VCI Implementation Team Hits Its Stride

The Vital Church Implementation Team met on March 8 to review the progress of our VCI implementation plan and to determine areas that need celebration and/or encouragement. The team has been meeting for nearly a year and there were several key factors that added to the energy of Tuesday night's meeting.

First, the VCI Implementation Team has worked hard for clarity of purpose. The Team does not function like any administrative team elected by members of the church. The team's specific purpose is to oversee the implementation of the five prescriptions presented to our church by a consulting team that visited and assessed our church in March 2015. (You'll find a link to the Consultation Team Report on the right side of the screen labeled "Documents").

The second reason for the present energy on the team is that after months of working together, we are comfortable sharing our opinions and hearing each other out.

Finally, the team is beginning to see changes in the church. Our shared vision is taking hold in members. Chris Attarian, a leader in our VCI process since January 2014 commented that our church is leaving the wilderness and getting a glimpse of the Promised Land.

The Team has a time line and the specific tasks that need to be accomplished. Over this last year, we have either celebrated tasks accomplished or adjusted deadlines and found ways to assist those projects to go forward.

While some of the changes taking place are not quite "measurable" and reflect culture change. Here are examples of movement:

• Bright First has restructured its staff. We have expanded in the areas of marketing. We have hired a full time Director of Discipleship. We have hired a Director of Children's Ministry and redefined the role of the director. Our Music Director is taking on more responsibility for worship design and production and we anticipate hiring a Worship Leader in the coming month. This person will redesign our 11:00 worship service.
• The Hospitality Team is intentionally creating a culture of hospitality on Sunday morning and we are seeing an increased number of people before and after worship in conversation.
• A report from Deb de Lasksi Smith, a member of the Mission Alignment team, recommended more training in the area of mission awareness and how that influences the work of committees, boards and events at Brighton First.
• I have begun an intentional journey toward improving in personal leadership skills. Specifically, I am working on deeper connection with staff members, team building in the church and nurturing leaders.
• Our worship service, with the help of our worship consultant, is intentionally designed and is bearing fruit. We have a higher percentage of visitors returning for 2nd and 3rd visits.

There is much work still to be done and much to celebrate. The VCI Implementation Team is committed to seeing our church through to the "Promised Land", implementing the prescriptions that we agreed to nearly one year ago.