Our Community Conversation (Weeks 1-3)

For those of you who have not been able to make it to our first three Community Conversations we wanted to make sure you had a chance to learn what we talked about. All of our conversations have been very well attended and the discussion has been incredibly fruitful and productive. Here's what we've been talking about:

Week 1 - Sept. 10th, 2014

What are your dreams for the future of our church?

1. More children (like VBS)

2. Use building A

3. Diversity

4. Diversity (race, identity)

5. Diversity (music, programs)

6. Change GFCC from half-day to full day with scholarships for underprivileged children.

7. Muti-lingual Congregation rent our sanctuary, ESL classes

8. New building (complete phase 2);

- move out of fellowship hall, recreation, growth

9. Community fellowship and conversation

10. Sunday School classes for 20-35 year olds

11. More younger adults and families

12. Local involvement in Wrenn Dr.

13. Keep the current staff for a long time

How do we achieve those dreams?

1. Money

2. Hard Work

3. Faith

4. Endowment

Week 2 – Sept. 17th 2014

What are the biggest challenges/opportunities that we face as a church?

1.  Lack of full time staff (financial)

2. Moving into the age of technology

3. Sunday attendance/Numerical growth/Full-time staff

4. Keep people excited (feeling like church could explode)

5. Find ways for others to participate (diversity)

6. Money

7. Getting along with each other

8. Having safe conversations

9. Maintaining priorities (in cases of disagreement)

10. Finances (gave less last year)

11. Passion (staying invigorated)

12. Change (not easy for people)

13. Look for good instead of focusing on things we don't like

14. Keep moving forward with Praise Assembly

15. Doing pretty darn well

16. Assure people we can disagree and worship together

17. Stewardship (time/talents/tithing)

18. Getting people involved in programs 
19. Helping young families see benefit of tithing

20. Having "winning" seasons (makes people excited to give)

21. Fellowship for people of all age

22. Keeping eyes on important things (love for one another)

23. Addressing chaos of world from safe a community (Cary) where the living is easy

24. Make effort to talk to those we disagree w/ instead of getting in groups.

25. Diversity (more people who look different)

Week 3 – Sept. 24th 2014

What can we build on and what do we need to improve on as a church?

(What are our assets and what are our deficiencies?)

Build On (Assets): 

1. Friendliness/Welcome

2. Musical Program (join choir/share talents/get them more exposure)

3. Worship

4. Welcome

5. Technologically Savvy

6. Volunteers (need new and more)

7. Very Receptive Church/Welcoming

8. Our Senior Group

Improve On (Deficiencies):

1. Letting the Spirit move more freely ("It's ok to raise your hands and say 'Amen'")

2. Making new people part of the family

3. Finding a unique and genuine outreach

4. Getting to know people of other ages (use directory/volunteer in a new area)

5. Fellowship (Extended table/see the new member board/create a flyer)

6. How we handle change

7. Getting people plugged in (Sunday school/programs)

8. Attracting young families

9. Small group ministry

At the end of our conversation we had a short discussion about some general protocol concerning how to respond to people who come to the church looking for help. We have had a number of people trying to work the system going from church to church asking for money for the purpose of getting drugs. The staff requested that if a members are approached by someone asking for money that they come get a staff member. The staff member will then call Dorcas ministries to make sure that the person is truly in need of help and not working the system. The Missions committee is working on developing emergency kits to give out to those who need them and the staff was asked to provide some more information and procedures for volunteers who work in the office that might be confronted while the staff are in meetings.