THE ROAD AHEAD: - A PLANNING PROCESS

SPECIFIC INITIATIVES

1.ATTRACTING AND KEEPING NEW PEOPLE AND LAPSED MEMBERS

  • Form a Task Force for lapsed and casual members, whose responsibilities would include:
    • Compiling a list of people who have left the Church in the past 5 years and still reside in Sudbury.
    • Compiling a list of those who have had baptisms, weddings or funerals at Epiphany during the past five years but who are not members of the congregation.
    • Compiling a list of the Epiphany congregation who attend Church less than four times a year.
    • Preparing appropriate outreach material for each of these groups.
    • Canvassing the Congregation to find a personal “link” if possible, to people on lists.
    • Initiating a process of personal contact, using “links” where possible, to lapsed and casual members.
    • Designating a special Sunday at Epiphany, using either the Back to Church model or a Patronal Festival model, with special music, liturgy, preaching, takeaways, etc. , designed to remind people why their Church should be an important part of their lives.
    • Developing a follow up process to encourage former and casual members to participate in Church activities.
  • Form a Task Force for new members whose responsibilities would include:
    • Canvassing the congregation asking each member to provide the names of at least two people who might be approached to consider the Epiphany as their Church home.
    • Preparing appropriate outreach material designed to interest potential members, with emphasis on the benefits of being part of the Epiphany family.
    • Ensuring that Church services and programs recognize current community demographics such as; the reality of working families, shift work, broken homes, economic realities, etc.
    • Inviting potential new members to a “Reception” at Epiphany, to meet Clergy and Staff and to hear about Church activities. This could become a regular, quarterly activity.
    • Developing a mentoring and follow up program for new members.
    • Developing and/or updating the Welcoming Kit for new Members.
    • Developing and providing Orientation sessions for new members, led by the Rector and including, explanation of liturgy, volunteer and social opportunities.
    • Developing a process for the formal installation of new members, quarterly.
    • Developing a process for identifying newcomers and visitors at services and perhaps giving small gift such as a loaf of homemade bread, upon exiting.