Supporting transformation one church at a time, one relationship at a time.
At PfR, we believe:
...that transformation takes time and comes from relationship, not program. ...that each church is unique and uniquely gifted for a divine purpose and that purpose is dynamic and living just as God is living in them ...that God speaks through the whole body: lay and clergy praying and listening together.
Phase One: SERVANT-LEADERSHIP & CORE VALUES
In this first phase of our facilitation process we focus on servant leadership development following the example of Jesus. Then follows a facilitated visioning process which assists participants in clarifying core values and each unique parish identity, the mapping of resources, and the determination of concrete steps towards accomplishing sustainable goals in four areas: mission and outreach, pastoral care, worship, and Christian formation. Participants then practice this tool themselves choosing one or two of their needs, e.g. increasing pledge income, improving communications, or starting a new ministry.This session concludes with the development of a covenant, using Scripture as the guide, which they will take back to their congregation to communicate their transformed understanding and approach.
Phase Three: CREATING A DIVINE PURPOSE STATEMENT
While the battle against the Covid pandemic is not yet won, churches continue to be in transition.
At PfR we believe that churches have an opportunity and responsibility to co-create a "better normal" with God as circumstances in our world continue to change around us.
The "better normal" we co-create is going to be different and it will not mean going back to the conditions and the way we operated in pre-pandemic times. Using Scripture and prayer to guide the process. the PfR facilitators invite the faith community to discern the creation of their divine purpose statement.
This replaces the typical mission or vision statements prioritizing that God is leading the church everyday in every way.
Phase Two capitalizes on the transformed understanding and resources discovered in Phase One and applies them in a curriculum we developed entitled, The Stewardship of the Entirety of Our Lives (SEOL). In this seminar/webinar we go deeply together into a transformed understanding of stewardship that leads beyond the notion of an annual pledge drive and focuses on year-round stewardship of the resources already present, but perhaps undiscovered or underutilized, in the congregation.
SEOL includes attention to the care and feeding of our spiritual, physical and mental health, our time, financial affairs, relationships and communities, and creation/the environment.
Phase Four: COMMUNITY MATTERS - Discerning the spiritual gifts in your church community
Phase Three welcomes all members of the parish community - including the children - to discern and apply their unique gifts toward their shared divine purpose. Part 1. Explores the richness and diversity of the community's present identity as individuals of all ages, experiences, and perspectives. Tools for spiritual gifts assessment along with a pictorial approach for younger children facilitate discovering the spiritual gifts present in the whole community. This session allows for quiet time (for the introspective who need that) as well as active movement (for the kinetic and squirmier members).
Part 2. Discerns how God is calling the parish to apply the spiritual gifts of the whole community in mission and ministry to fulfill their divine purpose as church in this moment of their collective narrative. Time is spent connecting individual and group spiritual gifts to ministries within the church and sometimes point to ministries ready to be birthed and activated.
Our goal at PfR is to empower and enable each congregation to “fish” for themselves. We pledge, therefore, to maintain a supportive relationship with each congregation we serve beyond the completion of our facilitation process.
For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1Cor 3:9
