2004 Long Range Plan

2003-2004 LONG RANGE PLANNING GOALS

1. Promote and expand inter-generational activities/functions in the following areas:
   • Worship
   • Community Service
   • Committee Work
   • Small event programming
   • Large event programming
2. Provide staffing for current and future needs, who are fairly compensated and well supported.
3. Embrace the changes needed to foster a culture of diversity.
4. Model financial and environmental stewardship of the facilities and grounds at thecurrent Sierra Blvd. site that support current and future needs.
5. In order to accomplish these goals, open our hearts to a spirit of generosity.

"Our vision for the next five years is to build a congregation that can serve 900 members, friends, children and youth who will become a strong force for spiritual, intellectual and social enlightenment and change in our community."

LONG RANGE PLANNING BACKGROUND

Description

Long-range planning helps a congregation clarify its preferred future and to determine the steps to get there. An effective long range planning process leads to a product (not a plan) that:

• Articulates what a congregation will look like some specific time in the future
• Outlines the strategies a congregation needs to take to get there.

Stages

1. Plan
2. Explore Present and Future Strengths and Challenges
3. Identify Critical Issues
4. Develop Long-Range Plan
5. Update Annually (Validate)

Responsibilities

Board of Trustees (Board) – Manages the long range planning process

Long Range Planning Committee (LRCP) – Develops & annually updates the UUSS Long-Range Plan

The LRPC supports the Board's efforts to transition to a policy-setting emphasis of governing congregational affairs and establishing an executive committee to assume responsibility for the church's day-to-day operations. Our long range planning research noted that boards are typically overwhelmed by their work if they do not responsibly delegate church business to the professional staff. The transition will ensure that long range planning can be successfully implemented at this congregation.

LONG RANGE PLANNING STATUS

A description of how each stage of the planning process was completed follows:

Stage 1 – Plan

The LRPC reviewed various long range planning processes and adopted the UnitarianUniversalist of America (UUA) Congregational Handbook's Congregational Planning and Goal Setting process. (The process is briefly summarized in the Background above.)

Stage 2 – Explore Present and Future Strengths and Challenges

 The LRPC met with various committees in 2002-2003 to begin the Stage 2. The first meetings were primarily to introduce the committees to the long range planning process and start the exploration of the congregations strengths and challenges. The task was completed in 2003-2004 was fulfilled by holding a World Cafe Conversation on February 7, 2004.

The primary strengths were identified as:

1. Ministers and staff
2. The Sierra Boulevard campus

The challenges identified were:

1. Enhance intergenerational activities
2. Increased diversity

Stage 3 – Identify Critical Issues

On October 27, 2002, at the semi-annual congregational meeting, the congregation was asked tovote on a vision for the congregation and priorities for the next five years. The results of the priority ranking was published in the document Vision and Priorities – Results of October 27, 2002 Voting, and is summarized on the cover of this report. Additional issues were identified in the World Cafe Conversation February 7, 2004 and a congregational survey completed in January 2004. See results of the World Cafe and the congregational survey.

The critical issues were identified as:

1. Remain at the current Sierra Boulevard location and model stewardship for the buildings andgrounds
2. Achieve financial stability

Stage 4 – Develop Long Range Plan

Mission

The LRPC recognizes that the congregation's covenant is the mission.

Vision

At the October 27, 2002, semi-annual congregational meeting, the congregation voted thefollowing vision:

"Our vision for the next five years is to build a congregation that can serve 900 members,friends, children and youth who will become a strong force for spiritual, intellectual andsocial enlightenment and change in our community."

Of the 87 ballots cast 72% said they supported the vision. Complete results of the voting ispublished in the document Vision and Priorities – Results of October 27, 2002 Voting.

Critical Issues

The congregation and Board made a decision in 2003-2004 to remain at the Sierra Blvd.campus. This focused the long-range planning process on optimizing the programs and facilities at the current campus. The ministers and staff were identified as the leadingstrength, while increased inter-generational activities emerged as the leading challenge. The critical issues might be summarized in a single word: stewardship. This religious concept comprises physical and environmental stewardship of the buildings and grounds and financial stewardship to optimize the use of congregational resources and allow us to compensate our staff justly and to create the programs we envision.

Congregational Goals

Goals are based on the congregation's vision and have the following elements:

• Outcome: Desired end result
• Objective: What and when
• Measure: Unit that assesses progress

The goals bridge the gap between the current state of the congregation and the desired state.The goals are presented on the cover page of this plan and reiterated below. The data from the World Cafe supporting each goal is presented in Attachment 1.

2003-2004 LONG RANGE PLANNING GOALS

1. Promote and expand inter-generational activities/functions in the following areas:
   • Worship
   • Community Service
   • Committee Work
   • Small event programming
   • Large event programming
2. Provide staffing for current and future needs, who are fairly compensated and well supported.
3. Embrace the changes needed to foster a culture of diversity.
4. Model financial and environmental stewardship of the facilities and grounds at thecurrent Sierra Blvd. site that support current and future needs.
5. In order to accomplish these goals, open our hearts to a spirit of generosity.

At the request of the Board of Trustees, the Committees will develop the objectives and measures for the 2003-2004 Long-Range Plan.

Future LRP Committees will need to continue to work with the Board to refine congregational goals and objectives, update and validate the plan, and renew the vision as needed.