Southport United Methodist Church
CONSULTATION REPORT
August 21, 2011
Introduction
We, the consultation team, would like to thank Rev. Mark Fisher, lay leadership and congregation of Southport 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) Southport UMC’s self-study document provided by its leaders, b) interviews its pastors and staff, c) a focus group with members of the congregation, d) meeting with its Leadership Team, e) a Faith Perceptions report, the result of visits from eight persons from the community to the church’s four worship services, f) a MissionInsite demographic report of the area’s population, and g) input from Saturday’s leadership workshop. Our prayer is that God will use this assessment experience and consultation report, to help Southport United Methodist Church to more effectively make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the Southport community and the world.
Strengths
Southport United Methodist Church’s greatest strengths are as follows:
1. CHRIST-CENTERED COMMUNITY. Southport UMC is clearly a Christ-centered community. This was conveyed consistently through comments from the pastor, staff, and laity, and it is expressed through the church’s actions.
2. SENIOR PASTOR. Rev. Mark Fisher, who has been senior pastor of Southport UMC for the past ten years, has the respect and support of every person whom the team received input. Many voiced that they would do nearly anything to support his leadership and ministry.
3. ENTREPRENEURAL SPIRIT. The church is a very permission giving organization and is involved in serving its community. If a person senses a call and has a passion to pursue ministries or service opportunities, the church encourages them to do it. A part of this entrepreneurial spirit also includes an openness to change.
4. IMAGINATION STATION. Southport’s pre-school and weekday childcare ministries are reaching a significant number of the community’s families. This ministry has a very positive reputation within the community and brings the unchurched to Southport UMC on a regular basis.
5. VARIETY OF WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. The church offers five worship experiences at a variety of times—three Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Thursday. It also provides at least a couple styles of worship—traditional and a more contemporary style.
Concerns
Southport United Methodist Church’s greatest areas of concern are as follows:
1. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & STAFF ALLIGNMENT WITH VISION. There is no intentional expectation or process to develop new leaders at all levels of the church. The percentage of the church’s budget allocated for staff reflects the fact that the church is staffed for decline rather than growth, and the amount spent on staff positions also doesn’t correspond with the church’s priorities. The senior pastor has too many direct staff reporting to him and attends too many meetings. This minimizes his effectiveness and limits his time out in the community.
2. INTENTIONAL CONNECTING WITH GUESTS. Southport UMC needs to more intentionally make connections with those it is called to reach, including…
· Connecting with those reached through the church’s missional outreach,
· Intentionally integrating those reached by Imagination Station into the life of the congregation,
· Inconsistent hospitality before and after the worship experiences,
· Inadequate follow-up and tracking guests.
3. GROWTH/DISCIPLING PROCESS. Although the church leadership consistently describes its discipling process as CONNECT, GROW, SERVE, it is very unclear as to how and why a person moves through this process and initially engages with it. The Equipping Ministries process is helping some to identify where they might serve. There is not a clear understanding of what an authentic follower is at Southport UMC.
4. WORSHIP EXPERIENCES. The church is considering switching its first and last Sunday morning worship services so as to better position the church to reach the community. In order to do this, the church needs to bring people along and understand the sacrifice that is being requested. The Faith Perception report indicated that the 11am service had the lowest hospitality and music relevance scores of any service. There isn’t a feeder system for the band, and there appears to be turf issues between traditional music and contemporary music ministries and an inequity of resources between services. Finally there is no worship coordination or evaluation.
5. FACILITIES. The church lacks visibility in spite its new signage. The location of its main entrances are counterintuitive (in the rear of the church). There is a need for additional parking for the church’s Sunday morning services. Once in the building, newcomers have a difficult time navigating the building, especially the children’s area.
Prescriptions
In order to address these concerns, Southport United Methodist Church must implement the following prescriptions:
1. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & STAFF ALLIGNMENT WITH VISION.
The congregation understands when this consultation report is accepted, should that be the case, they will develop a clear plan to accomplish the vision to CONNECT, GROW, SERVE. On the day this report is accepted, the congregation understands its mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
The congregation will have a day of prayer and forgiveness, asking for forgiveness for not fully reaching the mission field. This will allow the membership to be fully prepared for the Lord’s vision for the future.
This will be led by Paula Gast (), or someone she provides, by November 1, 2011.
a) The senior pastor and coach will select a development tool, such as Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, to help raise the staff and Leadership Team’s effectiveness in working together—dealing with conflict in open healthy ways, dealing with the tendency of staff operating in “silos,” and engendering trust, cooperation, and healthy communication. This will be completed by December 1, 2011.
b) The senior pastor and coach will meet with the Staff-Parish Relations Committee to audit and realign the current staff positions for the sake of fulfilling the church’s mission and vision. This will include an assessment of the roles of the staff, the configuration of staff positions, and the required number of staff positions. The senior pastor and coach will see that all the church’s paid and unpaid staff develop an intentional system to multiply new leaders and team members. This will be completed by February 1, 2012.
c) The senior pastor and the coach will see that the church holds an Accountability Leadership workshop for all staff and leaders for the purpose of exploring simplified organizational structures with recommendation to the Lay Leadership Team no sooner than 2013. This will be completed by May 1, 2012.
2. INTENTIONAL CONNECTING WITH GUESTS.
The senior pastor and the coach will see that a system is developed and implemented that will track and intentionally connect all new persons to the church—the primary mission field—including those from the Imagination Station, community service/missions contacts in the community, Sunday morning visitors, youth ministry, etc. A well-connected person will be regularly worshipping, in a growth group, serving, giving, and inviting others. This system will also include plotting the church’s regular attenders and members and to encourage them to connect with the primary mission field. This system will be in place and operating by March 1, 2012.
3. DISCIPLING PATH.
a) The senior pastor and coach will see that the church conducts an audit of all ministries of the church, to align the ministries with the church’s mission and vision. This will be completed by September 1, 2012.
b) As a result of this ministry audit a new discipling path will be developed with clearly defined steps that will allow for multiple entry points as well as movement among the three components of the vision. This will be completed by October 1, 2012.
4. WORSHIP EXPERIENCES.
We concur with the church’s leadership plan to switch the Sunday morning services in order to reach younger people, understanding that this requires sacrifice on the part of long-term attendees.
a) The senior pastor and coach will establish worship planning design team/s. These teams will consist of a variety of people—worship arts, music leaders, technical support, pastors. These teams will be formed and in place prior to the switching of the two Sunday services.
b) Rev. Mark Gough, or someone he recommends, will assist this team in developing their regular planning the worship experiences to best reach the target audiences. This team will study the Faith Perceptions report and implement any necessary changes. This will be completed by October 1, 2011.
5. FACILITIES.
The trustees, in consultation with the coach, will develop a plan that will include capital needs for the next five years. This plan will address the following:
a) Improvement of the church’s visibility, including interior and exterior signage (perhaps an electronic sign), especially on Southport Road that includes worship times. This team will study the Faith Perceptions report and implement any minor necessary changes as soon as possible to make the facility more guest friendly.
b) Develop a site plan to expand the church’s parking—seriously exploring vacating Washington Street east of the church, removing the adjacent house, and developing parking and green space—physical plant issues, such as the basements water issues, heating/air conditioning units, roof on educational unit. This plan will be completed and ready for recommendation to the Church Conference by June 1, 2012. If a capital campaign is required, it would be included in the Church Conference.
Conclusion
We, the consulting team, want to thank you for the opportunity to serve your congregation through this Fruitful Congregation Journey assessment process. 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.
- Rev. Bob Farr, Lead Consultant
(Director of Congregational Excellence MO Conference)
- Mr. Mark Eutsler, Coach
- Rev. Mark Gough, Consultant
(Director of Church Development IN Conference), Consultant
Assoc. Directors of Church Development IN Conference:
- Doug Anderson
- Steve Clouse
- Ed Fenstermacher
- David Neckers
- Sharon Washington
Town Hall Meeting Dates
Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 8, 2011, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 11, 2011, 12:15 p.m.
Church Conference Date: TBA