The document outlines the strategic planning process for Pleasantville United Methodist Church (PUMC). It discusses establishing a mission, values, and vision. It then describes developing goals and objectives to execute the mission and vision. Goals and objectives would flow down from the church council to committees and groups. The process involves setting SMART goals and objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable through faith, relevant to the mission/vision, and tested through prayer. The church council would then work to identify 3 goals for PUMC to accomplish over the next 2 years that push the church to depend on God's power and address important actions to fulfill the mission.

1. Key Elements of The Planning Process
Who we are, who/what God has called us to be and
Mission
who God has called us to serve.
What we believe in, how we will live the Mission
Values everyday, how we will be Disciples of Christ.
What we want it to be like at PUMC and in our
Vision lives when we are truly living the Mission.
What our plan must be to
STRATEGY:
make the Mission and Vision
real for PUMC – how we
Goals
execute on our Mission and
Vision in the next few years
Objectives
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PUMC Church Council
02/13/09
Friday, February 13, 2009

2. Strategic Planning is a Spiritual Discipline that Links
Each Activity and Program to the Mission and Vision
How the Mission and Vision flow down into the work of the Council,
Committees and other groups at PUMC:
PUMC Mission
PUMC Vision
Church Council Goals for
High-level 2009 - 2010
Plans
Church Council SMART
Objectives for 2009 and 2010
SMART Objectives at the
Detailed
Growth Finance Etc. Committee and Group
Education
Plans
Level
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PUMC Church Council
02/13/09
Friday, February 13, 2009

3. Questions to Guide Us Now that we have a
Mission and Vision for our
Church, what is God calling
PUMC GOALS
us to DO?
• What must we do in order to make the Mission real?
• What bold actions, moved by the Spirit, will we
commit to take?
• What is the Lord asking us to do to fulfill our
Mission?
PUMC OBJECTIVES
• How will the Council achieve these goals? What
specifically will we do?
• What are our specific commitments and plans?
• What will we individually and collectively commit to do to
help make PUMC the embodiment of our Mission and
Vision?
• How will we know when we ARE at this place?
PUMC COMMITEEE/GROUP OBJECTIVES
• What will each Committee and Group do?
• How will their work and their plans align with the Mission and Vision and with
the Church Council objectives and goals?
• How will we see and feel the Mission and Vision come alive in the work of our
Congregation?
• What are the goals of each Committee and Group and how will we know that
our individual and collective work has helped bring us closer to our Mission and
Vision?
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PUMC Church Council
02/13/09
Friday, February 13, 2009

4. STEP 1: What are our goals for the next two years?
Hint—if they don’t make us uncomfortable, we’re not listening hard enough!
OUR EXERCISE FOR THIS EVENING
1. Referring to the “Sources” handout and your understanding
of the Mission and Vision, write down what you believe
should be the top 3 goals for PUMC to accomplish in
2009-2010 – write one per “stickie”
2. Place your stickie on one of the 3 flip chart pages (let’s try to
distribute them more or less evenly)
3. Gather around one of the three flip charts and work as a
group to sort the suggestions into “themes” or categories
4. Label the themes/categories represented on your chart
5. Briefly share these categories with the full group
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PUMC Church Council
02/13/09
Friday, February 13, 2009

5. S.M.A.R.T. Goals (a Church Version)
Specific: clearly state our desired outcomes,

milestones, and target dates for completion
Measurable: can be assessed, either

quantitatively or qualitatively
Achievable through faith: Push us to depend

on God’s power, not only our own resources
Relevant: address important actions that will

help to accomplish our Mission and Vision
Tested through prayer: given prayerful

consideration by each of us
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PUMC Church Council
02/13/09
Friday, February 13, 2009