Rev. November 15, 2004

Plan of Action 2005
A New Level of Ministry

Report from the
Long-Range Planning Committee 2003-2004
Second Presbyterian Church
Lexington, Kentucky

At the October 17, 2004, meeting of the Session of Second Presbyterian Church, the Session voted to

Plan of Action 2005
A New Level of Ministry

Table of Contents

Vision Statement of Second Presbyterian Church
Focus of Second Presbyterian Church
Summary of Goals and Recommendations
Committee Process
The Current State of the Church
     Membership and Attendance
     Space and Facility Issues
     Strengths and Weaknesses
 
GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
    WORSHIP
    CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
         Children/Youth
         Adults
    FELLOWSHIP
    MISSION
    STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION
    FACILITY
    CONCLUSION
 
Appendix A – Guiding Principles
Appendix B – Congregational Survey
Appendix C – Financial Summary
Appendix D – Space Use
Appendix E - Summary of goals, recommendations,
              responsibility and suggested timeline

Vision Statement of Second Presbyterian Church

Second Presbyterian Church is a Community of Believers.
Called by Jesus Christ and led by the Holy Spirit,
We aspire to love and glorify God both within and beyond the church
Through worship, study, fellowship, and service.
 

Focus of Second Presbyterian Church

True to the reformed Tradition,
The congregation will elect elders to lead the church
In seeking the will of God
And will welcome all to share in the work of Jesus Christ.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit,
We will challenge each other to realize and use our God-given gifts,
Encouraging stewardship of time, talents, and financial resources,
We will provide outstanding programs, personnel, and facilities
To enable active participation by all
In worship, education, fellowship, and ministry to others.

Summary of Goals and Recommendations

The goals formulated by the committee are:

Overarching Goal:
We believe that God is calling us to aspire to a new level of ministry in which Second Church is fully prepared to expand and deepen the growth given to us by God.

1. We believe that God is calling us to provide sufficient worship opportunities and venues to fully engage all who wish to participate in a fulfilling worship experience.
    
2. We believe that God is calling us to have a sanctuary that facilitates continued excellence and variety in worship and music.

3. We believe that God is calling us to fulfill our baptismal promises by enabling all children to be involved in church school and youth group.
    
4. We believe that God is calling us to continue to challenge the members to follow and become like Christ, individually and together.

5. We believe that God is calling us to expand the involvement of members in the life of the church.

6. We believe that God is calling us to expand the involvement of all members and the church in our outreach to the community, region and the world.

7. We believe that God is calling us to have a staff of the appropriate size, configuration, and skills to accommodate programmatic enhancements and expansion as well as congregational growth.

8. We believe that God is calling us to have a physical facility defined by the church we aspire to be, rather than a church defined by the building we occupy.

1. Add a traditional style third service to the Sunday morning schedule.
2. Provide alternative style worship services on a regular basis.
3. Study the sanctuary and compile a list of modifications and renovations required to meet the goals and obtain estimates for them.
4. Explore the creation of a chapel space for small group services and individual meditation.

5. Study ways to increase the regular involvement of young people in Church School and youth groups, and assess the impact of the fulfillment of the goal on our facility and volunteer leadership needs.
6. Expand small group and adult education opportunities.

7. Expand our fellowship and congregational life ministry.
8. Significantly increase our ability to assess the interests and talents of our members and communicate this information to increase member involvement in church activities.

9. Expand the number of mission projects and interests that include the direct involvement of members in the community, region, and world.
10. Continue to use our facilities for mission and community outreach.
11. Initiate a conversation with the Evangelism and Church Development Committee of Transylvania Presbytery on ways that Second Presbyterian Church can participate in establishing new Presbyterian congregations and assist smaller congregations in the Presbytery.

12. Hire a church consultant to assist the Personnel Committee in developing an overall staffing plan to implement the vision for ministry in this Long Range Plan.
13. Make funds available in the 2005 budget for a new administrative assistant for the senior pastor and the senior associate pastor.

14. Seek nominees for a Facility Master Planning Committee to be elected by the congregation and accountable to the congregation through the Steering Committee.

15. The Session appoint an ad hoc Steering Committee, accountable to the Session, to oversee the implementation of PA2005 and to communicate progress to the congregation.

Session approved a new Long Range Planning Committee in August 2003. The committee began meeting on September 7, 2003. After the first few meetings, the committee developed a set of guiding principles (Appendix A) to help maintain focus throughout the process of gathering and analyzing information and formulating recommendations. It has been the sincere aim of the committee to discern the will of God for Second Presbyterian, primarily through the voice of the congregation.

The committee employed the following venues to elicit input from the congregation being mindful of the importance of a fully inclusive information gathering process:

• December 2003 - February 2004 -- Committee members conducted focus groups with seniors, families, youth, Church School classes, and ministerial staff. Committee members also met with the Session, Deacons, and Trustees to conduct a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. Approximately 175 people participated in the focus groups.
   
• February 1, 2004 – A Town Hall meeting was conducted with approximately 110 members of the congregation in attendance. They shared their insights and vision for the church through discussion and the completion of a written form.
   
• March 14, 2004 – A Congregational survey was conducted during both services when attendees were given the opportunity to complete a written questionnaire. Non-attendees were also given the opportunity to complete and return the questionnaire. A total of 473 surveys were returned. (Appendix B).
   
• April 17, 2004 – At the Church’s Officer Retreat held at Shaker Village, the committee made a presentation on its activities, conducted a series of discussion groups, and presented the results of the discussion groups to the to the entire group of officers.

True to the vision and focus of Second Presbyterian Church, the Committee believes that God wants our church to be a vital church in which all members are involved in the worship, education, fellowship, and ministerial life of the church. To this end, the Committee began its discussion and formulation of goals with the phrase "God wants us to………." The Committee identified the following overarching goal:

We believe that God is calling us to aspire to a new level of ministry in which Second Church is fully prepared to expand and deepen the growth given to us by God.

After examining the current state of the church, the Committee’s recommendations are presented for the worship, education, fellowship, and ministry areas, as well as for staff/administration and facilities.

Second Presbyterian Church is a vibrant, growing congregation of just over eleven hundred active members. Emphasizing preaching, Christian education, and a strong commitment to mission, both locally and throughout the world, the church recently expanded its historic facility by building a fellowship hall and renovating older parts of the building to achieve complete accessibility.

In recent years the church has made a significant commitment to young people with the addition of a youth minister and improved meeting facilities, and in 2003 the church increased its commitment to music by expanding the music director position from part to full time. In the area of pastoral care, the Parish Nurse program has expanded from one to two days per week and the number of program offerings for seniors has increased.

The congregation’s commitment to mission is evidenced by denominational and direct contributions of approximately $1.3 million over the last five years. In addition, members have contributed countless hours to mission projects such as Habitat for Humanity, BUILD, Hope Center and Canaan House, among others.

Strong stewardship is apparent in the membership’s financial commitment to the annual operating budget, significant contributions of time and talent, and especially the recent capital campaign (Appendix C). The initiative raised $2.6 million in three years and enabled the construction of the Fellowship Hall with virtually no debt.

For a downtown church, Second Presbyterian is in a position many would call enviable: still small enough to provide a sense of intimacy and connectedness, but growing. Interestingly, while suburban churches in Lexington are reported to be getting all the growth, Second continues to draw members from the suburbs to worship in Downtown Lexington, and in increasing numbers.

We are beginning to see the harvest from the seeds sown a few years ago. The preaching and leadership of our Senior Pastor, David Renwick, together with the renewed commitment to our youth program, expansion of the music program, our new fellowship hall and new programs in the area of congregational life are paying off in increased attendance and high levels of support and involvement.

Second Presbyterian is growing, and the decisions made by Session and the congregation during the next year will determine whether we continue to grow, whether we embrace growth, or not, and whether we respond to the call to share and magnify the gifts God has given us.

Membership and Attendance

There were 1,109 active members on the rolls at December 31, 2003, which represents a 10.9% increase since 1990. The growth rate since 2000 is much higher and, if the trend continues, membership will increase by 12.3% over the next five years, yielding a net gain of 136 new members bringing the total to 1245.

Total membership is the number of new members who join during the year minus the number of members who die or transfer to another congregation, or who are placed on the inactive roll. The net increase in members is the number of new members over and above losses for the year.

Over the last five years we had losses of 290 members, an average of 58 per year. To achieve a net increase of 136 over the next five years we will need 426 new members (136 + 290), or 85 new members per year. That may seem like a large number, but we are probably on target to achieve that number. Attendance at Inquirers classes has averaged 18.6 per class or 57 per year; the average confirmation class size has averaged 12 persons over the last three years.

Another important measure of church growth and vitality is average Sunday morning worship attendance. Growing churches tend to have growth in attendance that outpaces growth in membership, at least during the short run. Average attendance is also an indicator of satisfaction with worship and programs offered by a church. Since 1998 our average attendance at Sunday worship has increased by 26% to 513 in 2003 (362 at 11:00 and 151 at 8:30).

Attendance at the 8:30 service is up sharply, probably due to both the inclusion of Worship Explorers, which makes the service attractive to families with young children, and the expansion of the music program for the early service. For several years the early service averaged 122 attendees, but the number increased to 132 in 2002 and 151 in 2003. And, the increase continues, averaging 172 during the first six months of 2004. On two consecutive Sundays in August, 2004, the attendance at the 8:30 service was180 and 200.

Space and Facility Issues

For some time we have believed that the 11:00 am service was too crowded; it is often difficult to seat a family of four or five that arrives shortly before the service begins. At best, the sanctuary holds 550 persons in the pews. A much more comfortable capacity, obtained by seating three persons per pew section rather than four, is 340 – 360. Average attendance at the 11:00 am service for several years has leveled off at about 360, which indicates that 360 is probably the natural capacity of the sanctuary, the point beyond which people start to become uncomfortable.

The church is also experiencing crowding and, consequently, a lack of flexibility in education space. The Christian Education committee and staff have done a good job of juggling space to accommodate as many people and programs as possible, but some classrooms are still crowded on Sunday morning. Additional offerings in adult education are limited by the lack of space available to hold classes. The Trustees have responded quickly with revisions to some areas to accommodate smaller or larger classes and to squeeze in more useable space in the youth area, but, in the face of growth, these are not permanent solutions.

Office space is poorly arranged, with senior and associate pastors at opposite ends of the office area and much of the support staff grouped together in one room that functions as much as a hallway as an office. There is currently no room for additional office space, short of taking away program space, and this severely limits any expansion in the church’s professional staff.

While we are blessed with a brand new, state of the art fellowship hall, our older buildings require continual maintenance and some updating may be required. For example, the Trustees have suggested considering replacing the windows in both the 1924 and 1958 buildings to reduce maintenance and utility costs. Additionally, the plumbing, electrical and heating & air conditioning systems in the older buildings should periodically be evaluated with respect to age, capacity and safety.

Our approach to planning has included an examination of the strengths and weaknesses of the church, realizing that strengths are the foundation for our future and weaknesses are opportunities to build additional strengths.

Among our strengths are:

• Preaching
• Pastoral care
• Music
• Youth program
• Historic facility
• Traditional worship services, with opportunities for contemporary expression
• Commitment to mission
• New fellowship hall
• Stewardship

Among the weaknesses are:

• Parking – we must depend on our neighbors for help
• Sanctuary capacity cannot feasibly be expanded
• Support staff not adequate for change and growth
• Offices poorly arranged and some are inadequate
• Christian education space is tight and inflexible
• Ability to get people involved
• Insufficient response to visitors

Plan of Action 2000 (PA 2000) addressed the issues of fellowship and accessibility. Significant physical additions include:

• New fellowship hall and kitchen facilities
• New entrances, stair tower and elevator providing full access to all areas of the building

Other additions since PA 2000 include:

• Music director position expanded from part time to full time
• Quarterly alternative worship service, providing an opportunity for expression for many
• Worship Explorers added to 8:30 am service
• Enhanced Wednesday evening program
• The "Gathering Space", a new fellowship opportunity

There are, however, several things the church intended to do but so far has not:

• Additional worship service (PA2000 was not clear whether this was to be a traditional or contemporary service, or whether it was to be on Sunday morning or at another time.)
• Congregational involvement, better use of Time and Talent program
• Staff realignment, assigning support staff to pastors
• Office space realignment (PA2000 envisioned moving offices to the first floor, which is currently being used as the Gathering Place).
• Organ maintenance and renovation ($60,000 from the capital campaign was escrowed for this project, which is not feasible until all construction is completed. Acoustical issues in the sanctuary must also be resolved.)
• Choir loft expansion
• Third floor chapel renovation
• Electrical wiring upgrade in the older buildings and central air conditioning in the education wing

Goal 1: We believe God wants us to provide sufficient worship opportunities and venues to fully engage all who wish to participate in a fulfilling worship experience.

Findings:

Church membership and attendance at worship services has grown steadily in the last five years. Average attendance in the past year was 513, putting us at 71% of natural capacity, but the 11:00 am service is at capacity for most services. Special services and programs, such as those at Christmas Eve, Easter and musical presentations, e.g., the choir’s performances of Handel’s Messiah and Rutter’s Requiem, have resulted in "standing room only" space in the sanctuary, and on occasion, those seeking to attend services have left because there was not adequate standing or seating space for them in the sanctuary. Nearly 70% of those responding to the Congregational Survey communicated their preference for traditional services, therefore accommodations must be made to seat all who wish to attend traditional Sunday morning worship services.

Selected comments from the Congregation:

Recommendation 1:  Add a traditional style third service to the Sunday morning schedule.

The addition of a traditional service will require staffing by ministerial, music and custodial personnel as well as volunteers who assist with each service.

Next Steps:

Refer this recommendation to the Music and Worship Committee for study and implementation by September 2005.

Approximately half of the respondents to the Congregational Survey indicated an interest in an alternative style worship opportunity, and on both the survey and in the Town Hall Meeting, there was a very strong interest in more intimate worship opportunities.

Recommendation 2:  Provide alternative style worship services on a regular basis.

A fully-equipped facility in which to hold the service; ministerial, music and custodial personnel; volunteer staff; and resources to promote the new services.

Refer study of alternative services and scheduling to Music and Worship Committee.

GOAL 2: We believe that God wants us to have a sanctuary that facilitates continued excellence and variety in worship and music.

Based on the findings of previous facility studies and input from the congregation at the Town Hall meeting and the Congregational Survey, there are many concerns regarding the sanctuary that should be addressed including: the lighting system, acoustics, audio-visual equipment, the organ and the choir loft. The sanctuary should be evaluated in terms of safety, modernization, comfort, and flexibility. It serves as the focal point for much of what we do and must be configured and equipped to meet the many diverse activities that will be undertaken in it.

Recommendation 3:  Study the sanctuary and compile a list of modifications, renovations, and estimates required to meet the goal.

A facility planning committee should be established to undertake the study. Funding for architectural consulting will be needed.

Empower a Facility Planning Committee to work with an architect to develop a plan to update the sanctuary in areas such as choir space, lighting, acoustics and audio-visual equipment.

In both the Congregational Survey and the Town Hall meeting, members strongly expressed their need for a space for meditation, often specifying the need for a chapel space, as well as a space where small groups could worship together in a more intimate atmosphere.

Recommendation 4:  Explore the creation of a chapel space for small group services and individual meditation.

Resources:

Space and seating in a quiet and private area.

Refer the issue of identifying possible chapel space to the Facilities Planning Committee.

Goal 3: We believe that God is calling us to fulfill our baptismal promises by enabling all children to be involved in church school and youth group.

One significant goal of the children’s Christian Education ministry at Second is to prepare our young people for Confirmation of their Baptism. Presently, confirmation takes place at 9^th grade. Statistics show that about half of our confirmation classes are comprised of 9^th graders who "return to church" just for Confirmation – and immediately after confirmation are no more involved than they were before. The involvement of all our baptized children in the life of the church long before confirmation is, thus, a critical component of its "success."

• "A concern – a growing children/youth program – do we have adequate space for their Christian Education?"
• "Increased space for Christian Education classrooms. Adult classes are somewhat crowded – a good problem – but"

Recommendation 5:  Study ways to increase regular involvement of young people in Church School and Youth group, and assess the impact of the fulfillment of the goal on our facility and volunteer leadership needs.

Additional teacher recruitment and retention, the expansion/adaptation of our facilities, which are frequently at capacity.

Refer to the Christian Education Committee and the Director of Christian Education to:

1. develop ways to communicate high expectations of involvement, and facilitate the actual involvement of all baptized children in church school, including those with special needs;
2. assess the impact of higher enrollments on church school teachers (number required, recruitment, and retention);
3. assess the impact of higher enrollments on additional facilities. Such a study should involve adult education usage; a recommendation on whether Second should maintain one church school hour on Sundays or move to church school at two different times. This study should be conducted in co-operation with the new Facility Planning Committee.

Goal 4: We believe that God wants Second to continue to challenge its members to follow and become like Christ, individually and together.

While adult members indicate that the current quality of the Christian Education programming is good, there is a strong desire for a broader range of personal spiritual development opportunities. Survey results highlight the void many members feel with regard to their personal spiritual life and growth: 21% of members are dissatisfied with spiritual development of their family and 29% are dissatisfied with their personal growth through Bible study. We believe that an expanded small group program will provide greater biblical and theological understanding; additional entryways into the fellowship of the congregation for visitors, members and inactive members; and additional safe environments in which to discuss personal issues of faith in such a way that personal and community growth is nurtured.

• "We need more opportunities for spiritual growth such as small groups designed to read new theologians, talk about current spiritual topics in the world, etc".
• "Worship is great, Sunday school is great, but a spiritual growth group would allow for individual spiritual growth – developing a closer personal relationship with God."
• "Most discussion in Sunday school seems to center around two-parent families and I cannot relate to this and end up not attending adult classes."
• "More opportunities for social/spiritual gatherings for working parents. Many prayer groups meet in the morning, which is impossible for those of us who work."

Recommendation 6: Expand small group and adult education opportunities.

Resources:

Implementation resources to be determined by Session committees.

Christian Education, Fellowship and Congregational Life Committees explore the relationship between and responsibility for Small Groups and Church School classes in the organizational structure of the church. These committees should also assess the strengths of present small group/class ministry, and provide plan for a first phase of expansion. This plan should include methods for continually assessing and responding to congregational needs, as well as an understanding of the leadership skills, facilities, curriculum, and equipment required to enable such an expansion.

Goal 5: We believe God is leading us to expand the involvement of members in the life of the church.

Findings:

In every Focus Group and the Town Hall meeting, we heard the need for more recreation and small group opportunities. These included the importance of sports and recreation for members, and as an attraction to potential members. The congregational survey identified the importance of youth programs, family activities, retirement programs, cultural activities and sports opportunities to many of our members. The survey revealed that 36% of respondents listed stress as a primary concern. Personal health also rated high among the congregation’s basic concerns.

Our survey results specifically mentioned groups for single adults, parents, divorced persons, those with special needs such as health concerns and death, as well as for spiritual growth. Groups for mentoring, diversity, and community issues are also potential areas for this ministry. Presbyterian churches that are growing have a significantly larger number of small groups than those that are not growing, according to a recent General Assembly report.

Recommendation 7: Expand our fellowship and congregational life ministry.

An additional staff person would be required to lead and expand this ministry. We may need an additional facility--a gym or multipurpose facility--if growth is commensurate with the current interest expressed by the congregation.

Refer to the Fellowship Committee of Session to confirm the levels of interest, and determine the specific areas to begin. A plan for staffing levels, leader skills, required expenses, office needs, and a job description would be developed based on the results of this further study. This study would also determine the practicality for members to form a group based on their common interests without need for staff and Session approval or support.

In addition to the expressed need for more small groups there is a perceived need for more assistance in helping people become involved in the ministry and mission of the church. Recruiting volunteers to participate has become a major element in the daily duties of clergy staff, preventing them from other ministries for which they have been specially trained. However, the life of the church and its mission to others is critically dependent on volunteers for success. The congregational survey indicates that many are dissatisfied with their involvement in our church. Understandably members with busy lives of work, family, and community responsibilities cause people to decline to serve. But, another cause is the difficulty of the church fully knowing the interests and skills of members, especially those of the newer members. Also, we have learned that some do not feel qualified for the office or task they are asked to assume, or are unclear as to what will be expected of them. As a growing church without different people willing to become involved we risk burn out of the ones who are, and the decline of our capabilities.

Recommendation 8: Significantly increase our ability to assess the interests and talents of our members and communicate and use this information to increase member involvement in church activities.

Resources:

A Volunteer Coordinator would be responsible for identifying people for specific volunteer roles, and ensuring they are trained and oriented to their responsibilities. This person would develop and/or acquire tools to assess the interests and skills of members and seek opportunities for them to utilize these gifts in the life of the church.

Refer to the Congregational Life committee of Session to incorporate this recommendation as part of their current plans for improving the involvement of church members using their spiritual gifts in Christian service.

Goal 6: We believe God is calling us to expand the involvement of all members in the church in our outreach to the community, region and the world.

Our survey indicated a high level of satisfaction with the mission program at Second. Over 80% of survey respondents listed opportunities for personal mission involvement as from "somewhat important" to "extremely important." Focus groups and the Town Hall meeting echoed this desire. From our youth, we heard specific requests for more mission trips and local outreach opportunities. Families also expressed the desire for family oriented mission activities.

Recommendation 9:  Expand the number of mission projects and interests that include the direct involvement of members in the community, region, and world.

A Volunteer Coordinator would develop and/or acquire tools to assess the interests and skills of members and would work with the Mission Committee to seek opportunities for members to utilize these gifts in the mission activities of the church.

Refer to the Mission committee of Session.

Second has a long history of using its facilities in practical ways for mission. Our facility is a gift to be shared. We heard from members who thought we could make better use of our church facility by making it available for more groups and our immediate community.

Recommendation 10:  Continue to use our facilities for mission and community outreach.

The current Church facility itself is our main resource; increased custodial care/set up-take down capability; and continued communication between the Trustees’ Facility Use Committee and Mission Committee.

A facility planning committee should study present usage patterns of the facility, and assess additional resource requirements for increased occasional use of the building (e.g., community meetings) and for a new permanent weekday program (e.g., after school mentoring program, etc.).

Second Presbyterian Church has always provided leadership for the Presbytery of Transylvania, both in terms of finances and in terms of people serving on Presbytery Committees and Boards. Most of the presbytery’s congregations have membership of less than 100, and many of these are struggling to find pastors and to retain members. It has been over 30 years since a new Presbyterian congregation was established in Lexington. Over six years ago the Presbytery committed itself to establishing a new congregation in a growing area of the city, but the initial attempt was under-funded and did not succeed. The Presbytery owns land at I-75 and Hamburg Place. Over 50% of survey respondents said it was somewhat important to important for Second Church to lead the Presbytery in developing a new Presbyterian church in Lexington. Several members of Session inquired about the possibility of Second Church assisting struggling/fledgling churches in the Presbytery.

• "I am very happy in this church and its staff, but do feel we need another Presbyterian Church in the suburbs."
• "We need to create a closer relationship with struggling congregations in our Presbytery."

Recommendation 11:  Initiate a conversation with the Evangelism and Church Development Committee of Transylvania Presbytery on ways that Second Presbyterian Church can participate in establishing new Presbyterian congregations and assist smaller congregations in the Presbytery.

Resources:

Members of a committee to meet with the Evangelism and Church Development Committee of the Transylvania Presbytery.

Approval and appointment of committee members by Session.

Goal 7:  We believe that God is calling us to have a staff of the appropriate size, configuration, and skills to accommodate programmatic enhancements and expansion as well as congregational growth

Findings:

Second Presbyterian Church is committed to maintaining an excellent staff that meets the expanding needs of the congregation. Changes in staff in recent years, for example, include the increasing of two part-time positions to full-time (youth and music), as well as the addition of a number of part-time compensated positions that range in hours from 5-20 each week (including campus minister, youth intern, worship explorers, general secretary, music ministry administrative assistant, and weekend custodian). Two more of these positions are planned for 2006 (alternative worship music leader, organist/pianist for third traditional service).

These positions have enabled us to move forward with exciting new programs, but we have not developed a commensurate clerical support system or a consistent and visionary staffing plan. The main body of this report (see especially Fellowship and Mission) emphasizes the involvement of all members in the life of the congregation, and recommendations are made about the need for a volunteer coordinator. However, the Long Range Planning Committee and the Session Personnel Committee recognize that the first step to be taken in adapting our staff to future ministry at Second involves the strengthening of our secretarial support for all our program staff. The primary focus here will not only be in assessing whether we have sufficient clerical and custodial support staff (quantity) but on raising skill levels (quality) to meet the increasing demands of program expansion (knowing how to provide pro-active assistance for program staff) excellent communication (e.g., by newsletter, e-mail, phone calls, etc.) of events and opportunities for service, information management (e.g., relating to time, talents, interests and involvement of congregational members), and facility usage (e.g. constant set up and take down in the fellowship hall and other rooms for dinners, special services, outside groups, etc.).

Recommendation 12:  Hire a church consultant to assist the Personnel Committee in developing an overall staffing plan to implement the vision for ministry in this Long Range Plan.

Resources:

Church staffing consultant.

[Session approved hiring a church staffing consultant at the September 2004 meeting].

Recommendation 13: Make funds available in the 2005 budget for a new administrative assistant for the senior pastor and the senior associate pastor.

Funding has been included in the 2005 budget.

Congregational financial support of the 2005 budget proposal.

Goal 8:  We believe that God is calling us to have a physical facility defined by the church we aspire to be, rather than a church defined by the building we occupy.

In the past three years, Second Presbyterian Church has changed its facility significantly. The addition of the new Fellowship Hall is obvious to all:

• The hall enables the congregation to gather easily at events ranging from dinners to Vacation Bible School and Advent workshop.
   
• It enables the church to host special events, such as the Presbytery’s "A Magnetic Church", knowing that those who attend will find the setting itself to be refreshing and inspiring.
   
• Along with the kitchen, the hall enables us to fulfill easily our mission through Meals on Wheels.
   
• The Fellowship Hall provides a sense of openness for any who choose it as their way in to a meeting, to service, or to worship.

Some of these benefits we could have predicted, others are the result of doing "what is right" and doing it well.

The Sanctuary.

Sanctuary space issues have been addressed in the section on worship. Modifications and renovation of the sanctuary need to be addressed as a first phase priority for updating and expanding our facility.

The Gathering Place.

Obvious to many, but less obvious to others, is the change brought about by freeing up the former dining room space to become The Gathering Place. This bright, new formal entrance to the church from Ransom Avenue has given a sense of openness to the facility that complements and enhances the effect of the Fellowship Hall. In stage one of the Facility Master Plan, adopted following the Plan of Action 2000, it was envisioned that this space would become the center for all the offices of the church. Because of cost, and need to have offices spill over to the Sprague Room to make the plan work with the consequent need to provide new space for Best Friends (formerly Helping Hands), this proposal was postponed.

After one year of operation of The Gathering Place, the consensus of the Congregational Life Committee and the Long Range Planning Committee is that it would be a mistake to lose the fellowship and welcoming function of this space. An office area completely filling this space is therefore no longer an option. In developing the functionality of our property, especially relating to our ability to welcome strangers and involve members in the life of the congregation, a significant priority in a future facility study should be to further enhance our welcome areas.

If the offices cannot move to The Gathering Place, the question arises as to the best location for new offices. Issues of accessibility, proximity to an entrance, proximity to each other and to secretarial help, confidentiality for visits to pastors, and rooms for new staff positions (part-time and full-time) must all be addressed. A ground floor location seems preferable for the main office (see Appendix D).

The main issue arising from the Christian Education committee regarding space involves not just the need to increase the number of classes, but to increase the number of larger, more flexible spaces, with the ability to handle modern audio-visual teaching tools (See Appendix D). The Christian Education space requirements can be summarized as follows:

• For adult education to reach an attendance of between 150-200 participants at least 2 more large rooms need to be found, and 2-3 smaller rooms. Note: the Fellowship Hall was designed to support a second major room divider similar to the existing one.
   
• For Children’s Education to flourish, we presently have sufficient space IF we hold church school at two different times on a Sunday morning. However, if we do not do that, there needs to be a good size classroom available for almost each grade. The main problems presently are:
       o  some classrooms are too small
       o  the location of nursery is far from the sanctuary
       o some children’s classes are on the first floor, and some on third.
  We need at least two, preferably three larger classrooms.
   
• The space for Youth Education ideally needs to be larger and provide for more flexible usage. At present the old sacristy is being renovated by the Trustees for this use.

In order for our present facility to be expanded to meet future needs, careful planning needs to take place. Consequently, it is imperative that a new facility planning committee examine ways to expand our facility wisely as well as to explore the potential purchase of properties in our neighborhood and in other parts of Lexington, e.g., properties on Vine and Ransom, including the lower Woodlands lot or the Presbytery new church development property at Man O’ War and I-75 (near Hamburg Place).

Storage remains limited within our facility. With greater and more varied usage of the facility, more space is required for storage of seasonal items as well as tables, chairs, stages, audio-visual equipment, etc.

A key component of our Long Range Plan is the growing importance of recreational ministry to our families. As with Christian Education space, the construction of a recreation facility on our property does not seem to be possible without the expansion of the property itself.

While Second Presbyterian Church is blessed with abundant parking in a two-three block area on Sunday mornings, the church remains dependent on the good will of our neighbors for access to such parking. Parking limitations presently have more to do with timing of services than with lack of space. That is, during the time periods that people are arriving for one service and leaving from another there is likely to be a shortage of spaces, especially for persons needing to park close to the church. This problem is compounded when extra services are added. Purchase of the lower Woodlands parking lot, or other local property should be thoroughly investigated in order to resolve this issue.

Recommendation 14: Seek nominees for a Facility Master Planning Committee to be elected by the congregation and accountable to the congregation through the Steering Committee.

Structure: The committee will be divided into three sub-committees: Sanctuary, General facilities, and Property.

• The FMPC will be expected to seek an architect(s) and funding from Session to provide plans and estimates for any recommended changes in our facility.
• A general guideline is to consider the implications of having a congregation of 1500 members, with an expectation of 800-900 persons on the property on a Sunday morning.
• Issues to be addressed by each sub-committee include:
  1. Sanctuary: choir loft size and safety, acoustics, lighting, audio-visual equipment and the organ.
  2. General Facilities: Offices space, CE space, a chapel space, recreation, and storage.
  3. Property: Maintain knowledge of properties that might benefit the mission of Second Presbyterian Church. Estimate potential for acquisition of such property, including parking space, and provide a process through which Second Church can act expeditiously when properties become available.

Appointment Process: The Session should seek nominees from the Church Nominating Committee for an ad hoc Facility Planning Committee of 10-13 persons, accountable to the congregation, to implement aspects of PA2005 relating to facilities. Nominees will be approved by Session and Congregation.

Nominating Committee should take into account the following considerations regarding composition of the committee:

• Nominees should be sought from all persons in the congregation It is expected that this committee will serve for approximately three years
• Persons on the committee should include those who have special interest and expertise in the area of each sub-committee's responsibilities; and should include at least one member of the Long Range Planning Committee, and at least one member of the FMPC elected to implement PA2000.
• The Nominating Committee should take into account not only the importance of interest and expertise, but of trust: members of this committee should be persons who have the trust of others in the congregation.

We recognize this plan is comprehensive and complex. Successful implementation will require continued oversight by a steering committee. The Facility Master Planning Committee and Session committees will report to the Steering Committee on matters relating to the implementation of this plan.

Recommendation 15: The Session appoint an ad hoc Steering Committee, accountable to the Session to oversee the implementation of PA2005 and to communicate progress to the congregation.

• Members of the committee are: to be appointed by Session. Recommendations for membership on this committee are to come to Session from the Church Nominating Committee.
• Nominating Committee should take into account the following considerations regarding composition of the committee:
• It is expected that this committee will be active for approximately three years.
• The committee should include persons who can relate well to Session, Session committees, Trustees and Staff.
• The committee should include at least one member of the Long Range Planning Committee; an active or recently active elder; a person who can communicate well with the congregation; persons with skills in managing complex projects and working with diverse groups; in finance and facilities.

Task: To oversee the implementation of PA2005 by

• Keeping committees referred to in PA2005 on track towards implementation. This may involve requesting update reports from committees and recommending new committees be formed at different stages of the plan (either new Session committees, or ad hoc committees, such as a capital Campaign Committee)
• Ensuring excellent communication and co-ordination between all committees and boards involved in implementing the plan (e.g., Session Committees, an ad hoc Facility Planning Committee, Session, Trustees). e.g., this may involve making sure that committees request funds in annual operating budgets, or that a capital campaign be initiated.
• Ensuring that the Plan and its ongoing implementation are broadly known in the congregation at large by continuing excellent communication through each stage of implementation.

- Age (youth/children/young adults/singles/married/families/seniors)
- Family status
- Economic status
- Member/non-member
- Gender
- Community (non-members)
- Level of involvement
- Non-participating members
- Self-reflection

- Member/non-member
- Age
- How far will people go?
- Family status needs
- Community/neighborhood/mission
- Involvement in church
- Who is underserved?
- Flexibility in church governmental structure to allow new activities and programs

- Does our facility and/or staff help or hinder the church’s mission
- Address the issue of member talent needs

- What is valued?
- Why are we growing?
- How flexible is the congregation regarding workshop styles and activities?
- What should the church be doing that it presently is not?

The committee engaged in various information gathering efforts culminating in a congregational survey. This appendix reports on the process followed in this regard and on the results of the survey.

An important part of the committee’s information gathering efforts was meeting with and seeking input from a variety of groups and individuals in the church. These include:

• meeting with church officers in the Fall of 2003
• meeting with and/or soliciting input from Sunday school youth
• meeting with Second Seniors
• meeting with Families Class
• holding a congregational "town hall" meeting
• meeting with the associate pastors
• soliciting input at the Spring 2004 officers’ retreat

Many useful insights were gleaned from these meetings in devising survey questions and in making recommendations. The congregational survey was held on Sunday, March 14, 2004. Copies were made available to those absent. In total, 473 individuals completed surveys. The basic set of questions on the survey is from Percept Group, Inc., an organization that specializes in surveys, data collection, and research to aid religious organizations. The committee added supplemental questions to the survey. Percept provided a summary of the responses to their questions along with comparisons to the community and to the U.S. The committee did its own summary of the supplemental questions.

The survey consisted of seven parts, with one part regarding each of the following: church participation, church preferences, concerns, life satisfactions, background information, supplemental questions, and optional comment sheet.

The church is growing substantially and is located in an area that is growing even faster. Since 1990, church membership has grown by 10.9%. During this same time period, the study area population has grown by 21.8%, while the U.S. population grew by 16.9%.

Church survey respondents are not racially or ethnically diverse; even less so than the study area. The study area’s population is 84% Anglo, while it is 68% for the U.S. population. Those with Anglo ethnicity comprise nearly 99% of church survey respondents.

Church respondents are well above the U.S. average in percent of those in the 44 to 61, 62 to 79, and 80 and up age groups, somewhat above in the 3 to 22 age group, and well below in the 23 to 43 age group. In contrast, the study area is well above the U.S. average in the 23 to 43 age group and below in the 3 to 22 age group.

Relative to the U.S., church survey respondents are over-represented among married people (76% of the church; 57% of the U.S.) The study area is over-represented among single, never married people (31% compared to 27% for the U.S.) and under-represented among married people (53%).

The study area has a well-educated population, with 41% having a college degree. For the U.S., the figure is 25%. Church respondents are even more educated, with 78% having a college degree.

Average household income for the U.S. is $63,207. Approximately 31% of U.S. households contribute more then $500 per year to churches. The corresponding figures for the study area are $64,412 and 31%. For the church respondents, they are $83,629 and 84%.

Relative to the U.S. and to the study area, a higher percentage of church survey respondents express concerns about community problems and spiritual/personal issues.

46% of church respondents indicate that they are somewhat involved with the church and 45% indicate strong involvement. This compares to 29% and 39%, respectively, for the study area and 30% and 35% for the U.S.

Church survey respondents show a preference for traditional worship (51%), traditional music (48%), and traditional architecture (64%). This compares to the following percentages for the study area: 24%, 28%, and 29%. For the U.S., the corresponding percentages are: 20%, 24%, and 27%.

Church respondents show a relatively strong preference for spiritual development programs (34%) and recreation programs (43%). These are above study area percentages (28% and 35%) and U.S. percentages (25% and 38%).

The church offers programs in church-sponsored day school, parent training programs, care for the terminally ill, and personal family counseling. Church survey respondents did not express strong preferences for these programs.

Respondents express strong or moderate preferences for the following types of programs the church offers: sports or camping, Bible study and prayer groups, adult theological discussion groups, cultural programs, spiritual retreats, retirement programs, family activities, youth social programs, and food and clothing resources.

The church does not offer marriage enrichment opportunities and respondents expressed moderate preference for this.

Church survey respondents show a high divergence between their present status and their ideal status in two respects: personal Bible study and prayer and, among those divorced, the relationship with a former spouse.

A moderate divergence occurs for the following respects: actual personal involvement in church ministry, sharing faith with others, spiritual development of family, personal spiritual growth, personal relationship with people in church, and personal financial situation.

Low divergence or convergence is found in many respects, including health, quality of life in the community, relationship with God, job/career, family life, relationship with spouse and children, and general satisfaction with the church.

Church respondents show a high divergence from the ideal regarding "relationships" and "children.". However, this most likely stems from respondents expressing concern about problems in the local schools and with social justice.

There is a moderate divergence from the ideal for "opportunities," "personal physical health," and "foundations." It is somewhat difficult to pinpoint the source of the divergence because these categories include many items. Items that may be responsible for the divergence are time for recreation/leisure, stress, and social justice.

There is low divergence for "safety" and "faith involvement."

Supplemental questions inquired of degree of importance of various items and of satisfaction with various aspects of the church.

Church survey respondents indicated a high degree of importance on the ministers and staff and also on the music program. Respondents also strongly indicate high satisfaction with both of these. The youth program was rated as important and respondents indicate satisfaction with this program. Also, Christian education, both for youth and adults, is considered important and is rated with general satisfaction. The survey respondents are quite satisfied with the physical facilities. Survey respondents overall rate "continuing to grow our congregation" as moderately important and there is moderate satisfaction with the current growth. Renovation of the sanctuary, property acquisition, and leading the development of a new church are not rated as particularly important.

The congregation also rated the importance and satisfaction for a number of other issues. For several of these, the average response to this part of the survey indicates satisfaction, but a substantial number of people indicate otherwise. They are the following.

• 55.8% percent of respondents indicate that they are satisfied or very satisfied with their involvement in mission activities, but 27.1% are neutral or indifferent. However, overall respondents did not rate these programs as that important.
• 71.7% report that they are satisfied or very satisfied with their fellowship opportunities, but 17.9% are neutral or indifferent and 4.4% are dissatisfied.
• 34.8% report that they are satisfied or very satisfied with youth recreation opportunities, but 23.5% are neutral or indifferent and 7.0% are dissatisfied.
• 37.0% indicate that they are satisfied or very satisfied with adult recreation opportunities, but 39.8% are neutral or indifferent and 6.4% are dissatisfied. Overall, respondents did not rate this as especially important, though.
• 54.5% indicate that they are satisfied or very satisfied with their opportunities to participate in small groups, but 29.6% are neutral or indifferent and 9.3% are dissatisfied.
• 70.0% report that they are satisfied or very satisfied with the current number of times for traditional worship services, but 13.6% are neutral or indifferent and 5.5% are dissatisfied. Regarding importance, 50.3% indicate that additional times for traditional worship is not important or only somewhat important, while 47.2% respond that it is important, very important, or extremely important.
• 35.9% report that they are satisfied or very satisfied with the current number of worship services in alternative styles, but 37.2% are neutral or indifferent and 15.0% are dissatisfied. 52.6% report that additional worship services in alternative styles is not important or only somewhat important, while 34.3% respond that it is important, very important, or extremely important.

Comments were submitted on over 250 of the survey forms, touching on a wide variety of topics. Due to their varied nature, no attempt to summarize them is made here, though the committee gave them careful consideration in formulating its recommendations.

Space Use and Requirements

Required Offices: (8 needed; at present 7.)

        Sr. Pastor, Assoc. Pastor, Youth Minister, DCE, Music Director, Parish Nurse

        Business Manager, Children’s Ministry Coordinator

Work areas/smaller offices: (7 needed, at present 3)

        3 secretaries, Organist, 3 Interns

Adult Education (total 8 spaces, needed at least two more large, and two smaller)

Children’s Education (total 10 spaces, needed three more large))

Appendix E - Summary of goals, recommendations, responsibility and suggested timeline

OVERARCHING GOAL
We believe that God is calling us to aspire to a new level of ministry in which Second Church is fully prepared to expand and deepen the growth given to us by God.

2005
January 2005
Sanctuary and Facility Master Planning Committee Elected by Congregation/Session
Steering Committee Elected by Session
Administrative Asst Hired
Alternative Service Musician hired

March/April 2005
Staffing Report Due
Architect hired for Sanctuary Modification

August/Sept 2005
Sanctuary Committee Proposal
Facility Master Plan Draft Proposal Ready on property, space issues, etc.

September 2005
Report on Ways to increase involvement in Presbytery
Facility Expansion Committee elected
Sept. Sanctuary Modification Plans completes
If estimates are reasonable, then funds are borrowed (see 2006 capital campaign)
3^rd Sunday Service/Organist in place

2006
Volunteer Coordinator/Recreation Director hired.
Sanctuary Modified/Renovated
Facility Expansion Committee Report
Capital Campaign
Assessment of expansion of small groups, mission groups, etc.