Executive Council Strategic Planning Committee

Corporate body

Executive Council Strategic Planning Committee

General Convention 2009 (A061). Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 76th General Convention direct the Executive Council to create a Committee of Strategic Planning to guide the Executive Council and the Church Center in their capacities as leaders of The Episcopal Church; and be it further Resolved, That the Committee on Strategic Planning be charged with using the best appropriate planning methods available to develop a ten-year plan, updated annually, that identifies and tracks the missional, financial, societal, cultural and other challenges and opportunities facing The Episcopal Church; considers alternative paths of action; recommends a path; defines measurable indicators of success of the selected direction and a specific timeline; details resources needed and proposes how those resources will be gathered; and be it further Resolved, That the Committee on Strategic Planning report annually to the Executive Council except in years when General Convention meets, during which year it reports to General Convention; and be it further Resolved, That the plan receive a revision every year and a major revision every three years in anticipation of the triennial priorities and budget process that is finalized at General Convention; and be it further Resolved, That the Committee on Strategic Planning consist of fourteen persons with voice and vote: the Presiding Officers; three bishops, three ordained priests or deacons, and six lay persons all jointly appointed by the Presiding Officers, at least three and no more than six of whom will be members of Executive Council; and be it further Resolved, That the Presiding Bishop appoint two or three senior members of Church Center staff one of whom shall be from the Mission Funding office to serve on the Committee on Strategic Planning with voice, but no vote; and be it further Resolved, That the work of the Committee on Strategic Planning be guided and supported by an external consultant working with senior Church Center staff; and be it further Resolved, That minutes of the meetings of the Committee on Strategic Planning be distributed to the Presiding Officers and staff of the Church Center to one level below Center Directors; and be it further Resolved, That the Budgetary Funding Task Force continue for the next Triennium to complete their interviews and research regarding diocesan support to The Episcopal Church; and be it further Resolved, That the Church Center Staff, Executive Council and the Joint Standing Committee on Program Budget and Finance shall use the strategic plan as a tool in the preparation of the triennial draft budget of The Episcopal Church; and be it further Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $300,000 (including funding for the Budgetary Funding Task Force) for the implementation of this Resolution. EXPLANATION To take best advantage of the missional opportunities before the church, we need to plan carefully and execute wisely by setting goals, locating resources and monitoring progress. An effective long-term plan will track and analyze both societal and church trends and set specific performance goals and indicators. By updating the plan annually, we can remain flexible and responsive to rapid changes. The skills required for effective planning in such a complex environment as ours are most likely better developed in the private sector than within the church. An outside consultant who works closely with church leaders, both elected and appointed, is best situated to guide such a process. A Committee on Strategic Planning would create the structure for this planning, and the proposed membership would include the breadth of expertise and perspective required for creative and effective planning.

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