We had the privilege of gathering leaders from across the Parish together earlier this month. After we spent some time talking about who we were as individuals and as a community, then thinking about what God was calling us to over the next 18 months or so we established 4 areas for strategic focus in 2020.
- Storytelling
- Gathering Spaces
- Leadership Structure
- Inclusion Development
Storytelling encompasses both how we talk about who we are internally and externally. The group working on this area has come up with an initial statement to capture the reason why the parish exists: “We believe that everyone needs a safe place where they can be loved for who they are already.” As we work with these words the group will continue to find ways to express the ministry and mission of the parish in a variety of ways.
The focus on Gathering Spaces is about making our spaces as hospitable as possible and finding ways to meet outside of the places where we usually gather as a way to welcome in new folks. For the next 18 months this team will be working on ways to make our buildings more ADA accessible and considering the ways our spaces can encourage people in their participation and leadership.
An intensive examination of our leadership and organization when it comes to people is the initial work for Leadership Structure. This team will then make recommendations to our human resources committee (SPRC) about staffing and will also work on apprenticeship and recruitment of leaders alongside the nominations team. To help strengthen our relationships and create a better network we’ll be holding quarterly leadership breakfasts to talk about the work of the Parish and support one another. Additionally we’ll host an annual gathering for all people of the Parish to connect to each other across the different settings and expressions of our community.
Finally the Inclusion Development team is looking at how to capitalize on the work we have done around the Reconciling Ministries Network process with continued opportunities for learning and growth, so that we as a Parish might truly welcome and celebrate our siblings of varied gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations.
There are so many places we might choose to focus, but this is what God is calling us to here and now that we might better serve the people of the Southeast Portland Parish at this time.
-Eilidh
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