Make Guiding Documents Living Documents
The vision, mission, covenant and other guiding documents can be incorporated into the life of the congregation in an unlimited number of ways in order to keep them in front of the members. The following are some suggestions:
- The governing board and committees can set short- and long-term goals as ways to live out the mission.
- The governing board and congregation can refer to the vision and mission statements when making tough decisions about the allocation of resources or choosing priorities for their efforts.
- The staff members’ responsibilities can be structured so that their activities support the vision and mission.
- Vision and mission statements can be used in the annual review of both the employees’ and the congregation’s ministry.
- Religious education for adults and children can be structured such that classes are also the formation process for carrying out the mission.
- Vision, mission, and covenant statements can be used as part of orientation for visitors and new members.
- T-shirts, bumper stickers, and other marketing tools can be created to feature part of the vision and mission.
- The vision, mission, and covenant statements can be used in whole or in part in the congregation’s liturgy, on either a regular or occasional basis.
- Budget decisions can be made with a focus on the mission.
- In an annual vision and mission celebration, the congregation’s members can celebrate the congregation’s purposes.
- The mission statement can be used to create a “mitzvah day”—a day of service to the community that centers around the congregation’s mission to that community.