Study Committee at Work

We have taken the first step necessary for Salem's future construction, establishing a Study Committee. Anna Dunnwald, Kristy Flack, Dave Jandik, Dan Whitaker, Kathy Wickham, and I are working together to meet the requirements of The Book of Discipline (2008). ¶2543 Planning and Financing Requirements for Local Church Buildings mandates a Study Committee to analyze the needs of the church and community; project the potential membership with average attendance; write up the church’s program of ministry; and develop an accessibility plan. After the Study Committee finishes its work, it presents its report to the Charge Conference in order to authorize the building project and elect a Building Committee. 

Direct Hit: Aiming Real Leaders at the Mission FieldIn order to accomplish our task, we are using a congregational study from the book Direct Hit: Aiming Real Leaders at the Mission Field by Paul D. Borden [Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006] p. 127ff. This detailed study examines Salem’s history, demographics, community, beliefs and practices, and gathers important documents. Copies of the study are available on Salem's website. 

We have met twice in order to get organized and prepared. Now we are using the month of June to do the research and to gather the necessary information. We will begin putting that data together in written form in July. 

When the research has been compiled but before the Charge Conference occurs, the Leadership Board and Staff will have a conversation with the Study Committee. After looking at the research, we will answer the following questions:
  • What are the three greatest strengths of this congregation?
  • What are the three most significant weaknesses of your church?
  • What three changes would you like to see made in your church?
  • Do the leaders want this congregation to grow significantly?
  • Are the leaders willing to make the difficult decisions required for change and growth?
Again, after the study is completed and and the requirements from the Discipline are fully met, this information will be shared with the Charge Conference in order to authorize the building project and elect a Building Committee. Drawing on this preliminary work of the Study Committee, it will be the responsibility of the Building Committee to determine the building facilities we need and to work with an architect to develop preliminary plans. And all of that will come before the congregation too. We will have several Church Conferences throughout this process! 

Therefore, please note that the Study Committee will not determine what Salem will build or even what a majority of people in the congregation want to build. A recommendation from the Study Committee will be based on the gathered facts not opinions. This research is necessary in order to build a foundation from which we can make good decisions. 

This is an exciting time for Salem. I invite you to pray for the Study Committee. This is vital work that will help us decide how we should move forward.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Church Under Water

Image
I spoke to Pastor Linda Bibb this evening. She’s the outgoing pastor at Salem Church where I have been appointed effective July 1. Salem is just a couple of blocks from the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids. She told me they were evacuated from the church building at 4:00 pm yesterday. The wonderful people of this congregation worked together sandbagging and moving as much as they could to the second and third floors. But the river was too much. Linda said the water is at least 8-10 feet deep at the church building. There is a car port over one of the entrances and the water is above that car port. So the water could be to the second floor now. This picture from the Cedar Rapids Gazette shows how high the water was earlier today at the Dairy Queen which is right across the street from Salem United Methodist Church. Unfortunately, the river hasn’t even crested yet so the flooding will probably get worse. We will attempt to get to Cedar Rapids tomorrow. In the midst of all this we ar...
Read more

Membership at Salem

We have accomplished much on our official membership list. It takes time and precision to re-create a membership list lost in the flood! I am thankful for all the work our administrative assistant has given to this project as well as for the many volunteers who have spent countless hours contacting people to confirm their membership status. While we are not completely finished, we have discovered that we have many active members as well as our treasured older members who were formerly very active. Like other congregations we also have some members who confirmed their membership status but have not been upholding our membership vows. As a congregation we are responsible for reaching out to inactive members and helping them become active again. A name written on a page does not make a member. Salem members promise to be loyal to Jesus Christ through The United Methodist Church and do all in our power to strengthen its ministries. Specifically, we promise to faithfully participate in its ...
Read more