Vitality Resources

Would you like to see your church become more fruitful, assess where the congregation thinks are the strengths and areas to address, connect with the community, assess how visitors see your church, reduce personality conflicts, unite in one direction as called by the Holy Spirit, and develop new leaders? These are a few resources that are available to your church free of charge from the ECC’s Missional Vitality Program. A full list is below.

Unlike in the past, the resources are not meant to be used in a sequence but rather to focus on what your church needs now. Generally, the first step is the pH Check, which assesses what the congregation sees as strengths and areas that need to be strengthened. After the assessment, there is a debrief with the ECC pH Check liaison, Lynda Randolph, Garth McGrath, and Peg Cichon. 

Peg Cichon is waiting to hear from you and available to schedule time with your congregation at [email protected], 616-510-1221.

Resources

Missional Vitality equips local churches for strong congregational life and healthy leadership through assessments, workshops, and resources. All resources have been translated into Spanish.

Core Congregational Strengths

• Does your church have a clear vision of why it exists and a plan for implementing the vision?
  • Finding Your Why — In-Person workshop led by Covenant facilitator. In-person, 5½ hours.
  • Living Your Why — Self-led Video Lesson designed for Leadership Retreat or over multiple sessions. Pre-worksheet helps prepare by assessing VIM: Vision, Intention, Means. The materials are available as a one-day leadership team retreat or divided over 3 -4 leadership meetings.
• Does your church need a comprehensive online assessment of congregational health targeting missional identity, leadership, and vision?
  • pH Check — church-wide assessment with Covenant-led debriefing afterward
• Do your ministry teams and leadership understand how each member makes change decisions?
  • Change Style Assessment — Facilitated presentation and paper-based assessment. 2 hours.
• Does your church need to understand the people’s assets in your congregation for developing new leaders?
  • HMS-Heart Mind Spirit — Virtual or in-person workshop (in person best!). 2½ hours.
• Is your church in a transition and needs to be reminded of its history and its current makeup or reengage its neighborhood?
  • Transition Resources: Congregational Snapshot — Self-led booklet w/ questions, designed for a Leadership Team or any team.
• How long has it been since you reviewed your bylaws and looked at whether your governance model fits your church?
  • Four resources-Basics of Congregational Polity, 10 Signs your Church Governance Needs Attention and the Role of the Pastor, Three Sample Constitutions and Congregational Polity are available to leaders and pastors, to discuss your polity and identify if there are next steps.

Healthy Interpersonal Relationships 

• What is healthy leadership, and how do you develop it in your church?
  • Leadership Math — Virtual workshop (in person best!). 2½ hours.
• Is there a need to strengthen emotionally healthy relationships in your congregations?
  • Trellis — In-person workshop led by Covenant facilitator. In-person, 5½ hours.

Navigating Problem Issues 

• Are you experiencing a sense of loss during change, such as a pastoral transition or church closure?
  • Transition Resources: Processing Loss in Congregations — Self-led, 2 video sessions, 10- 15 minutes + activities/handout.
• Are there long, unaddressed conflicts in your congregation, leadership, or ministry teams that must be resolved?
  • Transition Resources: Navigating Church Conflict — Self-led 20-minute Video lesson + PPT, handouts, and template.
  • Pathway to PEACE — Virtual or in-person workshop led by Covenant facilitator. In-person, 2½ hours.
• Is your church experiencing in-fighting and power struggles, or is a pastor constantly battling leadership?
  • Transition Resources: Healthy Systems — 5 self-led sessions, 15 – 20 min + discussion/study guide.
  • Transition Resources: Navigating Church Conflict— Self-led 20-minute Video lesson + PPT, handouts, and template.
  • The pathway to Peace-Vitality staff led, 2 hours, handouts and follow-up.
  • Sacred cows, elephants and rose-colored glasses-Vitality staff led, 2 hours, identifying problems holding back a congregation.