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Congregational Growth

A Simple Growth Scheme for any Congregation

The scheme below offers a clear step-wise approach to congregational growth. These recommendations do not define the only path to growth, but any congregation that successfully follows this programme has a very good chance of achieving their aims.

Some of the more advanced steps may seem daunting. Any journey must be taken one step at a time. When climbing a mountain, it is best not to start out by focusing on the peak - focus on the natural next step for your congregation. Achieving the next step will give you a sense of accomplishment that will energise you for more.

The programme is organised into four levels which correspond to levels of accomplishment in working toward growth. If you want to use them, your congregation may choose to make achieving a given level a cause for celebration. Districts may choose to adopt it and create ways of recognising congregations that have completed their goals. You may use it as the road map for a growth group or growth leader. I just hope that you use it and that it helps Unitarianism's healing message to spread across this land.

Links have been included in the text below. Clicking them will take you to a guide to relevant resources for learning and/or support.

If you have specific questions, please feel free to contact Rev. Andy Pakula

 

Bronze

At least nine of the following:

  1. A friendly and welcoming person is always available to greet newcomers as they arrive or enter the chapel.
  2. Chapel signs are clear and include welcoming language intended to draw newcomers.
  3. Worship is held according to a regular, publicly-available schedule.
  4. Newcomers are invited to attend at least one programme or event apart from Sunday services.
  5. Instructions (e.g. when to stand and sit) are offered during Sunday services spoken from the pulpit and/or in writing.
  6. Serve refreshments after services.
  7. A welcome message to newcomers is given from the pulpit at each Sunday service.
  8. There is a congregational website, and it contains current, accurate information.
  9. Keep records of attendance and visitor numbers. Make these available to the congregation.
  10. Evaluate the appearance of your building both inside and out with regard to how welcoming and attractive it is for newcomers.

 

Silver

All of the following:

  1. Launch a process for the congregation to explore its purpose/mission in the world (e.g. facilitated congregational meeting/meetings).
  2. Follow-up on the input from this purpose/mission process to move toward a clear, compelling statement or identify a consensus feeling from this process.
  3. Invite an objective person (or preferably two) to visit the chapel for a service and prepare a 'worshipper report' from the perspective of a newcomer. Share this information with the congregation and the leadership.
  4. Establish a growth group OR designate one growth leadership person to examine congregational practice and decisions with a view to promoting growth and to voice the perspective of the future members who have not yet arrived.
  5. Evaluate the appearance of your building both inside and out with regard to how welcoming and attractive it is for newcomers. Seek feedback from newcomers and make appropriate changes as feasible.
  6. Consider the impression given by your newsletter/calendar and make changes as appropriate so that it is attractive to, and inclusive for, newcomers.

At least one of the following:

  1. Begin to study the population within reasonable travel distance from your building with an eye to identifying a demographic segment that you will try to attract. List groups of interest (e.g. newly retired, young adults, families with children or University students)
  2. Examine your congregation's practices and literature and consider the sorts of people to whom they are likely to appeal. Ask whether they are suitable for your context.

 

Gold

At least nine of the following:

  1. Develop a clear, compelling congregational purpose/mission statement with congregational approval OR prepare a consensus statement(s) of purpose/mission.
  2. Keep the purpose/mission in front of the leadership and membership (e.g. printed in newsletters, spoken at meetings and services).
  3. Place the challenges identified by the 'worshipper report' in order of descending priority . Take action on the top 5.
  4. Select a demographic segment of the local population and compile a report describing this group (e.g. tastes, lifestyles, media used, and interests) OR estimate the number and location of the people in your vicinity who are likely to find your current message and practices appealing.
  5. Through a congregational process, develop and approve a set of expectationsfor how members of the congregation will be toward one another. Keep these expectations in the attention of the membership and leadership (e.g. in your newsletter and other appropriate literature).
  6. Develop and approve a process for dealing with disruptive behaviour in the congregation OR have key leaders trained in conflict management.
  7. At least one fourth of Committee members are new to the congregation (three years or less)
  8. Put a process in place to ensure that visitors are spoken to by at least three people before and/or after the service.
  9. Visitors to the Sunday service receive a welcome message (email, phone or post) by the end of the following Tuesday.
  10. Committee creates and commits to a covenant for its own practices. The covenant includes the expectation that all decisions will be made in the best interest of the congregation and its future.
  11. The congregation is mentioned in the media at least four times in the preceding year.

 

Platinum

At least eight of the following:

  1. Make a practice of asking new visitors for their honest impressions either in person, by phone, or using a written survey.
  2. Begin at least one new programme/service/event geared specifically toward the preferences of newcomers.
  3. Hold occasional newcomer orientation events intended to help them understand and feel more connected to Unitarianism and the congregation.
  4. Train welcomers to help newcomers feel comfortable and connect to the congregation.
  5. Evaluate your congregation in light of your understanding of your target demographic group and list any identified challenges in descending order of importance. Take action on top 5.
  6. Identify and alter 3 long-standing customs that do not foster growth.
  7. At least one third of Committee members are new to the congregation (three years or less).
  8. Hold at least one workshop directly addressing resistance to growth.
  9. The congregation is mentioned in the media at least six times in the preceding year.

Resource Guide

Welcoming

General Resources on Welcoming

 

Before the Service

The warmth and appropriateness of the greeting visitors receive when they first enter a church building can make or break a first visit experience. This is the visitor's first encounter with the congregation and it can set a positive or negative tone that will persist. At a minimum, the greeter should have a warm smile and be able to offer a sincere welcome. Training can help greeters to be true ambassadors of the congregation who meet visitors where they are and helps them to connect quickly with the life of the community.

During the Service itself...

Visitors will get a clear message of whether or not the congregation is really attentive to newcomers in the service. If a congregation is deliberate about making their services welcoming:

  • There will be specific words of welcome for first-timers [see a sample welcoming statement].
  • There will be a brief, clear statement of Unitarian inclusiveness (e.g. "whoever you are, you are welcome here").
  • Instructions will be provided on when to stand, sit, etc.
  • Words will be provided for every element that the congregation is expected to say or sing.
  • There will be no unexplained acronyms or jargon.
  • When people are mentioned by name, they are identified (e.g. "Marge - our long-time organist - is retiring this year).

 

After the Service...

The social hour can be the most awkward time of the whole visit for newcomers. This time is unstructured and, if no one seems eager to talk with you, you spend your time staring at any piece of paper you can find or feigning interest in the texture of the walls. Never let newcomers struggle like this. Make sure that a group of people are ready to notice and make conversation with anyone who is alone. One of the best strategies is to introduce the newcomer to a few other people - preferable those with whom they share common interests.

 

Signage

 

Programmes

 

Websites

 

Keeping records

  • It is said that "you can not manage what you can not measure." Measuring attendance and the number visitors is an important aspect of understanding your situation and tracking your progress. Would it be better to focus on increasing the number of visitors or on encouraging visitors to return and stay? The numbers can help you decide. Forms useful for tracking attendance can be downloaded here in PDF and Microsoft Word formats.

 

Building Issues

  • Grants may be available for building improvements. For a guide to grants available to Unitarian congregations, see Help is at Hand, section 4.3.14

 

Congregational Purpose/Mission

 

Objective Review

It is very difficult to be objective about your own church, services, and programmes. It is ideal to find someone who can give you an objective perspective. Here are some questions that an objective visitor might use to shape their feedback to you:

 

Leading for Growth

 

Printed Materials

 

Understanding your Context

 

Prioritising


Congregational Guidelines 

Disruptive Behaviour and Conflict


Follow-up

 

Committee Covenants

 

Media Relations

Questions and Answers

Please send your questions about this growth scheme please send it to the Rev Andy Pakula.

If you have a question, it is likely that others are wondering the same thing. We will post the questions and answers here to deepen the information available to everyone.

 

Q: Do we need to do the different steps in order?

A: No. It is likely that there will be some areas where your congregation is stronger and others where it has more work to do. For example, you may have a strong newcomer-oriented newsletter (Silver) but still lack adequate signage (Bronze). Be sure to maintain a focus on the uncompleted items in the lower levels. Omitting lower level objectives may create liabilities that keep newcomers away or keep them from returning.



Q: Should the "friendly welcoming person" described in the Bronze level be the same person every Sunday.

A: There is no reason why this 'greeter' should be the same person at every service. Having more people ready to greet visitors warmly is a great strength. Once a person has adopted the attitude of an open-hearted greeter, they are likely to help welcome visitors actively even when not 'on duty.'



Q: The Gold and Platinum levels call for mentions in the media. What sorts of media appearances are intended in these sections?

A: News coverage is one of the most effective means for your congregation to become known by the public - it is also free! Any news coverage in print, web, radio, or television is helpful. Advertisements and event or service listings do not fit the definition of media appearances as meant here.

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