Vision Progress Report 2006 & 2007 Draft Next Steps

Vision	2006 Steps	Progress Report	2007 Steps (Draft)
We envision our parish as a healing place for souls that continues to draw members from throughout the Rochester metropolitan region, but also has a clear sense of mission in the heart of the city.	1) We will open our building for at least four hours four days a week to be available for downtown workers, tourists, and other passers-by, recruiting volunteer weekday ambassadors and providing appropriate information, training, and safety. 2) We will find creative ways to communicate ourselves to the larger community, appropriating the necessary resources to do so.	We began opening our doors Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 2pm on October 2, with two volunteers each day.  We have already seen significant numbers of visitors, with much appreciation for the opportunity to share our building. Not done, except that the rector has been getting the church’s name in the paper as often as possible.	Enhance by making deal with Good News Bookstore for selling basic books, etc.  Add refreshments.  Prepare Guide to the Building (mix of history & worship practice that also gives a sense of our identity). Explore monthly paid column/ad in City Paper, utilizing our rector’s ability to communicate. Re-establish Communications Team to work on other ideas.
We envision that, as a congregation, we will reach out unconditionally to all and be a caring and nurturing church community, growing our parish in numbers and in spiritual depth, including doubling Sunday attendance by the year 2015.	1) We will find new ways to continue building relationships, trust, and concern for one another, encouraging the formation of small groups who take mutual responsibility for one another. 2) We will establish a welcome and inclusion committee and develop a clear process of incorporation of newcomers into the life of the community.	Encouraging “spontaneous” social events (such as the recent boat trip, on which 26 people went), and study groups (such as the summer book group). Sunday attendance in 2006 is up 7% over this time in 2005.  Communicants are up a net 10%. Done!  Ambassadors have been re-trained.  Three Newcomers Brunches have been held.  The Welcome Center in the back of the Church has been established.	Need to develop strong database of common interests. Need a group to develop an overall vision and strategy for small group development. Monitor and evaluate Welcome & Inclusion process. Explore addition of Saturday Service.
We envision a comprehensive, challenging and flexible on-going program of formation that includes all learners at the various stages of their faith journeys.	1) We will seek formation partnerships with surrounding parishes and other churches, enabling a wider variety of programs and the critical mass to make them successful. 2) We will develop an adequate support structure for our basic formation programs—Sunday School, Via Media, and Education for Ministry, and we will develop an intermediary step for adults between Via Media and EFM (that includes the gift-discernment workshop described below).	Have been in conversation with St. Stephen’s around Youth & Adult programs and St. Mark’s & St. John’s around Youth.  Joint activities beginning to be scheduled.  Four Two Saints Youth will participate in Diocesan Convention this Fall. First session of “Via Media II” launched this Fall successfully.  The Rev. Mary Ann Brody brought on board to oversee Formation.  Adult volunteers doubled for the Fall start-up of children and youth classes.  Sunday School attendance up 50%.  EFM Class totals 11 this year (up from 8 last year).	Better “sell” Via Media; develop target list. Implement tracking database so we know who’s done what in terms of Formation programming.
We envision a place where gifts will be discerned among us on an on-going basis and offered in a spectrum of ministries both of our own and of the community.	1) We will develop a gifts-discernment workshop that will be part of the incorporation process (and in which all current members will be encouraged to participate as well). 2) We will build a database of ministries in which our members are involved outside of activities directly related to the parish.	Under development; will launch in spring 2007. Data collected at Ministry Fair	Launch it!  Investigate larger participation (other city parishes). Put together database, expand it, and make it available .
We envision our parish as a center for urban mission and ministry for the Diocese of Rochester, with special concern for families, parents and children in the city and as advocates for change in our political and economic policies and systems	1) We will begin a conversation with Diocesan leaders about our concept of an “urban ministry center.” 2) We will explore increased participation in and partnership with Interfaith Action. 3) We will explore a way or ways we might be significantly involved in the Rochester Children’s Zone initiative. 4) We will add an anti-violence/peace-making element to the Right On School and seek to work more with ROS parents. 5) We will continue to explore possible partnerships with other community organization’s and churches, with a special eye toward enabling families, parents and children to have greater access to and utilization of existing community programs. 6) We will establish a parish public policy committee that will work closely with the diocesan public policy committee, but focus particularly on City of Rochester and Monroe County issues.	Volunteers for urban Ministry Center Task Force have been solicited and group’s work will kick off before the end of the year. Interfaith Action will be part of “urban ministry center” discernment.  Also exploring new organizing effort around educational issues with Grace UMC, et al. Trying to keep abreast of Children’s Zone development, although the initiative is somewhat lost in the bureaucracy. Grant received and planning will begin soon.  The Diocese is also planning an anti-violence program for next year. Our participation in RAIHN & Meal & More continues apace. Anti-racism dialogue begun in Vestry successfully; Anti-racism Task Force being formed. Public Policy Team & Advocates in operation.  Regular monthly public Policy forums begun and scheduled through 2006.	Report of task force to parish by Fall of 2007. Continue process, identifying interested parishioners. Renew volunteer recruitment & efforts. Hold a parish-wide anti-racism and reconciliation dialogue day in 2007.  Do some joint training/programming with Grace Church, Syracuse (going through a similar effort). Host event and/or get involved with organizing around a particular city issue (perhaps education, see above).
We envision our parish as an ecumenical and interfaith place of public prayer for our city, a true “house of prayer for all people” (Isaiah 56:7).	1) Hip Hop Mass Development 2) Communicate this desire and our readiness to serve to City Hall, County Government and our other civic neighbors.  This will include use of our building as a public meeting place.	Grant received and work beginning.  First Mass and workshop scheduled for May 25-26. Hosts for IA mayoral forum and strategy session follow-up; 9-11 Interfaith Service; working to plan World AIDS Day Service	Be ready with team to continue Hip Hop Masses on a monthly basis after first experience. Continue to be proactive in seeking possible functions and inviting them here. Explore annual Worship Service for Government Employees.
Macro Step Building Assessment (Tyler House) for Ministry Development