As 2024 comes to an end, our council met to review our existing goals and create more ambitious goals for the future. This work was done with input from our ministry teams and based on how council members feel God is calling us to be a church. This year we looked even further out than usual and added some 10-year goals. We’re excited that someone has already stepped forward to help with one of the 5-year goals! If you’d like to help with any, talk to anyone on council or Pastor Sarah.
Earlier in 2024, we made goals for 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years. As a quick reminder here are those goals:
One-year goals
- Make our mission, vision, and values more prominent throughout the church.
- Continue caring for the flower beds throughout the property.
- More local service opportunities for adults and youth.
- Increase the number of Sunday school volunteers.
- Establish an adult Bible study.
Three-year goals
- Hold community meetings every three years.
- Rebuild retaining wall outside the FLC.
- Complete the Reconciled in Christ process
- Explore and become a part of the Turquoise Table movement.
- Continue to add to the AV equipment we have.
Five-year goals
- Grow the choir.
- Build a pavilion somewhere on the property.
- Build an altar stage in the sanctuary.
Our one year goals have been worked on all year. We’ve seen the efforts of our ministry teams in real time as the adults went on a mission trip in September, our adult Bible study started in October, and we’ve been diligently caring for the flowers.
We’re happy to report that we’ve completed the retaining wall in our three year goals and started on almost all of the other goals. We have a community meeting planned for January 2025, started the Reconciled in Christ process, and we’re exploring what it takes to get to know our neighbors and register a Turquoise Table
The five year goals are just beginning to bud. We’re pivoting our choir goal to special music. We’ve learned that many churches, not just St. Barnabas, are having difficulty finding singers for their choirs. Special music, for example from a variety of instruments or a featured singer, has been easier to find, and congregations appear to enjoy it. Our pavilion goal has been discussed, but funding and logistics make this goal a little more complicated.
Heading into 2025, here are our new one year, three year, five year, and ten year goals:
One Year Goals
- Hold more service and/or volunteer opportunities closer to St. Barnabas
- Continue to find more Sunday School volunteers
- Continue to develop and grow the adult Bible study
- Work with Food Pantry to consider a strategic plan for future needs and expansion
- Create and execute as possible a fundraising plan for the Major Repair and Special
Projects Fund
Three Year Goals
- Three-year community meeting scheduled
- Facility assessment: timelines for different property needs so we can budget and plan
for them. Hire an outside company to complete the assessment the Property Team has
done. - Complete the Reconciled In Christ process
- Become part of The Turquoise Table Movement
- Continue to improve and maintain AV equipment
Five Year Goals
- Diversifying and growing the music offerings
- Canopy and pavilion project
- Altar stage
- Grow our membership with:
a. Staff welcome table.
b. Outreach and marketing assessment.
c. Determining needs and areas where we can grow.
d. Working to include more volunteers.
Ten Year Goals
- Create an endowment fund – ideally $1,000,000 by 2034
- Work to be more sustainable and environmentally focused
If you have additional thoughts or ideas to help us achieve these goals, please reach out to anyone on council. We’re looking forward to continuing to improve ourselves, our church, and our community.
