Name of Church:Date:

Introduction

• Facilitators– Facilitator 1– Facilitator 2

• What is Future Focus?

Ground Rules• Respect each other• Active listening • Only one person in a group

speaks at any one time• Everybody has an opportunity

to contribute  • Switch off mobile phones

Programme• Opening Devotions• Introduction• Timeline• Mapping• Healthy Church Check• Key points from Preparatory Questionnaire• Writing the next chapter• Closing comments• Closing prayer

Timeline

Who are we?

Timeline Example

Mapping

Where are we?

Mapping Example

Health Check

How are we?

Health Check: Individual Score SheetCharacteristic Very

Weak Weak Strong Very Strong

Integrity

Body & Soul

Open House

Growth

Local

Love & Care

Health Check: Example of Completed Individual ScoresCharacteristic Very

Weak Weak Strong Very Strong

Integrity P

Body & Soul P

Open House P

Growth P

Local P

Love & Care P

Health Check: Example of Completed Group ScoresCharacteristic Very

Weak Weak Strong Very Strong

Integrity 2 3 2Body & Soul 1 2 2 2Open House 2 4 1Growth 1 4 2Local 1 1 5Love & Care 3 2 2

1. Integrity• Jesus at the core• He is the beginning,

middle and end of our story

• We remember our Church’s experience covers thousands of years

• What we say is consistent with what we do

2. Body and Soul• We strive for a lasting face to

face encounter with God• We involve the whole person

and the whole people of God• The quality of our worship

and devotion are vital• The whole of life is our

concern

3. Open House• We welcome all with open doors and open

arms• We go out to find the uninvited• We make our home among need• We listen and we speak

4. Growth• We are trainees learning

skills• We are followers on the

road• Seeds have to be nurtured

before they will bear fruit• God adds to our number

5. Local• The global good news

needs to be spoken in a local accent

• We choose to be real rather than virtual

• We value every locality

6. Love and Care• Our Community will only be satisfied with

Christ-like relationships• We put our hands to work

Health Check: Total Scores

Characteristic Very Weak Weak Strong Very

Strong TotalIntegrity

Body & Soul

Open House

Growth

Local

Love & Care  

Writing the next chapter

The story we want to be part of

Writing the Next ChapterOur Story so far: Where are we now?• What has been our most significant development

in the past two years? • In what way has this helped us to become a

healthier church? • Imagine a newcomer to the congregation. What

helps or hinders him/her from engaging with this aspect of the church’s life?

Writing the Next ChapterThe Story we want to be part of: a)  By the end of 2014, building on our strengths

in ………….., we would like to see …

b) By the end of 2014, we would like to be known as the church who …

 c) Agree on the top three most important

dreams/hopes to be fulfilled by 2014 and rank them

Writing the Next Chapter

• Prioritise

• Action Plan

What happens next?

• Facilitators sort, collate and compile findings.

• Report delivered to the Session.

• … and then it’s up to you….

Name of Church:Date: