Written By Di Walkins, Chair
On Saturday, April 25, the Christian Church in Kansas Regional Board adopted the Vision Team Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan is a framework to help guide the visioning process for the region. The Board was very appreciative of the weeks, months, and years the team members spent researching, discussing, and designing this document.
The work as a Vision “DREAM” Team is complete! Others will join in the implementation phase of this process in the weeks and months to come.
As a result of many hours of discussions and the input provided, the Vision Team has identified three major strategic goals with accompanying objectives.
Goal 1:
- Objective 1: To provide comprehensive and/or wholistic programming for all ages—Emphasis: Comprehensive Programming
- Target weekend getaways for couples and families
- increased visibility and use of the camp by corporate and non-corporate entities using the facilities for training (other) purposes
- congregational retreats
- friendly regional competitions such as a ropes course competition between congregations
- support the camp by increasing the volunteer base
- promote a camp special offering designation Sunday
- churches donate to a building project
- and more
- Objective 2: To provide comprehensive and/or wholistic programming for all ages—Emphasis: Social Media.
- Intentionally utilize social media to strengthen camp presence using promotional strategies such as videoclips, camp stories, shared success stories from counselors, campers and corporate guests
- video to showcase the facilities to our congregations
- create state-of -the-art techno vision lab
- video and live from camp marketing
- recruit counselors
- intentional branding (or rebranding, as appropriate)
Goal 2: The Christian Church in Kansas DOES MISSION through effectively implementing a Matrix of Communication.
- Objective 1: To more effectively implement a network model to provide a matrix of communication that keeps people connected—Emphasis: Technology.
- Based on congregational input (possibly Survey Monkey) help congregations determine where they presently “are” with regard to their hardware, software, technology (as well as other forms of communication infrastructure capabilities) and listen to their thoughts about where they strive to be in the future (determine GAPS, if any, between where congregations are and where they strive to be)
- Based on congregational input (possibly Survey Monkey) help congregations determine where they presently “are” with regard to their hardware, software, technology (as well as other forms of communication infrastructure capabilities) and listen to their thoughts about where they strive to be in the future (determine GAPS, if any, between where congregations are and where they strive to be)
- Objective 2: To more effectively implement a network model to provide a matrix of communication that keeps people connected—Emphasis: Regional Resource Center.
- Create a regional resource center complete with a list of individuals from across the region who have agreed to share or teach information with others across the region based on their special skills such as technology “savvy” individuals and financial specialists among others
Goal 3: The Christian Church in Kansas DOES MISSION through affinity groups and resource sharing.
- Objective 1: To advance humanity and human capital throughout the region—Emphasis: Share Common Interests.
- Create affinity groups who share common interests (perhaps using a ZOOM ROOM, or for a brief time meeting in person) to conduct conversations including but not limited to social activism
- missions and how your church connects with your community
- Spiritual Formation, book discussions, prayer practices and/or other conversations
- these are not intended to become institutionalized, but serve for a period of time and be allowed to end
- Objective 2: To advance humanity and human capital throughout the region—Emphasis: Regional Resource Center.
- Create a regional resource center complete with a list of individuals from across the region who have agreed to share or teach information with others across the region based on their special skills such as technology “savvy” individuals and financial specialists, etc
The emphasis of providing examples of the thinking process behind the Goals/Objectives of the plan in the form of Areas of Focus is to help others involved in the implementation phase to better understand the thinking of the Vision Team.
In providing these examples, it is not our attempt to tell others what to do or what not to do; the examples are simply ideas the Vision Team Members wanted to share to assist future teams.
As we move forward, it has been suggested the Regional Board may want to consider forming goal teams based on the Three Strategic Plan Goals.
This plan is considered a living document meaning that it is entirely possible that future edits may be needed as teams move forward with this work.
For continuity, it is the consensus of the Vision Team that representatives from the Vision Survey Team be included on the Goal 2 Team as data have already been collected and are in the process of being analyzed.