Table Talks Summaries

Table talks are helping us consider the identity and aspirations that should guide WPC's future as we begin the search for a new pastor. 

We have started to identify our common emerging identity:
WPC senses God calling it to become a more visibly Christ-centered, accepting, and connected community - one that grows people in faith, equips them to participate and lead, and expresses Jesus' love through focused mission, service, and social justice. 
moving_forward_in_worship.pdf
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wpc_table_talk_session_1_congregational_findings_final.pdf
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Congregational Assessment Tool (CAT Survey)

Friends,

​For those of you who were unable to attend the congregational meeting on June 28 about the Congregational Assessment Tool, (or just want to review again), here's what you missed. 

I presented the Holy Cow interpretation of the Congregational Assessment Tool (CAT). Here I highlight a few themes from the slide presentation.

Firstly, many thanks to the 86 responders (of 114 local members, active attenders, and givers sent the survey). This is a good response rate of 75% (101% of last year's average attendance.) On Sunday, we looked not only at the drivers of energy and satisfaction at WPC, but how your responses benchmark with 2,800 other churches nationally who have taken the CAT in the last 7 years. 

In the CAT, we are beginning to hear your voices, your dissatisfactions, AND your positive longings for the future. It is clear that a significant number of you are "on the fence" - either "somewhat satisfied" or "somewhat dissatisfied" in many areas. While a typical response during transition is to take this "wait and see" posture, your voice matters. What will help you move "off-the-fence" toward recommitment to joining in the life of WPC? 

Consider the CAT as a beginning of the conversation with EACH OTHER. Join in future listening sessions to share what your longings are, what WPC means to you, what YOU wish for. Listen to each other. Don't wait for others to meet your needs - or not - and, then perhaps, decide whether to leave. Friends, it's your church, Consider this a wake-up call - and an invitation to share and to decide what comes next for WPC together.

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KEY THEMES YOU NAMED

1)The church needs to change to move into the future. You can imagine this church differently that meets needs differently in reaching young families, in strategies, in developing stronger connections amongst you, in worship, and in pastoral care. The good news is that a church can reinvent, can move toward the goal of becoming a "transformational" congregation with high energy and high satisfaction. It takes a clear "WHY" a vision and willingness that all will commit to align with.

2) WPC is benchmarked as a highly, pastor-centered congregation, with strong reactions to the last pastor. We looked at the longings beneath the expressed dissatisfaction and how to help empower the congregation to meet your expressed needs without unrealistic or unhealthy, over-reliance on the next pastor: by equipping and releasing you all into participating, in leading worship, and joining with ministry partners - in ways that use your God-given gifts - keys to WPC's future health, increased satisfaction and growth.
3) Following that, we looked at generational priorities and longings; what you value most and desire. Note this will involve hospitality to one another to put others (and other generations') needs before our own at times. It is great news that this church DOES have people in the 35-64 range, as that is often a missing generation in the church. You named reaching and including more families as a priority, so pay attention to what matters to them.
4) As a now smaller congregation, your DNA and theological opinions are clear: WPC  benchmarks as a progressive congregation, (but less strongly than 10 years ago when you last took the CAT.) 

You do need further conversations to name your differences of thought (and likely politics) - and ways you are willing to move forward together. In what ways will you commit to worship, care for others, fight for justice, and connect - with respect for each other across differences? The CAT has more details on your style as a progressive, adaptable congregation aka "MAGI" (same as in 2016) - and how to emphasize your strengths.
For a study of one biblical model of respect across differences, based on the apostle Paul's speech at the Areopagus in Acts 17, please listen to the sermon "Share Your Story".

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NEXT STEPS

5) You named your thoughts on various areas in "performance indices" and WPC's needs/wishes for the next pastor.
The CAT provides valuable information for leaders, for the next PNC - and for you! It's your church!

OFFICER NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The newly-elected Officer Nominating Committee of elder Christina Swartz, deacon Alison Matthews, and two at-large members Margie McInerny and Susan Colten, will be asking for your nominations for officers (deacons and elders.) And soon but not yet (until presbytery Committee On Ministry gives us the go-ahead), nominations for the 5-person, Pastor Nominating Committee who are to represent the ages and stages of the church. Consider your own giftedness and how you might serve in this key, transformative moment in the church as elder, deacon or PNC.

GOOD NEWS
Distilled from my listening sessions with many of you over the past 5 months, the staff and I had already identified some of these same areas for experiments in change:
  • a gathering to share your thoughts on desired worship experiences and style;
  • greater participation musically and in worship;
  • more transparency in leadership discussions and decisions (see weekly newsletter for summaries of session mtgs);
  • more fellowship/connection/eating together events.

LISTENING SESSIONS
Leaders are starting to make plans for further listening sessions. But it's summer and vacation time! So don't wait...carpe diem.

IDEAS
  • Take someone to brunch who may see WPC's future differently than you do - and listen well to each other. 
  • Host a simple BYO picnic at a park and extend an open invitation for WPC people to share thoughts on one of these above topics. Take notes to share with the church.  

You can move forward together!

On the journey with you, 
Pastor Tassie
Interim Senior Pastor