Trinity Presbyterian Church Atlanta October 2020 Emily Swanson

+ Trinity Presbyterian Church Atlanta October, 2020 Emily Swanson, President emily@holycowconsulting. com 614. 395. 6326

+ Why we do what we do the way we do it. n We all go through the report together at one time. n We benchmark. n We have to listen empathetically. n We know your data, but we don’t know your story.

+ Think about… Why are you a part of Trinity Presbyterian Church?

+ What every church wants: n A Ready Church: n A congregation that can follow the leadership of their pastor without being sidetracked by conflict and controversy n The Right Pastor: n A pastor who is a good fit for who they are and where they want to go. n A Running Start: n A beginning with a new pastor with few surprises on either side.

Successful Transition Plan (Ready Church) Search Plan (Right Pastor) Start-Up Plan (Running Start)

Energy Satisfaction Compelling Sense of Purpose Peace Fulfillment Wholeness Belonging + Force of Engagement Meaningful relationships Absence of discord Passion with Intention

+ Three priorities for your congregation Where do you want to go? Growth: Comprehensive strategy to reach new people and incorporate them into your congregation Growth: Make necessary changes to attract families with children and youth to our church. Relationships: Create more opportunities for people to form meaningful relationships (for example, small groups, nurtured friendships, shared meals, etc).

High Energy Low Satisfaction High Energy High Satisfaction Transformational Static Everyone Reinvention/Recovery Infrequent attenders Low Energy Low Satisfaction Low Energy High Satisfaction Low Satisfaction Chaos

+ Before you worry about doing the thing right, make sure you are doing the right thing.

5% 45% 50%

33% 11%

+ Who are we? Descriptive Indices

+ INFLEXIBLE SYSTEMS ARE OFTEN IN TENSION WITH STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP THAT DEVELOPS INTENTION

Descriptive Map Adaptable MAGI PARACLETE E HEARTH & HOME HEARTH AND HOME PARACLETE Settled Conservative Progressive MAGI PERFORMANCE PERFORMANC

+ Paraclete Culture at Its Best n Develop communities that are intellectually open and reflective but that pays attention to structure and ritual. n Common to hear conversation about hospitality, inclusiveness, and spiritual practice. n Comfortable with the unique spiritual path each individual must follow but believe that there are important patterns to spiritual practice. n Uniquely equipped to focus on ministries of healing-often engaged in front line work-when the community is warm and hospitable, it can be a haven for those in need of healing or recovery. n Prepares members to deal with the harshness of cultural and political realities in ministry. n Maintains a sufficient level of flexibility to prevent becoming irrelevant to the thinking of those in the community around them

Paraclete Shadow Side: • If missional focus is lost may find themselves going through the motions of set routines, rather than finding the deeper meaning. • Watch the temptation to overcommit to meeting the needs of others to the extent that there is burnout. • May get trapped in the acceptance of where people are without adequate levels of accountability that can help make people whole. • The power of the gospel to transform must remain a focus, not just its power to comfort.

+ How are we doing? Performance Indices

+ How is our engagement? n On the whole, I would say that my current level of engagement to impact the world as an expression of my Christian discipleship is n n Over 58% lower or much lower than I would like. 59. 7% are not currently involved in volunteering in church sponsored work. n 42. 7% are not volunteering in the community. n Top two reasons people will get involved: n The degree to which an opportunity will help me develop the skills and abilities to be a more effective disciple. n The effectiveness of the opportunity in making a real difference in my life and in the lives of others.

+ COVID 19 and your Congregation n Two areas of concern or anxiety for me and family are: n 46% Physical Health n 43% Mental Health n 31% Spiritual Disconnection

Trinity Takeaways: + What does strategic leadership and active membership look like for our congregation? What strengths can we leverage to support that leadership? How are we become a system with sustainable, meaningful relationships between the members of our congregation? How can we maintain clarity about what we need as a congregation and hold each other accountable to stay on course?