Transition Team Highlight: Intellectual Focus & Institution / Sustainability
Following last week’s update on Community and Social / Environmental Justice, this week’s summary is the feedback around Intellectual Focus and Institution / Sustainability.
Here are the key questions from that first meeting:
- What draws us to MPBC?
- Church Covenant
- Warmth of community: small groups, shared purpose, authentic belonging
- Education as transformation: J21 speakers, classes, book studies
- What keeps us anchored?
- Programs that shaped us: Through-the-Week School, retreats, mission work
- Legacy / reputation
- Values of the Church felt like the values we wanted to teach our children
- My Beliefs are Mine - Church does not force beliefs
- What concerns us?
- Declining youth and family engagement: missing children, no Sunday School
- Feeling disconnected: loss of small groups, post-pandemic drift, introversion
- Facilities and financial burden: aging infrastructure, sustainability questions
- What are our hopes and possibilities?
- Becoming again a spiritual home for seekers, skeptics, and “refugees” from dogmatism
- Bridging SouthMinster, Aldersgate, and others to MPBC: more integration, dialogue, presence
- Embracing progressiveness while staying deeply rooted in faith and tradition
So now that we have this feedback, you may ask, “What next?" Here are a few things the Transition Team and some members of the Deacon Board Committees are working on.
- In partnership with the Strategic Planning and Governance Deacons, as part of our next Congregational conversation, we will lean into discourse around "What is our Mission and Vision for the church?" anchored in inclusion and imagination.
- Also, the Strategic Planning and Governance Deacons are reviewing and potentially updating the existing Strategic Plan and looking for ways to streamline our governing documents.
- Identify ways to strengthen and support our existing staff while identifying and developing lay leaders to help champion and lead new youth programs and spiritual education opportunities.
Watch for the weekly next week to see the summary for Worship and Music.