In particular, quite a few pastors have wondered about whether the process might be adapted so that a congregation could carry it out on its own turf, possibly also including others in their community on the vision journey. This guide is in response to that interest. It is written with several concerns in mind. Recent research by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and echoed in many church bodies reveal sobering details. First, relatively few congregations seem to practice strategic planning.
Many churches seem more focused on preserving themselves than on doing mission.
And many congregations go about their business in relative isolation within their communities. This disquieting data is not to say that the past is not worth celebrating. Nor does it suggest that the Holy Spirit is never or not a force in the lives of the faithful in such settings. But the sobering reality is in sharp contrast to the church s mission potential in a society tragically diminished daily by those events which fracture how lives. In preparing this guide, Mark A. Staples, co-chair of Vision 2000, is grateful for the cooperation and support of consultant Marti Wilson, who captained the Vision 2000 strategy, and for the support of the Vision 2000 Task Force, which included Patricia Robinson, the Rev. Serena Sellers, the Rev. Arthur Gilbert, the Rev. Arden Krych, Dr. Louise Shoemaker, Dr. Dorothy Marple and Dr. Luanne Fisher.