STRATEGIC PLAN - September 1, 2006   August 31, 2009

St. Paul's by the Sea Episcopal Church is committed to renewal based on powerful worship, unconditional welcome for the seeker and passionate service to the community.

Presented to the Vestry June 19, 2006

WORSHIP "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." Matthew 22: 37-38

Goal for Worship: We will build the Body of Christ through dynamic worship.

Worship Objectives:

Employ an assistant rector. Responsibility: Rector. Timeline: June 1, 2007.

Restore the chapel to a place of worship. Responsibility: Junior Warden. Timeline: Advent Sunday, 06

Identify, explore and evaluate additional liturgies and music.

Responsibility: The Rector and the Worship Committee. Timeline: Immediate and ongoing.

Develop new musical groups, e.g., a children's choir, instrumental and vocal groups.

Responsibility: Music Director. Timeline: Program Year 2007.

Offer additional worship services in the weekly schedule.

Responsibility: The Rector and the Worship Committee. Timeline: Planning- immediately, implementation mid-2007.

DISCIPLE FORMATION "And Jesus said to them, Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." Mark 1: 17

Goal for Disciple Formation: We will inspire one another to become more like Jesus Christ in thoughts, feelings, words and actions.

Disciple Formation Objectives:

Develop a sustainable Christian Formation curriculum that is appropriate to all ages and is based on a survey of the congregation.

Responsibility: Ad hoc curriculum planning committee. Timeline: Curriculum completed by May 2007, implementation to begin no later than September 2007, ongoing evaluation

Establish an integrated, year-round system of stewardship that includes annual, capital and planned giving.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Disciple Formation, the Treasurer and a representative of SPBTS Foundation. Timeline: Written plan in place immediately, ongoing implementation and evaluation.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the current method of vestry selection and to make a recommendation for future selections.

Responsibility: Broad based ad hoc committee. Timeline: By nominating process of 2007.

Assign specific vestry members to manage the objectives under each of the five purposes.

Responsibility: Rector and Senior Warden. Timeline: Within 90 days of approval of the strategic plan.

To develop a program that recognizes, nurtures and prepares a broad base of leadership for the church.

Responsibility: The Rector and Vestry Representative. Timeline: Written plan in place May 2007, ongoing implementation and evaluation.

To begin and end all parish meetings and functions with prayer.

Responsibility: Group or Ministry Leaders. Timeline: Immediate and ongoing.

Clarify functional relationships between St. Paul's by the Sea and its various entities, e.g. The Church Foundation, Beaches Episcopal School.

Responsibility: The Rector and the Vestry. Timeline: December 31, 2006.

MINISTRY "Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Matthew 25:40

Goal for Ministry

We will share the love of Jesus Christ to foster wholeness of body, mind and spirit in ourselves and in others.

Ministry Objectives:

Focus and organize our ministries in support of at least minimal shelter, food, clothing and medical assistance for those in need.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative. Timeline: Written plan in place by May 2007, full implementation by December 31, 2009.

Reaffirm the support of our core ministries, Beaches Episcopal School and Beaches Fine Arts Series and to build relationships that benefit all.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative. Timeline: Written plan in place by December 31, 2007, ongoing implementation and evaluation.

Review and evaluate internal group ministries and to focus on those that nurture the body, mind and spirit of parishioners.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative. Timeline: Written plan in place by May 2007, implementation completed by May 2008.

To develop a transportation ministry that provides transport to worship services and to other parish events for those who need it.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative. Timeline: Written plan in place by September 2006, ongoing implementation and evaluation.

FELLOWSHIP "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another even as I have loved you, that you love one another. By this, all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13: 34-35

Goal for Fellowship

We will live in Christ-like relationships among ourselves and others.

Fellowship Objectives:

Increase parish-wide events by one in each of the next three years.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Fellowship. Timeline: 2006, 2007, 2008.

Create at least one church sponsored, small, (up to 15 people) special-interest group in each of the next three years.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Fellowship. Timeline: Planning to begin immediately, implementation in 2006, 2007, 2008 program years.

Develop and implement a plan to improve communications within the parish through the use of all available media.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Fellowship. Timeline: Written plan in place by May 2007, ongoing implementation and evaluation.

To make the website a primary means of up-to-date communication within the parish.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Fellowship. Timeline: May 2007, ongoing implementation and evaluation.

Defer the expansion of intentional programs of fellowship outside the church until the next planning cycle in order to focus resources on the enrichment of parish life.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Fellowship. Timeline: Immediate.

EVANGELISM "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19

Goal for Evangelism

We will spread the good news of Jesus Christ, and we will welcome as Christ all who enter His church.

Evangelism Objectives:

Build on the current Newcomers Program to raise the level of newcomer awareness of what the Parish of St. Paul's by the Sea has to offer.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Evangelism. Timeline: Written plan in place by December 2006, ongoing implementation and evaluation.

Utilize current "Bridge Events", e.g. Beaches Episcopal School, Beaches Fine Arts Series, and Incredible Edibles to attract worshipers to St. Paul's by the Sea.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Evangelism. Timeline: Written plan in place by May 2007, ongoing implementation and evaluation.

Initiate five small special interest groups and three large "Bridge Events" that will appeal to persons outside St. Paul's by the Sea.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Evangelism. Timeline: Planning to begin immediately, implementation underway in the autumn of 2008.

Plan for increasing public awareness of St. Paul's by the Sea.

Responsibility: Vestry Representative for Evangelism. Timeline: Written plan in place by August 2006, ongoing implementation and evaluation.