Parish Strategic Planning

Stewardship AdvocatesTM

Jesus Taught about Careful Planning

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has sufficient means to finish it? Lest unfortunately, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, “This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” Luke 14:28‐30

The Ultimate and Essential Purpose of all Strategic Planning is Answering a Question

What do we wish to become?

A Suggested Response to this QuestionFor an Orthodox Christian parish or organization, the response might be “To manifest in our worship, programs, services, ethics, values, behaviors and ministries the fullness of the Holy Spirit, already present within our church community but not fully present within our institutional life.”

Note: one Orthodox theologian, in response to the question: “What is the Kingdom of God?”, responded, “The Holy Spirit is the Kingdom of God.”

Another Orthodox theologian wrote, “The Son is the manifestation of the Father, bearing witness to Him. The Holy Spirit is the manifestation of the Son, bearing witness to Him. And the Church as the sanctified and ultimately deified body of believers, is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness to Him.

Potentially Dire Consequences

• How do we then exercise a choice for a preferred future?

• If we fail to exercise a choice for a preferredfuture, then ultimately we will be handed a default future, not of our own choosing.

Suggested Prayer Before Commencingall Strategic Planning Activities

Almighty God, our help and refuge,fountain of wisdom and tower of strength,who knowest that we can do nothingwithout Thy guidance and help; assist us,we pray Thee, and direct us to divinewisdom and power, that we mayaccomplish our parish strategic plan withhumility, discernment, wisdom andsensitivity to others according to Thy will,so that it may be profitable to us, thecommunity we serve, all who seekconsolation from Thee and to the glory ofThy Holy Name. For Thine is the kingdom,and the power, and the glory, of the Father,and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: nowand ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

"We must be super‐conservative in preserving the Orthodox faith, and super‐modern in propagating it." ‐ St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Professional Nonprofit Strategic Planning in Service to the Church

What Nonprofit Strategic Planning is Not*• Only a wish list drawn up by well‐meaning volunteers

• Only a one‐day board retreat where the general direction and problems of the parish are discussed

• Only a capital improvements, renovations and new construction survey

• Only a two‐year operating budget* Some of the items listed might be components of a more comprehensive strategic planning process

Professional Nonprofit Strategic Planning

The continuing process of making presententrepreneurial decisions systematically and with thegreatest knowledge possible of their futurity; organizingsystematically the efforts needed to carry out thesedecisions; and measuring the results of the decisionsagainst the expectations through organized systematicfeedback. In summary, strategic planning is thecomprehensive implementation of a preferred futurethrough incremental steps. It is the relentless pursuit ofimprovement. Strategic planning has a broadperspective but a limited agenda. The goal of a strategicplan is to give credible specificity to the vision of aparish of what it wishes to become.

Definition of Terms• “Goals” Refers to the goals of the strategic planning process not general goals of the parish

• “Values” – the guiding principles of the process• “Match” – in light of our mission and as a result of the process, including internal and external research and assessment of what needs to be done, how do we exercise a choice for a preferred future and become the parish we want to be?

• “Define a strategy” – write the strategic plan with actionable items, costs, person responsible by task, measurements of progress or completion against a calendar.

Qualities of the Strategic Planning Process

• Mission focused• Inclusive• Transparent• Exploratory• Accountable• Objective• Innovative• Ambitious• Professional• “Dare to dream” factor

Areas for External Review Threats and Opportunities

• Societal/cultural• Political• Environmental• Demographical• Theological/Hierarchical/Ecclesiastical• Economical• Key competitors and allies

Areas for Internal ReviewStrengths and Weaknesses

• Worship• Programs/Ministries – educational, youth, etc.• Activities• Organizations • Finance• Facilities• Leadership/Staffing• Governance

The Strategic Plan – What does it look like?• Written document always in draft form – this demonstrates 

openness to new ideas• Looks out 3‐5 years• Answers the question: “What do we want to become?”• Includes mission statement, values statement, vision statement, 

executive summary, description of the planning process, the findings, key strategic indicators, articulation of goals with flow chart of objectives against a calendar with human, physical and financial resources required to achieve the goals and objectives, benchmarks of progress, people responsible for implementation of specific tasks and goals

• Reasonable plan for fulfilling the mission of the parish• A living and working document• Includes plan for ongoing review and accountability

Results of the Process

• Community consensus developed• Increased parishioner commitment and ownership• Enhanced effectiveness of programs, ministries, 

governance, management and funding• Clear goals• Measurable objectives• Significantly substantiates need for capital campaign 

or increased stewardship or an endowment• Five‐year written work plan• Knowing what we want to become

Considerations

• Strong temptation after all the work of planning to let it gather dust on a shelf

• If a five‐year plan, understand that it degrades 20% each year in terms of relevancy – by year five it’s only 20% relevant

• Need to start ramping up again for another planning process at beginning of year five

• Typically leads to a capital campaign to gather the resources necessary to implement goals and objectives (staffing, buildings, new programs, etc.)

Ordained Bastille Day 1974; 38 years a priest; four parishes served; B.A., M.Div., plus 30 courses of study in nonprofit institutional development;12 years serving as Vice Chancellor of Advancement at St. Vladimir's Seminary; 15 years as consultant to well over 100 Orthodox parishes and organizations; author and editor of Good and Faithful Servant: Stewardship in the Orthodox Church. 

In June 2012, at his own request, Anthony was honorably returned to the ranks of the laity in order to receive the sacrament of holy matrimony. 

Anthony L. Scott

The Principal of Stewardship Advocates

Contact Information and Additional Material

phone/text: 347.831.1848email: orthodoxconsultant@gmail.comwebsite: www.stewardshipadvocates.orgfacebook.com/stewardshipadvocatesfacebook.com/anthonyscottsatwitter.com/stadvocateslinkedin.com/in/anthonylscottpinterest.com/anthonylscott/slideshare.net/anthonyscottsanewsletter: http://www.stewardshipadvocates.org/