An Overview of the Work of the Long-Range Planning Committee

Bill Daniell, Chairman

In the fall of 2002, the rector and the senior warden appointed the members of a Long-Range Planning Committee and charged it with the mission of developing a vision for the long-range future of the Chapel of the Cross and preparing a plan to guide the parish in reaching that vision. The completed plan was to be submitted to the vestry for its consideration. The committee began its work by gathering information about the parish and about the demographics of our community. The committee then formed three subcommittees to look at parish programs, worship, and facilities. The subcommittees attempted to identify and focus on issues that will have to be addressed by the parish as it moves into the second and third decades of this century.

The committee was invited to the annual vestry retreat in May of 2003, where it gave an interim report. In July, 2003, the committee contributed several articles to Cross Roads in order to inform parishioners about its work, and in order to seek input from parishioners about planning issues. In the fall of 2003, members of the committee met with various groups of parishioners to continue the sharing of planning information and to give parishioners an opportunity to voice their thoughts about the planning process. In October the committee mailed a planning survey to all parishioners. While the number of parishioners who responded to the survey was less than the committee had hoped, the input that was received played an important part in helping the committee to formulate a vision for the future of the parish. During the beginning of 2004 the committee completed its work, and in May of this year presented a finalized plan to the vestry at the annual vestry retreat.

The members of the Long-Range Planning Committee are Laura Alexander, Lee Buck, Paul Carew, Margaret Conrad, Jim Crow, Bill Daniell, David Dodson, Terry Eason, Dania Ermentrout, Joe Khoury, Neil Pedersen, Wyndham Robertson, Rob Sullivan, Ramsey Terhune, Nancy Tunnessen, and Judy Watkins. The Rector, Stephen Elkins-Williams, and the former Senior Warden, Ted Vaden, are ex-officio members. The committee was greatly assisted in its work by the efforts of Bill Morley.