Survey Responses Show Epiphany’s Strengths and Suggest Areas for Growth.
What are Epiphany’s strengths? How would you like to see us grow? What words describe Epiphany now?
The answers to these open-ended questions, asked in a survey distributed to the congregation in September and October by the Vision Committee, are interesting, and remarkably unified.
While many specific strengths were mentioned among the 55 survey responses we received, the single most mentioned thing was our church’s preaching and teaching ministry (17 mentions among responses). Following close behind with 16 mentions each were Epiphany’s focus on and provision for prayer, and the quality of the church community.
“We have a praying Pastoral team, a generous congregation, and AWESOME Bible-based teaching, and a worship team that loves God,” wrote one respondent.
“Epiphany knows how to: worship, pray, stand with those who are in crisis, and be involved in the community,” wrote another respondent.
When asked how people desired to see Epiphany grow in the next five years, the most common request was a call for a more discipleship, Biblical study, and theological teaching (12 mentions). Immediately behind that, with 11 mentions, was a sense that Epiphany needs to engage more directly with our community. Finally, nine respondents both commended Epiphany’s efforts to provide for children and youth, and hoped that we would continue to prioritize this work.
“I would like to see more emphasis toward making disciples of Christ,” said one respondent.
“I would like to see Epiphany really look outside its walls into the community” said another.
The single most common word survey respondents used to describe Epiphany was “prayerful” (24 mentions), followed by Bible Based (21) and loving/caring (10).
“The Vision Committee is reading each and every response we receive, and is very grateful for everyone for helping us begin to build a picture of where our congregation is and where we might be called by God to go in the years ahead. Thank you so much,” said Peter Frank, Epiphany’s senior associate rector.
The Vision Committee, called together by Epiphany’s Rector Robin Rauh, is made up of vestry and congregation members Jim Humenik, Daniel Johnson, Julie Kesterson, Maggie Marcum and Alan Pino.
The Vision Committee’s purpose is to seek the congregation’s views on Epiphany’s current strengths as a church and how congregation members would like to see our church develop over the next five years and then use that information to review with Fr. Robin and the vestry our church’s vision for the future and mission statement to “Stand, Grow, and Make Him Known.” Then the committee is called to either suggest how it might be updated to fit our new situation and location, or confirm that it can be effectively used to guide the next phase of our congregation’s life.