For the congregation longing to become a transforming presence both inside and outside of your church walls.
The Epiphany service is designed to help your congregation imagine, and then live into, a new vision for mission.
Discover how your congregation can be a place of transformation.
Purpose: During the one+ year process your congregation’s leaders will shift the focus from “what” you are doing to “why.” By finding clarity on why you exist, your congregation will discover innovative ways to do ministry and transform your community.
Process:
Phase 1 (Preparation): You will provide profile information, including current participating membership, church financials, and property footprint, to Hope Partnership. Your profile information will be used by your Hope Assessor to create your individualized Assessment Report (Phase 3).
Phase 2 (Assessment Visit and Report): Your Hope Assessor will make an on-site visit to get a first-hand understanding of your congregation’s setting.
During the Assessment Visit, your Hope Assessor will:
- meet with pastor/moderator/clergy leadership
- meet with your treasurer/financial officer and review financial statements
- tour your building and property to look at how the building is used and maintained
- tour your neighborhood
- hold an open forum for church members to share the ways your church has excelled in meeting spiritual, missional, and relational needs. Often, this Appreciative Inquiry session is guided by regional/diocesan representatives*
After the visit, you will receive a comprehensive Assessment Report. Your Hope Assessor will report on your church’s membership and capital assets, current programming, and context.
The Assessment Report includes:
- your congregational demographics and membership tenure
- community demographics and neighborhood trends
- a pin map showing location of your membership
- financial history and analysis
- building condition and usage
- ministry activities and metrics of congregation’s vitality
Phase 3 (The Retreat Experience): Your Hope Facilitator will lead two on-site weekend retreats with your transformational leadership team.
Retreat One: This experiential retreat is focused on moving from a transactional to a transformational leadership model. Your leaders will re-orient their leadership styles from “managing a church” toward “transforming the community” as guided by the Spirit.
Going Outside: After the first retreat, your leaders are given assignments to freshly evaluate your church’s current programming and mission offerings. You will meet people in your community and learn from your neighbors about their greatest physical needs and spiritual longing.
Retreat Two: Two months after the first retreat, the congregation’s leaders reconvene with the Hope Facilitator to develop your Future Story and Capacity Plan.**
Phase 4 (Receiving the Plan): Your transformation team will present the church’s Future Story to the congregation. Together, you will pursue a distinct future path and transform your ministry.
Phase 5 (Coaching): Your transformation team leader (clergy or lay) will have e-sessions with your Hope Facilitator. As your Facilitator shepherds your congregation along the transformation journey, these coaching sessions provide support, guidance, and care throughout the first year of missional transformation.
Outcome: Church leaders find their longing for mission and inspire transformation in their congregation and their community.
Target Audience: Congregations seeking to transform their ministry both inside and outside their church walls
Cost: USD $6,000***
Download a Request FormFor more information, contact Gilberto Collazo at gcollazo@hopepmt.org or 317-713-2534.
*Region/Diocese/Judicatory Participation: Involvement of a region/diocese is a valuable component to the Epiphany process. When possible, the regional/diocesan representative is invited to attend the Assessor’s visit and participate in leading the Appreciative Inquiry session, using materials provided by Hope Partnership.
**A Future Story illuminates what life-giving ministry will be possible for your church if you choose a certain path forward. Based on your ministry dilemmas, mission opportunities, relationship-building potential, and financial and membership assets, your congregation has options for a transformative Future Story. A Capacity Plan pairs your Future Story with the necessary resources. The plan identifies strategies to create new missional opportunities in your community while taking into account the reality of your current capacity. You clearly describe what you want to do/be and the resources you have/will need to make that happen.
***plus normal travel and maintenance costs for Hope Assessor and Facilitator (three trips); a $1,000 non-refundable deposit is required before scheduling the service
