DKS
Congregational Self Assessment
Posted on: 07/17/2010 16:53
Interesting web page has appeared at www.united-church.ca called "Congregational Sel Assessment" It is a list of questions which a congregation can use to evaluate itself. While interesting, the assumptions behind the questions are even more interesting. You can see all the questions here:
http://www.united-church.ca/renewal/congregational/self-assessment
I suspect there are a lot of congregations who will see this, not as a positive exercise, but as a list of norms to be expected of them. And if they do not see themselves measuring up, inviting feelings of anxiety and failure. There is also a fair amount of urban bias in the questions as well as "new/technology/interactive is better and expected".
Unless there is training and facilitation in a process of engagement of the congregation, there is a lot of risk here.
Why was this published without background? Context? BTW, there is a link to the Luther Snow web site... the theory here is Asset Mapping... and how many folks have been exposed to the theory or trained in it? ... sigh.
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kaythecurler
I took part in a Community
Posted on: 07/17/2010 18:25
I took part in a Community Assets Mapping initiative several years ago. It resulted in changing the way some things worked in the community - where social programs happened, how emergency food supplies could be accessed etc. I didn't realise there was now a religion based version until I read this.
DKS
kaythecurler wrote: I took
Posted on: 07/17/2010 18:51
I took part in a Community Assets Mapping initiative several years ago. It resulted in changing the way some things worked in the community - where social programs happened, how emergency food supplies could be accessed etc. I didn't realise there was now a religion based version until I read this.
The original work was done at Case Western Reserve University several decades ago, I think. It appears to be focussed out of Northwestern University today. I have Luther Snow's book and have read it, but I recognize that implimentation takes training and background. In fact, I would suggest that this self assessment is likely best done with an outside facilitator, as opposed to self study. Self-study might continue old biases as opposed to giving freedom to explore.
I find Barb Fullerton's piece on stewardship and asset mapping more helpful, however. You can read it here:
http://www.united-church.ca/local/congstew/loaves
RevJamesMurray
DKS wrote: There is also a
Posted on: 07/17/2010 18:53
DKS wrote: There is also a fair amount of urban bias in the questions as well as "new/technology/interactive is better and expected".
I do see the urban bias, but I don't see a 'new/technology/interactive is better' bias. Where do you see it?
What I find interesting is that once it gets onto questions of staffing and governance there are no questions about prayer/spiritual nurture/ practices/discernment- it operates out of traditional business model functionalism.
DKS
RevJamesMurray wrote: DKS
Posted on: 07/17/2010 20:45
DKS wrote: There is also a fair amount of urban bias in the questions as well as "new/technology/interactive is better and expected".
I do see the urban bias, but I don't see a 'new/technology/interactive is better' bias. Where do you see it?
What I find interesting is that once it gets onto questions of staffing and governance there are no questions about prayer/spiritual nurture/ practices/discernment- it operates out of traditional business model functionalism.
Very good point.
As to other bias
What improvements have been made to the buildings the last 3 years?
Have rooms been painted within the last 5 years?
What improvements are needed in the worship area and meeting rooms?
Why should there is an emphasis on "imprivements"? Perhaps "changes" might be another word to use.
There are some curious typos, as if this was done in haste (although I find the change in person jarring)
RevJamesMurray
While it is always important
Posted on: 07/17/2010 22:03
While it is always important to do maintenance to keep a building going, not every congregation is growing and in need of capital improvements. This survey assumes there is growth which must be managed.
This survey is all about management. It is not about discernment or leadership.
GordW
SOme of those questions are
Posted on: 07/18/2010 00:16
SOme of those questions are important, some less so. Bujt the most important question isn't there. Nor is it often touched on int the JNAC process based on the reports I have read over the last couple years. I can phrase it in a couple ways but really the best one is what has been mentioned often in this place:
Who is God calling us to be?
THe answer to that, honestly searched for and wreatled with. shapes everything else. Why don't we encourage each other to aske it (of our selves, of our congregations, of our Presbyteries, of our denomination, of our country, of our various communities....)
RevJamesMurray
Good question. No, it is
Posted on: 07/18/2010 07:02
Good question. No, it is THE QUESTION.
And the answer to the ultimate question is not "42".
DKS
RevJamesMurray wrote: While
Posted on: 07/18/2010 07:53
While it is always important to do maintenance to keep a building going, not every congregation is growing and in need of capital improvements. This survey assumes there is growth which must be managed.
This survey is all about management. It is not about discernment or leadership.
Amen! Growth is a strange creature. I am guided here by the words of one of our saints who has lived almost all his life in the congregation. A few years ago he said to me, "I have seen this congregtaion's membership turn over about two and a half times in my lifetime." That says to me the pattern here is slow turnover, with the majority of departures caused by death and the new members coming now from transfers and adult baptisms.
DKS
RevJamesMurray wrote: Good
Posted on: 07/18/2010 07:53
Good question. No, it is THE QUESTION.
And the answer to the ultimate question is not "42".
Let's sing a doxology!
MC jae
Our self-assessment is done
Posted on: 07/18/2010 22:11
Our self-assessment is done by our pastor. He believes things are running well.
GordW
THat is not a congregational
Posted on: 07/18/2010 22:13
THat is not a congregational self-assessment though. The pastor is not the congregation, the pastor is not the church.
RichardBott
The language is
Posted on: 07/19/2010 15:28
The language is interesting.
I wonder why we keep trying to understand what reality *we* envision... rather than understanding what reality God envisions for us?
Christ's peace - r
RevJamesMurray
Because it is easier if we
Posted on: 07/20/2010 08:25
Because it is easier if we control our future. Our secular humanist slip is showing.
DKS
And here is another piece of
Posted on: 07/21/2010 06:42
And here is another piece of the puzzle. The pastoral oversight secton of the national web page.
http://www.united-church.ca/local/oversight
Your Church Is Unique
United Church congregations exist as visible and sacred communities for worship, for the spiritual nurture of their members, and for universal sharing of the love of God, incarnate in Jesus and empowered by the Spirit.
In carrying out our common purpose, ordinary questions or challenges arise, such as:
This flyer
[PDF: 2 pp/137 KB] highlights print resources your congregation may find useful to help explore questions that are relevant to your context and community.
I think the phrase "incarnate in Jesus" could be better expressed "made incarnate in Jesus", but that's probably theological nitpicking...
RevJamesMurray
How can we make our buildings
Posted on: 07/21/2010 08:20
Wow. After the sacred task of hospitality, the other two questions are very self-centred and self serving. Functionalism reigns.
Here's the questions the missional/emerging paradigm would have us be asking:
What is God's mission in this community? How is God inviting us to share in this mission? How can we bless this world/community/neighbourhood? What new thing is the Holy Spirit calling forth inside this community?
DKS
RevJamesMurray wrote:
Posted on: 07/21/2010 09:21
Wow. After the sacred task of hospitality, the other two questions are very self-centred and self serving. Functionalism reigns.
Here's the questions the missional/emerging paradigm would have us be asking:
What is God's mission in this community? How is God inviting us to share in this mission? How can we bless this world/community/neighbourhood? What new thing is the Holy Spirit calling forth inside this community?
I knew you would have an appropriate response, James. Your insight is a helpful counterbalance. I agree. And the "increase givings" question is rather absurd. It reflects the fund raising mindset of the current United Church as opposed to the stewardship model I was trained in and the missional approach you offer.
MC jae
RevJamesMurray wrote: What is
Posted on: 07/21/2010 21:55
What is God's mission in this community? How is God inviting us to share in this mission? How can we bless this world/community/neighbourhood? What new thing is the Holy Spirit calling forth inside this community?
Say, I like those questions. I believe the answers are evangelism, evangelism, evangelism, and eternal life.
RevJamesMurray
In which case the next
Posted on: 07/22/2010 07:41
In which case the next question is 'How do we reach out to the community in a way they can hear and accept our message, without turning them off by how we reach out?"
DKS
I don't belive there is a
Posted on: 07/22/2010 09:38
I don't belive there is a magic bullet. just a contextual response.