Church HOME Project

1. Church HOME Project Brief to the Westminster Session by the Church HOME Committee Christine Eustis Dave Aland

2. Proposal • Establish and resource a Committee to work as liaison and support to all Session Committees in to help integrate members into the services, activities, and volunteer opportunities at their church home. • This Committee will design, pilot, and implement a process of coordination, identification, and invitation with the goals of rapid integration of new members and enhanced connection of existing members to church services, activities, and volunteer opportunities.

3. Background: Church Membership • People join churches for reasons that are both altruistic and self-interested • Altruism: Affirmation of faith, participation in “God’s work” (Worship & Mission) • Self-interest: Support, fellowship, education • Some “jump right in”, many “must be asked” • WPC has many options for members, but no consistent way to connect services, activities, and volunteer opportunities to the needs and interests of members.

4. Background: WPC Resources • Services: Things the church offers to members to support their lives and needs • Childcare, Pre-School, Counseling, Support groups… • Activities: Things that church members elect to do together (usually Fellowship), which are coordinated by the church • Leadership, Social, Education, Fellowship groups… • Volunteer Opportunities: Things internal or external to the church to which members “donate effort” • Sandwich Ministry, ALIVE, Local and International Missions…

5. Background: Integration Process Every church, over time, finds a way to connect members to interests and resources to needs, BUT… Identify member needs and interests Match members to available opportunities Identify church needs and opportunities Follow-up and monitoring …this is usually a de-facto or boutique process, driven by one or more person at the church who “knows everyone” and personally makes it happen. • Committee and Coordinator inputs • Volunteer needs • Service and administration • Fellowship and Education

6. Recommended Solution • Create a regular process by which member needs and interests are identified and matched to services, activities, and opportunities • Use process to ensure “everyone counts” • Initial emphasis on new members, most commonly sought opportunities • Expand over time to include all members and all services, activities, and volunteer opportunities • Track progress and participation of a selected group of new members

7. Communications • Direct • Phone calls, personal/form letters, emails • Broadcast • Postcard mailers, Chronicle, Web Page postings • Facilitated • Discussions, interviews, New Member classes • Delegated (Candidates identified to Committees and Coordinators who then contact them)

8. Expanded Integration Process • New Member Interviews • Interests and Needs • Talents and capabilities Identify member needs and interests Match members to available opportunities New Member Identify church needs and opportunities New Member Classes Visitor Follow-up and monitoring • Committee and Coordinator inputs • Volunteer needs • Service and administration • Fellowship and Education

9. Strategy • Identify pilot set of activities and pilot group (recent new members) • Conduct discussions with committees and coordinators • Conduct entry interviews with new members • Expand integration to wider set of activities • Use database to coordinate and track • Expand to previous new members (1-3+ yrs) • Expand to other members

10. Progress check: Compare 2010 integration with prior year(s) New Member Classes Identify new member needs and interests Match members to available opportunities Pilot set of church needs and opportunities • Selected Committees/Coordinators • Volunteer needs • Fellowship and Education Pilot Program (1 year / 2010) • Identify pilot set of activities and pilot group (recent new members) • Conduct discussions with committees and coordinators • Conduct entry interviews with new members • Review member/volunteer databases

11. HOME Pilot Program Partners • New Members Committee • Congregational Life Committee • Volunteer Coordinator • Communications Committee • Local Missions Coordinator

12. Phase II (1 year / 2011) Progress check: Compare 2011 integration with prior year(s) • Expand integration to wider set of activities • Use database to coordinate and track • Expand to previous new members (1-3+ yrs) • Conduct Focus Groups New Member Classes Identify past and present new member needs and interests Match members to available opportunities Full set of church needs and opportunities • Committee and Coordinator inputs • Volunteer needs • Service and administration • Fellowship and Education

13. Phase II Partners • New Members Committee • Congregational Life Committee • Volunteer Coordinator • Communications Committee • Local Missions Coordinator • Additional Committees and activities identified by focus groups, Session, and events

14. Phase III (1 year / 2012) • New Member Interviews • Interests and Needs • Talents and capabilities Identify member needs and interests Match members to available opportunities New Member Identify church needs and opportunities New Member Classes Visitor Follow-up and monitoring • Expand to the full range of WPC activities • Expand to all WPC members • Committee and Coordinator inputs • Volunteer needs • Service and administration • Fellowship and Education

15. Phase III Partners • Full Session • All Committees • All activities • Full Congregation • All members

16. Requested • Session concurrence with HOME recommendation and pilot program. • Work with HOME to establish budget and other resources • Support by designated Committees and coordinators for the HOME pilot effort. • Oversight by and periodic updates to the Session for the Church HOME Committee