Approved 07.31.2021 by VCT and 08.03.2021 by DenPres Council for Assembly First Reading
Overview
In January 2021, the Vision Construction Team (VCT) of Denver Presbytery was appointed by the Council of Denver Presbytery to discern together a vision for our Presbytery that will help guide the hiring of a new Lead Presbyter and provide direction for Denver Presbytery’s future. To learn more about the Vision Construction Team’s (VCT) process and engagement with DenPres, please refer to the addenda beginning on page 16.
In response to this appointment, the VCT suggests adopting the strategic priorities listed below. The VCT believes that adopting these strategies will help Denver Presbytery live into the Mission, Vision and Values (MVV) that were approved by the Council and presented to the Presbytery Assembly (click here to read MVV) by aligning the ministry and mission, organization, staff, resources and habits of the Denver Presbytery with the MVV. This document may also be used to background potential Lead Presbyter candidates on God’s call to Denver Presbytery at this point in time.[1]
The recommendations proceed in the following manner:
1) Denver Presbytery Mission, Vision and Values (MVV)
2) Strategic Priorities
3) Organization Recommendations
4) Staffing Recommendations
5) Financial Recommendations
6) Habits for Generative Way of Life in Denver Presbytery
This “moment” in DenPres[2] is rich with transformative possibility. This could be a “fulcrum moment” shifting toward a more fruitful, diverse, just, and relevant future. It will require that healthy spiritual leadership coalesces, aligning and pulling together toward God’s vision for the future in a way that builds the love and trust of DenPres and exhibits the Kingdom of heaven for the world. God can do that in partnership with us. We think it is possible that this proposed MVV and Mission and Staffing Design just might orient us in that direction.
What do you think?
What can we change for even better alignment with God’s will?
1) Denver Presbytery Mission Vision and Values (MVV)
”where ministries can thrive, servant leaders grow, and communities[3] are engaged!”
Jeremiah 29:7[4]
MISSION (What we DO)[5]
To encourage, equip, and challenge congregations, broader faith expressions[6], covenant partners, and their leaders, as they share the love and shalom[7] of Jesus Christ.
VISION (Who we want to become)
Becoming a diverse, hospitable, innovative presbytery where ministries can thrive, servant leaders grow, and communities are engaged.
VALUES EXPLAINED
● Christ-centered, Prophetic
○ Our lives are grounded in the event of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
○ We strive to see with the eyes of Jesus, hear with the ears of Jesus, love with the heart of Jesus, act as the hands of Jesus, and speak with the voice of Jesus.
○ We embrace our call as Christ’s prophets. We pursue God’s truth and bear witness to the life of God’s Spirit in our midst. We notice, confess, speak, and act when we and others are not aligned with Christ’s commands. Likewise, we declare and celebrate the in-breaking of Christ’s Good News and its power to restore, reconcile, heal, and renew.
● Community-Focus
○ Engaging the community is more important than preserving an institution.
○ Encouraging facility use and resources to shift toward community engagement.
● Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
○ We demonstrate radical hospitality.
○ Nurture faith for generational transformation.
○ Develop leaders who are diverse, inclusive and adaptive.
○ Matthew 25 focus: building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism, eradicating systemic poverty
● Generative
○ To be generative is to generate, dream, create, renew, originate, and be part of the generating work of God. We are made new as we join with the creative One who makes all things new.
○ Vision and revisioning (generativity) are always part of our life together, not a once-in-a-while episode.
○ We respond to the creativity of the Spirit with flexibility, encouragement, and trust.
● Letting Go
○ We are willing to lament and sacrifice as a Presbytery and let go of habits, attitudes, ministries, processes, and values that no longer serve to make room for new life.
● Partnering
○ We value and encourage partnerships of all kinds wherever mutual mission alignment can be achieved.
● Tension-Bearing
○ We know there are persistent tensions in every community. We listen, model and bear them with grace except in those circumstances when we discern God’s will to stand clearly as God’s prophetic witness.
● Trustworthy
○ Demonstrating competence, Christian character, and goodwill in all that we do. Ensuring processes exhibit appropriate, healthy engagement, and transparency.
THE INVITATION
Participate in, pray for, and be transformed by what God is doing in our midst.
2) Strategic Denver Presbytery Ministry Priorities for 2022-23
1) Search for, Welcome and Onboard new Lead Presbyter
2) Implement the Mission, Vision & Values (MVV) along with Mission and Staffing Design.
3) Engage, equip and challenge congregations who welcome renewal by 1) partnering with the Presbytery Mission Agency to embrace the Vital Congregations Initiative (the first part of Matthew 25 Vision) to encourage, equip and challenge existing congregations at an inflection point. This might include resources and guidance for re-inventing ministry, revitalizing/renewing congregations, modifying use of property assets.[8] 2) Growing a Faith Formation ministry and staff person at the presbytery level to encourage, equip and challenge congregations and New Worshipping Communities (NWC) in cutting edge practices of how faith gets formed throughout the life cycle today. Especially for those congregations who do not have staff or volunteer leaders to focus on this central element of Christian formation. And 3) developing a careful approach to “Faithful Completion” to help congregations discern whether their mission is complete and take steps through the completion of their mission with deep care, prayer and stewardship. --Committee on Ministry with Associate Presbyter for Mission as point person would engage #1 and #3. New Faith Formation staff person on point for #2.
4) Start NWCs and deepen opportunities for existing churches to work alongside and support NWCs and broader expressions of the church. Many existing churches are recognizing that their model for ministry is no longer well-received by the world around them. Partnering with those who are re-inventing ministry helps to support them while simultaneously providing renewed energy and vision to existing churches. The success of NWCs is vital to existing congregations’ thriving! What existing congregations have, NWCs often need (resources, buildings, etc). And what they need, NWCs often have (vitality, creativity, vision, etc). There should be opportunities for symbiotic relationships.
a) Launch the “New Worshipping Community Incubator” developed by NWC Lead Team. --NWC Lead Team with Associate Presbyter for Mission on point.
b) Steward the properties and the generous financial assets of DenPres for the future church (NWCs; re-inventing ministry; ecclesiastical innovation; becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive like the communities we serve) more than present activities or ministry. See Financial Recommendations in Section 4 --Council through Finance & Property Workgroup
c) Priority #4 will also spark creativity in changing the scorecard of the church. (See Strategic Priority #8: “Evolve the Scorecard”)
5) Advance the emphasis on Matthew 25: The work of the Matthew 25 initiative is three-fold: a) Vital Congregations; b) Dismantling Structural Racism; c) Eradicating Systemic Poverty. Much of the work around the first of these emphases, vital congregations, has been addressed in #3, above. We sense that the Matthew 25 Team has done significant and helpful work in encouraging learning and action on dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty. In order to further Denver Presbytery’s emphasis on Matthew 25, we suggest that as the council implements the organization recommendations (see Section 3) the Matthew 25 task force be identified as a workgroup of the Council.
6) Implement Robust, Regular Training & Education.
DenPres Volunteer Leaders
The capacity for DenPres to live into God’s calling as articulated in MVV and this strategy document depends on called, healthy, responsive, highly-competent leadership of both staff and volunteer leaders at every level of DenPres. We highly recommend that appropriate staff cooperate with Council moderator(s) and a small task force of standing committee and workgroup chairs to develop regular, annual, high-quality, onboarding, training, and orientation for every volunteer leader (both ruling elders and teaching elders) serving DenPres beginning with the next new class of volunteer leaders.
Onboarding and education will build familiarity and trust within and between agencies of DenPres, imbue DenPres organizational culture, develop common operational practices, grow awareness and commitment to DenPres MVV and strategic priorities, set objectives and results to pursue, improve teamwork and collaboration between staff and volunteer leaders for God’s mission through DenPres.
In particular, we see a need for education and/or training to develop strong synergy between the Presbytery Nominating (NOM) committee and other presbytery agencies for leadership recruitment, onboarding, and development.
This initiative will also incorporate the latest Learning Management System (LMS) technology to develop and deploy appropriate balance between synchronous (live) and asynchronous (on your own time) learning. --Council and Staff
DenPres Teaching Elders (TE)
Healthy Boundaries--Misconduct Prevention. Require all TEs to complete Level 1 Healthy Boundaries--Misconduct Prevention training by June 30, 2022. Then every 3 years thereafter complete level 2 or 3 offerings. Collaborate and partner with other denominations to provide this required training. –Committee on Ministry (COM).
Building the Beloved Community: Anti-Racism (Matthew 25; Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging). Require all TEs to complete level one Anti-Racism training. Then every 3 years thereafter complete level 2 or 3 offerings. In order to dismantle structural racism in our communities and the world we need to dismantle it in our own congregations, presbytery and ministries. That will require deliberate education and development. Collaborate and partner with other denominations to provide this required training. --Council with staff through Matthew 25 Team or other agency of council’s determination.
Pastoral Leadership Transitions. It’s no secret that an essential ingredient in becoming a vital congregation or ministry is the vitality, fit, and chemistry between pastoral leaders and congregations. In order to facilitate the calling of the high-quality candidates to lead our churches, appropriate training for Committee on Ministry (COM) members providing guidance and congregations doing succession planning and Pastor Nominating Committees (PNCs) is necessary.
7) Simplify, Eliminate, Collaborate and Partner
The VCT has noted that DenPres currently has at least 22 agencies (committees, commissions, workgroups, task forces). That’s 1 presbytery agency for every 2 congregations in DenPres. This represents too much “organization” for a mid-council of DenPres’ size and energy. This situation creates the following chronic conditions:
a) Never enough called leaders with the competence, character and capacity to make the organization work effectively.
b) Settling for volunteer leaders who may not be competent or have capacity to serve with excellence.
c) A few leaders serving many DenPres agencies at the same time, which could lead to diffuse attention at best and burnout at worst.
d) Underperforming presbytery with a lack of energy and focus.
e) A nominating committee (NOM) never satisfied with its essential function.
Several practical organizational recommendations to address this situation are made in the Section 3: Organization Recommendations section next. All of the recommendations seek to “Simplify, Eliminate, Collaborate, and Partner.”
8) Evolve the Scorecard
A church, ministry or presbytery becomes what and who it values. And it values what it measures. We recommend evolving the scorecard of vitality and effectiveness beyond membership and worship attendance, to include measures of community engagement, and people impact.
The 7 Marks of Vital Congregations and its attendant self-assessment survey for congregations, which were developed by the Presbyterian Mission Agency and is part of the Vital Congregations emphasis of the Matthew 25 Initiative, is a great step toward this. We recommend that fresh DenPres measures of vitality be developed and distributed along with the standard OGA statistical report to normalize the thinking about and assessing of ministry more broadly.
3) Organization Recommendations
Simplify, Clarify, Eliminate, Collaborate and Partner
● Simplify and clarify leadership authority throughout DenPres and locate most agencies as agencies of Council with 4 standing committees of Presbytery (Council, Nominating Committee (NOM), Permanent Judicial Commission (PJC), and Presbyteries of Zimbabwe and Denver Partnership (PZDP));
○ Council functions more like the leadership board of a non-profit than a “coordinating” council.
○ Agencies of Council are served by people who are recruited and nominated by the NOM standing committee and appointed by Council annually.
○ Agencies of council do NOT require a council member to serve on them.
○ This clarifies Council’s leadership to help communicate MVV and accountability to MVV to council agencies while ensuring Council’s accountability to Assembly.
○ Reduce the size of the DenPres organization by eliminating several agencies (from 22 to a max of 12) and letting go of their functions using the MVV as a guide. We do not recommend asking fewer groups to do more; --Council with counsel of VCT and transitional consultant;
● Maintain Presbyterian balance between focused enactment of ministry by those closest to the action with shared discernment by less interested parties;
● Collaborate by becoming the BEST in the PCUSA at nimbly assembling, orienting, equipping and celebrating project or task specific teams to accomplish a task or ministry and then dissolve.
● Partner within and beyond DenPres and PCUSA whenever God’s mission and effectiveness is best served.
Nominating Committee (NOM) Purpose and Process
Everything healthy about leadership and overall functioning in DenPres starts with promoting, recruiting, discerning and nominating healthy spiritual leaders. We recommend assessing current NOM process and challenges to clarify how it’s working now, identify potential improvements, and implement training for NOM for excellence in this significant ministry of DenPres! NOM process to include the development of position descriptions for serving on each agency of the presbytery that includes the purpose and responsibilities of the agency, person description for the personal characteristics sought after, and the competencies needed (including technology competencies) to serve in that role along with time/energy capacity.
Council Purpose
We recommend adding the following to the bylaws related to DenPres’ Council to clarify that the DenPres Council is the leadership team of Denver Presbytery much like a session is for a congregation. While the responsibilities of Council are well-outlined in the bylaws, the leadership expectation is not. DenPres is at a significant moment in its history and lifecycle, where focused spiritual leadership is essential. The Council (which includes ex-officio staff) is best positioned to enact that leadership. The DenPres Assembly is still the primary policy-making and direction-setting body. The Council is the primary leadership team both recommending and executing on the direction that is discerned.
Council is the principal steward of DenPres’ Mission, Vision and Values with the authority and responsibility to:
1) Promote DenPres’ Mission, Vision and Values and reform them when God calls us to and the situation warrants.
2) Build DenPres organizational culture throughout all agencies of DenPres
3) Generate and align the spiritual, human, financial, and property resources to pursue 1&2.
4) Superintend DenPres organization and agencies to ensure alignment with DenPres strategic priorities.
5) Take any and all actions to ensure every DenPres agency is contributing to God’s MVV through DenPres.
4) Staffing Recommendations including Lead Presbyter Ministry Information Form (MIF)
Considering the needs and direction of the near future to enact the MVV in DenPres and following consultation with staff as a group (06/17/2021) and each staff person individually (06/21 and 06/23/2021) we recommend the following staff design and practices:
Specific Recommendations for DenPres Staffing Design beginning October 1, 2021. We recommend the DenPres staff to be composed of:
1) Lead Presbyter (Search commencing this fall. (Click here for proposed MIF). Will be designated as Head of Staff. 1 FTE
2) Associate Presbyter for Mission (Fernando Rodriguez). 1 FTE
Include congregational renewal and re-invention in the Associate’s Presbyter’s portfolio starting September 1, 2021. This will include pastoral connections with those congregations engaged in renewal and re-invention, and working with COM to help congregations who are trying to discern a “Faithful Completion.” This is a shift in position portfolio, not in terms (salary and benefits). VCT is glad to provide specific language for position description modification.
3) Stated Clerk (Rev. Olivia Hudson Smith). 1 FTE
Clarify ambiguity in Stated Clerk (SC) “Head of Staff” function during 2021 transition period prior. This ambiguity is becoming a barrier to ministry and service. The SC position description should include the role of serving as parliamentarian for DenPres Council and Assembly. It should clearly indicate that the SC maintains independence of constitutional opinions and consultation to Assembly, DenPres agencies, and congregations. And it should also strengthen the reporting relationship to and supervision by the Lead Presbyter for all ministry functions outside of constitutional consultation and parliamentary guidance.
4) Communications Coordinator (Beth Carlisle). 1 FTE.
Re-emphasize Communications Coordinator (CC) as key communications coordinator/connector for DenPres. All DenPres messaging goes through Communications Coordinator and DenPres communication channels to ensure message clarity, brand consistency and schedule smoothing. Eliminate any ambiguity or cross-purposes with Relations and Communications workgroup of Council (or other workgroups). We recommend that the Communications Coordinator be granted authority to standardize basic operations and provide the tools for agencies to store and share documents, manage projects, and communicate with the broader presbytery. That she also be given the authority and responsibility to provide training on these tools and processes (i.e. doc sharing, virtual learning, meeting agenda development, resource allocation, communication, other committee chair duties). Re-assign responsibilities related to facility management including phone system, copier, office supplies and DenPres office and office-use management to Chuck Sparks.
5) Treasurer (Sue Pilcher). 20 hrs/month.
Recommend that Personnel Committee assess Sue’s role and pay to ensure adequacy for actual service.
6) Accountant (Chuck Sparks).
Continue current position description. Add responsibilities related to facility management including phone system, copier, office supplies and DenPres office and office-use management. Personnel to assess how this shifts hours and salary.
7) New Faith Formation staff position.
We recommend that a new position be created to encourage, equip and challenge congregations and NWCs in cutting edge practices of how faith in Christ is formed and re-formed throughout the life cycle today. We see that educators are often the most innovative at incorporating new practices, contexts, and technologies to learn and grow in our faith through relationship development, community engagement, integrating life experiences meaningfully into faith formation. And the creativity to do that throughout a person’s life cycle from birth to death and beyond. We believe this staff role can strategically complement and advance the Associate Presbyter for Mission’s role in encouraging congregational vitality, renewal and reinvention. Especially for those congregations who do not have staff or volunteer leaders to focus on this central element of Christian formation. We recommend this position and role be developed and initiated with the new Lead Presbyter once they have begun their role.
4 Global Personnel Recommendations
1) Position Descriptions. We recommend the Personnel Workgroup update every position description to be an accurate reflection of that staff person’s ministry following adoption of above recommendations and to match the current DenPres brand.
2) Position Descriptions. Include the following in every position description: “Core responsibility is to promote through your particular role, work, interactions and attitude the Mission, Vision and Values of DenPres (click here for MVV) …where we encourage, equip, and challenge congregations, broader faith expressions, covenant partners, and their leaders, as they share the love and shalom of Jesus Christ . . . in order to become . . . a diverse, hospitable, innovative presbytery where ministries can thrive, servant leaders grow, and communities are engaged.”
3) Salary Review. Personnel Committee adopt a process of conducting salary reviews every other year. Reviews include comparisons with other comparable organizations in order that salaries and benefits are competitive and keep up with the cost of living in DenPres.
4) Training for Personnel Committee. We recommend Personnel Committee invite a qualified consultant/educator to conduct training every year with the Personnel Committee. Focus is to help personnel provide healthy support for DenPres staff and update Personnel Committee on latest HR practices, policies, and law.
“Lead Presbyter” Ministry Information Form (MIF)
See the Ministry Information Form for the new Lead Presbyter here.
5) Financial Recommendations
The Vision Construction Team applauds the good work of the Finance and Property (F&P) workgroup of council and financial staff over the last 2 years in bringing clarity and awareness around Presbytery finances and recommending good stewardship guidance. We also make the following recommendations to continue that good work and bring DenPres’ financial resources into alignment with the Mission, Vision and Values (MVV) of DenPres. The MVV promotes the thriving of existing congregations, ministries and their leaders along with ecclesiastical innovation to bring about new forms of Christ’s church in the present and future. That requires us to grow in our awareness and action regarding our financial assets to serve these purposes. In particular, the VCT recommends that DenPres develop a stewardship ethic informed by the following spirit: that the assets of the past be stewarded to a greater degree (but not exclusively) for the church of the future, the church who is not yet. So that we play our critical role in the present of enabling God’s already and not yet kingdom of God on earth. This leads us to 4 sets of recommendations: 1) Budgeting; 2) Stewardship Clarity; 3) CO Trust Funds; 4) Assets from the sale of congregational properties.
Budgeting
DenPres is well-positioned and blessed with financial assets to accomplish a bold vision when stewarded well! We recommend budgeting should start with the Lead Presbyter and the Council as the core steward of the vision and mission of DenPres. The Lead Presbyter listening to the breadth and depth of DenPres and constituents is best positioned to see the complete field and should play a substantial role in drafting the strategic priorities and key foci for the coming year. They will develop a consultative process with emerging vision, current stakeholders, and draft strategic priorities and a draft budget to consider together with Council. Council will recommend the budget to Denver Presbytery for their review, modification and approval. Right now the Finance & Property workgroup drives the budgeting process. We think the driving of the process should shift to the Lead Presbyter and Council with the F&P Workgroup and Treasurer playing fiduciary role to assess plans’ fitness with financial resources anticipated and available.
We recommend the budget be presented to the Denver Presbytery in Narrative and Line-item form. Narrative budgeting is a process of telling the story of the strategic priorities for fulfilling DenPres’ mission and vision and how much of the budget will be invested in those priorities. We also recommend that the line-item budget forecast for 3-5 years to show the effect of current decisions on net assets in future years.
Stewardship Clarity
We recommend the Council, through their F&P Workgroup
1) Continue to grow clearer about income and outflow of God’s financial resources for DenPres and DenPres’ authority for stewarding them.
2) Assertively move toward a more balanced annual budget and establish a timeline to get there.
3) Develop a risk algorithm to establish a clear number, revised annually, as a prudent reserve which will ensure peace of mind that the presbytery could cover key operational expenses and mortgage payments of those congregations who are at risk of default for a period of time. See, for example, the Presbyterian Foundation’s or other presbyteries’ risk algorithms.
4) Consider ways to increase “living giving” from per capita and mission giving in order that more of current mission and operations be funded by current giving, while building broad presbytery ownership for current ministry.
Colorado Trust
The Colorado Trust was established in 1985 with the proceeds from the sale of Presbyterian St. Luke’s Healthcare Corp. (the former Presbyterian and St. Luke's Medical Center group). The Trust has grown its endowment from $191 million to more than $460 million, and to date has awarded grants of $247 million. 10% of the annual distribution from the earnings, growth, etc. from CO Trust principle comes to DenPres.
As a result, between 2000 and 2021 the Colorado Trust has generated a total of $14,926,014 for ministry in DenPres. That is an average of $710,763/year during those years. This is a unique gift of God to the Denver Presbytery and the ministry DenPres is called to engage. It is a gift that was made possible because Presbyterians in the past invested a lot of their giving to form Presbyterian Hospital in 1920 which merged with St. Luke’s Hospital (started by the Episcopalians in 1881) in 1979 to form Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center. So the investment and risk of Denver Presbyterians following God’s call in the past, and good stewardship over the years, made this gift possible...thanks be to God.
In 1987 DenPres acted to use the proceeds received from the CO Trust each year for DenPres operations. DenPres also has the authority to modify that designation if it so chooses in order to allocate some of those assets toward “future” church initiatives.
Property Related
The future of the existing church will be found in the symbiotic relationship between the vitality of our existing congregations and new expressions of ministry. Existing churches have well-established resources, histories and practices, but need an influx of energy and new ideas that NWCs and other new expressions of ministry can provide. The new expressions of ministry can benefit from these relationships by using the established foundations of existing churches. The survival and flourishing of existing churches is intimately connected to the fruitfulness of NWCs.
We recommend that God’s generous gifts which are generated from the gifts of the great cloud of witnesses of the past (including financial assets from the sale of congregational properties) be stewarded for the church who is not yet, the future church--NWCs; re-inventing ministry; ecclesiastical innovation; becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive like the communities we serve; and the staff/people to lead the future church--more than present activities or ministry.
In 2020 the Council and Presbytery established the following algorithm for the proceeds from church properties:
20% to Shared Funding Ministry
10% to New Worshipping Communities
10% to Racial Ethnic Communities
5% Mortgage assistance for new ministers
5% to PILP to reduce interest rate on loans
50% to remain in savings for other uses.
We think this can be reviewed to be congruent with the new MVV and that a significant portion of the “50% for savings for other uses” can be better invested in ministries that are seeking to invent the future.
6) Habits for Generative Way of Life in DenPres
DenPres’ core values of Generative and Letting Go require us to develop habits of life together. We recommend these habits to DenPres Assembly, Council and all agencies.
1) Focused Service
All active Minister Members of Presbytery should serve on one of the “core” agencies of Presbytery {NOM, Permanent Judicial Committee (PJC), COM, Committee on Preparation for Ministry (CPM), (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), Zimbabwe, Council} or be no more than one year away from this service.
2) 1:2:1
Design and execution of any meeting of any DenPres agency follows this ratio: 1 part Generative (future); 2 parts Strategic (present); 1 part Fiduciary (present-past).
3) Vision-Sharing
Every Assembly features a “Vision-Sharing” dimension which is to be interactive during the best-participant-energy part of the assembly. Assembly designers will be imaginative with how to execute this.
4) Annual Vision-Only Assembly
One DenPres Assembly each year features ONLY Vision-generation and NO decision-making or agency reports.
5) Annual Narrative Budgeting (see Section 4 for more on this)
Narrative budgeting is a way of sharing the vision and mission of DenPres, along with the financial resources to fuel that vision and mission, which is focused on arenas of mission rather than budget categories. This generates the conditions which require DenPres leaders to always be thinking about and telling stories of mission impact of DenPres efforts.
6) Annual Letting Go
Similar to how we give thanks for the lives of TEs and Ruling Elders (RE) who have died each year, we will also give thanks for the DenPres agencies, ministries, priorities, and values to which we are saying good-bye. These are explicitly shared in the narrative budgeting process to honor and exemplify the natural, gospel, life cycle of birth, life, death, resurrection, new life, death, resurrection, and so on.
ADDENDA
Background
In January 2021 DenPres Council appointed the DenPres Vision Construction Team pictured above. The Council commissioned the VCT with the following purposes:
1) To capture and honor the significant energy, content, and contribution of the current 30-member vision team. This team has done significant learning, assessing and forming together. Their contribution is essential to DenPres’ vision and future.
2) To conduct further inquiry to satisfy curiosity about DenPres facts, hopes, and possibilities.
3) To construct a “Vision & Mission Design 2021” including key DenPres’ mission and ministry priorities, organization and staffing design, and draft position description for next Lead Presbyter to guide DenPres’ future. Recommend Vision & Mission Design to DenPres Council.
Since January 2021 the VCT has vigorously pursued those purposes by meeting every Saturday morning and extra meetings as needed. We set a timeline and process for this visioning which we have successfully met so far. Here is a summary of the listening and feedback we have engaged. Throughout this visioning process the VCT has maintained a rhythm of:
o Praying, listening to God, listening to Scripture;
o Assessing what kind of info is important to listen to from the broader DenPres;
o Designing listening process;
o Engaging that process with ourselves, DenPres council;
o Engaging key questions with DenPres assembly and leaders (all TEs/sessions/ volunteer leaders serving DenPres) of congregations/NWCs/& partners.
o Listening closely to the feedback, assessing key themes and “sacred outliers;”
o Reporting results to Council and DenPres assemblies for wide distribution.
o Bearing all this with God in prayer and one another in conversation.
Jan 26, 2021 DenPres Assembly engagement: DenPres in 2031? If Holy Spirit could make 1 change tomorrow, what would it be?
Feb-March VCT curated the best learning from the previous Vision Team and analyzed the key themes from Jan 26 DenPres feedback. We then moved to assessing “where are we?” We dove deep into the current situation of DenPres and greater Denver Metro Area. VCT reported all of that info to the March 23 DenPres Assembly (click here for PPT).
Mar 23, 2021 DenPres Assembly engagement: Brightspotting in Denver Presbytery. The Assembly crafted a robust list of remarkable brightspots of ministry [insert link to PPT].
March-May All congregations, new worshipping communities, partner ministries and their leaders survey. Here is summary of survey results reported to DenPres (click here for survey summary).
May 25, 2021 Assembly listened to and provided feedback on first draft of Mission, Vision & Values (MVV) (Click here for feedback from Assembly).
June - July Finalized High Level MVV (click here for MVV) and drafted Mission & Staffing Design (MSD). Final version is in section 2 on pp 2-3 below and sets the direction for the rest of these recommendations.
July-Aug 3 VCT Consulted with DenPres Council on these items.
Aug 3, 2021 Council Recommends MVV, Mission and Staffing Design (MSD), and MIF for Assembly first reading.
DenPres 2021 Moment (Situation)
This moment is marked by at least 7 significant dynamics.
1) BrightSpots and energy throughout DenPres.
2) Strong financial, spiritual and people resources.
3) 20+ years of steady decline in traditional measures (membership, participation) while DenPres metro is growing.
4) 20+ years of widening gap between the “whiteness” of DenPres and ethnic diversity of Denver Metro area.
5) Becoming Presbytery 3.0: If pre-COVID DenPres was 1.0. During COVID was 2.0. Post-COVID “new normal” is advancing to DenPres 3.0 and not going back to 1.0.
6) Alignment and spiritual leadership focus between DenPres “culture,” structure, resources, actions and the Mission, Vision and Values (MVV) God is calling us to.
7) Building (re-building) trust and love among and between DenPres agencies and the congregations, NWCs, partners and members, we encourage, equip and challenge.
This “moment” is rich with transformative possibility. This could be a “fulcrum moment” shifting toward a more fruitful, diverse, just, and relevant future. It will require that healthy spiritual leadership coalesces, aligning and pulling together toward God’s vision for the future in a way that builds the love and trust of DenPres and exhibits the Kingdom of heaven for the world. God can do that in partnership with us. We think it possible that this proposed MVV and Mission and Staffing Design just might orient us in that direction. What do you think? What can we change for even better alignment with God’s will?
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[1] For more on the necessity of these priorities and the history of the VCT see addendum pp. 17-22.
[2] For more on this “moment” in DenPres see addendum pp. 17-22.
[3] Each congregation, new witnessing community, or partner agency necessarily needs to identify who is their community(ies). That could be the local geographic neighborhood, an international partner, an immigrant, cultural, or language group, a particular demographic or psychographic, or other as defined.
[4] “But seek the welfare of the city...and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7, NRSV)
[5] This mission & vision is a DenPres way of saying what our Book of Order says about presbyteries: “providing encouragement, guidance, and resources to its congregations in the areas of mission, prophetic witness, leadership development, worship, evangelism, and responsible administration to the end that the church’s witness to the love and grace of God may be heard in the world...and all congregations become communities of faith, hope, love, and witness. “(G-3.0301)
[6] “Broader faith expressions” encompasses new worshipping communities, missional communities, new church developments, fellowships, and other fresh forms of Christ’s church that may develop. We are in a time of creativity beyond the inherited church form of the congregation and want to give God’s spirit room to breathe new life into what forms those expressions take!
[7] Shalom - The presence of community well-being, justice, wholeness, right relationship with one another. Much deeper than its most oft-translation: peace.
[8] This might include partnering with the Presbyterian Foundation on Project Regeneration
