Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church, Puyallup WA

Mission Study Summary

Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church (SOTH) is located in the South Hill region of

Puyallup, WA. The name aptly describes both the rural-suburban location, and the

warmth of care and commitment to faith one experiences in this vibrant congregation.

Originally designated as the “Woodland Project” by the Presbytery of Olympia, the first

services were held in the Fruitland Grange on April 19, 1968 with 35 persons in

attendance, and officially chartered with 47 members on March 23, 1969. SOTH

currently has 216 members and an average worship attendance of 95.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the new church building, located at 8401

112th Street East, on March 19, 1975, with the first service in the new building on Dec.

28, 1975. On October 12, 1980 groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the Christian

Education addition. A new sanctuary and classroom addition was built in 1997. In

2016, the congregation undertook a new renovation and addition to the building with an

updated kitchen, new office wing and library, new 1,200 square foot garage, and other

improvements.

In October of 2017, SOTH’s pastor of 26 years, Rev. Gary E. Mathiesen, retired, and the

church entered an intentional season of transition and exploration. In January of 2018,

the session hired Rev. Heather James as their Transitional Pastor to guide this season in

the life of the church. With a combination of Session and congregational conversations,

SOTH has been exploring ways to increase energy and participation while celebrating

the joy that comes from working together across the boundaries of age and stage.

SOTH is led by thoughtful elders who have embraced the task of leading this

congregation into a meaningful future. They are working to discern a sense of purpose

as they consider why their church is important as a display and proclamation of God’s

kingdom at their particular location at this particular time. They are listening to the

congregation and they are listening for God’s Spirit leading them forward into new

initiatives. The elders recognize that there are many ways to measure the faithfulness of

this congregation, beyond simply the well tended space, financial stability, and

committed membership. In seeking to be a church that is known for its service and

desire to be a blessing to others, the elders are leading the congregation with

discipleship and transformation in mind.

SOTH is served by a staff of eight full and part time employees: Transitional Pastor

(FT), Youth Director (FT), Office Administrator, Custodian, Treasurer, Choir Director,

Worship Accompanist, and Nursery Attendant. The staff is friendly, skillful, and

collaborates well with one another. Regular meetings and conversations provide a place

for healthy communication, innovation in ministry, and problem solving as needed. The

current staff is committed to supporting the Session in their exploration and vision for

the future, and to meeting the needs of the congregation and current programs during

this transitional season.

The congregation is excited to welcome a new

installed pastor to help lead them in growing

mission and vitality as they inhabit this beautiful

space and seek to bless their community through

both the church building, and the serving hearts

and hands of the people.

Transitional Process

In January 2018, the Session and Deacons met with experienced Transitional Pastor,

Rev. Shari Monson, for training and information about transitional ministry. The

leaders read Spiritual Leadership for Church Officers (Gray, Joan S., Geneva Press,

2009) and discussed its themes throughout the spring at their monthly meeting.

In order to better understand the congregation’s identity, shared values, and health, the

Session then engaged the congregation with intentional conversation and opportunities

for participation over the course of several months.

Three Congregational Gatherings

April 22, 2018: Telling Our Story -

approximately 80 in attendance

Three of the congregation’s charter members began

our night with the story of this church’s beginnings.

The congregation then worked together to build a

narrative of the church’s history using different areas

of community life and mission as a focus. Each

person had the opportunity to participate in three

different areas, and at the end of the evening the

whole group crafted a timeline of the standout

moments, both challenging and joyful, in this

congregation's life together. The evening concluded

with a time of reflection on what core values have

stayed with this church throughout its story.

June 10, 2018: Vital Signs - approximately 80 in attendance

After a brief introduction about ten markers of vitality and missional health, the

congregation examined its current energy and focus using the missional markers as a

guide. Following extended conversation, the results were gathered and presented in a

quadrant grid representing different levels of health: Healthy Missional, Stable, At Risk,

and Critical Moment. While some participants highlighted specific areas of vitality and

health, the general consensus was that this congregation is in a stable place with signs of

being at risk of losing vitality and meaningful engagement. There was overall

enthusiasm for identifying specific steps that would help this congregation reclaim its

energy and vitality in mission and ministry.

July 22, 2018: Imagining A Hopeful Future -

approximately 45 in attendance

This evening’s gathering began with a discussion of

ideal outcomes. People were asked to consider these

questions:

● Imagine SOTH in 5 years as a healthy vibrant community of faith. What do you

see in this picture? What was added to bring health and vibrancy? What needed

to change or be let go?

● Imagine SOTH in 5 years with a new pastor in this vibrant new season. What do

you see in this picture? What are some characteristics of our new pastor that

helped us reach this season of health and vitality?

After sharing a summary of the table discussions, the

congregation was invited to choose an area of ministry where

the church faces challenges. Each table group took time to

consider and address their challenge through brainstorming

and strategizing specific steps that could be taken to enhance

the ministry and mission of SOTH. Challenges included areas

like name recognition, energizing volunteers, attracting and

retaining new families, diversity of music styles, and shaping

worship to be welcoming and meaningful.

Feedback Opportunities

Throughout this season of conversation, the congregation was given two other

opportunities for participating in this discernment process.

Small Group / Team discussions - Every small group, class, and committee was

invited to discuss the following questions at their meetings. These questions were also

discussed in our youth groups and choir. The leaders of these groups were encouraged

to share highlights of their discussions with Session.

Questions for Small Groups: (distributed to groups, classes, and committees)

April - PAST:

● What has helped you grow in faith at Shepherd?

● What is something that keeps you here and involved?

● What is a piece of our past we hope will always be with us?

May - PRESENT:

● Where are you currently involved at SOTH? What involvement brings you

greatest joy?

● In your participation at SOTH, what is something you are learning or a way you

are growing in your faith right now?

● Where do you see energy and excitement in the congregation right now?

June - FUTURE:

● What are your dreams for SOTH? What would you like to see us do or become?

● What do you think we need most to position us for a healthy future?

● What are the top three qualities you hope we will find in a future pastor?

Individual Reflection - The following questions were sent to the congregation over

the course of several weeks, and people were invited to respond by online form or in

writing with paper feedback forms available on Sunday mornings.

Set One:

● What is one of your fondest memories of your time at SOTH?

● What is a piece of our past we hope will always be with us?

● What is one way your faith has been strengthened because of your time in this

congregation?

Set Two:

● Where are you currently involved at SOTH? (example: regular groups you

attend, places you volunteer, ways you participate)

● Where do you see excitement and energy in SOTH right now?

● What is something happening right now at SOTH that you hope will be a part of

our future as well?

Set Three:

● What are one or two things we do during worship that help you connect with God

and experience God's presence with us?

● What are one or two things we do during worship that bring us together in unity

as the body of Christ?

● What do you think we need most to position us for a healthy future?

● What part of SOTH’s mission and ministry would you most like to devote your

prayer and time to supporting?

In addition to these opportunities for group discussion and individual reflection, the

Session invited conversation through regular Sunday morning updates and personal

engagement with individuals. Through all these forms of communication, the Session

heard affirmations, concerns, joys, and challenges. Where needed, pastoral

conversations were encouraged. In addition, Session held this feedback as a backdrop

to ongoing discussions of mission and ministry in the day to day life of the church. Data

gathered from these sources is available upon request.

Discernment

Throughout this process, the Session received feedback information and notes from

each step for their consideration. They were encouraged to be active listeners and

participants in community life, worship, and fellowship. At each Session meeting, time

was set aside to discuss and interpret the data being gathered. The following

information emerged:

Core Values

Intergenerational

SOTH thrives when multiple generations are

working and worshipping together. There are

many places where this happens naturally and

vibrantly, and there is a desire to grow our capacity

for conversation and engagement across the

bounds of age and stage.

Worship

SOTH enjoys worshipping together in one service with blended styles. People

look forward to worship, are open to new experiences, and appreciate the energy

of being together in one gathering. There is a desire to keep seeking ways for our

worship team and choir to work together, and to involve many ages in our weekly

leadership responsibilities.

Mission

SOTH desires to bless this neighborhood and the

world with service and charitable giving. The

congregation is deeply committed to its many

local and global mission partners and is open to

exploring new partnerships and ways to engage

in this community. This is an area where SOTH

thrives in multigenerational connections, with

people of all ages working side by side.

While there is much to celebrate in these strengths, there is a desire among many to

continue to strengthen our intergenerational connections, energize our worship

opportunities, and continue to broaden our missional engagement in this community.

Ministry and Mission Focus

The Session has heard clearly from the congregation a desire to focus our ministry and

mission in the following areas:

Youth and Families

● This congregation desires to support and serve youth and families attending

SOTH in discipleship and integration of youth and children into the life of the

congregation.

● This congregation desires to bless the youth and families of our surrounding

community through identifying and addressing felt needs.

● This congregation desires to be a place where new families and youth can come

and find meaningful fellowship and worship.

Mission

● This congregation is committed to financially supporting local and global mission

through charitable giving and projects.

● This congregation is committed to serving intergenerationally in local service

projects and initiatives.

● This congregation desires to live out their faith in day to day life and service.

Fellowship

● This congregation deeply values opportunities for connection and support of one

another.

● This congregation prioritizes the sharing of prayer concerns in worship as one

way of nurturing connections in this congregation.

● This congregation looks forward to fellowship opportunities, small and large

group gatherings, weekly coffee hour, and congregational celebrations.

● This congregation desires to deepen connections and strengthen relationships

across boundaries of age and stage.

● This congregation desires to be unified in Christ in times where theological and

cultural differences are accentuated.

Future Steps

Experimenting with Changes - SOTH continues to experiment with styles of

leadership and engagement in worship, ways of talking about current events and

concerns, and considerations of ‘right sized programing’ for this congregation.

In September 2018, the CE team started a new Sunday morning Bible Study where

adults and teens are engaged in the same study and meet together once a month for

discussion. In addition, the younger age classes were re-designed to allow for different

adults from the congregation to come and share the Bible story each week. These

changes are helping SOTH live into both its core values and hope for the future.

Growing Young (Fuller Youth Institute, Baker Books, 2016) - In January 2019, the

leadership (Session, Deacons, PNC if established) will be reading Growing Young. Pastor Heather will use the themes of the book in worship during the first part of the

year, and the congregation will be invited to read and participate in discussion through

small groups, corporate worship, and individual conversation. This resource book

offers insight and concrete steps that can be taken to help forge stronger

intergenerational ministry and relationships. This church desires to build on an already

strong foundation and is poised to successfully expand its multigenerational ministry

and mission.

Mission Partnership - The Session is exploring specific partnerships with

neighborhood schools in an effort to be a blessing to the community in which SOTH is

placed. In addition, the Session believes that living out the congregation’s commitment

to youth and families needs to happen both inside and outside the building.

PNC - The Session believes this congregation is ready to move forward in calling a PNC.

While they recognize there is still more to be learned and more experiments to be tried,

the nine months of intentional conversation and engagement have given the leadership

a clearer picture of who SOTH is and where God is stirring energy and vision for the

future. The Session is committed to continuing the process of exploration while

supporting the PNC in their efforts to identify the next installed pastor for SOTH.

Future Leadership

The congregation desires to move into a future that is marked by energy, excitement,

and meaningful, relational ministry. They hope to nurture deep connection while

increasing their ability to welcome and nurture new relationships. They desire to set

the stage for vibrant weekly worship, midweek groups, and opportunities to serve. They

desire to serve the surrounding community with relevant programs and practical

assistance. All as an expression of our Christian faith and call to love God and love our

neighbors well.

The congregation hopes to call a pastor who easily connects with people in meaningful

relationships and also leads in corporate settings with energy and grace. They desire

Biblically based and relatable sermons, and the ability to weave a unified worship

experience from different styles, generational preferences, and theological perspectives.

The congregation responds easily to humor and innovation, holy moments, and

celebration. They are open to considering all applicants in keeping with The Book of

Order and the best hiring practices of the Olympia Presbytery.

This congregation is positioned well for a new season of growth and continued

discovery. They have responded well to the process of listening and learning about the

church’s history, present health, and vision for the future. Small technical changes that

are causing disruption have brought about conversation. This congregation holds a

strength of relationship and faith that will make room for increasing diversity and

meaningful change as they move into the future.

Final Draft October 11,, 2018

Photo Credits: Wes Randall and Heather James