Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands
Strategic Planning: Five Year Plan
October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2012
Pastoral Care/Counseling
Youth Ministry
Recruitment
Mission
Change
Ministry to Aging
Music Ministry
Renewed Commitment
Communication (Pastoral Care) Stewardship
Strategic Planning
Church Unity
Pastoral Care and Counseling
There is a need to improve existing resources for pastoral care ministry, family counseling, marriage counseling, and individual counseling
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Prepare a list of the services already being provided, with the names of the priest of the congregation, who would refer | |
| 2. Create a pool of Social Workers, nurses, retired business persons, individuals providing them |
Youth Ministry
To develop a program to reach out and involve young people and young adults between the ages of 12 through 35 into the ministry and life of the church through liturgy, music, service, and sports. That our young people will see the benefit of participating in a church family thus continuing the growth and revitalization of the church.
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Child Care | 2008: St. Croix Deanery Youth Event,
Acolyte and Youth Worker Training, Greater support of cathedral school, Hired Missioner for children, youth, and young adults to consult with diocesan congregations 2009: Diocesan Youth Event paralleling Diocesan convention |
| 2. Sunday school | |
| 3. AYO - Anglican youth Organization: liturgical dance and drama, Music, Voice, and Instrument, Sports, Acolytes, Ushers | |
| 4. After school totuorial program | |
| 5. Vacation Bible School and Camp |
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Recruitment
1. To share the love of Christ in the world by promoting the Good News of Salvation through growing the Body of Christ. That persons that visit us or come in contact with our congregations in any way may join us if we follow up and continue the contact and interaction after they leave us.
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Sponsorship of Special Events | Website updated and managed beginning Sept 1, 2008 |
| 2. Welcome and Visitor's Committees | |
| 3. informational brochures, flyers, leaflets, newsletters on the Episcopal church and the churches in our Diocese | |
| 4. training of greeters and others involved in meeting people | |
| 5. Active web site with information on all churches |
2. Evangelism- deepen our biblical understanding of Outreach and Evangelism; strengthen existing programs (to be identified) and add new programs (to be determined) for the larger community.
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Proclamation form the Pulpit | |
| 2. Bible Study | |
| 3. Inventory of existing programs | |
| 4. Appoint focus group to determine strengths and weaknesses of existing program | |
| 5. Appoint focus group to determine need for new programs |
3. Leadership Training and Development: develop programs to train existing lay leaders and develop new leaders.
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Re-energize Diocesan School for Ministry to operate at the deanery level | |
| 2. Deanery sponsored Workshops, Seminars and Retreats for education of Vestry and Bishop's Committees. | |
| 3. Put in place a discernment process for vocations |
Mission
1. Teach the bible - Improve Bible study using a structure
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Ensure that Bible study is provided for each congregation. | |
| 2. Recruit and train Bible study leaders | |
| 3. Secure and develop resources for the teachers, providing age appropriate materials |
Change: Through education constantly reinforced, the attitudes and mind set of many will be affected, thus bringing about change
1. To educate our congregations and the public on the benefit of being a part of a church family.
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Workshops/Lectures | |
| 2. Brochures/leaflets | |
| 3. Special Events |
Statement of Problem/ Issues: Ministry to Aging
This issue will be worked out by the clergy at the presentation of the plan
1.
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
Music Ministry
Improvement of the Music Ministry in all congregation in the Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands
1. To provide training to youth and adults in each congregation in the use of various instruments
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Provide a forum to demonstrate acquired musical skills | |
| 2. establish instrument labs in each parish and mission |
2.To provide a forum demonstrating acquired skills
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. offer opportunities for training to individuals with music aptitude |
3. to utilize all authorized hymnals to enrich the worship experience
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Select a variety of music which appeals to a wider cross section of the congregation | |
| 2. The deanery sponsor an annual fun day for the Deanery |
Renewed Commitment:
We must renew our committment to God and to each other
1. To live out our committment to God and each other through our daily activities and interactions
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. share the good news through our words, deed, and overall behaviors (i.e. examples) | |
| 2. Develop the pledge | |
| 3. Each clergy and every member sign a "covenant to our diocese" pledge on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ |
Communciation (Pastoral Care):
Effective communciation is crucial to the efficient operation of the dioceses both communication directed outward and inward, receiving feedback.
1. To develop more effective communciation throughout the Diocese of the Virgin Islands
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Create a Diocesan newspaper | 2008: Web page updated and managed regularly Web pages built for congregations who express a desire for it. |
| 2. Create Congregational newsletter | |
| 3. Create a web page to various congregations | |
| 4. Create Diocesan Calendar for the year (Work in conjunction with 6 month calendar) | |
| 5. create Diocesan Directory of leaders | |
| 6. Create notices for TV, Newsparers of the workshops, retreats, seminars, etc. Pastoral letters |
Stewardship:
We need to increase membership of our churches
1. To increase the church Membership by 10% each year
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. To establish "Friendship Sundays" where guests are invited (once every 3 months) | |
| 2. Have outside service in a selected Community area twice a year |
2. To increase finanical giving of congregation by 10% each year
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Give pledge cards to each member |
3. to establish quarterly congregational activities
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Establisg a committee from each congregation |
4. Annual diocesan activity to encourage and promote friendship
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Each congregation sponsor potluck suppers, prayer breakfast, fellowship/coffe hour after service |
Strategic Planning:
The Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands will develop a five-year strategic plan
Objective(s): 1. To develop effective skills and strategies for implementing the strategic plan
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 2008: missioner assigned to oversee strategic plan and implementation. |
To involve the clergy and laity in the development of the strategic plan
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Invite minimum of (2) members from each congregation to participate in the development of thestrategic plan. | Completed, 2007 |
| 2. Disseminate information regarding the development of the strategic plan through each Deanery | |
| 3. Strategic Planning Committee will reconvene to review the first draft and the strategic plan | |
| 4. Representatives from the strategic planning committee in each Deanery will meet with the deans and Sub Deans from their Deanery to discuss and receive input | |
| 5. Present to delegates at Convention for ratification |
3. to provide clear directives to the strategic planning committee for future action
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. communicate through: -Letter -Telephone Contact -Parish Office |
on going, revitalized 12-08 |
4. To implement the strategic plan in the individual churches
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Produce a written document to be distributed to the various congregations | |
| 2. Establish a committee to develop an assessment form (5 person committee) | |
| 3. Submit semi-annual progress reports to the Bishop's Office | |
| 4. Develop an assessment form to be completed by each congregations | |
| 5. Distribute assessment form to all congregations |
5. To develop an organization chart to identify the heirarchy structure of the Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Island
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Select a committee | |
| 2. Conduct the research | |
| 3. Create the organization chart |
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Church Unity:
Bringing about church unity through Diocesan activities
1. To create an environment where all churches have a sense of belonging to the Body of Christ
| Action Items | Status/Progress |
| 1. Select a "Church of the Month" where we pray, visit, financially contribute, etc. for the selected church | |
| 2. Each church submits a 6-month calendar of events, January and July | |
| 3. Timely submission of all diocesan reports |