At Trinity's Annual Congregational Meeting in June 2019, Pastor Hector recounted his first nine months since he began his call in October 2018. This was a period in which he spent intentional time listening, learning and reflecting with the people of Trinity. 
 
At that June meeting, and in several Sunday forums leading up to it, he also outlined an opportunity for this congregation to identify core values, focus clarity of direction, and develop a purposeful action plan. This process, which leaders of the congregation are in the midst of, is being conducted by Brian Zehr from Intentional Impact, and is known as ‘Values, Direction & Action” (VDA). 

​In June, council, staff & members-at-large participated in a Leadership Audit conducted by Brian. The results of this audit provide the framework for the remainder of the VDA process, outlining areas of strength and challenges/opportunities here at Trinity. 
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
  1. Trinity is in need of a concise picture of where the church is headed which is centered around and focused on shared core values.
  2. This picture will help individual and/or ministry passions to an overall strategy, creating alignment and opening avenues of communication and collaboration.
  3. To support the values and implement the strategies, we need to build and maintain relationships with an eye toward leadership development (disciple making!) allowing for relationally-driven, rather than programmatically-driven engagement. 

STRENGTHS
Trinity is not starting from scratch in the journey, but rather has many strengths on which to build a foundation for the future.
  1. Trinity is a healthy church with a long and influential history of ministry to and for the community.
  2. High caliber and commitment of people, both staff and lay leaders, with high enthusiasm for the church.
  3. Many people who contribute to and love the church, who roll up their sleeves and execute well, and are ready to do the work needed to realize and practice shared core values.
As Brain Zehr puts it in his report: “As Trinity defines core values, with clarity, the strategic strengths of staff and leadership volunteers will quickly allow the church to align priorities and resources with core values and experience growth.”
 

MOVING AHEAD
As seen in the timeline above, this fall will be about identifying shared priorities and core values and defining the action steps that move us toward a culture of relationally-driven engagement: disciples making disciples. The action plan is not the goalline--the end of the journey--but rather the foundation on which to build and grow.
 
So what can you do? 
  • Pray for retreat participants and the congregation as a whole for wisdom and guidance through the VDA process
  • Sunday Forums - October 13 & 20 - 9 & 10:30 AM
  • Sunday Forums - November 10 & 17 - 9 & 10:30 AM

Watch for more communication throughout this process: emails, info in the What’s Happening, or on the Trinity website. At any time, with questions or comments, reach out to Pastor Hector (pastorhector@trinitylutheranchurch.com).