HAMMOND WOODMAR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

CONSULTATION REPORT
9/11/12
INTRODUCTION:We, the Consultation Team, would like to thank Reverend Alex Stone, staff, lay leadership and congregation of Hammond Woodmar United Methodist Church for the invitation to consult with this Body of Christ. The following observations and prescriptions are the result of this team studying the following information: a) Woodmar’s self-study document provided by its leaders, b) interviews with the pastor, staff and ministry team leaders, c) a focus group with members of the congregation, d) a meeting with the Church Council, e) a MissionInsite demographic report of the area’s population, f) input from Saturday’s leadership workshop, g) input from the Faith Perceptions Mystery Guest Worshipper Report, and h) Fruitful Congregation Journey Local Church Survey.Our prayer is that God will use this assessment experience and consultation report to help Woodmar United Methodist Church more effectively make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the community and the world.

STRENGTHS:

1. OUTREACH MINISTRIES TO THE COMMUNITY: Our team was impressed and inspired by the number of outreach ministries in which the church is engaged in the greater Hammond community. The church is ministering to the needs of people in the community and is making a difference in their lives, such as: recovery groups, Community Garden, Children’s Clothing Give Away, Books With Kids, Supplies for Capes House, Giving Tree, Paws 4 Peace, etc.

2. ON-SITE MINISTRIES WITHIN THE CHURCH: The church is doing an excellent job of ministering to the people in this diverse community with programs that are built around their needs such as Pre-School, the Wednesday night Kids Club, and ministry with youth. These beyond-Sunday-morning experiences form an authentic ministry to the community that surrounds the church.

3. CARING FOR EACH OTHER: The Consultation Team discovered that this is a warm and caring church. When the church discovers a person(s) has a need, they enthusiastically mobilize to respond and effectively provide assistance. Persons feel supported and encouraged by other members of the church, the body of Christ. Additionally, the secret worshippers affirmed they experienced this congregation to be friendly and welcoming.

4. OPENESS AND ACCEPTING OF DIVERSITY: The congregation is open and accepting of people of all races, cultures, socio-economic status, educational background, and sexual orientation. The Consulting Team affirms this as a positive strength that respects the diversity of the community surrounding the church.

5. COMMUNITY-FRIENDLY FACILITIES: The church is located in the Hammond area at the intersection of 173rd and Northcote in close proximity to Purdue Calumet University, Cabela’s, and the Hammond YMCA. There is easy access to the Borman Expressway, and Indianapolis Blvd. Because the DNA of the congregation is to embrace the community and has opened the doors of the church to them, the people in the surrounding area view the building as a safe environment

CONCERNS:

1. LACK OF CLEAR, SHARED VISION:Woodmar UMC has no clear, shared vision that connects current ministries with the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. While there are numerous worthy ministries and outreach programs, there is not anintentional process to connect those being served to a relationship with Jesus and the church.

2. LACK OF STEWARDSHIP: The church struggles to have enough financial resources to fulfill its mission and ministry. This is reflected in inadequate funding for both current and new ministries, effectively resourcing staffing needs, and maintaining the facility. This financial situation is a reflection of:

  • the lack of mission and vision
  • the absence of an intentional discipleship process
  • the long-term capital debt
  • the lack of communication and teaching about tithing and systematic giving

3. NO INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP PATHWAY. It is the finding of the Consultation Team that there is no intentional discipleship pathway. How does a person:

  • move forward in their faith through radical hospitalityand passionate worship?
  • connect to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
  • grow in their knowledge of the Christian faith through shared learning experiences?
  • connect to other believers for support and accountability?
  • serve others for the purpose of sharing the gospel and transforming lives?

4. INCONSISTENT WORSHIP EXPERIENCE: The comments of the mystery worshippers indicate that there is a lack of consistency in the quality and content of worship. Their comments ranged from “The service is:

  • too traditional
  • too contemporary
  • boring
  • good for my grandparents
  • for middle-age adults
  • for a younger demographic
  • not diverse”

Because of this inconsistency, the current worship service would not cause new people to connect to the church.

5. LACK OF ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHP:Our team discovered that there is no clarity in the decision making process. The staff often makes decisions by default rather than intention. The committees and Church Council have difficulty making decisions in a timely manner. This ineffective structure inhibits the church from making decisions that can move the church to the next level.

PRESCRIPTIONS

1. MISSION AND VISION: The congregation understands that the day this consultation report is accepted (should that be the case), this congregation will adopt, “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” as its mission statement.

The congregation will have a service of prayer and forgiveness, to embrace God’s mandate for making disciples. This will allow the membership to be fully prepared for the Lord’s vision for the future. This will be led by Paula Gast, Fruitful Congregation Journey Prayer Coordinatoror someone she provides, in consultation with the Senior Pastor, by November 15, 2012.

The coach will conduct a Day of Visioning Workshop for the congregation. The purpose of this day is to realize the value of vision and how the vision provides clarity about how Woodmar UMC is to be a fruitful congregation. This will begin the process of identifying God’s specific vision for your church.This day will occur on or before January 15, 2013. Following the Day of Visioning Workshop, the Senior Pastor, in conjunction with the coach and the leadership of the church, will create and approve a vision. This vision will be presented to the congregation by February 28, 2013.

Upon adopting the new vision, every ministry in the congregation, both present and future, must demonstrate how it will accomplish the mission statement. To that end, the leaders will conduct a mission and ministry audit. Any ministries not focused on the mission will be given six months to adapt in order to fit the mission statement or be dissolved. This audit must be completed by April 30, 2013.

2.STEWARDSHIP: The church must address two issues related to finances: weak stewardship by members of the congregation, and the capital debt.

(A) Current Giving To The Budget:

(1) The Pastor will contact Kent Millard, the Indiana Conference Director of Generosity and Gratitude, on or before November 15, 2012 to enlist his assistance. The Pastor, in consultation with the coach and Kent or his designated representative, will put a plan together for a program to help the church practice extravagant generosity by February 15, 2013. This plan will use the Consecration Sunday model to help people embrace the joy and privilege of tithing as a means of helping to grow God’s kingdom. This plan will conclude with a Consecration Sunday experience led by Kent Millard or a person of his choosing on May 5, 2013.

(2) Offer Financial Peace University (or a comparable program), one in the spring and one in the fall of 2013 to assist families who need financial management skills to get their personal finances under control.

(B) Capital Debt: The Senior Pastor , in consultation with the coach, will establish a Debt Reduction Task Force of six persons, including representatives from the Trustees and the Finance Committee, by October 30,2012.

(1) The Task Force will contactTamara Hendricks, Loan Officer with the Indiana United Methodist Loan and Savings Ministry to explore refinancing options.

(2) The Task Force will explore entering into a new Capital Fund Campaign to pay off the debt.

Recommendations will be presented to the Church Council no later than November 30, 2012.

3. DISCIPLESHIP PATHWAY: By January 30, 2013, the Senior Pastor, in consultation with the coach, will put together a coordinating team of three persons to oversee the establishment of an intentional discipleship pathway for moving people forward on their spiritual journey to becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. The discipleship pathway will address the spiritual needs of everyone whether unchurched, formerly churched, growing, or mature in their faith and follow a Wesleyan model that helps all persons:

  • move forward in their faith through radical hospitalityand passionate worship
  • connect to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
  • grow in their knowledge of the Christian faith through shared learning experiences
  • connect to other believers for support and accountability
  • serve others for the purpose of sharing the gospel and transforming lives

In order to fulfill the above, the coordinating team will

(A) Host a Radical Hospitality Workshop on or before February 15, 2013, for the purpose of establishing a hospitality and follow up system for the assimilation of people into the life of the church. This plan will be shared with the Church Council and implemented no later than March 31, 2013.

(B) Host a Discipleship Pathway Workshop on or before June 15, 2013, for the purpose of intentionally discipling the people of the church.

4. WORSHIP: The Senior Pastor, in consultation with the coach, will:

(A)Establish a Task Force of six persons, on or before January 15, 2013. Members of the Task Force will include the Chanel Choir Director, Organist, Director of Worship Arts, and three additional members. They will evaluate the present worship service using input from the Faith Perceptions Report (secret worshippers). This team will consult with Steve Clouse, Associate Director of Church Development, in the evaluation process and the creation of a consistent, quality worship experience that is relevant and meaningful to an identified audience.

(B) Establish a Task Force of five persons, on or before January 15, 2013. Members of the Task Force should include theDirector of Worship Arts, twoactively involved youth, and two actively involved young adults. The Task Force will explore developing an alternative worship experience that is specifically designed for youth and young adults to be held in the Community Center on a time other than Sunday morning.

Both Task Forces will report to the Church Council on or before May 15, 2013. The change of services would begin no later than Advent 2013.

5. ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP: The Senior Pastor, in consultation with the coach, will

offer an Accountable Leadership Workshop on or before September 15, 2013. Following the Workshop, the Staff Parish Committee and the Church Council will establish accountable procedures for both paid and non-paid staff no later than October 15, 2013.

CONCLUSION:
We, the consulting team, want to thank you for the opportunity to serve your congregation in this manner. Our prayers and hope for your congregation is that God will use this process to help your church become more effective and fruitful. May God give you courage and strength as you move forward.

TEAM MEMBERS:

Mark Gough, Lead Consultant (Director of Church Development, Indiana

Conference)

Dean Fager, Coach (Senior Pastor, Logansport First United Methodist Church)

Jack Hartman, Consultant (Retired Elder)

Claudia Lavy, Consultant (Vice President, Deepening Your Effectiveness, Inc.)

TOWN HALL DATES:

September 12, 2012 (Wednesday) @ 10:00 am

September 15, 2012 (Saturday) @ 10:00 am

September 18, 2012 (Tuesday) @ 6:30 pm

CHURCH CONFERENCE:

October 14, 2012 (Sunday) 11:00 am