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Two-session
Congregational Discernment Process Meetings
The congregation is encouraged to attend a meeting with Tom Knoll, a retired pastor who will help us discern what a faithful and hopeful future for Hope might look like.
We have two sessions planned: September 13th and September 27th, both held after worship. The first 2-hour session will focus on where we are as a congregation, who we are, and what our future might look like.
The second session, on September 27th, will explore our options, what might change, and a process for moving forward.
Everyone's participation is encouraged! If you have any questions, please speak with Pastor Eric or Lorna.
Session One —Listening and Discernment (September 13)
Our first meeting will focus primarily on listening rather than planning.
We will explore four questions:
1. Where are we?
What is happening at Hope right now? What is working? What isn't? What are we tired of? What are we proud of? What are we grieving?
2. Who are we?
What gifts and strengths do the people of Hope bring? What is unique about Hope? What do we most want to preserve? What might we be willing to let go of?
3. What is happening around us?
What do we see in our surrounding community that Hope might respond to? The community presents opportunities related to caregiving, aging, grief, families, economic stress, youth, and multicultural relationships.
4. What might our future look like?
We will begin exploring several possible directions:
- Rebuilding Hope as a congregation
- Remaining a small but sustainable congregation
- Becoming a community ministry center or hub
- Developing a new partnership with another congregation or organization
- Dissolving as a congregation but creatively and faithfully using Hope’s assists to the glory of God.
We will end session one by asking one important question: “Which of these possibilities gives you hope?”
Session Two — Exploring Our Options (September 27)
The second meeting will build on what we heard in the first session. We will identify the possibilities that seem most promising and begin exploring what each would require.
We will consider:
- What would we need to change?
- What resources and people would be required?
- What partnerships might be possible?
- How could we make better use of Hope's building and other assets?
- What could Hope realistically sustain with its current human and financial capacity?
We will also develop a clearer picture of Hope's financial situation, including its monthly income and expenses, building and staffing costs, available reserves, and opportunities to reduce expenses or extend its financial runway.
What Comes After the Two Sessions?
Following these conversations, we will develop a 3–9 month discernment and action process:
First 2 months: Listen, assess, and clarify Hope's strengths, finances, building, and priorities.
Months 3-4: Explore possibilities, potential partners, community needs, and new ministry models.
Months 4-6: Experiment with one or two promising ideas rather than simply planning.
Months 7-8: Evaluate what is creating energy, relationships, ministry, and sustainability.
Month 9: Make decisions about Hope's next chapter.
Our Guiding Question: The goal is not necessarily to preserve Hope exactly as it exists today.
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