Long-Range Plan
Recommendations to implement the ten-year goals of a proposed
Long-range Plan for St. Paul’s Parish (2001-2011)

Stewardship

Recommendations to implement the ten-year goals of a proposed
Long-range Plan for St. Paul’s Parish (2001-2011)

To be at least a tithing parish, as responsible caretakers of our temporal legacy, by returning to God a portion of what is God’s through commitments of:

A. Treasure

Goal 1: To increase to 600 pledging units within five years.
Goal 2: To achieve 100% tithing of the pledging units within 10 years.

Proposed activities:

1.1 and 2.1 Continue the newly established standing Stewardship
Committee to spearhead a year-round initiative (not just a
“Stewardship Month”), which includes an increased use of
personal visitations and contacts, to emphasize our
individual and corporate stewardship and tithing
responsibilities and opportunities.

1.2 and 2.2 Increase the variety and number of communications
regarding stewardship and tithing. Incorporate information
about biblical and Episcopal Church teachings and policies
regarding stewardship and tithing into sermons, Christian
formation classes, and parish publications. Employ personal
and written testimonials.

1.3 and 2.3 Intensify and diversify information activities that describe the
financial “state of the parish,” and that keep parishioners
current regarding:
• how our expectations about mission and ministry translate into resource needs for talent, time, and treasure; and
• how the parish is performing financially (income and expenses) to meet our needs and goals.

1.4 and 2.4 Develop and refine all parish membership, financial, and
mailing list databases, to assure that attendees, friends,
newcomers, past pledgers, etc. can be identified and
effectively assessed for past and present participation, and
future involvement, in stewardship and fundraising
campaigns.

1.5 and 2.5 Build a confidential source of stewardship-related
information (including individuals’ concerns and interests) to
build our institutional knowledge regarding the potential for
stewardship and planned giving by key prospect donors.

1.6 and 2.6 Establish and maintain a database of parishioners who self-
identify as tithing or specifically working toward a tithe,
perhaps through check-offs on pledge cards.

Goal 3: To grow the endowment to ten times the annual pledge income (e.g., by estate planning, bequests, investment appreciation, capital campaigns, etc.).

Proposed activities:

3.1 Establish an information base regarding the number of individuals
who have made provisions for the parish through planned giving
and, through discreet and confidential inquiry and the use of
actuarial information, estimate the timing and extent of these future
gifts for parish planning purposes.

3.2 Routinely and widely incorporate planned giving information (the
“whys” and the “hows”, including oral and written personal
testimonials) in the parish’s ongoing stewardship activities.

3.3 Use outside resources (e.g., the Episcopal Church Foundation) to
assist with marketing efforts and with the various types of planned
giving.

3.4 Develop a planned giving or bequest “society” to encourage others
to include the parish in their wills and in the ultimate distribution of
their assets.

3.5 Develop a coordinated system for planning and undertaking all forms
of parish solicitation campaigns and initiatives.

3.6 Conduct a Vestry review of the overall endowment and special
accounts investment strategies and results with information to be
supplied by the Treasurer and the Finance Committee.

Goal 4: To adopt a comprehensive property/facilities maintenance plan within six months and execute it immediately.

Proposed activities:

4.1 Review existing mechanical and engineering studies.

4.2 Devise a phased schedule, procedures, and cost projections for an
ongoing maintenance and replacement program for parish buildings
and facilities, including the endowment rental properties and the
rectory.

Goal 5: To adopt a plan for additional space needs within 18 months and execute it immediately.

Proposed activities:

5.1 Evaluate, and reassess the parish’s facilities and space needs, taking
into consideration:
• the expansion and enhancements provided by the completion of Phase I of the Millennium Fund Campaign building program (estimated by early 2003); and
• membership and program growth (or changes) that have occurred as a result of the implementation of this St. Paul’s Long-range Plan.

2. Evaluate alternative uses of existing endowment rental properties
and the rectory, including, among others, the following possibilities:
• their use for parish lay staff housing;
• renovation for upscale market rental; or
• sale of the properties and the reinvestment of proceeds.

5.3 Reassess clergy housing arrangements (i.e., rectory use/ Rector’s loss of equity appreciation; housing for a married curate with a
family) and provide alternative clergy housing arrangements, if they
are determined to be beneficial both to clergy and to the parish.

5.4 Undertake and complete Phase II Millennium Fund Campaign
fundraising.

5.5 Undertake construction and complete Phase II of the Millennium
Funding Campaign building program by 2010.

5.6 Position parish to acquire additional real property.


Goal 6: To ensure resources of clergy and staff to support current programs and future visions.

Proposed activities:

6.1 Determine staffing needs and goals as set forth in this approved
Long-range Plan, and develop a cost proposal and timing schedule
to determine if, how, in what order, and when, these new staff
positions can be funded.

6.2 Incorporate funding for future staffing plans into the annual
budgeting process.

6.3 Meet diocesan personnel standards for salaries and benefits for
paid parish staff.

B. Time and Talent.

Goal 7: To nurture and train ordained ministries and lay ministries of all the baptized as resources of our congregation.

Proposed activities:

7.1 Establish a comprehensive, ongoing process (including, but not
limited to, time and talent surveys) to identify newcomers, “old” and
“newer” parishioners, and “active” and “less active” members) for
future leadership positions in all parish missions and ministries.

7.2 Establish a mentoring system, involving directed activity by clergy
and lay leaders, to nurture and build experience for this broad-based
group of potential parish leaders

3. Make financial and scheduling provisions to permit clergy time for
continuing education, spiritual development, and periodic sabbatical leave (consistent with Diocesan policies).

4. Make financial provision for the training of laity.

Goal 8: To develop a comprehensive plan within one year for clergy and staff needs of the parish based on projected growth over the next ten years.

Proposed activities: This plan contains long-range staffing proposals based on proposed needs and activities. See Goal 6, above, regarding planning for and obtaining the financial resources needed to implement these staffing recommendations.

Goal 9: To develop a process within one year to identify parish needs and recruit volunteer talent from the congregation to fulfil those needs.

Goal 10: To develop a plan within six months for the periodic assessment of congregational talents.

Proposed activities:

9.1 and 10.1 Institutionalize the periodic assessment of parishioner time
and talent (surveys, sign-ups, etc.) and increase the
parishioner response rate to surveys/questionnaires .

9.2 and 10.2 Establish ongoing methods to translate opportunities
presented by time and talent assessments so that
parishioner interests and abilities, to the extent possible,
are in actuality engaged for the furtherance of the parish’s
mission and ministries.

9.3 and 10.3 Summarize and evaluate parishioner volunteer resources
needed to implement or augment the implementation of
activities contained in the approved St. Paul’s Long-range
Plan, and match those needs to time and talent
assessments, above.