Congregational Development is work to build or rebuild healthy, vibrant, mission-focused congregations. It is important to get to those things that inspire people to be a part of our congregations, even though it is often difficult to name the "Why" of our churches. It drives behavior. We need to get clear about that so that the "hows" and "whats" align and track.

Life in Christian community can be difficult, because they are human communities. And it is the way of Christ to transform us as we give ourselves to community.

They give us the opportunity to practice forgiveness, reconciliation, and mutual discernment about God's call to us in this place and at this time.

I have been involved in Congregational Development since the Church Development Institute (CDI) came to The Episcopal Church in Colorado in 2006.

I have done consulting in congregations and nonprofits. I have my M.Ed. in Organizational Performance & Change.

I have been Regional Missioner in Sangre de Cristo from mid-2012 to the end of 2017.

I love to help congregations see themselves and what they can do. Strategy is about clarity & focus.

When we begin the process of visioning or strategic planning, we need to be able to get some sense of where we are now. Often there are forces that have great power but are not easily seen. Systems thinking helps us understand that a change in one part of a system will have an impact on all other parts of the system. There will always be a gap between the intent of an action and the impact. We can keep that gap manageable if we build in feedback processes to check in and ask about the unintended and intended impacts of change efforts. Just asking questions is an intervention in a system, because then people start looking in different ways. "Why DO we do it that way?"

I like to start by asking, "What is the desired outcome of this work you want to undertake?" It helps to create some kind of destination so we can figure out the ways we might get there.

We use different tools, lenses, and processes to try to better understand what is going on in a system. What is submerged? Just like an iceberg, there is much more beneath the surface than is visible above. And it can wreck our boats!

There are several ways to look at what is going on in a system. However, most are embedded in secular & corporate language that can be off-putting to congregations.

These 4 frameworks are very helpful as ways to take a 30K foot view to try to get a sense of what might be appropriate to tackle.

Claes Jannsen created a model for change called the 4 Rooms of Change. Change is a cyclical process.

In Contentment, we like the status quo. We feel, and are, satisfied, calm & realistic. Smiley.

At some point, things change and we move into the Room of Denial. Now we are seen as unaware, afraid of change, insensitive, although we don't feel that way. Blindfold.

We stay in Denial until we own up to fear & anxiety, when we move into the Room of Confusion. Here we feel different, scattered, unsure. Anxiety=blocked excitement

Eventually, we find the door to the Room of Renewal, where we are sincere, open and willing to risk.

There are more methods of strategic planning than you can shake a stick at. However, it is important to remember the old adage about having a hammer, so everything looks like a nail. What is the right approach in your current context & setting? Which room of change is the majority of the congregation? What will be most helpful to open the right door and help them adapt to change?

Built on Positive Psychology. Rather than focus on gaps, it focuses on what is working well in the system. It brings energy rather than being dispiriting.

Discovery--what works well?
Dream--what would work well in the future?
Design--plan & prioritize what would work well
Destiny/Deploy--implement the design

Whichever method is used, it is critical to gather data in some way. We often gather people together and come up with a plan, and try to implement it without any data. Given what you now know about the 4 Rooms of Change, how helpful is that if the majority is in Contentment or Denial?

Let's try never to do anything that nobody wants.

Feedback is also critical--how will you share the data and the analysis of the data? Your analysis may not match the sense of the wider group. Finding ways to share the data in a way that is open-ended and allows the group to make meaning together will help foster a greater sense of cohesiveness and impetus for change.

Simply doing strategy without adequate buy-in or understanding of the congregation can limit its ultimate effectiveness. Spread the word.
Recruit skilled, committed and competent members of the team
Break the task down into parts where different people can participate at different times and in different ways.
Trust God, soak this in prayer. Ask for those not directly involved to pray for the working team.
Communicate frequently with updates and invitations.

Grace and St. Stephen's
Ascension, Salida
Christ Church, Aspen
Cathedral Ridge
St. Timothy's
St. Francis Center
St. Paul's, Steamboat
Standing Committee
SJC
St. Peter & St. Mary
St. Gabriel's
St. Barnabas, Denver
Nativity, Grand Junction