Etna Congregational's Mission and Strategy 
February 4, 2001
A Strategic Plan for The First Congregational Church of Etna

Mission Statement
The mission of the First Congregational Church of Etna is to offer a spiritual, educational and supportive environment of Christian fellowship in which all individuals are free to express their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and to worship God. Guided by the love of God and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, we are moved to nurture the growth of each member to their full spiritual potential; to provide a family-centered atmosphere that is abundant with hope, love, peace and joy; and to promote, in words and deeds, the well-being of the community.

The Strategic Plan
In order to confront the challenges of the 21st century and fulfill our Mission as described in the above Mission Statement, we, the Church Council and Congregation of the First Congregational Church of Etna, adopt the following goals, objectives and methods of implementation as our Strategic Plan. We understand that this is not a “final” plan but will have to be under continual review and revision as circumstances and situations change. Nevertheless, we adopt this as our starting point.

Goal #1 is to increase our church membership (with special emphasis on adding younger members, both families and individuals). We will seek to accomplish this through the following objectives:

Objective A is to evaluate each of our current church organizations/activities to determine what purpose the organization/activity serves, if that purpose is consistent with our Mission Statement, and if the organization/activity is fulfilling its purpose. This evaluation should help us determine the relevance of all aspects of the Church’s organization (including Sunday School, Church Council, Deacons, Ladies’ Aid, etc.) and activities (including, Worship, dinners, Bible studies, movie programs, etc.). Responsibility for initiating and reviewing this evaluation will rest with the Church Council and will begin as soon as possible.

Objective B is to expand the advertising of our regular church activities. This includes increased utilization of local newspapers, the Welcome Wagon, the Chamber of Commerce, various community activities, and reaching out to the children of members who live in the area. It also includes providing sufficient “in-house” advertising of events to insure the entire congregation is informed about all the activities of the Church and the establishment of a “Monthly Task Book” which describes each of our activities (including a description of the activity and who is responsible for the planning and conduct of the activity) and is available to all of the congregation. Responsibility for these tasks will rest with an Advertising Committee, made up of a cross section of the congregation, which will be established, with the assistance and approval of the Church Council, and will begin work as soon as possible.

Objective C is to increase our efforts to be a “family friendly” Church. This will include developing family outings such as trips to athletic events (amateur and professional), museums, amusement parks and other local attractions. In addition, it will involve evaluating the advantages of reestablishing the Nursery and developing a program to incorporate a weekly/monthly Children’s Sermon into the worship service. Responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with Church Council, or a committee appointed by Council, and will begin within six months.

Goal #2 is to increase awareness in the wider community of the activities of First Congregational Church and the benefits of Congregationalism. We will seek to accomplish this through the following objectives:

Objective A is to use the Internet as a forum for communication by establishing an easy-to-find page on the World Wide Web. To accomplish this we will investigate what resources the NACCC might be able to provide, what other churches are doing, what other local resources are available, and the costs that are involved. Responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with a new Internet Committee which will be established with the approval of Church Council and will begin work as soon as possible.

Objective B is to reflect upon and reeducate ourselves regarding the fundamentals of Congregationalism in order to revitalize our own commitment and, thus, enhance our efforts to present the advantages of Congregationalism to others. This will be accomplished using a variety of resources including books, videos and speakers and in a variety of ways including dinners, retreats, etc. Responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with Dale Winning and a Congregational Education Committee of his choosing and approved by Council, and will be an ongoing process with goals established on a yearly basis.

Objective C will be to better utilize existing resources (eg., WPACCC, NACCC, Neighborhood Association) to promote the benefits of Congregationalism locally. Methods to achieve this objective might include developing an advertising campaign to address current issues, updating Welcome Wagon materials, seeking public opportunities for the Minister to speak about Congregationalism, establishing displays in appropriate locations in the community. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with the Advertising Committee (see above) and will be an ongoing process beginning as soon as possible.

Objective D will be to reflect the principles of Congregationalism in our actions as well as our words. We will do this through such activities as establishing a “Mission Moment” as a part of our regular worship service to highlight creative ways to to help others in need. We will investigate ways to work with other Churches and community organizations (eg. the United Way) to assist in meeting community needs.

Goal #3 is to establish the financial stability of the Church in order to maximize the opportunities to fulfill our Mission Statement and achieve the goals of our Strategic Plan. We will seek to accomplish this through the following objectives:

Objective A will be to study our current investment practices and determine if we are receiving maximum benefit from our investments. We will seek input from local resources as well as from the NACCC. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with the Church Treasurer and the Finance Committee and will be an ongoing process beginning as soon as possible.

Objective B will be to increase the effectiveness of existing fund raisers by stronger advertising and promotional efforts both within and outside the congregation. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with the Advertising Committee.

Objective C will be to investigate renting our facility to other organizations on a limited basis and for appropriate functions. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with the Finance Committee and will begin within one year.

Goal #4 is to make visitors feel welcome without intimidating them. We will seek to accomplish this through the following objectives:

Objective A is to establish a more formalized greeting procedure which welcomes but does not overwhelm visitors. This will be accomplished by establishing a multi-generational “Greeter Committee” (not necessarily limited to Deacons) to greet visitors/new attendees, by having guests/visitors welcomed from the pulpit (with their approval) and by reinstituting “Bring a Friend Day” on a regular basis. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with the Deacons and will begin as soon as possible.

Objective B will be to maximize the potential for visitors returning and eventually joining the Church. To accomplish this we will insure that all visitors are aware of coming activities in the Church; we will restart some form of the Church Newsletter which will emphasize upcoming events and activities and we will assure that it is distributed to guests and visitors (as well as members); we will investigate the possibility of having a “Coffee Hour” every week following worship to help visitors, guests, and members form an emotional bond through casual conversation. And we will seek out training aids (tapes, speakers) that can provide additional help in approaching new people. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with the Minister, a Newsletter Committee and the Ladies Aid and will begin within six months.

Objective C will be to investigate remodeling some areas of the Church to make them more attractive and inviting to new people. This might including providing more natural light in the entry way, removing or replacing the aluminum awnings at the Church entrances, and updating and removing some of the clutter from the Fellowship Hall/Sunday School rooms. The responsibility for implementing and overseeing this objective will rest with the Church Council and will be initiated within one year.

Goal #5 is to provide adequate, convenient parking for visitors and new attendees. Our members generally know where parking is available but that is not true of most guests and visitors. We will seek to accomplish this through the following objectives:

Objective A is to make it as easy as possible for people to find our church. We will investigate, with Etna Borough and the state (if necessary) posting distinctive directional signs at the junction of Routes 8 and 28 and at Sullivan Chevrolet as well as along Butler Street. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with Church Council.

Objective B will be to make it easy to find a parking space for visitors and new attendees who are unfamiliar with the area. We will designate several spaces in the parking lot and at O’Grodnick’s (if possible) as “Visitor Only Parking;” we will advertise these spaces in brochures and printed materials including the Sunday bulletin. And, we will recheck with O’Grodnick’s and PNC Bank about using their lots on Sunday morning and advertise their availability in our printed materials with adequate directions. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with a Visitor Parking Committee to
 be established by Church Council and will begin as soon as possible.

Goal #6 will be to introduce change to the Church as smoothly as possible. We will seek to accomplish this through the following objectives:

Objective A will be to make transitions as smooth as possible by introducing major changes gradually, allowing time for acceptance and providing opportunities for congregational input and discussion. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with the Strategic Planning Committee as an ongoing process.

Objective B will be to preserve harmony and and handle disagreement positively by accentuating the benefits of changes to be made and considering alternatives to suggested changes whenever possible. The responsibility for implementing this objective will rest with the Strategic Planning Committee as an ongoing process.