Most Orthodox parishes, dioceses, and service organizations are under financed and under staffed. The day to day demands of Church management, Church finance and Church maintenance consume every waking moment and every working hour.

A man driving a car once turned to his wife and said, "We may be lost but we are making good time." Too often, those of us who are involved in Church leadership concern ourselves with the mechanics of driving the car and navigating traffic without thinking about where we are going. A strategic planning process grants to the community of believers the possibility of choosing a preferred future, of traveling to a preferred destination. It may be asked: Who can afford the time or expense to undertake a comprehensive strategic planning process? Stewardship Advocates prefers to ask this question: Can we afford the cost of not having a preferred destination?

One key objective of the strategic planning process is to differentiate between what is needed and what is desired according to the perceptions of church leaders, members, and stakeholders. The process also reviews and identifies all the parish's resources in a manner that appraises the viability and feasibility of future projects and program objectives.

Many times, a parish or church organization's future agenda is a cacophony of mixed, non-prioritized, unrealistic, sometimes contradictory items. A strategic planning process builds parish consensus, directing precious human and financial resources toward carefully identified and researched objectives. In the case of a defined project, the planning process provides a method for building awareness and gathering critical support. It provides a community with a blueprint that everyone has been able to comment upon, and for which a course has been charted into the future.

Strategic plans develop parish service programs and identify, define and prioritize capital needs. These may include property acquisition, renovation, beautification or new construction.

Unfortunately, church operating budgets allow very little latitude to finance new programs or to undertake a building program. To achieve the defined objectives of the organization, it is almost always necessary to raise a substantial amount of new money. Hence, a capital campaign becomes a necessity.

Imagine approaching major donors for gift commitments and not being able to answer basic questions about the future direction of the parish or church organization - its assets and liabilities, its priorities and programs of service, or community commitment to the identified objectives. Now imagine completing a process that answers all these questions and provides an opportunity for key potential donors to feel ownership, and therefore a vested interest in successful parish development.

An objective and impartial professional facilitator brings people together in a respectful and accepting way. He or she allows open discussion and appraisal without the unintentional emotional or psychological bias that a local church member may feel. This builds trust and confidence in the process. It is also the key to fostering consensus building so that the plan may be implemented once it is completed.

The success of the strategic plan is only achievable if key leaders actively participate. It requires the creation of a strategic planning task force to monitor the process. Yet the task force should not exceed 10-20 members. Thoughtful and wise recruitment is essential. Hint: Think affluence and influence. If both are combined in the same person, then you have the right team member.

The process requires a significant commitment of time for workshops, editorial responses to materials provided between workshops, requests for information, etc. The process works best when it is embraced with as much hope and optimism as possible and as little skepticism and negativism as possible.

Everything! The success of the process is very dependent on the ability of the facilitator to understand everything that is going on in the parish, diocese or church organization. As such, documents provided to facilitate the process must include previous studies, board minutes, financial records and audits, previous plans, drawings, appraisals, etc. Stewardship Advocates maintains a complete commitment to client confidentiality in this process.

You should expect broad community consensus in developing a road map for a preferred future. You should anticipate diverse ideas and differences of opinion. Expect to have fun. At the very end expect to have a plan that is not identified as the parish council's plan, the priest's plan or the task force's plan but rather, as the community's plan.

Our experience. Stewardship Advocates brings 35 years of church and corporate planning and development experience.

Our approach. We have dedicated much of our lives to the building up of our precious Church. We are professionals who maintain the highest standards of expert workmanship. We will treat your community with care and respect. It is our fervent intention to enhance community strength, deepen community commitment and assist communities to fulfill their mission in Christ.