Roadmap for the Renew 145 Process
Renew is an invitation for a team of leaders from a congregation to explore congregational vitality and implement projects in their congregation to help fan the flames of the Spirit in their community.
Renew 145 is not a magic growth formula promising to increase membership in a congregation. As a part of a Renew 145 team, you will invest 9-12 months helping your congregation explore what it takes to be healthy and vital. The goal is to introduces new ideas, establish new practices, and nurture overall health. While getting new members is not a goal, often the spillover effect of a healthy, vital congregation is that more people want to get involved in a congregation’s life and ministry.
Here’s how Renew 145 is designed to work.
- Form a Renew 145 Team
- Join a Renew 145 Cohort
- Read the Pre-Event Reflections
- Attend the Renew 145 Event
- Spend Four Weeks Designing and Implementing a Project in Your Congregation and Community
- Share the Your Project with the Cohort
- Repeat Steps 3-6 for Each of the Focus Areas
Form a Renew 145 Team: A Renew 145 Team is typically 4-6 people including the Rostered Minister of the Congregation. The Team typically includes someone from Council and individuals who are creative and excited about exploring Congregational Vitality. People who join the team can anticipate a year of learning and projects.
Join a Renew 145 Cohort: The Virginia Synod opens applications for Renew 145 each August (updated application coming soon). The purpose of the application is two-fold. First, the application invites the congregation to make an intentional decision to participate in Renew 145. Second, the application helps the Synod create appropriate cohorts. The number of teams in Renew 145 each year will vary based on the number of coaches and the availability of leaders.
Reading the Reflections: In the week leading up to a retreat, one reflection will be emailed to you each day. The reflections offer thoughts and discussion prompts on one aspect of the focus area for the retreat. If you prefer, you can read the reflections on this website.
Renew 145 Events: The Renew 145 Events will take place on Saturday mornings. Whether the Events happen on Zoom or In-Person will vary based on the composition of the Cohort.
Projects: Each team will design and implement a project that reflects their context. The Renew 145 Events will provide focus and ideas to help get the team started, but there won’t be a list of projects from which to select. You will design your project specifically for your context.
Coaches: Each team will be assigned a Coach from the Virginia Synod Coaching Ministry. The coach’s job is to help you develop your plan and create accountability so you get where you are trying to go. The coach will not lead your project, but will help your team use its gifts to develop and implement the project you design.
Share Your Project with the Cohort: At the end of the project period, the teams will gather again on Saturday morning to present their projects to the rest of the group. Sharing your project gives other teams the opportunity to learn from your team’s experience and gives your team an opportunity to process your project with peers.
Cost: While the Synod does not charge a fee to participate in Renew 145, each team is asked to pay for their team’s coach. Coaches are compensated at $50 per hour. The anticipated cost for coaching for Renew 145 is around $600, but may increase if your team chooses to engage your coach for additional sessions. If the cost of the coach is a problem for your congregation, please reach out to Pastor John Wertz, Jr (wertz@vasynod.org) for information on matching grants from the Virginia Synod.