Why a Master Plan Now?

Why a Master Plan Now? – September 9

Some of you may be asking, why Little Fork needs a master plan. After all, wouldn’t our time be better spent focusing on growing the church? A master plan is about growing the church, it is one of the ways we prepare for people to discover the sacred place that our congregation calls home. So, how can a master plan help us deepen our relationship with God and grow the church?

First, a master plan allows us as a congregation to clarify our priorities and determine the range of ministries and programs that we are open to considering. Churches who are growing actively engage their communities beyond worship and other traditional Christian education opportunities. Before we can determine the ways that we could serve our community, we need to know what our assumptions and boundaries are regarding how we are willing to have our land and buildings used. The master plan will help us articulate assumptions we may have regarding both building and land use and development.

Another benefit of a master plan is the opportunity to decide how we want to invite people to discover Little Fork. We are not a church that people will just stumble upon, but we are a church that people will come to visit. This master plan will facilitate discernment about how we want to invite people to visit us and what they will find when they arrive.

Finally, our Church was founded in 1731, the Church being the congregation and not the building (which dates from 1776), so ten years from now we will celebrate our tercentennial (300th anniversary), so this is the time to articulate a vision for this sacred space.

For these reasons and many more, the time for a master plan for Little Fork Church is this year, and I look forward to engaging this process with you.

Peace, Rev. Stacy

This post is part of the following series:

• What is a Master Plan? – September 2
• Why a Master Plan Now? – September 9
• Who is part of the Master Plan Working Group? – September 16
• How will the Congregation be Involved? – September 23
• When will the Master Plan be Complete? – September 30