Diving Deeper: WPLC’s Future Direction

Diving Deeper: WPLC’s Future Direction

Introduction

WPLC has experienced rapid growth over the past three years, and it’s very exciting! The journey began when the Congregation Council introduced “Growing Together: WPLC’s Future Direction” in mid-2016 following a period of discernment as part of a listening campaign. After three years focusing on explicit growth with the “Growing Together”, “Growing Closer”, and “Growing Stronger” strategic plans, we’ve made tremendous strides and have accomplished a huge goal in becoming a “pastoral-size congregation!” (If you’re not sure what that means, explore the “church-size theory” in this presentation for Episcopal congregations or this chapter from “The In-Between Church.”) Now, we’re stronger, more committed than ever, and ready to dive deeper into our baptismal calling as lived out through our congregation’s mission, vision, values, and purpose.

“Growing Stronger” Strategic Plan Progress

We’ve grown so much over the last year! Click here to read about the goals we set with the “Growing Stronger” strategic plan and why these accomplishments matter to our mission, vision, values, and purpose.

  • We officially transitioned from a smaller, family-sized congregation to a pastoral-size congregation with an average Sunday worship attendance of 79 people in 2018 and overhauled our organizational structures to match and sustain our growth. (If you’re not sure what that means, explore the “church-size theory” in this presentation for Episcopal congregations or this chapter from “The In-Between Church.”)
  • We completed over $325,000 in repairs and upgrades to our building in 2018 and 2019, including the replacing our flat roofs, adding solar-powered air conditioning to the upper level, and waterproofing part of the basement to support our growth.
  • We fully restored four ranks of our historic Moller Organ for an improved sound and reliability.
  • We expanded our quarterly meal groups (called “Meet & Eat”).
  • We sold our rental property (located at 2112 W. Le Moyne St.) and placed the money in a restricted endowment fund to better fund our on-going ministries.
  • We fought injustice locally and globally with 8.5% of our annual budget going to ELCA Mission Support (that’s upped from 7.5% in 2018), a $7,156.88 increase.
  • We better supported our growth with a transition of our 25-hour-per-week parish assistant position to a 35-hours-per-week with benefits office assistant position.
  • We launched our partnership with the Metropolitan Chicago Synod’s anti-racism team to better combat racial injustice.
  • We assessed the need for and viability of a mutual ministry committee and determined that the committee would unnecessarily duplicate existing processes.
  • We welcomed two people to discuss our justice beliefs found in the ELCA Social Statements.
  • We explored the ELCA’s “AMMPARO Welcoming Congregation” designation and assessed the viability of becoming such a congregation.
  • We began holding a Congregation Council lunch with each WPLC Basics class to improve the visibility of the council.
  • We launched a WPLC Deepen class (a.k.a. WPLC Intermediate) to better engage members and explain the basics of congregational decision-making.
  • We expanded the WPLC concert series with a growing audience.
  • We continued our teaching congregation program with a pastoral resident and a seminary student.

“Diving Deeper” Goals

Long-Term Goal #1

In an effort to live out our values of being inclusive, diverse, and hospitable, we will deepen our identity as a “pastoral-size congregation” by focusing on both internal and external community engagement, communication, and welcoming new faces.

Why the change in this goal’s language from last year’s strategic goals?

  • After the release of last year’s strategic goals in “Growing Stronger,” we achieved the metrics of a “pastoral-size congregation” ahead of schedule, and we wish to continue to include others in our transformational work. (If you’re not sure what that means, explore the “church-size theory” in this presentation for Episcopal congregations or this chapter from “The In-Between Church.”)
  • We believe that we are now firmly a “pastoral-size congregation” that is beginning to deepen its identity as such, but at the same time, we do not want to lose sight of our values to be inclusivity, diversity, and hospitality.

Why is this goal important?

As previously noted in other strategic plans:

  • To help us realize our vision to “be a thriving Christian presence in metro Chicago, recognized as offering spiritual and social resources in our community”
  • To live out our purpose to reach all people as stated in the “Great Commission” (Matthew 28)
  • To be rooted in our focus to worship God through lives of prayer, praise, thanksgiving, witness, and service (see C4.02.a. of our constitution)

Next Steps

  1. Deepen our internal community engagement by: 
    • working to livestream worship services by the end of 2020
    • continuing “Meet & Eat” quarterly meal groups, the WPLC party, Second Sunday Socials, and Third Sunday Teachings
  2. Deepen our community engagement by: 
    • livestreaming worship services by the end of 2020
    • accomplishing short-term goal #2 (see below)
  3. Deepen our communication practices by:
    • creating a member database and online community
  4. Deepen the way we welcome new faces by:
    • continuing to provide meals at WPLC Basic classes
    • accomplishing short-term goal #1 (see below)
  5. Deepen the support of our staff and pastor to achieve this goal, including by:
    • evaluating the compensation of the church musician and pastor based on expectations and market-comparable rates to work towards increased pay for the 2020 budget
    • adding a second nursery attendant in 2020 to bring the church into compliance for best practices for child safety
    • determining if we can increase the office assistant position to 40-hours per week by 2021

Long-Term Goal #2

Equip and empower the congregation and staff to respond to injustice.

Why is this goal important?

As previously noted in other strategic plans:

  • To expand our commitment to justice in our community (see C4.03.f. in our constitution)
  • To live-out our mission to be “a passionate, Christian community that is committed to nurturing and building up the body of Christ”
  • To better engage with our purpose to “challenge, equip, and support all members to carry out the calling” and also to “respond to human need” (see C4.03.c. in our constitution)

Next Steps

  1. Continue with the Metropolitan Chicago Synod’s anti-racism program
  2. Increase ELCA Mission Support to 10% of the budget by 2021
  3. Launch “AMMPARO Welcoming Congregation” principles in 2020
  4. Invite and host an outside expert twice in 2020 to discuss topics of injustice, including at least one expert having specific expertise in subconscious/implicit bias
  5. Complete short-term goal #2 (see below)

Long-Term Goal #3

Improve space use opportunities and facilitate congregational growth through a comprehensive building master plan and begin phase one renovations by 2024.

Why is this new goal important?

  • To continue to live out our vision to provide “spiritual and social resources in our community”
  • To continue to be good stewards of our financial and physical resources so that we might best fulfill our mission, vision, vision, and purpose

Next Steps

  1. Select an architect by fall 2019
  2. Develop a “conceptual master plan” by early 2020
  3. Determine next steps for phase one construction by mid-2020

Short-Term Goal #1

Enhance visitor engagement by including Congregation Council members on Discover Series email followups by the end of 2019.

Why is this goal important?

  • To best achieve long-term goal #1 (see above)
  • To increase WPLC’s capacity to welcome new faces by involving more people in the welcoming process
  • To increase the Congregation Council’s visibility to new visitors
  • To help us fulfill our purpose by allowing more members to participate in providing pastoral care (see C4.03.b. in our constitution)

Short-Term Goal #2

Participate in two in-person community events in 2020 related to our “Immigrant Welcoming Congregation” and “Reconciling in Christ” statuses.

Why is the goal important?

  • To address long-term goals #1 and #2 (see above)
  • To live out our biblical calling to welcome the stranger and advocate for the marginalized as an expression of our purpose (see C4.02.d. in our constitution)
  • To live out our commitment to “respond to human need, work for justice and peace . . . and participate responsibly in society” (see C4.03.f. in our constitution)
  • To “foster and participate with interdependent relations with other congregation, the synod, and the churchwide organization” as expressed in our purpose (see C4.03.h. in our constitution)

Short-Term Goal #3

Conduct an annual feedback session with each staff member and the pastor beginning in 2019 and establish a staff appreciation social event following Sunday worship beginning in 2020.

Why is this goal important?

  • To promote job satisfaction and ensure our staff is engaged
  • To ensure proper maintenance of our mutual covenant between the pastor and the congregation
  • To engaged in a necessary human resources process to deepen our identity as a pastoral-size congregation and best fulfill our mission, vision, and purpose
  • To fulfill our obligations to “maintain supportive relationship with the rostered minister(s) and staff” as outlined in our constitution (see C12.04d. in our constitution)