Making Your Church a Vital Congregation West District of the Indiana Conference The United Methodist Church

Complement to our DNA Membership Vows Prayers Presence Gifts Service Witness 5 Vital Signs of Vital Congregations Disciples engage in growing their faith Disciples worship Disciples give to mission Disciples engage in mission Disciples make new disciples Five Fruitful Practices (Imagine Indiana) Intentional faith development Passionate worship Extravagant generosity Risk-taking mission and service Radical hospitality Our membership vows are the most familiar to us as United Methodists (clergy and church members) They equate to the 5 Fruitful Practices we adopted in Imagine Indiana and there is also continuity with the terms used in our Vital Congregations initiative. As we intersect the language and our practice, we can see it all come together.

Why Vital Congregations? We have the language and the practices for making disciples in the Five Practices. We have what it means to be a disciple stated in our membership vows. Vital Congregations now gives us the tools for being held accountable for making and being disciples.

Vital Congregation Measurements: # of small groups Engaged in growing their faith = Prayers = Intentional faith development Ave worship attendance Worship regularly = Presence = Passionate worship $$ given to outreach Share by giving in mission = Gifts = Extravagant generosity # engaged in mission/ outreach Engaged in mission = Service = Risk taking mission # professions of faith Help make new disciples = Witness = Radical hospitality Your goals are measurements (or metrics) in the five areas that if tended make a congregations vital.

Why set goals? Provide clarity and focus to ministry for the Mission Give the congregation shared vision for the Mission Move the church forward toward the Mission Create greater accountability of the Mission Each number represents a soul

Timeline Now Meet with Leadership Team Set Goals Pastors and lay leaders need to be meeting now, or very soon, to discuss setting goals. This includes praying for discernment, worshiping and praising God for the opportunity, studying scriptures to read what the church is to do and to be, and to get a broad understanding of the task at hand. Then respond to scripture – where God is leading you. We’ll talk more about setting goals a little later…

Timeline Charge Conference in November January 2012 begin online reporting VitalSignsUMC.org Share your story and successes Learning best practices from others Peer to peer support and sharing Easy to use and understand Open, accessible and evolving March – Bishop’s meeting April – General Conference List your goals in the Charge Conference Minutes Visit VitalSigns UMC.org now to become familiar with the site and how reporting will work. Beginning Jan 2 you will report weekly In March the Bishop will join other Bishops at the NC Jurisdictional College of Bishops and present the goals of 1200 IN Conf local churches. In April at General Conference, goals from annual conferences from around the country will be shared and dedicated to God.

Critical Dates Your charge conference Goals presented January 2012 Reporting begins online Every Monday Remember these dates!

What is to be reported? # in weekly attendance at worship service(s) # of Professions of Faith # of Small Groups (including Sunday school & Bible study) # of people participating in Outreach locally and globally $$ given toward Mission

Plan for Mondays You’ll get an email every Monday reminding you to report your data (Starting 1/2/12) Talk with key leaders/volunteers/admin staff Who will count and report worship attendance? Who will track the number of Small groups? Who will track the number participating in missions? How/when will the above be reported? Who will enter the data on Mondays into the Vital Signs webpage?

How To Set Goals Start with a time of prayer and discernment Enter into worship praising God for the opportunity to participate in God’s Mission. Study the Scripture to see clearly what the Church is to do and to be. (See next slide) Respond by clarifying where God is already at work in the church you serve and where God is calling you forward. Set your four-year goals in each of the five goal areas. (Make the goals realistic yet a stretch)

How to Set Goals, Con’t. Scriptures: Acts 1:8 – the scope of the Mission Acts 2 and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit Matthew - The Great Commission Matthew - The Great Commandment Matthew 22:36-40 I Corinthians 12 – the church as a healthy body Ephesians 4:10-13 – all have spiritual gifts from Christ Galatians 3:26 – all are welcome Micah 6:8 – God expects righteousness and justice from God’s people

Action Steps: Establish Action Steps that are SMART Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-framed

Examples of SMART Action Steps Worship Attendance: (Name) will find at least (number) greeters every week. One will welcome people at the entrance, one will move around the room engaging visitors or newer attendees, proactively helping them as needed, one will___. (Name) will make contact with every visitor by (when). (Name) will train the volunteer greeters. All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012. Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-framed

SMART Examples Professions Of Faith : Invitations for professions of faith will be offered at least ____/year from the pulpit and through Sunday School Classes, youth group, and Small Group Bible Studies. All leaders will be asked to invite any attendees to make a profession of faith and attend confirmation. Adult and Youth Confirmation/Membership classes will be offered at least (how many times?) (Name) will evaluate our progress/effectiveness in this area every 3 months and make adjustments as needed. All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012. Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-framed

SMART Examples Small Groups/Sunday School/Bible Studies: We will host two 4-week studies as outreach/discipleship opportunities. One in March on “Relationships” after Valentine’s Banquet. One in October on “Finances.” Groups will meet in homes or at the church. Guests will be invited to attend Sunday Worship. (Name) will evaluate progress/effectiveness in this area every 3 months and make adjustments as needed. All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012. Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-framed

SMART Examples Outreach in Mission: We will celebrate the outreach we’re currently doing by having a member share about his/her experience during a Sunday Worship Service each quarter. We will invite our congregation and new members to participate in at least one outreach event each year. We will participate in the District’s Great Day of Serving with our cluster in our community. We will ask our congregation for new ideas on outreach and mission locally, regionally and globally. All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012. Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-framed

SMART Examples Giving to Mission: We will celebrate the giving we’re currently doing by having a member share about our mission partners during a Sunday Worship Service each quarter. We will have an article in the church newsletter about “Your Giving: God’s Work” highlighting where our giving dollars go. We will have a bulletin board with mission giving opportunities and information. We will invite (Name)to talk about mission and giving opportunities. All of the above will be done to assist in reaching our goals for 2012. Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-framed

Fruit: A Vital Congregation Worship Attendance Professions of Faith Small Groups Mission & Outreach Giving toward Mission Keep in mind that reporting in these five areas is not just a “bunch of numbers” – each number represents a person, a disciple of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Remember… This is about people, about the future, coming full circle.