Update on Thematic Goal

Updating our Progress

By Sammy Frame, Associate Pastor

PCC's Thematic Goal (to prepare our church for a January average attendance of 1,500) continues to take shape and grow. Our staff continues to make progress and move forward on implementing a strategy outlined by our 5 Defining Objectives that we believe will prepare us to equip, connect, and serve such an increase in attendance. We will spare you the detailed discussion that happens and continues to happen, but we hope your interest is spurred enough to ask questions and get involved in helping us meet this important goal.

So a quick overview of our Thematic Goal's Defining Objectives:
• Defining Objective #1: Answer Interim Financial Questions (team lead: Chauncey Starkey)

Summary and Updates: This team has done a good deal of analysis to understand the current state of PCC's finances and how that relates to resourcing the Thematic Goal. This team continues to brainstorm ideas and implement the most realistic of those in order to adequately support PCC and our Thematic Goal efforts as we prepare for increased attendance.

How you can help: Chauncey is currently working to put together a team of highly motivated, creative, resource-motivated individuals who could lend their ideas, support, and time to accomplishing this objective.

• Defining Objective #2: Addressing Critical Building Issues (team lead: Dennis Green)

Summary and Updates: Obviously, the building remains unfinished with much work to be done (small and large projects). Yet progress is apparent and happening. Many of the larger projects here require licensed contractors and significant resources to accomplish. We continue to work toward additional funding to accomplish these tasks. Here are some items currently completed or being worked on:

• Cove base (similar to base boards) are being put down (even as you get this e-mail).
• Ceiling tiles are largely done, though some spaces still need to be finished with cut tiles.
• Interior doors continue to be finished.
• An Atrium Decor Team under the leadership of Lori Wheeler has begun meeting to put together a more welcoming, comfortable, aesthetically-pleasing space.
• New signage is being designed.
• Consultations with PCC Kids is happening to determine additional space for a burgeoning number of kids.
• Additional floor tiles in the stairwells will be laid in October.
• The partitioning of the Multi-Purpose Room has been planned and waits on resources to turn half of it into a family room for Sunday morning services.
• Grass is growing around the building.

o Here are some big ticket items that continue to wait on additional resources:

• Parking Lot - a plan exists for an additional 80 spaces on site. An estimated $17,000 would enable us to generate those spaces.
• Sound in the Auditorium - our Audio/Technical teams have done a masterful job of providing great sound on Sunday morning, but do not have the necessary equipment to make it the best it can be. An additional front-fill sound system would help us remove the holes and dead spots which currently exist in our sound.
• Landscaping - a good bit of work remains for the Powhatan campus (the Westchester campus has immaculate grounds) including adding trees, additional grass, and mulching. With additional resources we plan to have a volunteer day to work toward making the Powhatan campus more aesthetic.
• Sidewalks and Portico - Driving beneath the front portico remains a priority for our guests and sidewalks helps everyone, especially those who have a handicap. An estimated $12,000 would put a drive beneath the portico and cover the cost of sidewalks on the front of the building.

How you can help: First, volunteer. Many items at the building are small and would require minimal training to complete (doors, ceiling tiles, etc.). Second, join Chauncey's Defining Objective team (see above). Third, support financially.

• Defining Objective #3: Reevalute Services/Scheduling/Programming (team lead: John Starkey)

Summary and Updates: This team has worked hard to assess the current capacity of PCC's services (especially with a growing children's ministry) and the need to go to a 3rd service or an alternative form of programming. An online campus as well as a live-feed option to the Westchester Campus remain under the purview of this team. They have also developed a survey to gather data and input on the need/desire for other service opportunities.

How you can help: Ensure that you take the survey that you will receive in the coming weeks. Your input will help us determine the need for additional services and programming. Volunteer to help process and analyze the survey results. Connect with John, Angie, or Beth with ideas or suggestions.

• Defining Objective #4: Leadership Development (team lead: Beth Brawley)

Summary and Updates: The Leadership Development team has already put into place a "Leadership Essentials" small group that will work toward preparing and equipping future PCC leaders. Additionally, this team remains focused on identifying potential leaders, equipping them, and putting them into a new tier of leadership at PCC that will expand our capacity to include, connect, and equip more people. Finally, they are developing a plan to change the culture of PCC to an "ICNU" environment where leadership development is the norm.

How you can help: If you consider yourself a leader, would like to grow in leadership, or would like to expand your leadership role here at PCC, sign up for the Leadership Essentials small group. If you're not already serving somewhere at PCC, get involved by signing up for an Impact group at PCC. Encourage folks with leadership potential by letting them know you see that in them ("ICNU") and encourage them to use their gifts at PCC.

• Defining Objective #5: Developing a Clear Connection Pathway (team lead: Susan Hughes)

Summary and Updates: A growing church requires that we clearly, efficiently, and effectively help people connect to the vital ministries and discipleship opportunities at PCC. This team continues to develop and refine a pathway that helps people move from just attending on Sunday to investing and growing in a relationship with God. The team has outlined a rough scheme already and continues to think through problems and issues it might pose. They also have researched other churches and continue to gather data on PCC to better shape a pathway that works for our church.

How you can help: Share your experience of connection here at PCC, whether good or bad. Help us evaluate how effectively or ineffectively we have communicated the opportunities to connect. If you have creative, artistic, or communication gifts, volunteer to assist us with designing and unrolling a unique pathway that clearly communicates how to connect and grow at PCC.

Finally, the staff's work of team-building from the summer's staff retreat continues. On Wednesday, September 22nd the entire staff spent a day at Carter Mountain near Charlottesville to build on the foundation we laid this summer (no, we did not go apple-picking). Team unity and transparency remains our goal and so we have purposed to set aside one day a month to continue that work. Following up on an exercise we did together on the staff retreat, we spent the day evaluating the progress of each staff member according to their own goals. Additionally, we collectively evaluated our church on 12 points made in an article (related to the Thematic Goal) that Brian handed to us in advance. Wednesday, September 29th's staff meeting continued this work by building on Patrick Lencioni's talk from this year's Leadership Summit. Lencioni challenged each individual to create a "stop-doing list" that would clearly identify items one needs to stop in order to be more effective. The staff has agreed to submit their own lists at an upcoming staff meeting.

Many thanks,
Sammy Frame
Associate Pastor
Small Groups and Guest Services

Thoughts from Dennis Green

From Here to There

By Dennis Green, Executive Pastor

(written on 9/26/10)

A couple of hundred PCC’ers gathered together tonight at out Powhatan campus. We had a great time of worship, information and inspiration. (If music at PCC is your main thing, you will want to come to these quarterly meetings!) Brian laid out for us what the next six months will look like and invited Lindsay Harris to the stage to take us through our Thematic Goal. (More on Lindsay and our Thematic Goal below).

In his presentation, Brian talked at length about getting “from here to there”. Maybe that language is familiar to you. We just finished a series by the same name. The premise is simple, but, at the same time, powerful. As an organization- WE ARE HERE and we believe God wants us to GO THERE! Brian asked a compelling question. Why not stay “here”? After all, “here” is good. “Here” is helping some folks. We like “here”.

Circa, Spring 2006. PCC is “here”. Growing like crazy, baptizing people, great music, lots of energy and excitement – Why do we need to leave “here” and go “there”? Yet, that is exactly what Brian was feeling. The need to move PCC “from here to there” became paramount. PCC could provide a powerful and meaningful Sunday morning experience, but there needed to be more.

Enter Sammy Frame. A smart, good-looking (in an Eastern European kind of way) guy PCC hired to bring an effective and vibrant Small Group ministry to PCC. The metamorphosis has been remarkable. PCC went from a church WITH small groups to a church OF small groups. Small Groups permeate every part of who we are at PCC and who we hope to be.

About eighteen months ago, Lenny Harris began attending a small group. Lenny was struggling in his personal life and in his marriage. He found a safe place with this small group. His small group embraced him, loved him, allowed him to share and ask questions at his own pace. He began to heal. He began to allow God to transform him. Soon, Lenny was not the same person he had been just a few months earlier.

His wife Lindsay noticed.

She came to check out this small group too. Transformed, too, you ask? PCC baptized Lindsay this past June.

Why was Lindsay on stage and what is a thematic goal anyway? Thanks for asking. Thematic goal is a term used in some business circles and describes an overarching corporate theme or goal that is used to help organizations focus and be unified in their efforts. Our staff recently spent some time working together to identify our thematic goal for the next six months. (For more on specifics of what our thematic goal is, click here)

Lindsay was on stage walking us through the details of what we are doing and how we are getting it done because Lindsay is on our staff now. You already know she has been leading Worship at Westchester since our opening Sunday. She still does that. She works closely with Beth Brawley Stoddard each week to develop and deliver excellent worship experiences at both campuses. But she does so much more. Our staff asked her to use her education (MBA) and business experience (Project Manager) to lead us through this thematic goal experience, and she readily agreed. She often says that she will do and serve in anyway she can. Oh yeah, did I mention that Lindsay is UNPAID staff. Working for PCC full-time since March – unpaid. Did I mention that her life was transformed?

Finally…made it to my point. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Lenny works hard every week, sacrificing, so his wife can work persona non grata ( free of charge) at PCC. Brian said tonight that Lindsay was a “gift from heaven”. They both are. It’s a team effort. They are both such a huge blessing, and, they received huge blessings because of…a small group…because of…the work of Sammy Frame and his Small Group Leadership Team…because of…PCC’s willingness to leave the comfort of “here”, and go to “there”.

If experience is any indicator, this journey “from here to there” will be exhilarating and exhausting; maddening and motivating; incredible and indelible. The “Lennys” and “Lindsays” we don’t know yet are counting on us, and they don’t even know it.

Join us, won’t you? It will be worth it!