Refreshing the Vision
Creating a New Long-Range Plan
for Fourth Presbyterian Church

A Request for Input | An Introductory Letter

October 21, 2008

Dear Friends,

As you were advised in an e-mail message from John Buchanan earlier this month, Fourth Presbyterian Church has embarked on a long-range plan, “Refreshing the Vision,” in order to focus our efforts to spread the mission of Fourth Church in Chicago and beyond.    

Visioning sessions were held with church staff and officers, and some general themes emerged. Staff and members believe that Fourth Church should focus on programs that transform people’s lives and continue its commitment to excellence in worship and preaching. Additionally, they expressed interest in enhancing faith development, increasing member engagement in the life and work of Fourth Church, and improving our ability to communicate worship and volunteer opportunities within our community. 

Please participate in the long-range planning process by considering the following questions and sending your responses to vision@fourthchurch.org.

        1. What is important to you as you consider the future of Fourth Church in the next   
             ten years, both for the church community and for the community as a whole? 

       2. What do you think Fourth Church needs to do to achieve that goal?

Please respond to vision@fourthchurch.org by Saturday, November 15, 2008. Thank you for your participation in “Refreshing the Vision.”

Faithfully,

Members of the “Refreshing the Vision” Steering Committee
Juli Crabtree and Andy McGaan, co-chairs; Mark Bereyso; Debbie Bricker; Delia Coleman; Doug Grissom; Elinor Hite; Marilee Hopkins; Maggie Lewis; Jeanne Olofson; Karen Otto; Martin Sherrod; and Allison Youngblood

 

October 14, 2008

Dear Friends,

Ten years ago, the congregation of Fourth Presbyterian Church put together a long-range plan, one that addressed essentially all aspects of Fourth Church’s goals and aspirations, including congregational in-reach programming, mission outreach, worship, education, and music. While ten years later our mission remains the same, much has changed. Notably, our congregation has experienced tremendous growth and turnover. And the city around us has changed, too.

So the time has come to create a new long-range plan. With the assistance of consultants from LatzBruni, a local consulting firm specializing in working with religious and other nonprofit organizations, the Session has approved an approach called “Refreshing the Vision.” In this process, Fourth Church will review its current programs and activities and establish goals and aspirations for where we, as a congregation, would like to be in the next ten years.

This process began in early October with a series of vision sessions among clergy, staff, and officers. Throughout the fall and into the early part of next year, task teams composed of a broad cross-section of this congregation will meet to brainstorm about the future. The results of these meetings will be augmented with one-on-one interviews and a congregational survey. Additionally, the “Refreshing the Vision” Steering Committee has set up an e-mail address—vision@fourthchurch.org—to which I hope you will send comments and ideas. You will also be receiving additional information about specific ways in which I hope you will contribute.

Our goal is to present a new long-range plan for Session approval in April.

All of this planning process is being ably coordinated and overseen by a volunteer Steering Committee made up of Fourth Church members. Their names are listed below, and I and they invite you to contact them or e-mail vision@fourthchurch.org with any questions or comments you may have—whether about this long-range planning process or the vision for the future of Fourth Presbyterian Church.

In the coming weeks, you will continue to hear more about this exciting process and specific ways in which I hope you will contribute. I look forward to all of us, together, “Refreshing the Vision” for Fourth Presbyterian Church.

Faithfully,

John M. Buchanan

“Refreshing the Vision” Steering Committee: Juli Crabtree and Andy McGaan, co-chairs; Mark Bereyso; Debbie Bricker; Delia Coleman; Doug Grissom; Elinor Hite; Marilee Hopkins; Maggie Lewis; Jeanne Olofson; Karen Otto; Martin Sherrod; and Allison Youngblood