The church currently has two goals that it is trying to achieve.  These goals were derived from the work of our "Planning for the Future" task force who meet periodically to address the needs of the church by establishing written goals that we then attempt to fulfill.  To date we have achieved more than ten goals that the "Planning for our Future" committee has set forth.

Goal #1

Goal #1 is "To study and make recommendations regarding the church facilities required to support our long-term needs".  A group was formed in the fall of 2005 to work toward coming up with a plan for our facilities for the long-term.  We want to think farther ahead than the current facilities philosophy that could be best described as 'if it breaks, we'll fix it'.  We need to think out into the years ahead because it takes years to bring whatever plan we develop into reality.

The Goal Group #1 has met 8 times.  We have thought about what our needs will be over the long-term.  The church congregation was brought into this process as they were asked for their ideas in a survey that was distributed and reported on in early 2006.  The survey was revealing and indicated that there are many areas of our church that need improvement if we are to attract new people and continue to provide the services of all kinds that fulfills our church's mission. 

Current members of Goal Group 1 are Reverend Dick Leonard, Jay Bangs, Leroy Diehl, Joe Steiner, Nick Kindt, Bill Berger, Bob Watts, Lance Diehl, Saundra Lewis, George Myers and Dean Kelchner.  JoAimee Gallo recently resigned from the Goal Group as she contemplates a career move.

Based on the feedback from the congregation and the thinking/analysis of the Goal Group, we are currently looking at three alternative ways of meeting our long-term facilities needs.  They are:    

• Alternative 1--Do small improvement projects to the church as needed.  As things wear out, fix them.
• Alternative 2--Build a new church on a new location.
• Alternative 3--Tear down the original church building (1896 part) and replace it with a structure that would be attached to the newer part of the church (1984).

Alternative 1 is similar to the current plan we are following.  We know the cost of going this route as we have been spending $15,000--$25,000 a year on building upkeep.

Alternative 2 can be understood by examining the experience of other church congregations in the area who have moved out of their 'in town' location to a new location.  We can look at what these churches got for what they had to spend.

Alternative 3 is unique to our church at this location.  The Goal Group felt that they needed the help of an architect to determine what could be accomplished at our current location and at what price.  The Goal Group recommended that we hire The Larson Design Group to provide a sketch, general floor plans and cost estimates of what could be achieved if we tore down the old church and put a new facility in its approximate footprint.  We were told that rehabbing the old building would not be feasible as it would be virtually impossible to bring it up to current building codes. 

On April 30, 2006 at a congregational meeting, the congregation overwhelmingly approved the expenditure of up to $6,000 to hire LDG to provide sketches, general floor plans and cost estimates for Alternative 3.  Joyce Seno, architect at LDG, will be working in the months ahead to fulfill this contract. 

Remember that the Goal Group has NOT MADE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS.  We are simply working with the architect in order to better understand alternative 3.  This will let us make an intelligent, logical decision about whether this is a viable alternative and to understand how it compares to Alternatives 1 and 2. 

Goal #2

The second goal our church is currently working on is "To make our church friendlier to new attendees".

It is felt that if The Millville United Methodist church is to survive, grow and be a healthy church that we need to be even more friendly to new attendees.  There is a constant need for our church to attract and KEEP new attendees coming to our church to replace the natural attrition that occurs and to let us achieve our missions in this community and the world. 

This second Goal Group began to meet in the fall of 2005.  The members are:  Marie Reynolds, Janet Watts, Julie Letteer, Penny Bangs, Helen Rarig, Kerri Peterman, Derl Derr, Jack Lewis, and Joyce Harding.

To date they have met more than ten times.  The following are the actions that this Goal Group has recommended and moved to put in place that should help to make our church friendlier to new attendees. 

1. Greeters outside the church.
2. Name tags for the ushers and greeters at the 10:30 service.
3. Podium in a prominent place in the narthex for visitor book.
4. Someone to stand with Reverend Leonard at the conclusion of the 10:30 service to gather information on visitors.
5. Reestablish the use of the attendance books to identify new attendees.
6. Activity bags hanging in narthex for young children to use during worship service.
7. Establish a WELCOME CENTER in the narthex.
8. Sending postcards to visitors.
9. Delivering cookies/bread to visitors after their 3rd visit.
10. Church sponsors assigned to new persons/families.
11. Three-minute Club.  Asking the congregation to take 3 minutes after the close of the service to talk to new people or others they don't know well...before talking to their familiar friends.

Many of these actions have been put in place.  Others are still in the works.  The Goal Group continues to meet.