Imagining Our Vision:
You’re Invited Conversations Planning Group Summaries
February 2017
In November 2016, 130 WSBC members participated in 19 small groups to share ideas about WSBC’s relationships with ourselves as a congregation, our neighbors and with our building. We called these You’re Invited conversations because we wanted everyone to engage in sharing their perspectives.
Conversations revolved around what we as a congregation do well, our dreams for how we can live out our relationships in new ways and insights into how these areas interconnect.
To discern a vision for the next several years, three planning groups are currently focusing on these broad areas that are important to the foundation of WSBC.
The first task of these working groups was to summarize the results of the November 2016 You’re Invited Conversations into their respective themes. In the pages that follow, you’ll find summaries of themes from across the small group discussions.
Sincerely,
The Coordinating Committee for the Planning Process:
Jim Drennan, Chair
Laura Webb Smith
Maggie Ellis Chotas
Greg Palmer, Chair of Church Council
In Community with Each Other Planning Group
Summary of You’re Invited Conversations
The mission of the In Community with Each Other Planning Group is to help the congregation consider opportunities for and challenges to acting on our call to be in community with each other.
The first task of our group was to organize the raw data from the November 2016 “You’re Invited” Event into 14 categories that provide a broad, flexible outline of the areas we will examine. These initial categories are: Openness; Involvement; Fellowship; Small Groups; Education; Care; Music; Worship; Spiritual; Mission; Youth/Children; Communication; Structure; Miscellaneous.
At the event, we heard how WSBC strives to be a welcoming, inclusive congregation to all: our members, prospective members, friends and visitors. Sunday services, Wednesday night suppers, holiday celebrations, church workdays, Soup Suppers, social activities, the annual beach retreat, mission activities, book and discussion groups, music ministries all of these and many more offer opportunities to engage with each other and staff.
The “In Community with Each Other” Planning Group will examine the myriad ways we currently connect, the limitations and challenges that these opportunities present, and ways we can expand and enhance these connections. Among the questions we hope to begin answering are:
• What opportunities for interaction already exist? What are the strengths and gaps in the list of opportunities?
• How can we as individuals and as a church make current interactions deeper, more welcoming, more meaningful to others?
• What does it mean to be “welcoming”?
• How are opportunities communicated to the congregation, visitors and all?
• How are we including those most vulnerable to feeling excluded, such as members who are homebound or who have fallen away from active participation?
• How do attendees, especially first-time attendees, perceive their level of acceptance and their value within activities and groups?
• How can we identify and connect particular individuals who should meet and know each other?
• When does a group become a “clique” a word that appears too often in the raw data gleaned from the November “Conversations” small-group meetings?
• What resources will we need to expand/enhance current opportunities, in terms of staff support, volunteer leadership, money, meeting space and supplies?
• How do the efforts of our planning group impact the other planning groups, which are examining how we interact with the broader community and with our physical property?
We recognize the need to make some early, easy, organic progress toward building stronger connections with each other, as well as to create a time frame for tackling more complex issues.
As Margaret McWilliams reminded us by reading the familiar passage from Acts 2: “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
In Community with Each Other Planning Group Members:
David Heist, chair
Margaret McWilliams
Rebeca Olmedo
LaDawnna Summers
Gene Downs
Exploring Relationships with our Neighbors Planning Group
Summary of You’re Invited Conversations
The mission of the Exploring Relationships with our Neighbors Planning Group is to help the congregation consider opportunities and challenges for our congregation to act on our call to be good neighbors to people in our community, both local and around the world.
The first task of our group was to organize the raw data from the November 2016 “You’re Invited” Event. Summarized responses follow.
What are we doing well in relationships with our neighbors?
We have a strong history of missions support and are publicly known for work in the areas of civil rights and social justice advocacy. Many local non-profits, such as Durham Habitat, One World Market, and the Diaper Bank of NC, were founded because of and by WSBC members.
We are generous, allowing many outside groups to use our building, and allocate a large portion of money and time to mission activities. In addition to adult volunteers, the involvement of youth and children in mission activities is emphasized. Watts Street on Mission brings people together across the congregation and includes community members to work together on projects.
Our Missions Committee maintains an active presence and promotes a diverse set of missions. We have a strong relationship with our sister church in El Salvador, and our involvement with Durham CAN, Urban Ministries meals, Walltown, etc. connects us to the local community. Activities that are housed at our church, such as Lovefeast, the bazaar, MLK Sunday, and the Mission House, permit us to connect with others at our church home.
We are a welcoming congregation and have a new desire to have missions that are more focused on developing meaningful relationships and connections. Are we willing to do all that we can to be welcoming and compassionate?
What are our dreams for living out our relationships with our neighbors?
We see a desire to build more meaningful connections and community. There is a yearning to learn about and collaborate with others who are not like us, including our immediate neighbors in Walltown, Trinity Park, and nearby faith communities. To do this, we need to think differently, educate ourselves, and educate others on who we are as Baptists. We need to learn to move beyond polarization.
We want to involve everybody in the church in mission activities — engage young adults and singles; engage new members; create groups that are mixed generationally. Perhaps we can partner with other groups to achieve mission goals.
We can expand some of our current interactions or think of a new church-wide mission activity. The Watts Street on Mission may serve as another outlet to develop more lasting connections. Our publicity could use some new thought; examples are property signage, Facebook, email, and other means to promote missions.
We might have to give up some current projects to focus on something that is new. We should see where God leads us and attempt to live the words of Jesus. We need to build bridges, not walls… are we ready?
Working with Our Neighbors Group Members:
Paula Januzzi-Godfrey, Chair
Bob Kruhm
Greg Palmer
Jonathan Sauls
April Walton
Exploring Our Building’s Potential Planning Group
Summary of You’re Invited Conversations
The mission of the Exploring our Building’s Potential Planning Group is to help the congregation consider opportunities and challenges for utilizing our building more effectively as an integral part of our call to be part of God’s Kingdom on earth.
The first task of our group was to organize the raw data from the November 2016 “You’re Invited” Event. Summarized responses follow.
The following appear to be the key issues/comments emerging from the conversations:
– The Church makes effective use of the space we have (to include outside groups)
– Although the facility is functional, need to focus on maintaining what we have (some areas look shabby and/or need renovation)
– Grounds and the new playground look good
– Need to plan for future major expenses
– Need a more suitable fellowship hall
– The historical building and location are special
– Need a new/renovated kitchen
– Should look at expanding the use of our facilities (child care facilities?)
– Need to improve appearance to make it more appealing to visitors, etc.
– Need to look to a long range vision focused on growth
The Committee work plan includes work on the following items (a more detailed plan will be posted on the church website).
o Compiling a complete inventory of the work of existing committees or staff with responsibilities for our building
o Consulting with Building and Grounds to provide a list of significant operations and maintenance Issues.
o Incorporating the work of the Long Range Planning Committee to build on its work in considering longer term building issues., including consideration of the expansion of the building.
o Developing a comprehensive building status report and a report of the current usage of the building.
o Evaluating building initiatives other than normal maintenance and developing a priority list for the congregation to consider.
Exploring Our Building’s Potential Group members:
Tim Parker, chair
Bob Landers
Jennifer Martin
Bill McCraw
Alan Williams