Thank you! 108 of you responded to our recent congregation survey. As a comparison, the last congregation survey was done in 2019 as part of our strategic planning process and at that time 107 people responded. This level of response says a lot about your resilience, engagement, and on-going commitment to the St James faith community.
So, what did you tell us in the survey? Here are the results.
Ministry Priorities: (Choose your top 3)
#1 Children, Youth, and Family Ministry
#2 Welcome
#3 Worship Music & Arts
Pastoral Leadership Needs: (Choose your top 5)
#1 Children, Youth, and Family Ministry
#2 Preaching & Worship
#3 Build a Sense of Community
#4 Pastoral Care & Visitation
#5 Volunteer Coordination
Pastoral Gifts for Ministry-Priority (Choose your top 5)
#1 Be an Effective Communicator
#2 Build a Sense of Community
#3 Help People Develop Their Spiritual Life
#4 Be Able to Lead Well Through Significant and Necessary Periods of Change
#5 Be Able to Share Leadership & Work in a Team
Pastoral Gifts for Ministry-Helpful (Choose your top 5)
#1 Bring Joy & Good Humor to Relationships
#2 Be Creative & Innovative about her/his Tasks
#3 Be Able to Share Leadership & Work in a Team
#4 A Tie: Be and Effective Communicator/Be Active in Visitation of Members and Non-
Members
#5 Help People Develop Their Spiritual Life
There is a great deal of information contained in these survey results. But these are the top responses. The responses are very much in line with what the congregation had to say in the 2019 survey.
The current survey responses, many of the resources such as the demographic study and community trend information, as well as conversations and input sessions with you from our strategic planning work in 2019 will now guide us in preparing a Ministry Site Profile of our congregation. You will receive updates about this work as it progresses.
Meanwhile, what comes next?
The church council, who our constitution tasks with the responsibility of appointing a call committee, will begin receiving nominations next week.
There will be forms available for you to use for nominating members of St James whom you believe would serve well on our call committee. The forms will be available online and as paper copies from Sunday, March 5th, through Sunday, March 19th. Any voting member of St James is eligible.
Once the nomination period is closed, the council will begin their selection process at the end of which they will name seven (7) members to the serve as our call committee. Pray for wisdom as you consider who to nominate. Pray for our council as they seek to make wise choices of who might best serve in this important role.