Hello to everyone viewing this post. This post is specifically for persons who would self-identify as a part of Vineyard Central. If you are not, please welcome this post as an opportunity to see the work of our community from afar; in challenge and in joy.
As we spoke about yesterday, we are moving in our Discernment Process as a church towards more specific conversations about
1. who we are,
2. how we organize ourselves, and
3. what it means to be Vineyard Central together.
Together with the grassroots thinking of those who have regularly participated in the discernment gatherings, we have discerned that there are several prominent themes that we will focus on going forward to gain clarity about what decisions we need to make. Those themes are: Structure, Leadership, Membership, Building, and Neighborhood.
We introduced the conversation around Structure yesterday in our worship gathering. We put together a sheet that has three viable options for how our community could organize ourselves. The sheet is not intended as a “final draft,” but instead as a “rough draft” that helps to give people something specific to look at and consider. Please click on the below link entitled “Structure Options” to access the document. If you have problems, please comment underneath the post, and we’ll find a way to get you a copy.
Thank you,
The Discernment Team
5 thoughts on “Options for Structure (how we organize ourselves)”
Just to throw it out there: I’ve long been intrigued at what a biweekly model would look like (alternating between weeks of meeting in small groups and “all group”). To me it seems like it could be a practical step toward balance.
The bi-weekly idea is interesting. I think it would represent balance. Thanks Maria!
We would, however, need to establish easy-to-remember weeks. E.g., always the 1st & 3rd. Not 1st & 3rd except when either occurs on a major holiday weekend or is the 2nd Sunday following the first full moon prior to wither the winter or summer solstice. 😉
Yes, simplicity and ample communication would be critical for the success of any new model.
Regarding the issue of 5% doing 90% of the work: Which ever form of Structure we adopt, I’d like to see VC become a cooperative, with each “member” agreeing to take a share of the responsibilities. This takes an organized coordinator of tasks, but if well organized can accomplish a tremendous amount of work without imbalance of responsibility. Reduced resentment and burn out, increased function and buy in.