Strategic Plan
for
Grace Episcopal Church, Hartford, Connecticut

January 1, 2006 – December 31, 2010

Core Values:

1. Grace Church is an inclusive Anglo-Catholic community that embraces the richness of traditional worship and the beauty of sacred music.
2. Grace Church supports and nourishes its members to enable them to reach out to others in the name of Christ.
3. The Grace Church family respects the integrity of all persons, welcomes diversity and seeks to include all in its life and worship.
4. Grace Church supports individuals in their life of prayer and nurtures their commitment to Jesus Christ and to one another.

A Vision for Grace Church:

A Christ-centered sanctuary in which all can find inspiration, communion and purpose in their worship of God and their service to others.

The Mission of Grace Church:

To build up a strong, worshipping community of caring people reaching out to others in the name of Christ.

Goal I:  Deepen our commitment to hospitality by developing ways to make both current members and newcomers feel welcome and to promote Grace Church.

            Objective 1:  Review all the current activities and policies that address the spiritual and physical needs of guests and newcomers (e.g. initial greeting, signage, service bulletins, invitations to coffee hours, information about child care, transportation for those who cannot drive), survey similar procedures in selected other parishes and make recommendations for changes to the Vestry by February 28, 2006.

            Objective 2:  Develop a new, coordinated marketing plan for 2007 and beyond, that will augment the current newsletter and website and take advantage of low-cost promotion as well as traditional paid advertising.  Present this plan and its associated budget to the Vestry for review and action by August 31, 2006.

Goal II:  Deepen our sense of community and expand our caring for each other by enhancing current activities and developing other activities to express our compassion for one another.

            Objective 1:  Develop a plan for a series of parish-wide events including supper clubs that will help to bond the members of Grace Church together as an extended family and present this plan to the Vestry for review and action by January 31, 2006.

            Objective 2:  Being Caring. The Pastoral Care Team will work to increase its effectiveness and to include more parishioners in our broadened care for one another and to communicate this plan to the vestry by January 31, 2006.

Goal III:  Develop outreach programs appropriate to our resources and urban location

            Objective 1:  Conduct a study of possible programs of outreach to the local neighborhood that would be feasible for Grace Church to undertake, including a survey of current programs by other organizations, and make recommendations to the Vestry by August 31, 2006.

            Objective 2:  Conduct a comprehensive review of the present and future opportunities for A Place of Grace, involving the Pantry Advisory Committee and including a survey of other pantry programs, and make recommendations to the Vestry for review and action by November 30, 2006.