What are we doing with the 2019 Congregational Survey results? by Kari Slotten, Director of Ministry (2020)
Do you remember the congregational survey we did last fall? Staff, Council, and Leadership teams have been busy behind the scenes reviewing the 700+ responses and notes from 13 focus groups. While there is still a lot of work to be done, I wanted to share a few plans that are in the works.
Staff. The pastors and staff are working to utilize the skills and interests that people shared on the survey. We’ve already been able to match several new people to our volunteer needs, which should create a win-win situation for all. The challenge will be enabling passionate volunteers to start new ministries that are in alignment with our vision and mission.
Engagement Leadership Team. This team will spend much of the next year focused on engaging the people who aren’t as active as they’d like to be, considering how we might adapt our ministries to better address the priorities of young adults, exploring obstacles for engagement, and developing communication strategies based on feedback. I imagine there will be more opportunities for targeted listening (like smaller focus groups) too.
Stewardship, Benevolence, and Finance Leadership Teams. While the finance-related goals ranked lower in the survey, they still received a great deal of support. These teams will think about our fund options for giving, ways to communicate about the impact of financial gifts, and how to allocate general giving that best supports the congregational priorities.
Council. Council and pastors met for a half-day session to consider the survey implications. During that time, we:
- discussed overall survey results
- reviewed responses to the priorities Pastor Rick had identified
- updated statements on vision, mission, and values
- identified potential goals and action items for the next 3-5 years
- considered where extra support might be needed from Council.
The work done that day is now being summarized and refined, so that it can be reviewed by all the people mentioned so far and then shared with the congregation and those interested in learning more about SOTV. The goal is: 1) to have clear and concise vision, mission, and values statements that help people understand who we are and what we value, and 2) to allow staff and dedicated volunteers to work together to prioritize activities that help us achieve goals identified in response to survey and focus group feedback. I’m inspired our caring congregation sharing such important feedback, and by the dedicated staff and volunteers working hard to learn and take action! If you want to learn more, visit sotv.org/survey or contact me at kari.slotten@sotv.org or 952.985.7356.
