The agenda also included fellowship, small group and committee-of-the-whole-workshops. One particularly interesting discussion evolved around the topic area of "change" in a session titled "Fix this Urban parish" in which three case examples were explored.  Flip chart notes from the two discussion were compiled in a Powerpoint summary posted on the Diocesan website.

All present were thankful for the hospitality of St. Theodosius Cathedral (day one) and Archangel Michael Church (day two) which opened there doors as hosts.

In the words of one attendee "we found ourselves dreaming new dreams of what are some distinctly Orthodox ways we can put our holy faith into sustainable, concrete action for the sake of witness, service, and radical hospitality, rooted in our existing commitment to a full liturgical life as a faith community."

1. Offer a cup of coffee. Host a meal or provide groceries
2. Open up a space (office or outdoors) at a time you can keep to so your neighbors can depend on you. Even for an hour or two a week.
3. Outreach. Walk to streets to meet your neighbors. Tell them where you are.
4. Offer mail address service at the church. Mail call at the office hours.
5. Offer phone number message service. Messages available at office hours.
6. Stock a closet of warm jackets, socks, ponchos, tarps, sleeping bags and other life-savers.
7. Offer hygiene supplies and, better yet, a place to wash up.
8. Don't give cash but offer bus tokens, meal vouchers, and laundry service (look for free community resources)
9. Stock a food pantry. Find resources like Second Harvest Food Bank, co-ops. Help get Food
10. Stamps or start a food co-op, or angel food ministries (provides food for small churches)
11. Provide lockers if possible
12. Computer, internet access with filters and safeguards
13. Emergency Micro-bank for specific needs like birth certificates or transition to housing
14. Referral to services - Help with the paperwork. Walk through the process with them if you can. Be a companion to the poor and needy

Fr Justin's presentation can be downloaded here.

Archbishop JOB recently announced  the recipients of the Diocese' Parish Health Grants for 2009. Seven parishes from four Deaneries will receive cash grants totaling just over $12,000 for important projects that will impact the vibrancy of their parish life and in many cases the life of the entire diocese as well.
2009 grant recipients and their projects are:

Christ the Savior Church, Chicago IL

St. Gregory of Nyssa Church, Columbus OH

Holy Trinity Cathedral, Chicago IL
St Mark Church, Rochester Hills MI 

St Innocent Church Olmsted Falls OH 

St John the Baptist Church, Warren OH
St Nicholas Church, Mogadore OH 

The parish grant activity, begun in 2008  with funds donated by private individuals and two parishes, was able to be continued in 2009 by using a portion of our Parish and Mission Development budget. Photos from 2008 grant activities are shown at right.

Since by definition grant projects involve important effort from multiple members of the parish,  it was found that the 2008 grants not only stimulated renewal in grant receiving parishes but also often resulted in tools and approaches that have been transferable to other parishes in the Diocese.

Highest Rating
The grant applications were reviewed and ranked by the Diocese' Parish and Mission Development committee, made up of members of the Diocesan and Bishop's Council, and five anonymous reviewers. 

The highest rated proposal was from St. Mark Church in Rochester Hills MI. The parish also received a grant in 2008.See results here.  This effort will document the experiences of teens who participated in a recent Project Mexico trip. The project team will create two books -- a 25 page coloring book targeting 3-6 year olds and a 50 page illustrated book for teens. In addition to giving parish youth a common project to work on, the books will address the general lack of materials for teens and highlight the importance of missions and missionaries with the hope of inspiring other teens to participate in such efforts.

• Charitable line item? -- Most parishes make some form of charitable contributions -- often via special projects or collections. A growing number of parishes now annually include a line item for charitable donations. Many adopt a budget goal that the charitable line item is to be (e.g.) 10% of the parish budget. For most parishes that would be a difficult goal to achieve in one year. If so start with the line item at say 2%, with an initiative to grow it by (e.g.) 1% per year until you reach your target.

• In-reach Ministry - Sadly some parishes have not yet developed a competency for providing help to those outside their doors. If so build fluency for serving others by looking inside. Can the parish make a meaningful commitment to a parishioner(s) in tough economic times? A month's rent or food?
  

• Church School? - Most parish budgets include a church school item, but many seem appallingly small. Others ask that parents pay extra for church school expenses --as if our children aren't a part of our parish. Ask: "What should we as a parish be spending per child?" Ask also, "What can we usefully spend without waste or gilding the lily". Consider internally funding an annual church school or youth project to do something truly special and then don't cut corners -- do it with excellence and high quality. Teach children about giving our best to Christ. Perhaps offer the equivalent of a parish grant to youth groups or teens with a good and valuable idea.

• "Talent" Grants? -- Take the grant idea a step further and provide seed money ("talent" grants) of say $250 to small groups in the parish to undertake a valuable outreach or service project.

• Project Stipends? -- Perhaps the parish council or other parish group has an important project that needs to be completed. Unfortunately the volunteer who has planned to do it for three years just can't seem to work it in. Should we consider a modest stipend to move the project to the top of the list of a parish free lance person? Might a $300 to $500 stipend spent on the effort likely improve the timeliness, thoroughness, usefulness and quality of the result? Is a total reliance on" volunteer ministry" limiting the work your community can do?  Or, is it always better to aim for "barely good enough"? (Recalling the old saw "That's good enough for government -- and Orthodox Church -- work.")
  

• Outside accountant or payroll service? - Perhaps it is time to consider an outsourced accountant for handling aspects of parish finances. We know a number of small Orthodox parishes doing just that. Or, you can hire a payroll service to handle monthly payroll. They' will handle tax withholding and proper IRS filings  for as little $50 per month. (If interested contact Joe Kormos for a vendor contact.)

• Misconduct Screenings - Youth and Church School workers are required to have a background check. The cost of the check, done normally by local law enforcement, is usually modest but is this not a legitimate cost for the parish?
  

• Child Care for Adult Events? - Many parishes find that "a lack of understanding of our faith" is a limiting factor for their community. Yet adult education events may be poorly attended. In some cases (certainly not all) young parents might attend if child care was provided. Put it in the budget and try it. If it helps it may be an excellent long term investment in parish vitality.

• Serious Adult Education? - Perhaps your adult education effort needs serious updating. Perhaps its time to plan a series of quarterly retreats, workshops or classes. Since not every pastor has the time, skill or motivation to develop and deliver a compelling class on a different topic each quarter or year you may need a budget for speaker stipends or honorariums. Good high quality classes often involve handouts and binders.  Perhaps for your next retreat the parish should cover the cost of food -- good food perhaps -- for those attending. Such events are a good way to attract visitors. Feed them! No need to show off but on the other hand let them experience a  parish mind set of giving your best -- not one of minimalism.
  

• Sound System? Projector? - Some presenters come with a built in personal loud voice sound system but most speaker's voices need some amplification. If you are going to hold a some large scale educational events, some of which involve playing videos,  perhaps its time to do more than haphazardly rigging up a microphone through a teen's boom box.
  

• Meeting Tools? -If your parish has trouble with productive meetings it may be because you lack the tools to conduct a useful meeting. Good meetings need a written agenda on a viewable page and the ability to keep track of ideas, focus on key points and summarize. (Really? Who Knew!) In point of fact it is hard to have a good meeting in most of our parish spaces. We've given talks or led workshops at probably 25 or so parishes in the last thee or four years. We recall only one or two that had a flip chart easel, LCD projector or wireless internet connection. Few had a white board and fewer a flat empty wall useful for brainstorming? If your church basement is used for coffee hour and meetings why does it only have a coffee pot and not a white board? 

• Computer - Yes, it is time for the parish to provide Father with a working, up to date computer and a realistic internet connection. That Apple IIe donated by a parishioner seven years ago really must go!
  

• Staff? - Is it time for a second priest? A parish secretary? A stipend for the youth leader or choir director?
  

• Training? - Could your parish community benefit from more competent ministry leaders and contributors? Offer training to church school, parish council, youth  or choir leaders. News flash: trainers, materials, travel are not free. If your parish spent 2% of its budget on developing the strengths of ministry persons would that seem justified?
  

• Sabbatical and Continuing Ed? - Is it time to invest in your pastor? Perhaps a sabbatical would be a way to recharge his batteries. Should we not at least provide a consistent annual plan for continuing education (courses, seminars, workshops) enabling him to sharpen his saw, develop new skills or shore up pastoral areas in which his background is limited?
  

• Visitor/Newcomer Introductory Materials? - What information do visitors to your parish receive? Do they leave with something more than anecdotal recollections? ("Hmmm, what did that lady in the brown polka dot dress mention about ministry opportunities?") Having something well planned, with attractive layout printed in color on high quality paper with various inserts tailored to particular needs of a visitor helps greeters and all parishioners to make a real human connection. Flashy? Not necessary. High quality and tasteful? Absolutely. A welcome video? Something to think about perhaps.

• Website/ External Communication? - What's that? Your parish doesn't have any visitors or newcomers? Perhaps you need some effort, supported by appropriate budget, for awareness building. Most parishes report that websites are their most important tool here. Costs are modest -sometimes free. However if you do have a website it needs to look good and be kept up to date. If your "volunteer system" isn't working then perhaps a stipend or a professional will lead to better results.

• Endowment? - Perhaps its time to start a conversion about an endowment for your parish. If so see the article "Endowments: Pro and Con" later in this issue of Parish Pulse.

Expressing Your Values
Is now the time for a parish conversation about doing more in your parish - and whether additional budget funds are needed to support those efforts?

Is now the time to move toward becoming a "fund the vision" parish as opposed to a "meet the budget" parish? Parish mission and vision statements are sometimes valuable -- but your budget is probably a more accurate and useful indicator of your community's hopes and your values.

Some would of course argue that the current economic times are no time to talk about
extras. Others argue that now may be the perfect time to start thinking three to five years down the road about what the budget of our increasingly vibrant parish should look like.

A relatively small number of parishes in our Diocese have endowments. Yet more are considering the value and role of an endowment as they rethink how they do the work of the Church. A recent article titled "Endowed Congregations: Pro and Con" written by the Alban Institute offers some useful insight on the role of endowments in parish life.

The experience of the author is no doubt from a Protestant perspective the insights can we think be valuable.

Cons  -- Problems with endowments
Pros
The author is, on balance, clearly in favor of endowments. He lists the following reasons to go ahead:
Other comments from the author: