It’s Time to Update Your Long-Range Plans

The Board of Trustees recently finalized our goals for the upcoming year. One of our goals is to “Assure that the Long-Range Plan continues towards activation.” That’s where you come in. As leaders and members of committees and teams, it’s time to update your 5 year plan.

Two years ago we started the long range planning process here at UCE. Each team and committee developed short term and long term goals with check points along the way. The start of the church year marks another check point.

So, what does that mean for your group? It means committee leaders should plan a meeting with your teams. When you meet, take out your 5 year plan and assess your progress. Review your milestones and determine if you have met your goals. Some teams will be ahead of schedule, while others will be on track or slightly behind.

You can see your overall goals on the UCE website by following this link: https://ucevanston.org/long-range-planning/

If you’re on track—good for you. Maybe spend some time talking about how you got there and how you can stay on schedule for the next milestone.  And celebrate your successes!

If not, here are some questions to ask your team:

Do we need to reevaluate our goals? Have circumstances changed and we need to refocus? Did the recent election change our goals? What are some things we’ve learned along the way that can help us improve our plan? Do we need to refocus one our goals?

Then, take some time to update your plan.

Why are we doing a long range plan? The reason is twofold. One, we are preparing for the upcoming capital campaign and this helps us understand how much money we need to raise to meet our goals. Two, long range planning helps teams take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The visioning process helps us know where we want to be in five years and then we can work backwards and develop concrete action steps.

The board wants to celebrate your successes, so email kerryheckman@gmail.com or jbannor@sbcglobal.net if there is something you want lifted up to the congregation.

We hope this has been a valuable exercise for your teams and you feel it has helped you reach for bigger and better outcomes. In the end, it is all about having the greatest impact and fulfillment possible.