems from where we have been in the past.

There is no them and us, there is only us with our diverse histories within this shared experience of this transition.

Letter to the Congregation August 30, 2011

2011-09-04T08:08:00.000-04:00

Dear Sylvania UCC Family,

We are writing to update the congregation since our last letter. In that letter, we relayed Cabinet’s decision to invite Russell Crabtree of Holy Cow! Consulting to come to the church for a day-long audit process. This invitation was offered in order to learn more from him about his succession planning process and the skills, tools, and experience he brings as a consultant.

Last Monday, August 22, Russell spent the day at our church. Throughout the day he met with members of the ministry team, staff, congregational leaders, and Cabinet. These discussions culminated in Russell presenting a proposal to Cabinet regarding both a process tailored to our congregation to follow through this period of transition as well as the ways in which he felt his services may be of use to the congregation.

After his presentation, Russell left and the Cabinet began the discussion of whether to accept this proposal. In order to provide time to check references and prayerfully consider the proposal, Cabinet met again after worship on August 28. After discussion on the 28th, Cabinet voted to accept this proposal.

The details of this proposal are below. The proposal was approved for a variety of reasons. The first, as we noted in the last letter, is that it provides the congregation a way to maintain the current pastoral leadership while also taking seriously the needed work to understand who we are and the type of leader we need for our future.

Cabinet was also impressed and excited by Russell Crabtree – in particular the experience, tools, and insight that he brings. With 20 years of experience as a pastor combined with an equal number in church consulting, Russell brings with him experience with many congregations and organizations. In addition, Russell specializes in Pastoral Succession Planning and brings with him unique assessment tools designed specifically for succession planning. His process as well as his tools and experience make him the perfect fit for our congregation in this time.

The proposal for our succession process will follow the following schedule:

September 12 Transition Team and Vision Team appointed by Cabinet

By September 30 Leadership Clarity Assessment taken by Cabinet and other leadership of congregation

Sept-Dec Vision Team works on updating Vision and Mission statements with new strategic goals

October 10 Approval of Search Committee by Cabinet in order to send nominations to congregation for election

October 14-15 Foundations Retreat led by Russell Crabtree; Retreat will be attended by Cabinet, staff, and Transition Team; Content will be training in succession planning, setting of a vision for this interim time, and identification of key asset ministries

Oct 16-Nov. 16 Church Assessment and Staff Assessment Tools offered for the congregation’s and staff’s input; This survey will be made available to all congregational members and regular worshippers

December 16-17 Finding Retreat led by Russell Crabtree. Retreat will be attended by Cabinet, staff, Transition Team and Search Committee. Retreat will focus on feedback from the Church and Staff Assessments.

January 2012 Search Committee will incorporate results of assessment tools into Church Profile. Interviews to begin by late winter/early spring. Search Committee will present recommended candidate to the congregation at appropriate time.

The succession process entails three major areas and teams who will lead or manage each area:

1. Transition Team: This group will manage the work that the congregation has that needs to occur between now and when a new pastor is hired. This group will make sure that either they or other groups in the congregation are ensuring that budget needs and revenue opportunities are being met, that there is a process by which the congregation can continue to grieve the loss of our pastor, that staff is supported and that a staffing plan for the future is in place, and that the key ministries of the congregation are continued. This group will also ensure that any directives learned from the congregational assessment are enacted.

2. Vision Team: Our vision and mission statement was written 10 years ago and updated goals were written 5 years ago. It is time for the congregation to again consider our direction and primary needs. Some of this will come from the congregational assessment. But a Vision Team will utilize these materials and learnings from the congregation to update our high-level strategic goals. This work will ensure that we are seeking a pastor who has skills that meet our current needs.

3. Search Committee: The Pastoral Search Committee will take the Critical Ministry Components learned from the congregational assessment and combine this will the Vision Team’s strategic goals in order to create an appropriate profile and then to interview candidates.

We realize that there are some in the congregation who expected a faster process. Twenty-five years ago when this congregation called Bill Chidester, seven months had lapsed between Sam Souers’ resignation and Bill’s starting. This process will only add a few months to our timeline but will allow us to reflect on what changes and future we would like for our congregation and how our leadership may need to be different in the future to respond to those needs. Bill’s tenure here was long and valued. Candidates will be looking to make sure that our congregation has thoughtfully addressed our grief and our hopes for the future. This process will provide that time and reflection.

Other questions and concerns that have been raised are addressed in the enclosed Q&A sheet. Please continue to raise any questions you might have with either of us, or any member of Cabinet.

We know that, once again, a letter can only convey so much information. To that end, we will again be holding an open congregational forum after the worship service on XX. In addition, we are also planning to begin a blog which will provide regular updates to Cabinet and each of the Team’s work. We will be regularly communicating through The Intercom and will be providing an updated visual timeline in the church gathering area in the near future.

We are grateful for the prayers and service that have supported our congregation through these last weeks. We look forward to our future together as we live out our calling as disciples.

In Christ’s Service,

Sue Crescitelli, Moderator Russ Miller, Vice-Moderator

Questions and Answers
Q How much will we be paying Russell Crabtree?

A The contract for consulting and assessment services is $7500 plus expenses (expected to be $1000). This includes Russell’s time, training, as well as the use of the Leadership Clarity Assessment, the Congregational Assessment Tool, and the Staff Assessment Tool. It also includes training resources for the Vision Team and the Search Committee (at no cost) and a Family Tree assessment which will provide the new pastor an understanding of the groups and relationships in the congregation.

Q Where will the $8500 come from?

A Current expenses of the pastoral staff are less than the amount budget for the Senior Pastor’s package (including salary/housing and benefits). There are funds in this year’s budget available to cover the fee and expenses.

Q Is Russell Crabtree a headhunter? Will he be recommending candidates for our next pastor?

A No. Russell will not be involved in the search process for our next pastor. The outcomes of the assessments will provide information for the Search Committee as they prepare the Church Profile.

Q How will the Transition Team, Vision Team, and Search Committee be formed?

A A group of Cabinet members, staff, and pastors has been formed to make recommendations to Cabinet for the persons to be on each team. The Transition Team and Vision Team will be appointed by Cabinet (hopefully by September 12). The Cabinet will receive recommendations for the Search Committee and then recommend to the congregation those names. The congregation will then have the right and opportunity to elect the Search Committee.

Q Will we be looking for an Interim Pastor?

A No. By following the Succession Planning Process and contracting with Russell Crabtree as our Succession Planning Consultant, we will not be searching for an interim Pastor. The current pastoral team will continue to provide worship leadership, pastoral care, and staffing of boards and committee.

Q What are the goals of this Succession Planning Process?

A 1. For the congregation to understand who we are now and who we want to be in the future (and therefore what type of leader we need)

2. To provide opportunities for the congregation to grieve Bill’s death and absence from our congregational life and to prepare for a new pastor coming to serve us

3. To allow lay leadership to lead the process and decisions during this period of transition, ultimately broadening those in leadership positions within the congregation

4. Address staffing needs for the future

5. Ensure administrative needs of the congregation now and for the future are met

Q Who is currently serving on Cabinet?

A Sue Crescitelli – Moderator Grace Bell – Outreach Ex Officio:

Russ Miller – Vice Moderator Jeanne Brockmyer – Personnel David Anderson

Susan Carlucci – Clerk Dennis Dewitz – Church Growth Luke Lindon

Bonnie Loeser – At Large Dave Finn – Trustees Kathy Tashima

Amy Turner-Morgan – At Large Lori Geisler – Children’s Ministries Cathy Hunter

Jacob Long – Youth At Large Brian Green – Stewardship Sally Mossing

Jan Merki – Diaconate Sharon McCord

Nancy Settles – Fellowship Sheila Banerji