Children's Ministry

Youth Ministry

Women's Ministry

Music Ministry

Missions and Outreach

Caring Ministry

Small Group Ministries

UCC Medfield
496 Main Street
Medfield, MA 02052-2515
Tel: 508 359 2351
Fax: 508 359 2352

FAQs

Previous posts:

March 2007 Update

September 2006 Update

Do you feel called to serve on the new Church Board? Click here.

Current post:

November 2007 Update

Your feedback needed on Core values, Vision Statement

Please Help! The Strategic Transformation Team needs your feedback on the drafts of Core Values and Vision Statement!

CORE VALUES: Last April, the Strategic Transformation Team (STT) initiated a process to identify the core values of our congregation. Core values are our most important beliefs; those that stir our emotions and move us to action. They define our heart for God’s church. They are not ideals toward which we strive but the choices that shape our daily behavior, both individually and collectively. Identifying our core values is a critical component in understanding who we are as a church and, with the Vision Statement, to guide our congregation and the church leadership in setting goals and making decisions.

The STT met with nine groups which included over sixty members of the congregation. Once core values and their importance were defined, the groups brainstormed and listed what each believed to be the core values for our congregation. The list was then prioritized according to the top ten, top five, and finally, the top three core values. In reviewing the results from all nine groups, we found that some consistent themes emerged. These were distilled to four core values.

These values appeared in
the list of top five values
by the majority of groups:

Active Discipleship
Caring, Compassion,
and Community
Christian Education
Service and Outreach

VISION STATEMENT: Our current Vision and Mission Statements. were reviewed was to ensure that it captured both the essence of our values and was memorable. While both the current Vision and Mission Statements reflect our values, neither was simple enough to be easily memorized. Therefore, a new Vision Statement was drafted to be considered by the congregation:

“To love and worship God by loving and
serving others as disciples of Christ.”

FEEDBACK: On Sunday, November 11, the STT held an open meeting in which drafts of the Core Values and Vision Statement as well as details on the proposed new Church Board . Feedback included incorporating the Holy Spirit into the Vision Statement and the importance of recognizing worship in either values or the Vision Statement.

Now we need your help. Our goal is to develop proposals that truly represent our congregation. Please take some time to prayerfully consider the Core Values and Vision Statement and let us know what you think. We appreciate and value your comments, suggestions, and questions. Please feel free to contact any member of the ST Team or you can submit your comments in writing to the church office. With your help we will be able to present, affirm, and celebrate these proposals at the Annual Meeting.

DO YOU FEEL CALLED?
After years of prayer, research and discussion, the Strategic Transformation team is proposing adoption of a new church board —assuming approval by the congregation at the annual meeting on January 6th. The church board will replace the former Executive Council (EC), a body responsible for coordinating many of the church ministries (previously referred to as programs and boards). The following are several reasons why we propose modifying the EC.

1. The nature of the board needs to change from what was largely administrative oversight (internally focused) , to one that is more externally focused on mission/ministry. This better supports the Discipleship model of congregational life that we have been transitioning to over the past five years.
2. The administrative role played by the EC in the past has, over time, largely become the responsibility of paid staff. For example, functions that were formerly designated to various “boards” are now managed by the staff, for example Christian Education and Music (with the help of many volunteers, of course).
4. Having four congregational members on the board should strengthen the congregational voice in development of broad policies. While the EC did in fact name four “Members at Large”, these four also had a role in representing our church to the Massachusetts Conference of the UCC. In recent years, only one person was willing to fill this role. The four members to the new church board will not have this conference responsibility.

POSITIONS ON THE CHURCH BOARD
The positions that will remain the same and carry over from the EC to the new board are: Moderator, Clerk, and Senior Pastor. The other participants are the four Congregational Representatives, Past Moderator, Chair of A&O, and Chair of Human Resources (Personnel). The board will provide a strategic focus to guide the church in fulfillment of its vision. This includes:
- Defining broad policies related to general direction and purpose of ministry
- Developing guidelines, based on the church core values/ vision that allows the congregation and
the staff to take risks, seize opportunities, and experiment with creative ideas for ministry.
- Ensuring the budget has been developed to meet church program priorities
- Taking the “pulse” of the church and be accountable to the congregation on how we are doing

SELECTION PROCESS
Any person who feels a strong calling to serve as one of the four Congregational Members is asked to complete a Call to Serve Form and return it to the church office by December 5th.
In addition to some personal information, the form describes a list of qualifications including
being an active member of the church, being committed to the church vision and mission, current or past participating in church ministry and willingness to serve a minimum of 3 years.
Please contact any member of the ST team if you have questions: Steve Groff, moderator, Ron Yates, Margi Goetz, Steve Grant, Tom Targett, Pat Mormann, or Pastor Phil.

March 2007 Update

View the presentation materials from the ST Team from the March 25th meeting!

Paul Nickersons PowerPoint Presentation from March 25, 2007Moving Forward!
We would like to share with you the good progress that has been made on the strategic transformation initiative. A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Brochure was recently published to provide answers to questions posed at the September 2006 congregational forum. You will find a copy in the Narthex, or you can follow the link posted on this page. We encourage everyone to read the brochure and contact anyone on the Strategic Transformation team if you have comments, suggestions, or questions.

A second congregational forum was held on March 25, 2007 as part of an ongoing effort to share information and develop dialogue. Paul Nickerson, the UCC Association Conference Minister for Evangelism, Mission, and Justice, gave a very insightful presentation on why churches are in need of transformation if they are to grow and flourish. He also provided a rationale for how changes to the governance structure can support this transformation. This was followed by a presentation by the Medfield UCC Strategic Transformation Team, providing an overview of plans for 2007. Both PowerPoint presentations are available via the links posted on this page.

A critical component of strategic transformation is updating the Church’s Identity, which consists of Core Values, Beliefs and the Mission Statement. These become the guiding elements for the congregation and church leadership, and form the boundaries within a permission giving organization so that small group ministries can freely develop.

Since the entire congregation is responsible for the church’s identity, it is very important that a broad spectrum of people participate in updating the Core Values, Beliefs, and Mission Statement. A series of small group discussions is planned this spring and next fall, culminating in a church wide meeting in November to affirm and approve the final result.

This spring, there will be four 90-minute opportunities to participate:

• Sunday, April 29 from 10:45 to 12:15 – at the church with refreshments and extended day care.
• Sunday, April 29 from 12:15 to 1:45 – at the church with a light lunch
• May 8 – a daytime neighborhood discussion group.
• May 21 – an evening neighborhood discussion group.

What a wonderful opportunity this is to share in meaningful discussion and to shape the future of our church.

If you would like to become more involved in the Strategic Transformation initiative, please contact a member of the team listed below.

Margi Goetz, Steve Grant, Steve Groff, Rich Kumpf, Pat Mormann, Rick Schaub, Tom Targett, Ron Yates, and Pastor Phil Bauman.

September 2006 Update
View the presentation materials from the September 17th meeting!
A number of people have been involved with exploring a new organizational structure for the church for more than a year. It has been a process of evolution that recognizes the need for a governance model that is more compatible with, and supportive of, a discipleship church. The church's by-laws were suspended
at the annual meeting (Jan. 5, 2004) to allow freedom to operate more in accordance with the discipleship structure. Progress towards a new governance model has been methodical, carefully thought out and wrapped in prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit. A new organizational structure has begun to take shape based on the writings of John Carver and Thomas Bandy. It is a model that encourages the congregation's development of core values and a mission statement, which will guide church leadership and staff. It emphasizes missions and outreach and lets individuals and small groups exercise freedom in planning and implementing mission programs. It’s a model that appears to be a natural next step in the development of the Medfield UCC's discipleship initiative.

In addition to the reorganization, a Long Range Planning Team was formed approximately 18 months ago to develop an updated strategic plan for the church. One of the key outcomes of this endeavor was the all-church survey conducted last fall. As the LRP Team worked with this data and began to formulate ideas to present to the congregation, it became apparent that the LRP work should be integrated into the reorganization effort. A crucial phase 1 step in implementing the new organizational model under consideration is for the congregation to develop, or update, its "identity" in the form of core values, beliefs and mission statement.

Sunday September 17th Meeting Minutes

Many thanks to all those who participated in the potluck supper/meeting held on Sunday, September 17! After being warmed by fellowship and wonderful food, approximately 40 adults gathered to hear a presentation by the Strategic Transformation Team. The Team has been exploring a new organizational structure for the church that would better support a discipleship model church, i.e. make it easier for the congregation to grow their spiritual gifts and to develop and/or participate in ministries and mission.

The presentation began with an overview of the proposed new structure and its components including: the purpose, accountability, management function, and ministries and mission. Following the presentation, participants broke into five small groups for discussion. This meeting was the first opportunity for the Strategic Transformation Team to share their preliminary thoughts and to receive feedback from the congregation in terms of questions, ideas, and concerns regarding reorganization and the planning process. Comments fell primarily into the following themes:

• Why are we doing this? How would the new organization be different?
• What is the process for fully developing the new model? What is the timeframe? How can members of the church receive further information and provide additional input?
  
• How will balance and diversity be assured in the composition of the new Board? What will the selection and nominating process be?
  
• How will the church operate? What will be the process for starting and coordinating small group ministries? What are the checks and balances? How will the budget be developed?
  
• How will the church help people identify spiritual gifts and train and support ministry groups and leaders?
  
• Will we continue to value and honor our past traditions and our UCC affiliation?

This and all the comments received are invaluable to the Team in helping to shape and focus our ideas for reorganization and to improve our ability to communicate with the congregation. The Strategic Transformation Team is committed to developing an organizational structure that will best meet the needs of our congregation. To do that we need the advice, experience, and support of all the members of our church. In fact, two of the key components of the proposed organizational model require broad church participation and consensus. We look forward to meeting with as many people as possible and are considering a variety of formats including Sunday afternoon coffees and small group meetings to be held in people’s homes.

Above all, the Strategic Transformation Team needs your prayers so that, together, as brothers and sisters in Christ we can bring God’s purpose for UCC Medfield to full bloom. Please feel free to contact any member of the Team with questions, suggestions, and ideas:

Steve Grant
Rich Kumpf
Newton Thompson
Margi Goetz
Pat Mormann
Barbara Yates
Steve Groff
Rick Schaub
Ron Yates
Karen Honan
Tom Targett
Phil Bauman