2016 Ministry Plan
Toward the end of 2014, our congregation voted to embark on a season of congregational discernment. In short, we said, “Before we continue traveling, let’s ask God where we need to go.” A team of volunteers selected by the church led this process. This team studied and then employed a process called, “Appreciative Inquiry.” Rather than a “squeaky wheel” approach to planning, this method asks, “Who are we when we are at our best, and how do we build on this?”
The team then went out into the congregation interviewing existing small groups and classes, along with anyone else who responded to the invitation to join in the process. After compiling initial responses, the team convened a congregational feedback session in which they shared their initial perceptions and sought clarification and further feedback from the congregation.
At the end of the process, three priorities and one theme emerged. These drive this year’s Ministry Plan. They are:
Reaching younger populations.
Ministering outside the walls of the church.
Being more diverse.
Maintaining healthy balance: A theme running through all of this is to balance tradition and innovation.
Below are some of the highlights of our plans for this year, organized around these four areas. To see more detailed plans and measures, you can follow these links.
Details are also available for
The written report of our Discernment Team
Where do we give our missions dollars
How can I get involved?
Priority One, Reaching Younger Populations
(highlights within the plan):
Convene a summit focused on younger members in order to dream about future ministry possibilities. This will take place early in 2016, with a goal of 30 in attendance and two new groups forming out of this meeting.
Form two new small groups or Sunday School classes geared around younger populations (Fall 2016).
Explore adding an additional elementary age or middle school option to Creative Arts Summer Camp.
Strengthen Children’s Choir through recruitment, communication, and reaching out to our community.
Offer three parent’s day/night outs at least four hours open to our community.
Youth will host a “Parents Shopping Day” around Christmas to spend time with the younger children in the church and will add a Senior Class Fall Retreat.
Among things we will do to maintain a healthy balance:
Continue VBS, Creative Arts Camp, and the enhancement of the curriculum plans made by the Children’s Committee.
Convene a Senior Adult ministry summit in early 2016.
Explore ways to minister to the “Sandwich Generation,” such as seminars on caring for aging parents.
Priority Two: Ministering outside the walls of the church
Congregational
Some of our ministries are far away, others close to home. Among those affecting our immediate community:
Bereavement meals, which often minister to nearby family members who are not part of Broadway
Wedding ministry to couples beyond Broadway
Caring for Aging Parents seminars, open to the community
Our partnership with Chenoweth Elementary
Missions Yard sale, which brings in people from the community, and exposes them to the Ministry Partner the Yard Sale fund goes to support
Our local benevolence offering, which serves people in our community
The free use of our building for
The city of Druid Hills council
Community meetings and elections
Groups such as Habitat for Humanity, Hearts to Hands knitters, and Norton Hospital's Christmas gift distribution.
Sunday School Teacher Roundtable – focused on a challenge to each class to do a Hands On Project to serve in our community.
Summer of Service 2.0 – Continuation of the Summer Mission Selfie Board with an extension into July. Goal of having every small group in the church (including Sunday School) do some sort of Hands On project during the summer.
Music & Worship
Youth Choir Concerts within our community
Jubilate Community Concerts
Children & Families
Monthly hands-on mission projects
At least three projects will be across ministry areas with youth, older adults, etc.
Youth
Quarterly experience that benefits someone outside of Broadway Baptist.
Serve among the Roma people in Kosice, Slovakia, in July of 2016.
Balance
Keeping worship strong so that we can be empowered spiritually to be ambassadors of the gospel.
Provide congregational care within the congregation. This is done by our pastors, deacons, and other groups, such as our flower ministry, grief ministry, and our yahrzeit candle distribution.
- We will continue our partnerships with Kentucky Baptist Fellowship, Chenoweth Elementary, Habitat Baptist House, the West End School, Choices Inc., the Family Scholar House, and Americana
PRIORITY Three: GREATER DIVERSITY
Congregational
Broadway will worship with St Stephen Church on May 15, Pentecost Sunday.
- We will continue fostering and celebrating the existing diversity within Broadway.
Our Families & Children ministry
Will host one mission project with children of our partner African-American churches.
Will invite a small number of children and chaperones from one of these churches to join our children on a Passport trip this summer.
Youth
Will attend a worship service focused on the life and teachings of MLK, Jr.
Will have 2 lessons focused on learning about other world religions during the year.
Music & Worship
The chancel choir will sing at St Stephen on Pentecost Sunday.
Balance of Tradition and Inspiration
Continuing events focused on intergenerational diversity within Broadway.
Continue supporting the West End School and Habitat for Humanity.
We will continue Civil Discourse sessions to engender diverse views within Broadway on current topics.
We will offer a sermon series on Baptist distinctives.
A look Back to 2015
For a review of our previous 2015 Ministry plan please click the links below.