OCTOBER MINISTER'S REPORT

Congratulations on an excellent Retreat! -- lots of energy, positive focus and direction...now we just need to keep moving forward and Realize Our Vision, trusting that we will be able to solve problems and overcome whatever obstacles we may encounter as they arise.

Two Underlying, On-going Tasks (to accompany our three major goals)

1) I would like for us to take some time this year to examine our core processes (the things we do routinely all the time) in order to make them as simple and routine as possible. I would like every council/committee to try to develop some explicit Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs in the lingo), along with some basic volunteer job descriptions, that are transparent, consistently repeatable, and can be easily taught to others. This is essential to expanding our volunteer pool as the tasks themselves expand, and begin to outgrow the capacity of our current volunteers to handle in their spare time.

2) I also hope that we can all take some time to look beyond the “day-to-day” in order to learn a little of the theory behind what we are doing, so that when the time comes we are not only knowledgeable about what we do and how to do it, but WHY we do it in the first place. This is part of the essential task of Leadership Development -- so that as we are successful and grow our organization, our current leadership team will be able to function as “leaders of leaders” rather than simply trying to do more and more themselves.


Organizational Structure

There was some interest expressed at the Retreat in revisiting our organizational structure. I personally think this is a little premature, and would instead encourage us to think of ourselves as three informal teams (or maybe “ensembles”) - the Membership Team, the Stewardship Team, and the Outreach Team - which can come together in different combinations (or line-ups) depending on the specific task/goal. (I have also prepared a draft document “Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish” which reflects MY current understanding of what our organizational structure should look like from the perspective of a potential new volunteer if everything were operating just the way Frances intended it to. Please look this over since I’m going to need your help to flesh it out).


Pilot Projects

I also hope we can begin to work on some “pilot projects” in order to begin to expand our program in several key areas. These are NOT necessarily things I think our current leadership team should simply add to their portfolios (although obviously you are going to want to be involved early on in their formation); rather, all of these people will need to be recruited, trained and supported within the existing “council” structure.

[M] -- expand our SGM program: more Covenant Groups, new Affinity Groups, classes and workshops (coordinated with LLL Council?)

[M] – schedule and organize potlucks, other informal social gatherings -- start an on-going Circle Supper program?

[S] -- Planned Giving (coordinated with the Trustees?)

[S] -- An annual Signature “Fun(d)raiser” -- do we want to start with a “Midwinter Luau for the Loo?” Overall fundraising goal probably needs to be about $12-15k ($8k for the operating budget; another $4-7k for handicapped bathrooms and other accessibility modifications). But it also needs to be a “fun,” high-spirited event that generates lots of enthusiasm and good energy. (Possible Chairs/Organizers?)

[O] -- Faith in Action team...inventory of existing projects; creation of additional “short-ramp” hands-on Faith-in-Action opportunities. (Betsy/Artha/others?)

[O] -- “The Greater Portland Community Forum @ First Parish” -- a “convener of significant conversations” on a timely, time-to-time basis in order to improve the quality of communication, mutual understanding, and community life among Portland’s diverse citizenry. (Bill D & friends)


Other potential emerging priority areas:

• Music outreach in the form of additional public concerts, etc. [Chip?]

• Our Children’s Religious Education program...esp hiring a new director.

• And, of course, our Sunday Worship Service....more guest speakers, special music/musicians, etc.

• Not to mention getting the word out that all this is happening.