Strategic Plan 2020-2025 prepared in September 2019 Growing faithfully. Serving boldly.
Table of LetterContentsfromRev.Mark H. Larson 1 Background 3 Strategic Planning Process 4 Themes that Informed Planning 5 Our Shared Identity 5 Deepen Relationships 6 Deepen Participation 6 Make an Impact 7 Live Our Faith 8 Demographic Information 9 Strategic Plan 10 Vision 10 Mission 10 Values 13 Strategic Goals 15 Goal One: Align, Communicate and 15 Live the Vision and Mission of the Church Goal One Priorities 15 Goal Two: Service and Outreach 16 Goal Two Priorities 17 Short-Term Actions 17 Long-Term Actions 17 Goal Three: Deepen Relationships and Participation 19 Goal Three Priorities 19 Short-Term Actions 19 Long-Term Actions 19 Goal Four: Center of Community Life and Faith 20 Goal Four Priorities 20 Short-Term Actions 20 Long-Term Actions 20 Goal Five: Design Our Financial Future 21 Goal Five Priorities 21 Short-Term Actions 21 Long-Term Actions 21 Next Steps 22
Senior Pastor Lutheran Church of the Redeemer Senior Pastor Mark Larson (Far right) with ELCA Pre siding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Southeastern Synod Bishop Kevin Strickland) 1
Yes, the mission is the same but the con text has changed, and keeps changing. That is why we must constantly discern as a community who we are called to be in this particular place and time. As one of favorite hymns by Fred Pratt Green suggests, this is what it means to be part of a church founded on resurrection:
In
Jesus was pretty clear when he said, “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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28).
strange for a congregation to spend so much time and energy developing a “Strategic Plan.” After all, isn’t the mission and the strategy for the church the same that is has always been?
The Church of Christ, in ev’ry age Best by change, but Spirit led, Must claim and test its heritage And keep on rising from the dead. As you read through this “roadmap” for our mission in these changing times, I hope you will have the same reactions I do. As I read this document that so many have worked so hard to complete, I feel thankful for the faithful servants of Christ who God has continued to gather at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer over its many generations of ministry. I am emboldened by the group of disciples who currently call Lutheran Church of the Redeemer their home today—for I know we have the creativity, commitment and generous spirit to meet the challenges we have identified. But most of all, I am full of anticipation to see this vision come to fruition, not just for ourselves, not just for Midtown or even metro Atlanta, but for the good of Christ’s church everywhere.
As that same favorite hymn concludes; We have no mission but to serve In full obedience to our Lord; To care for all, without reserve, And spread Christ’s liberating word.
Mark H. Larson
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You notice two things about Lutheran Church of the Redeemer when you first attend a Sunday service: first, Redeemer has a beautiful building situated in the heart of midtown Atlanta, a nearly unbeatable location for vital ministry that has a broad impact in the surrounding city. The second thing you notice is the generosity of spirit among the people who attend. Members of this congregation care about each other and the difference they are making in the world.
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? 6-8, NRSV
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Redeemer also contracted with Rev. Cameron Trimble of the Center for Progressive Renewal to facilitate the process. The key question for Lutheran Church of the Redeemer was: What should our priorities be over the next five years to fully move into the vision and mission we believe God is calling us to embody?
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer began its ministry as “The Little Stone Church” on Trinity Avenue in 1903, the 66th year of Atlanta’s existence. In 1937 the church moved to its current location and became known as the “Church of the Lighted Window” for the beautiful stained-glass window of the Good Shepherd that faces Peachtree Street.
background
Redeemer survived difficult years and grew stronger, changing from a suburban parish to become the urban church of 2,500, simply called Today,“Redeemer.”thecommunity of people who make up Redeemer are embarking on a new journey that involves deepening relationships with God, one another and the community. A disciplined, 14-month process was followed to develop Lutheran Church of the Redeemer’s Strategic Plan for 2020–2025. In May 2018, a strategic committee was convened by Redeemer’s Council to undertake this work. The members of this committee represented a broad cross-section of the congregation.
We drafted a strategic plan that explains our mission, vision, themes, goals and values.
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The strategic planning team identified strategy options, resulting in a strategic framework to guide the congregation: mission, vision, themes, goals and values.
STRATEGY FORMATION
This strategic plan represents a road map for the next five years of ministry. It is intended to be a starting point for the Council, ministry teams, leadership, formal and informal small groups and congregants to align directionally and work towards a stronger future together. This plan is an agreement, a covenant, between us. It is a declaration to the wider community that Redeemer is a congregation called to serve God, our neighbors and ourselves. Together, we want the world to see Jesus through us.
STRATEGIC PLAN DEVELOPMENT
The Strategic Planning Process consisted of four major phases: ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT A fact-driven and detailed assessment of the congregation and our community through an online survey to members, interviews with congregational leaders and interviews with community CONGREGATIONALleaders. CREATIVE SOLVE SESSIONS Three sessions of three to four hours each where the congregation examined: ● • Who are we? ● • What difference do we want to make? ● • How do we deepen participation?
Deepen Relationships
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“Why do you drive past so many other churches to come to Redeemer?” “The people.”
Over and over again: It’s the people who keep Redeemer near and dear to our hearts. This is a tremendous strength of our congregation. We look for ward to Sundays when we can hear the Word, sing hymns, take communion and spend time with people who also nourish our spirit. The closeness we feel towards one another is evident. We need to be conscious, at the same time, that this can be a barrier to visitors and newcomers who do not know how to break in and build relationships in a tight-knit community. Welcoming people is powerful. Every member of the congregation impacts the experi ence of people who are coming and seeking to learn who we are. We need to follow up with people after they visit. We need to connect people to op portunities to serve, worship and volunteer, according to their interests. Everyone needs to be connected to people and purpose.
Our Shared Identity More than 2,500 members strong, we are diverse in background, age, family composition, neighborhoods, race and occupation. We have many things in common: we worship, learn, share and work as one congregation. We love Redeemer, the community God has built here and the lives we live here. Redeemer’s congregation is united in theology but diverse in its perspective, world view, political leanings and beliefs on how we live our faith. We need to invest in the Redeemer culture - how we treat one another, especially in times of change and challenge.
As Redeemer brings people together, the church has the ability to deepen our relationships with God, each other and the community. We need to invest in caring for our members: to bring us together at Redeemer and in small, interpersonal groups across the metro area. In a large church like Redeemer, we cannot take for granted the importance of people being connected and not getting lost in our size. Small groups are one way to facilitate relation ships, bringing people together based on neighborhoods, interests, com monalities in study, service and fellowship.
THEMES THAT INFORMED PLANNING
The planning process was designed to be inclusive: engaging the congre gation and leaders from the Atlanta community and incorporating external demographic data to understand the people who live in the surrounding neighborhood. Through this planning process, there were consistent themes the committee heard and used to inform the mission and vision statements, values and the strategic priorities, as they are essential to accomplishing our mission and achieving our vision.
Building relational connections between members is a constant undertak ing that is not done easily. It is, however, absolutely critical to ensure people across the cohorts and new and prospective members find their home, engage their gifts and are truly equipped to be living testaments of the faith.
Deepen Participation First and foremost, worship is central to what we do. Our vibrant worship is the foundation to form and strengthen the faith life of our people. It is through worship, prayer, study, serving, caring and giving that each of us is formed as a follower of Jesus Christ. In the course of a year, we offer more than 3,000 services, Bible studies, classes, meetings, small group meetings, lock-ins, service projects and much more. Our members have talents, perspectives, time, energy, interests and pref erences that are all essential to our mission. We are committed to imple menting a data system that can capture a wide spectrum of information on each member and can be constantly updated, easily accessed and readily6
Within our congregation are several cohorts, smaller groups of people who share common interests. The most apparent are age-centered groups: youth, young adults, aging adults. There are also other cohorts: families with young children, childless adults, people caring for children and parents. People may feel excluded, and we need to make sure this is not the case. We need to create opportunities for people to connect with others with similar interests and experiences and to the larger congregation as well.
support the variety of uses defined in the Strategic Plan. This system will help guide programming and service opportunities for everyone. Equally as important, it will help members, old and new, find their way into new opportunities of service.
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Redeemer has made and continues to make a significant impact in Midtown, metropolitan Atlanta, the state of Georgia, our country and the world. We currently support at least 20 ministries and nonprofit organizations with values in alignment with our congregation. Redeemer has been instrumental in the creation of several organizations including Goshen Valley, Lutheran Towers, Our House, the Midtown Assistance Center and the Lutheran Community Food Ministry. For more than 37 years, this ministry of Redeemer has fed the homeless and food insecure of Midtown. The last has fed people who are homeless or food-insecure for more than 37 years. In September 2019 we will celebrate 2,000,000 meals served and through this celebration, shine a light on the issue of food insecurity. All of these are important to who we are at Redeemer: Christians who grow stronger in their faith through caring for and sharing God’s love with others. These contributions have a significant personal and economic impact in our community.
We should use what we know and what we do well to expand our activities to a greater audience. We can use our database to design programs that respond to the needs and interests of the membership. We need to look critically at all we do to ensure worship, activities and service stay relevant and Beingvibrant.inthe heart of Midtown, Redeemer is draws members from across the metro area. This advantage also creates challenges as long commute times limits participation, especially for activities in the work week. Even if a member uses MARTA, there can be a significant travel time. We recognize distance and traffic make participation difficult. We must rethink and equip ourselves to orga nize activities remotely and use all types of technology to engage members.
Make an Impact
Our role has gone beyond bringing together volunteers or making an invest ment. We have worked to solve root causes of issues, and we are positioned to continue playing this role – convening partners to make a lasting impact.
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Live Our Faith Living our faith every day is what we do as Christians. We do this at Redeemer, at work, with family and friends and in our daily activities. Reflecting the love of Christ through our discipleship requires us to be continually conscious of our thoughts, words and actions. We strive to learn what “living our faith” means so we can live as Jesus taught and modeled. There must be oppor tunities for members to strengthen their discipleship through study, service and fellowship. Individually, we accept responsibility for our own participation in community, growing our faith and serving others. Through service in our community Redeemer members are testaments of our faith. Our location in Midtown allows us to reach those around us. The Live Nativity, the Prayer Wall and other outdoor events have brought many of our neighbors to our door. We need to take advantage of this opportunity to show everyone on Peachtree that we are serving God in many, many ways. Through service in our community Redeemer members live our faith. Our location in Midtown is positioned to reach those around us.
When we partner with others – faith based organizations, businesses and other service providers – our impact is greater. Partners help us improve our outcomes and creativity and enable us to focus on our real goals. We must be proactive with governmental authorities when policies create barriers or needs are not being addressed. Redeemer is best when we nurture and support the incubation of community solutions. Our leadership brings people together around a common purpose with realistic goals.
Without exception, the interviews the committee conducted with leaders in education, government, law enforcement, community-based organizations and faith sectors reinforced the significance of Redeemer’s role in bringing the community together. The people interviewed knew Redeemer, our history of leadership in Atlanta and the wide variety of services we currently offer. Their perspective was that our most impactful role was in convening the broader community to collaborate and combine resources to make all of us more effective. We should be purposeful in recognizing and celebrating those who serve and those we serve, recognizing the humanity that exists in each of us and the bonds that unite us.
• The number of people in a household is increasing, meaning more young families with children in the home. The trends show an increase in elementary-age children and a decline in the number of older children.
To better understand the population surrounding Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, we collaborated with MissionInsite, a leading demographic company. MissionInsite conducted an analysis of the 2.5-mile radius around Redeemer to provide information about the demographics and demographic trends of our community. The detailed analysis of our demographic infor mation can be found in the “Assessment Report for Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, GA.”
•Midtown residents are less likely to be married than the state average with only about 20% reporting being married, and divorce is less prevalent for them than for others across the state.
Demographic Information
• The average age of the area is younger than the state average: 32 years. The average age is expected to increase to 36 years over the next decade.
• Redeemer’s neighbors are: 50% white 35% black or African American 7% Asian 5% Hispanic or Latino, and 3% other races.
Although some statistics show the community looks different than our congregation – average age is younger and population is more diverse –there are commonalities with many families having young children and being relatively affluent. One clear advantage of those living in Midtown: shorter commutes to the church.
In addition to demographic data, MissionInsight gives us a glimpse into the behaviors and attitudes through descriptive segments called Mosaic Segments. There are two predominant segments in Midtown: “Young Solos” and “Singles and Starters.” They have several defining attributes: 9
The shared data affirms our observational experience and provides insight into the dynamic nature of Midtown Atlanta.
• The community is highly educated and professional. More than 80% have some college education, and 27.5% have a graduate or professional degree. Average household income is $94,734, almost double the state average. Over 70% are employed in white-collar professions.
• Growth around Redeemer has accelerated, with more than 20,000 new residents in the past seven years.
●Their primary reason for not participating in religion is the belief religious people are too judgmental, which creates a sense of distrust and disillusion ment with organized religion. These beliefs, however, do not mean they are out of reach. They are seeking relationship, community and connection. The opportunity for Redeemer to welcome them can be through warm and friendly encounters; opportunities for volunteering in the community; adult social activities; sermons that demonstrate a point of view that challenges their expectation that churches are solely focused on judgment and condemnation; involvement in social causes; and holiday programming.
While strong community connections are not a magic bullet to grow a church, they are a mark of a vital church. The people in the immediate neighborhood are a doorway to solidifying the Redeemer’s relationship to the community, inviting them to a thriving, local Christian congregation.
• They strongly value tolerance, diversity and the environment; support social justice issues; and believe America and its society have a responsibility to the world and those in need.
• Some are caring for aging parents and dealing with health problems of their own.
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• They are concerned about their financial well-being; success in career and life; and finding time for health and relaxation.
They generally believe God is love and invites the world into a loving relationship, but they only somewhat agree with traditional Christian creeds or doctrine. Their likelihood of being active in a religious congregation is only 31.9%.
Through Redeemer, the world will see Jesus. Our vision is simple: we want the world to experience the love and grace of Jesus. Through worship and service, Redeemer connects people to Jesus. And no matter where we are in the world, through our actions people will see the love of Christ reflected in us. Our vision holds each one of us accountable to our own calling and commitment to our faith. Our vision is an invitation to others to join our community as they are in the hopes that we, together, can become more like Christ.
OurMISSIONmission,adopted by the church in 1999, says: Redeemer is a Christian community in the Lutheran tradition serving a metropolitan setting. The life we share is Christ centered and people oriented. The hope we bring is redemptive and life affirming. The community we build is Spirit led and transformational. We affirm this vision, and these ideas are embedded in our updated mission statement.
The mission of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is to create a community that in word and deed reflects the love of Christ. Through worship, community and service, Redeemer equips people to be living testaments of the Lutheran faith in Atlanta and beyond.
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OurVISIONvisionstatement tells the world what we see happening as the result of our existence. It describes the aspiration for Lutheran Church of the Redeemer both now and in the future.
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The mission of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is to create a community that in word and deed reflects the love of Christ. Through worship, community and service, Redeemer equips people to be living testaments of the Lutheran faith in Atlanta and beyond.
Love of each other: We love each other as Jesus loved us. This means treating everyone with respect and openness from a desire for understanding different perspectives. Diversity strengthens community. We value the support of and learning from one another in our Christian walk and thrive among people who show us grace.
Our theology is generous and grace filled. Our worship is centered on the invitation that Christ offers at the communion table: all are welcome in this place. That welcome flows through all we do and say. We affirm and value the lives of the marginalized. We open our arms to everyone who comes to share our love of God and all God’s people. To anyone who is marginalized by race, gender/gender identity, ability illness, sexual orientation, poverty or any other circumstance, our message must be clear: all are welcome here.
Like its predecessor, this slogan articulates our core to tell everyone we are centered here as a community that benefits deeply from the nourishment of our faith and sharing it in service to others. The language is intentionally in present progressive tense: we are now and will be perpetually moving forward in our quest of growing faithfully and serving boldly.
●Love of neighbor:We love each person and value all as children of a loving God. We welcome all people to learn and serve with us as we strive to serve them through numerous outreach ministries. We value our community in Midtown, metropolitan Atlanta, the state of Georgia, our country and the world.
Based on the updated statements of our vision and mission, we offer an updated tagline: Growing faithfully. Serving boldly.
For a number of years Redeemer’s slogan has been “Come Share Life.” Indeed, that is the purpose of our gathering around word and sacrament and in fellowship with God and one another. We embrace not only that invitation but also the commission to “go share life” in and with the world as well.
VALUES
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is clear about our values:
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Lutheran Church of the Redeemer’s mission concisely describes our central purpose. Our mission is first and foremost to create a community that aligns with the teachings of Christ and equips the community to do good work in God’s name.
●Love of God: We love a God of reformation who is constantly making all things new and whose free gift of grace makes us right with our Creator and with one another. It is this inclusive love of God that centers our congregation and allows us to embrace change as a sign of God’s continued presence.
growing faithfully serving boldly
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Whatever style of worship we prefer, whenever we gather, we know we are welcomed and forgiven through God’s grace, fed by God’s Word that reminds us we are both saint and sinner, washed in the waters of eternal life, fed at Christ’s table and sent to serve the world.
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We are committed to building a community of Christ’s disciples that: Welcomes others as Christ has welcomed us Treats everyone with respect, even people with whom we disagree or who live differently than ourselves Acts with compassion, humility and forgiveness Serves courageously and generously Goal One: Priorities Continue to center our ministry in worship and the gospel message of welcome and grace Remove barriers that prevent full participation, particularly for those who are abled, have mobility issues, or struggle with hearing and eyesight loss worship leadership, especially among our children and youth Support young families who are helping their children develop prayer and life Enliven our mission and vision statements Ensure every member knows the vision and mission statements Work with ministry and program teams to understand how these statements guide our direction and decisions Embed our values into our culture, ensuring we not only know them, but live them Adopt a covenant of conduct that guides our words and deeds Engage in congregation-wide training in conflict resolution and open communication Develop a practice of regular listening/sharing sessions involving pastoral staff, and lay membership
Goal One: Align, Communicate and Live the Vision and Mission of the Church
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To communicate clearly and embrace Lutheran Church of the Redeemer’s vision and mission both among members and to the broader community.
Redeemer is a community of people from diverse backgrounds with diverse opinions. We face the reality that many people think of mainline churches as boring, stuck in the past and irrelevant to their lives. We believe we have much to offer, particularly with our message of hope, healing and wholeness. Our task is to communicate the message of who we are and what we are committed to in fresh ways people can understand and embrace.
We are Lutheran. We love our Lutheran theology. We love our Lutheran-style worship. While respecting other traditions, we have a particular perspective and special gift to offer: we believe we are saved by grace. We believe our worship and our theology have very relevant and important things to say about what it means to be a faithful Christian and a thriving human being.
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We are committed to building on our long history of community en gagement, by focusing our service and outreach on three areas of urgent need in our community and the world: and homelessness and health and wellness
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Goal Two: Service and Outreach
To strengthen Lutheran Church of the Redeemer as a center for social action, community collaboration, learning and spiritual growth
• Justice
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer has a rich history of action and advocacy throughout metropolitan Atlanta, the impact of which remains central to our identity today: our work in racial reconciliation during the Civil Rights Movement, our caring ministries during the HIV crisis, our advocacy on behalf of those trapped in sex trafficking, to our continued work to feed the hungry and address the need for affordable housing. We have met past calls to be servants of and for the world, but our community perceives that our involvement is less than in the past. We must strengthen our efforts to provide Christian service that witnesses to a self-giving Lord. Our community needs us more than ever to become a central catalyst for change in responding to issues that deeply impact our community. We are needed to help bring together people, organizations, creativity and commitment.
• Hunger
Goal Two: Priorities 1. Strengthen our relationships and shared ministry with our Core Spiritual Partners (CSPs) and outreach partners • Increase the congregation’s awareness of the significant work of our Core Spiritual Partners • Increase the congregation’s awareness of the significant work of our outreach partners 2. Engage regularly in congregational education and conversation around our focus areas of hunger and homelessness, justice and inclusion, mental health and wellness particularly as advocacy opportunities arise 1. Multiply opportunities for our people to engage in direct service through our CSPs and outreach part ners 2. Expand our engagement and service opportunities in the Food Ministry • Enhance the experience of our Food Ministry volunteers, including relational opportunities with our guests and learning moments about the causes of hunger and homelessness • Conduct congregational learning opportunities to educate our members on the issues of food insecurity and homelessness • Expand services to our clients such as health screenings, VA referrals, job placement, access to supportive housing, etc. 3. Develop resources to support people at risk for or living with mental illness and those who care for them • Increase awareness and reduce stigma through education within the congregation and the community • Develop education and support services for our youth and campus ministry students, including anxiety, stress, mental illness and suicide prevention • Expand social and mental health services to our guests at the Food Ministry and the residents of Lutheran Towers 4. Build on our rich history of action and advocacy work • Use our collective voice to advocate for organizations we started or support • Regularly and consistently highlight advocacy opportunities identified by the synod or the ELCA SHORT-TERM ACTIONS LONG-TERM ACTIONS
On the positive side, on average we have 480 potential new members coming to worship every year to Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. That number increases drastically when we include those who come into our building for our other activities, concerts and service programs. We need to get them to return and keep coming. We need to invite them into a deeper relationship with our community.
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The first thing Jesus did when he started in mission was to gather a commu nity of disciples around him. Ever since, part of discipleship is to care for and accompany one another on this life-changing journey. The challenge we face arises from our fragmented culture, our busy lifestyles and, particularly, being a center-city congregation. Traffic in Atlanta is not going to get easier in the foreseeable future.
• Making sure every single person is greeted when they walk through our doors and leaves knowing they are welcome back
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• Building a culture of hospitality in which every member understands themself as an evangelist Ensuring every member of Redeemer knows what is happening so they can engage with the congregation in living our shared mission Caring for every member of Redeemer Nurturing the faith of every member of Redeemer so each person lives a life of discipleship 24/7
To commit to the deepening of our relationships with one another and welcoming others into our community
Goal Three: Deepen Relationships and Participation
We are committed to: Reaching out to our community and the world with the life-saving gospel of Jesus Christ
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Goal Three: Priorities 1. Improve our membership/guest information system • Select the proper database system based on ease of use, management, access and breadth of information • Develop a streamlined process of information gathering and regular updating of information 2. Develop a comprehensive strategy to welcome guests and build a path to deeper engagement • Develop a system (people and tools) to welcome guests, collect contact information, follow up with them in a timely manner and give them “a friend and a job” • Recruit a team of church members who will serve as welcoming ambassadors to greet visitors and members (i.e., give them a friend) • Improve the way we connect people’s gifts and interests with service and volunteer opportunities (i.e., give them a job) 3. Rebuild our congregational care teams, including communion visitation, meal support, Stephen Minis try, first responders and bereavement support • Educate and celebrate these areas of ministry • Conduct an intentional quarterly campaign to add new members to these teams • Organize geographical areas of care and response 4. Strengthen our ministry to specific age groups • Senior population • Youth • Young adults 5. Strengthen communication between Council, ministry teams and our members • Improve website and social media capacity • Regularly schedule opportunities for congregational conversation and feedback 6. Develop intergenerational faith formation resources and programs • Develop a life-long plan of faith formation • Develop resources for individuals and families to strengthen, nurture and practice their faith every day and moment of their lives 1. Expand our small-group ministries in our existing programs to give people more opportunities to form relationships and connections 2. Invest in technology to enhance communication and participation • Research and implement the best technological means for communication, web-based meetings, social media, website development and livestream • Include systems that appeal to youth 3. Create a plan to enhance the visibility of and ac cess to Redeemer on Peachtree Street 4. Develop an evangelism strategy to invite our neighbors to join our mission SHORT-TERM ACTIONS LONG-TERM ACTIONS 19
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Lutherans have a passion for ecumenical partnerships and shared ministries, following Jesus’ prayer “that they all might be one.” Some of our strongest and most important ministries have grown out of such relationships, including Goshen Valley, Redeeming Grace, Habitat for Humanity and Our House.
• Becoming the “front porch” for Midtown Atlanta
• Utilizing our building and property resources to their fullest capacity
1. Develop a regular schedule of events for community gathering and conversations to complement and enhance our musical
Build on Lutheran Church of the Redeemer’s identity and reputation as a center for social action, community collaboration, learning and spiritual growth
2. Build partnerships with organizations and individuals that would allow us to offer meaningful programs to meet the needs of our members and surrounding community, bringing more people together and con necting faith to our daily lives
On the positive side, we have a great location in the center of a developing Midtown. We have great spaces that can be leveraged for neighborhood uses. With so many moving into our neighborhood, we have an opportunity to become the “front porch” for Midtown—a place of gathering, fellowship and reflection. We are committed to:
SHORT-TERM ACTIONS LONG-TERM ACTIONS
Goal Four: Priorities
The challenge is we live in an individualized culture. That goes for congrega tions, too. We have so much to get done that is easier to focus on what’s in front of us each day. It takes intentional commitment to maintain relationships and build trust so new partnerships can develop.
• Developing the perception and identity in the community that all are welcome here
Goal Four: Center of Community Life and Faith
1. Become the connection point between all the Peachtree Corridor churches to develop programs and strategies, not just to meet immediate needs, but strategies to address systemic causes
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Ensure the sustainability and long-term vitality of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer’s witness and mission
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SHORT-TERM ACTIONS LONG-TERM ACTIONS 5 21
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Goal Five: Priorities Develop a regular schedule of events for community gathering and conversations to complement and enhance our musical offerings Take advantage of our front porch to welcome our neighbors Launch a capital campaign to improve our facili ties to support our mission in the future Consider needs to address deferred physical limitations and develop new facilities that will enhance our mission Engage external experts, including a capital consultant Develop our properties in support of our mission Identify specific mission and financial goals the development of the Fourth Street this with the planning and execution of a capital campaign Identify a development partner who is aligned with our vision, mission and goals parking limitations
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Goal Design Our Financial Future
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We are generous by nature, and we want to grow in our generosity. We are blessed with a great facility, strong leaders, wonderful people and a dedicated and creative staff. We also are fortunate to own the last piece of undeveloped property in Midtown Atlanta. Our building is a precious gift, but it is aging. Although we’ve made progress in addressing some deferred maintenance issues through the faithful generosity of some sainted members, these needs will continue and multiply in the future. Some parts of our facility are beginning to look dated, including the pews and the painting in the sanctuary and limited-sized narthex. Our building has significant accessibility limitations. We have not kept up with the technological needs of doing ministry today. Even with these challenges, we know we are blessed and we are just stew ards of God’s grace for a time. We have the opportunity and responsibility to make sure these precious gifts are received, managed, multiplied and used in God-pleasing ways. We also know we have a responsibility to utilize these gifts in ways that honor the saints who bestowed them upon us and ensure future generations will have the blessing of continuing this mission as long as God continues to bless it. are committed to: Ensuring our resources are managed and used to honor God Maintaining and developing our physical facilities Developing the Fourth Street property to support the sustainability of our mission and communicate our identity to the community
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Committee members include:
This plan will be submitted to the church council for review and approval. Once approved, the strategic plan will be delivered to the congregation through a series of congregation-wide conversations. Based on the feedback we receive in that process, we may complete a final edit. After the council approves the plan, it will assign the plan to ministry teams and committee to serve as a guide for their planning over the five years. Council will determine their intent to ask ministry teams and committees to create action plans to be aggregated into a new document, a “tactical implementation plan.” This overarching plan will be useful in guiding the day-to-day work of each team and the wider staff. This strategic plan is offered as the initial version of a document that will evolve over time, as project planning information and specifics are developed through the work of various committees in conjunction with their associated staff.
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