WHAT IS THE VITAL CONGREGATIONS INITIATIVE?

The Office of Vital Congregations of the PCUSA is working alongside mid council leadership, and leaders of existing congregations, in a process that seeks to help assess, discern and live into transformative actions that increase vitality.  Through intentional spiritual practices and relationship connections, this two-year (or two-phase) process takes us deeper into following Jesus Christ, making disciples and being the vital community of Christ throughout particular communities and the world.  Read the 2019 announcement here.

The Vital Congregations Initiative is both a separate initiative, and the #1 Focus of the Matthew 25 emphasis of the PCUSA Mission Agency.  You may participate in the VCI by itself, or as a Matthew 25 church.

It is also helpful to know what the VCI is and is NOT.  This two-page document describes the difference between the VCI and more traditional church growth strategies.

The Vital Congregations Initiative in Northwest Coast Presbytery includes these elements:

• Session commitment to the Initiative, following Bible studies on the 7 Marks of Vitality.

• Participation by the Pastoral Leader in a Pastoral Leaders cohort of 4-6 pastors that meets monthly for a “dwelling in the word” bible study, discussion of one of the 7 marks, and prayer together.  We know that resilient leaders have supportive colleagues they can rely on as they lead change in their congregations – and these cohorts provide that support. A Session Elder from each congregation is also invited to participate in an Elder cohort.  This is especially helpful if the session elder is the key contact for the VCI.

• Congregational study of the 7 Marks and ongoing prayers for vitality

• Neighborhood Survey / Exegesis to aid discerning where God is calling your congregation to serve and to grow

• A commitment to listening for God’s guidance through prayerful discernment as the session decides which of the 7 Marks to focus on for new engagement through experimentation and continued evaluation of those experiments.

• Invitation to participate in both national and presbytery training / conversation on the Initiative and its key components.

• Access to additional materials, including a 300+ page Pastors’ Workbook, and the e-learning modules from the PCUSA (in development) to support the work of the initiative in your congregation.

• And an openness to any of the three outcomes of the initiatives – increased vitality, clustering of congregations (for mission and ministry), or the end of the congregational life cycle: a faithful death and promise of resurrection.

You may learn more about the VCI, and access the 7 Marks bible studies in the Immediate Toolkit, available here: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/resource/vital-congregations-immediate-toolkit/

The PCUSA Vital Congregations office is continuing to offer “Vital Conversations,” a weekly series of panel discussion on the seven marks of vitality. They also schedule quarterly zoom meetings focused on the phases of the initiative for initiative participants.  Previous Vital Conversations can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/PCUSAVitalCongregations/videos/

To learn more about the initiative, contact the Vital Congregations Catalyst (soon to be hired), or one of our VCI Facilitators:  Doug Bunnell, Nettie Covalt, Jinsuk Kim or John Mason.   You may also contact Jenine Taylor, Presbytery Connector, and she will connect you with someone to answer your question.