Evangelism Team Exploration Meeting
Date: December 2, 2003
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 PM
Place: St. Luke’s Conference Room
Attendees: Martha Boon (Chair), Sallie Suby-Long, Yvonne Amrine, Fred
Venable, Carl Cleveland
Purpose: To explore and lay out initial plans to start an evangelism team.
Summary of meeting outcome:
1) Reasons an Evangelism Team is needed.
a. Membership has been flat for past two years.
b. Desire for an increase in membership for financial reasons.
c. There is increased competition for those looking for a church with St.
Andrew coming to HR and many other churches being built.
d. Purpose of the church is to serve the community in their faith.
2) Current ongoing activities intended to attract new members
a. Visitors are sent a follow-up letter if they sign attendance pads or info
is otherwise obtained.
b. Visitors are called or sent e-mail if that information is provided.
c. Church brochure update is in printing.
d. Lynda Fickling is actively reviewing regular attendees and those who are
on the roles but no longer attending and contacting them.
3) Primary intended purpose for an evangelism team:
a. Formulate a concise identity message for St Luke’s for both internal and
external use. Should include the idea that St. Luke’s accepts people where they
are in their faith journey regardless of their personal beliefs or religious
background.
b. Develop an approach to reach visitors better and help them connect at St.
Luke’s. Create an image for St. Luke’s in the community.
c. Develop and implement an approach to reach into the community create a
greater presence, awareness and identity in the community for the purpose of
attracting new members to St. Luke’s.
d. Develop and implement programs aimed at moving constituents to membership.
4) Initial planned approach
a. Identify a core membership for the team
i. Each attendee is to submit names of potential members to Lynda Fickling
(copy rest of the attendees if via e-mail) and call that person sometime this
month if practical to assess their level of interest.
ii. By mid-November, if a core group of 4 or more has been identified, Martha
and Carl will schedule a kick-off meeting for the team. Carl will develop the
agenda and will facilitate the first meeting.
iii. First meeting will discuss the purpose of the team, required positions
to be filled, and near term goals/actions.
5) Ideas discussed for Evangelism Team to consider
a. Is “evangelism” the right name for the team or does this create a negative
first impression?
b. How can we educate our current members and constituents on the identity
and values of St. Luke’s so that they can better share that image with friends &
neighbors.
i. Display Vision over the door as you enter.
ii. Business cards/ mini-brochure with visions and values to be distributed
various ways
c. Encourage members to invite friends & neighbors to visit St. Luke’s and
invite them to activities other than worship.
d. Have introductory literature readily available for visitors and make sure
it is given to them
e. Look for other ways to quickly create a favorable first impression for the
visitors as they enter. (Discussed that this first impression is probably formed
within the first 10 to 15 minutes.)
f. Develop a 30 second sound bite that delivers that message of what St.
Luke’s is about. (Elevator Speech)
g. Awareness Ads
h. Advertising?
i. Greeters to talk to people and hand out literature for outside events held
at the church.
j. Establish specific goals for new members & coordinate with Ministry
Council.
6) Actions:
a. Each attendee identify potential Evangelism Team members, contact them to
assess interest and, if even slightly interested, submit names to Lynda Fickling.
b. Lynda, contact potential members to identify initial core group.
c. Carl will develop an agenda for an initial 90 minute meeting.
d. Carl & Martha will schedule a kickoff meeting for the team by mid January
or as soon as the core initial membership is identified.
