E-Free Vision Update

Last fall we unveiled our 3-year vision plan here at Gaylord E-Free Church.  We are now 6 months into that 3 year span and things are about ready to explode on the scene (in a good way) as God is working and doors are opening,  Let me give you a few updates.

ATTENDANCE!  Our 3-year vision plan set a 15% growth rate goal per year in our worship services.  We are excited that God is doing "abundantly more" as currently we are averaging 22% ahead of this same time last year including a 32% increase on Mother's Day and a 51% increase over Memorial Day weekend last year.

TECHNOLOGY!  Our 3-year vision plan includes a technology upgrade that will allow us to broadcast the sermon from the Contemporary Service in the Gospel Center down to our Classic Service in the Chapel.  This will also allow us to broadcast our services on the internet (goal of 2013); on the radio (goal of 2014) and on television (goal of 2015).  We have all the monies now raised to complete the first phase of this technology upgrade including new lighting, cameras and environmental projection that will allow us to turn the entire front of our auditorium (in both the Gospel Center and the Chapel) into any scene we desire it to look like.  The picture above and the two pictures below are examples of what can be done with this technology and what it would look like in our auditorium  We also have been contacted about the potential of actually having a radio ministry started yet this year.  By fall you should be seeing a lot of these changes implemented as the ball is rolling to give us even more avenues to meet as many people as possible right where they are so that we can move them to where God wants them to be.

CAFE AND NURSERY!  Our 3-year vision plan also includes a cafe where people can connect and where a whole lot of "Meeting & Moving" can take place over some excellent coffee.  The plans for this are close to being completed so that we can present the plan and the costs to our church family.  Our vision pan also calls for an expansion of the nursery as we are beginning evaluations to decide if that is possible where our present nurseries are located or if it would be better to relocate our nurseries to another part of the facility.

BUILDING IMPROVEMENT!  Over the years many aspects of our facility have been overlooked and our Vision Plan calls for upgrades and renovations needed to bring our building up to where it should be from a quality and aesthetic standing.  A lot of painting and dry-walling is already under way and soon you will be made aware of the other areas where improvements are needed.

OUTREACH!  Our 3-year vision plan is all about being an outward focused church so our goal is to get to the point where 20% of our giving is going toward outreach and missions.  This year we have committed 14.5% of all our our general fund giving to go toward outreach.  Next year this will go up to 17%.

STAFFING!  Our 3-year vision plan calls for the hiring of a Director of Children's Ministry in 2014.  However, we have moved that up to 2013 and currently we have a search committee that is actively seeking and evaluating resumes.  The hope is that by the end of June the names of three finalists will be passed on to me for final interviews and a selection.  We are also looking to add a qualified and engaging worship leader for our Classic Service that will put in 5-7 hours a week in helping to increase the quality of our Classic Service worship experience.  Our plan also calls for the addition of a Facility Manager to help ensure that the cleaning and maintenance of our facility is done with efficiency and excellence.  We will soon be working on a job description for this position.

This is just a partial look of the way God is working in and through our 3-year vision plan here at E-Free.  We are looking to relaunch our vision to the congregation beginning in August for the many,many people who have become part of our church family since we originally presented it.  Please be praying for God to continue to open the doors so that we can meet as many people as possible right where they are so we can help move them to where God wants them to be!