The Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church
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Transcript of The Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church
Welcome to the self-guided overview ofthe Virginia Annual Conference’s initiative,All Things New – Equipping Vital Congregations.
To view this overview and get more detail about the initiative, simply advance through this PowerPoint presentation at your own pace.
Each green slide is a narration for the slide that follows.
The Virginia Annual Conferenceof
The United Methodist Church
All Things New – EQUIPPING Vital Congregations
Helping congregations faithfully respond to Jesus’ call to make disciples by connecting and equipping church leaders.
The United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops has made a commitment to refocus United Methodists on the mission of the Church.
The United Methodist Church
The mission of the Church is tomake disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world
¶120, Book of Discipline
The Council of Bishops has affirmed that when local congregations are vital, they fulfill the Great Commission.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” - Matthew 28:19-20a
The United Methodist Church
The mission of the Church is tomake disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world
¶120, Book of Discipline
Local churches provide the most significant arena through which
disciple-making occurs.
The Council of Bishops issued a Call to Action in 2011 in response to research that indicated a lack of measures and accountability withinThe United Methodist Church.
The ultimate goal of the Call to Action is to help congregations faithfully respond to Jesus’ call to make disciples.
The United Methodist Church
From The Council of Bishops
“The Call to Action report said that The United Methodist Church is
adverse to metrics. We do not like to set goals and account for our
progress toward the goals. The bishops and other church leaders
recognize that our primary concern is souls not numbers. Metrics and
numbers do not tell the whole story, but numbers do represent souls.
When our numbers are declining, we are reaching fewer souls, and we
are reducing our capacity to reach new souls for Jesus Christ and
transform the world. When we do not set goals, we are susceptible to
continuing to do the same things that are not working. Goals help us not
only to measure outcomes but also to evaluate the effectiveness of
ministries and strategies.”
Following are the goals that are being prayerfully implemented throughout The United Methodist Church to hold us accountable for putting action plans into place to meet those goals.
These goals collectively are considered to be the hallmarks of “Vital Congregations” that equip and empower people to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
They are appropriately called “Vital Signs.”
Disciples worship
Disciples engage in mission
Disciples give to mission
Disciples engage in growing their faith
Disciples make new Disciples
Set Goals and Measure Progress
Discipline of Discipleship Measurement
Worship attendance
Number of small groups
Number of professions of faith
Number participating in outreach
Amount of money given to mission
Each Annual Conference is free to determinethe best approach for implementing Vital Congregations in that specific conference.
The Virginia Annual Conference began discerning best approach in 2011
Conference leadership had a choice- implement ‘yet another program’or find a new path that would lead to transformational change and create a culture of trust and collaboration.
Implement Vital Congregations as“one more program”
Churches independently report Vital Signs data Data becomes public
All else remains the same
can create a culture of JUDGMENT
Strategically create a systemic approachfor spirituality, collaboration and data
Spirituality is core focusCulture of collaboration is enabled and expected
Data is automated and becomes information
can create a culture of IMPROVEMENT
Incremental change Transformational change
In order to lead this movement,Bishop Kammerer formed a steering team with representation from Cabinet, Common Table and Conference Staff.
This team was named The Bishop’s Steering Team and a clear objective was assigned.
Bishop’s Steering
Team
ObjectiveDiscern, organize, design and resource the
implementation of a systemic response to the Vital Congregations initiative resulting in a teaching and learning environment which
renews and dramatically increases the fruitfulness of the churches in the Virginia Annual Conference.
Bishop’s Steering Team Members
Bishop ChoBrenda BilerMarc Brown
Shirley CauffmanLarry Davies, Chair
Warren HarperTom Joyce
Mark OgrenBrandon Robbins
Lydia Rodriguez ColonMartha Stokes
The Bishop’s Steering Team first prayerfully discerned the characteristics of a culture of improvement.
In other words, if our clergy and lay leaders across the conference worked together in these ways, we would be even more effective at our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ of the transformation of the world.
Ever increasing spiritual vitality High trust levels Connected lines of communication Vast clergy-lay collaboration Constant church to church collaboration Free flow of data Maximum accountability for results Sense of accomplishment
Characteristics of Culture of Improvement
An initial response for implementing Vital Congregations was already underway.
This phase focused on educating churches on how to participate in goal-setting and data reporting.
Goal Setting Training Events
Congregational Goals Developed and Entered
Began Entering Congregational Data
InitialResponse
Information Sessions and Work Groups
INITIALResponse
forVital
Congregations
While churches were seeing the initial response, the Bishop’s Steering Team was engaged in discerning prayer and conversation.Their purpose was to create a systemic response to guide our conference toward a more biblicaland spiritual approach for equipping vital congregations.
Goal Setting Training Events
Bishop’s Steering Team established
Congregational Goals Developed and Entered
Began Entering Congregational Data
SystemicResponse
InitialResponse
Formed 7 work teams with objectives for each
Leadership Summit
Plan developed for systemic response
Recruited work team members and meetings began
Information Sessions and Work Groups
SYSTEMICResponse
ForVital
Congregations
INITIALResponse
forVital
Congregations
For strategic guidance, the Bishop’s Steering Team looked to All Things New.
As you may recall, there are several components to All Things New. “Invitation to Plant” – begin new faith communities“Invitation to Harvest” – renew existing congregations through leadership development
Invitation toPlant
Invitation toHarvest
Leadership Development
Changing the culture of the Virginia Conference
The movement to implement Vital Congregations in a transformational way was named . . .
Invitation toPlant
Invitation toHarvest
Leadership Development
All Things New – EQUIPPING Vital Congregations
Changing the culture of the Virginia Conference
The Bishop’s Steering Team discerned that a broad base of participation would be the best way to design a truly transformational approach.
Seven work teams were formed to study and formulate a transformational, systemic response.
Bishop’s Steering
Team
Work TeamCommunications
Work TeamDiscipleship Circle
Design
Work TeamDate Re-orderingand Automation
Work TeamBoards and
Agencies Heads
Work TeamDistrict
Processes
Work Team
Prayer
Work TeamDiscipleship Circle Implementation and Resourcing
All Things New – Equipping Vital CongregationsInitiative Organization
Work team members were prayerfully discerned and recruited.
They are both clergy and lay, from all size churches and from across the conference.
All Things New – Equipping Vital CongregationsInitiative Organization
. . . from across the Conference.
More than 75 people involved . . .
The Bishop’s Steering Team believes that in order to equip our churches to more effectively make disciples, we need something in place that helps leaders (clergy and lay together) be more effective leaders of their own churches and an organized way for our churches to work more effectively together.
Here is a ‘picture’ of this new approach.
The focus is on CONNECTION;Connecting clergy and lay.Connecting church to church.Connecting ideas and data.
This is what the work teams have been asked to design and implement.
Building and Leading a Culture of Improvement
Database
Making Disciples of Jesus Christfor the transformation of the world
Discipleship Circles
Design, Organize and ImplementDiscipleship Circles
Inventory, Re-Order and HouseData
Establish Ongoing ProcessLeadership
VITALCONGREGATIONS
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3
Develop database to house data which is entered in real timeEliminate unnecessary reporting
Establish automatic reporting from databaseDiscipleship Circles have fact-based discussions based on data
Members take learnings back to churches for continuous improvementNo more paper reports. No more unnecessary reports.
More accurate and relevant data.
Determine Discipleship Circle participation and disciplinesEstablish class meeting-like approach
Focus on spiritual vitality, relationship, collaboration and accountabilityStrengthens leadership skills. Fosters environment of trust.
Gets clergy and lay leaders working together.
District Superintendents own and lead processesConference staff facilitates processes
Boards and Agencies support and equip clergy and lay leadershipRoles of various entities are clear.
All can participate fully toward overall success. Churches become more fruitful.
Each work team was given specific objectives to get this approach designed and implemented.
The Prayer Team was first to be established. They have continuously covered the entire process in prayer.
Work TeamPrayer
ObjectiveCover the
All Things New – Equipping Vital Congregations initiative with prayer. Establish a conference-wide intercession for God’s guidance, blessing
and will to be done.
Pray for the work teams.Pray for the resources to make it happen.
Pray for an outcome aligned with God’s will.Pray for our increased effectiveness at making
disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Team MembersKim Barker-Brugman
Dan DietzePaul Greer
Johnnie MorrisBob Parks, Chair
Mary Jane RawleyLarry Tubbs
The Prayer Team meets monthly to pray for all of the work teams. In addition, whenever the other work teams meet, the Prayer Team offers prayer for those meetings.
Prayer partners have been established between the members of the Prayer Team and the chairs of other work teams.
Two important guides were created by the Prayer Team.
Guide for 30 minutes of devotion and prayer to start every team meeting
Each team uses this as a guide at every meeting.Click on this link to access the guide.http://www.vaumc.org/ncfilerepository/ATN/ATN-EVCWorkTeamPrayerGuide.pdf Feel free to use this guide at your church meetings!
31-Day Devotional
Recruited devotion writers from across the conference.Includes prayers for the All Things New - Equipping Vital Congregations movementClick on this link to access the Devotional.http://www.vaumc.org/ncfilerepository/ATN/EVCDevotional.pdf Feel free to engage the Devotional on a personal basis and/or at your church!
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The Prayer Team invites you and all interested persons to join them in these monthly prayer opportunities.
Join them in person or join them in spirit.
All Things New – Equipping Vital Congregations
Time of Devotion, Prayer and CommunionOnce each month (see dates below)
From 10:00 am until 11:30 amAt the Virginia Conference Center
10330 Staples Mill Road, Richmond
DatesTuesday, July 9
Tuesday, August 13Tuesday, September 3
Tuesday, October 8Tuesday, November 5Tuesday, December 3
The Discipleship Circle Design Team
Work TeamDiscipleship Circle Design
ObjectiveDevelop a comprehensive, systemic
approach for church-to-church collaboration. The planning will encompass overall design, participant grouping, group covenants, group
disciplines and the usage of data.
Culture of collaboration, trust and continuous improvement will be developed.
Churches in the conference will consistently become more effective at making disciples of
Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Team MembersDavid CanadaBeth ChristianAlan Combs
Tammy EstepPat Inge
Ron LittenRachel May, Chair
Tom NealleyMartha Reynolds
Martha StokesLarry Thompson
Ed WalkerHarold WhiteClark Williams
The Discipleship Circle Design Team has developed an approach for Discipleship Circles that will make them a place where . . .
Discipleship Circles
PersonalSpiritualVitality
Each participant is first attentive to his/her relationship with God. Discipleship Circle
disciplines focus on personal spiritual development and vitality
Participants are committed to developing relationship with each other - resulting in
shared trust. Discipleship Circle disciplines facilitate relationship development
Participants utilize data to inform reality. They work together and openly share
experiences to help each other become more effective leaders in the church. Discipleship
Circle disciplines create mandate for true collaboration.
The outcome of spiritual vitality, relationship formation and collaboration is increased
fruitfulness of the WHOLE.
a place where . . .
As with every team effort, Discipleship Circles will focus first onrelationship – relationship with God andrelationship with each other.
Once trust begins to develop, the members can then focus on tasks – effectively collaborating and sharing ideas.
Discipleship Circles
PersonalSpiritualVitality
Each participant is first attentive to his/her relationship with God. Discipleship Circle
disciplines focus on personal spiritual development and vitality
Participants are committed to developing relationship with each other - resulting in
shared trust. Discipleship Circle disciplines facilitate relationship development
Participants utilize data to inform reality. They work together and openly share
experiences to help each other become more effective leaders in the church. Discipleship
Circle disciplines create mandate for true collaboration.
RELATION
SHIPTASK
OU
TCOM
E
a place where . . .
The outcome of spiritual vitality, relationship formation and collaboration is increased
fruitfulness of the WHOLE.
What are Discipleship Circles?
Discipleship Circles
For church leaders (clergy and lay) who want tocollaborate with peers for
spiritual growthrelationship and
learningso they can grow as disciples and become better
equipped to lead the church in making disciples.
The purpose of Discipleship Circles is toconnect and equip the leaders of our
conference (clergy and lay) so that they areenergized and empowered to lead our churches into a
new future of effective disciple-making.
The focus is on the strategic imperative advanced by All Things New –
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
The following graphic illustrates this concept.
VitalCongregations
VitalCHRISTIANS
Supportive RelationshipsEarnest Prayer
Spiritual RenewalTrust and True Collaboration
Easy access to accurate dataFact-Based Discussions
Accountability for Effectiveness
MakingDisciplesfor the
Transformationof theWorld
Commitment to personal spiritual development
Spiritual supportMutual Accountability
Disciplesworship
Disciplesengage in mission
Disciplesgive to mission
Disciplesengage in growing
their faith
Disciples make new Disciples
Discipleship Circles
Data andInformation
Trust and Collaboration
IndividualSpiritualVitality
Equipped and Interdependent Clergy and Lay
Leadership
(Vital Signs)
Discipleship Circles are a new movement with a new purpose.
They are not meant to replace existing efforts.
Rather, their goal is to encourage clergy andlay leaders to more fully participate in other relevant leadership opportunities.
Equipping Church Leaders
Board of Ordained Ministry
Seminars for Small, Mid-Sized and Large
Church Pastors
Conference Boards& Agencies
Resourcing Local Congregations
The 5 Talent Academy
Goal Setting, Focused Action, and
Large Teaching Events
Discipleship CirclesSpiritual and Leadership
Development and Accountability
The Discipleship Circle Design Teamis currently designing several pilot Discipleship Circles for the fall.
The Data Team
Work TeamData Re-Ordering and Automation
ObjectiveInventory all reporting requirements of our local
churches. Recommend elimination of reports that do not add value. Streamline value-added
and Discipline-required reporting by synchronizing, automating and housing in central
database. Build capability for reporting to be submitted electronically.
Reporting will be simple and automated.
Data will be shared in various ways to facilitate increased effectiveness at making disciples of
Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Team MembersKaren AlbroDavid BaileyDenise Bates
Bryan ComptonSherry Daniels
David DommisseMelissa Dunlap, Chair
Sandra FulcherSteve Jones
Carl MoravitzJessie Squires Colwell
Jon WoodburnCathryn Wooton
The way we collect and report datais behind the times.
We have an exciting opportunity to rethink, automate and begin more effectively utilizing information.
The new data approach is important to us as United Methodists.
“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the
people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47
Witnesses to two realities of our Wesleyan heritage
1) The importance of shared ministry - serves as a point of connection so churches throughout the Virginia Conference may share the stories of their ministry together in Christ.
2) Recording ways God is blessing the Church - It records tangible ways that God continues to bless the ministry of the Church.
Why is the Virginia Annual Conference’snew data approach important
in The United Methodist Church?
The Data Team is working to automate Charge Conference reporting by August 1, 2013.
All other reporting is planned to be automated by January 1, 2014.
Deliverable DatesDeliverable Beta by In place by
Charge Conference NA 8/1/13
Year End and Vital Signs 10/1/13 1/1/14*
*Training for all end users will take place during Beta
Following is a demonstration of the new data approach.
The idea is to make it easy for churches to get data into the system on a real-time basis.Then the information is easy to access and very easy to report.
The data site will be on the Conference website.
There are three main functions;Enter dataBrowse informationGenerate reports
Advance through the next two slides for an example of how data will be entered for worship attendance
As you view the next slide, please note that each congregation will configure worship attendance data according to their own worship times.
Now advance through the next four slides to see an example of how simple it will be to generate a Charge Conference form.
It will also be possible to generate an entire Charge Conference packet in a matter of seconds.
The “Browse information” option will be truly transformational as it allows churches to quickly see the impact of their own plansand actions.
Click through the next three slides to see how this information could be viewed in only a few seconds.
Another important feature of the“Browse information” functionality will be to facilitate connection.
Advance through the next two slides to see an example of how to find churches that are excelling in a particular area and how easy this makes it to get in touch with them.
The Discipleship Circle Implementation Team
Work TeamDiscipleship Circle Implementation and
Resourcing
ObjectivePlan ahead for the needs of the Discipleship
Circles by thinking through the logistics, resourcing, training and leadership.
Assure that all Discipleship Circle participants understand their role and have the tools they
need to successfully participate.Team MembersMartha Stokes
Larry Thompson(more to be added upon team kick-off)
Once the Discipleship Circle DesignTeam has the basics in place,the Implementation Team will manage the logistics of implementation and resourcing.
The Boards and Agencies Team
Work TeamBoards and Agencies Heads
ObjectiveUnderstand All Things New – Equipping Vital
Congregations and determine how each Board/Agency can align its goals and actions.
The work of our Boards and Agencies will be optimally aligned with each other and the
overall commitment to fact-based, collaborative continuous improvement so that all the work of the Conference is contributing
to making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Team MembersChris Andress Bill McClungSallye Bowen Brad PhillipsClarence Brown Lori RobertsBeth Christian Shan SixbeyJohn Fair Iris SmithKristin HolbrookWayne SneadDoug Hollenbeck James SprouseLarry Jent Ed Walker
The leaders of our Boards and Agenciesmet together to hear aboutAll Things New – Equipping Vital Congregationsand to begin forming relationships with each other. Since then, they are meeting regularly to stay in touch and continue to align their ministries with the mission of the conference.
The District Processes Team
Work TeamDistrict Processes
ObjectiveRethink, redesign and optimize the processes and
rhythms of our Districts to enhance relationship building, communication, and resource alignment.
Processes that add no value will be rethought, improved or eliminated.
Processes that add value will be streamlined.
Relationships at the District level will be enhanced.
Across the Conference, our clergy, lay leaders and churches will be more effective at making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Team MembersJoe Carson
Tommy HerndonJanine Howard
Ken JacksonTed Smith
With Discipleship Circles and automated data in place, there are likely opportunities to think through other District-level processes for simplicity and improvement.
This team will have those discussions.
The District Processes Team met in the spring before the details of Discipleship Circles and data automation were developed.They discussed working on the following issues.- DSs becoming the inspired leaders we are called to be (and that our clergy need us to be)- Developing a ‘road map’ for Discipleship
The team is being reconstituted with new DSs and will pick this work up in the fall.
and finally,The Communications Team
Work TeamCommunications
ObjectiveContinually communicate the story of All Things New – Equipping Vital Congregations throughout
the conference to explain the mission, goals, plans, actions and impacts.
People know and understand the story of All Things New – Equipping Vital Congregations.
and how these efforts are helping build a culture that is extremely effective at making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Team MembersJohn Briggs
Reason ChandlerBetsey Davis
Kim Johnson, ChairShawn KigerKeri MarstonLinda Rhodes
Viviam UtzJohn Vest
The Communications Team has been developing materials to inform various audiences about All Things New – Equipping Vital Congregations.
Here are some examples.
February Advocate Issueexplaining
All Things New – Equipping Vital Congregations
Annual Conference Presentationregarding
All Things New – Equipping Vital Congregationsand the connecting activity
A DVD for DS use as they explain and leadAll Things New – Equipping Vital Congregations
This self-guided overviewgiving detail of the initiative
The Communications Team will continue to develop materials as needed to keep all constituencies informed.
The Virginia Annual Conferenceof
The United Methodist Church
All Things New – EQUIPPING Vital Congregations
Helping congregations faithfully respond to Jesus’ call to make disciples by connecting and equipping church leaders.
For more information . . .
Contact
Marc BrownDirector of Connectional [email protected]
Larry DaviesLynchburg District [email protected]