CHURCH PROFILE
Introduction
As part of the process of "matching" clergy and congregations, the Christian Reformed Church in North America has set up the Ministerial Information Services as part of Pastor-Church Relations. It is our task to help provide resources and advice to both pastors and congregational search committees. To that end, we ask congregations and clergy to complete profile forms as an introduction to each other, and a first step in the process of calling a minister for a congregation. For both the individual pastor and the congregation, this is an opportunity for selfstudy, evaluation of current ministry and goals. This calls for honesty, effort, and commitment to open communication.
The Church Profile form presents the local congregation's history, challenges, and goals. It is our hope that this will be of help in facilitating the search process; assisting the church in focusing on future directions, and pastors in gaining some sense of the nature and uniqueness of this congregation.
Duane A. Visser, Director
Pastor-Church Relations
Contents
Part I - Church Information
Part II - Building/Financial Information
Part III - Church Characteristics
Part IV - Leadership Expectations
Part V - Church History
Part VI - Other Information
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Developed by the office of Pastor-Church Relations
of the Christian Reformed Church in North America
___________________________________
Please return the completed document to:
Ministerial Information Services
Pastor-Church Relations
The Christian Reformed Church in North America
2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49560
or email: palsrokl@crcna.org
or FAX: 616-224-0834 or 616-224-0803
Part I: Church Information
1. Name: Sonlight Community CRC
Address: 8800 Bender Rd, Lynden WA 98264
_____________________________________________________________________________
Telephone: 354-3434
Classis: Pacific Northwest
2. Search Committee Chairperson: Don Aupperlee
j.aupperlee@comcast.netAddress: church: 8800 Bender Rd, Lynden, WA 98264
Telephone: (360) 354-3434
3. Classical Church Counselor____Rev. Cliff Bajema________________________________
4. List all paid staff positions:
Dir. Of Corporate Worship/Evangelism __________________Full time
Youth Director_______________________________________Full time
Church Administrator_________________________________ Full time
Administrative Assistant (shared)_______________________Full time
Children’s Ministry Director (shared)_____________________Full time
Janitor ____________________________________________ Part time
Position Available__Senior Pastor______________________ Date of vacancy__7/1/06______
5. Membership (please state approximate percentages):
a. Number of church members (families):
Five years ago Currently
Professing __?__(__?__) 643(_271)
Non-professing __?__(__?__) 280(____)
b. Profile of church members:
Age:
__19_% 0-11 __10_% 12-18 _12__% 19-24 __13_% 25-34 __19_% 35-49
__18_% 50-64 __8__% 65+
Occupation:
__60___% Business __5___% Professional _10____% Trades __6_% Stay-at-home parent
_10___% Agriculture __8___% Retired _____% Other
c. Educational level of adults:
_<1_% some high school or less _60_% high school _40_% college _<1_% graduate school
d. Percentage of members belonging to the congregation:
Less than one year _2_%
5 years or less _8_%
6-10 years _30_%
10 or more years _60_%
e. Racial/Ethnic composition of congregation:
_<1_% Asian _<1_% Hispanic _<1_% African American _99_% Caucasian
_____% Other (please specify):_______________________________________________
6. Worship
a. Time Average Attendance
_9:00AM____ _300_______
_10:45AM___ _200_______
b. Frequency of communion celebration: _10-12____ per year
c. How are members involved in planning and participation in the liturgy/worship?
Ten members on an advisory team. Four praise teams comprised of 6-8 members per team.
d. Style of liturgy used in your worship (e.g. traditional, contemporary, variety):
A blend that leans towards contemporary.
e. Type of music used in worship (e.g. traditional, contemporary, variety):
A blend that leans towards contemporary.
7. Church/Sunday School
a. Average attendance in Church School (under 18 years)__150____________________
b. Average attendance in Adult Education (Sunday)__40 on Sunday, other groups during the week
8. Community Setting (check as many as apply):
a. Location Function Growth
_____ Rural _____ Industrial __X__ Growing
_X___ Small Town _____ College/University _____ Static
_____ Metropolitan _____ Agricultural _____ Declining
_____ Suburban _____ Recreational
_____ Inner City _____ Military
b. Approximate population of community___10,000____________________________
c. Racial/Ethnic composition of community:
__.5__% Asian __1__% Hispanic _____% African American
_98.5__% Caucasian _____% Other (please specify):_________________________
9. Program Information (list major boards, committees, and organizations that are part of your church and frequency of meetings - monthly, weekly, etc.)
Name, Purpose of group, # of members, Frequency of meetings, *Leadership role
Council, Church Leadership,15, Monthly, 2
Elders, Spiritual Leadership, 8, Monthly, 2
Deacons, Stewardship/Benev., 7, Monthly, 3
Building & Grounds, Maintance/Repair, 10, Monthly, 3
Visioning, Mission statement & direction, 6, Qrtly, 3
Worship Advisory, Worship, 10, Monthly, 3
Long Range Planning, 8, Qtrly, 3
*Indicate leadership role expected by number:
1. Pastor takes primary initiative and responsibility.
2. Pastor and laity share responsibility.
3. Laity take primary initiative and responsibility.
Part II: Building/Financial Information
1. Present annual budget__$873,293_______________________________________________
Last year's annual budget__$852,355_______________________________________________
2. Percentage of financial obligations met (last complete year reported):
Budget __93.6%__________________
Ministry Shares __45%__________________
3. Amount contributed for (last complete year reported):
Missions __$151,483__________________
Other ____________________
4. Property owned by church:
a. Describe buildings and property (other than parsonage):
Rental building, 46,000 sq. ft. church, two joined lots
b. Are your buildings adequate for your present program? Yes__X___ No_____
If no, please explain:
c. Is a building program projected? Yes_____ No__X___
If yes, describe what and when:
d. Does the church own a parsonage? Yes_____ No__X___
Condition: Good_____ Fair_____ Poor_____
Number of Bedrooms_____________________
5. Office/study: __X___ In Church _____ In Parsonage _____ Other _____ Not Provided
6. Compensation: Contact our church
Part III: Church Characteristics
Congregational Characteristics (Circle the number that most closely describes the current congregation characteristics and future goals)
Our congregation... Currently Goal
Agree(1234) Disagree Agree(1234) Disagree
1. supports the pastor. 2 1
2. readily shares their gifts with
the rest of the congregation. 2 1
3. places a high priority on
sound biblical preaching. 1 1
4. gladly welcomes visitors and
new members. 1 1
5. is involved in local
evangelistic ministries. 3 1
6. is often found living their faith
in their communities. 2 1
7. has a spirit of unity. 2 1
8. cares about each other. 2 1
9. looks to its Council for
leadership. 2 1
10. ministers well to members
who are hurting. 2 1
11. uses members' gifts in
its worship. 2 1
12. contains people willing
and able to lead the 1 1
congregation.
13. is capable of change when and where
appropriate. 2 1
14. is spiritually alive. 2 1
15. In what ways does your church participate in ecumenical activities?
Send representative to Classis Northwest, Senior Pastor attends Lynen Ministerial Assoc., Participation in intra church community worship services, Pay % of CRC denominational & classical ministry shares
16. Describe the strengths of your congregation:
Good blend of young and old, singles & families, variety of incomes, many with long history of mature faith, heart for ministry of caring for needs and reaching out to unsaved. Strong children’s ministries, sound Biblical preaching, flexible worship style.
17. List specific problems with which your congregation struggles:
Staff needs strong visionary, motivational, and organized leadership. Lack of consistent and comprehensive pastoring of all members to minimize the potential of “falling through the cracks”. Limited outreach to the community, residual distrust of council, need clear and challenging leadership of church’s role in the community.
18. List major goals that this congregation has set for itself:
More outreach to community, more comprehensive small group fellowship, clearly defined vision and consistent leadership toward achieving the mission, additional lay participation and Biblical emphasis in worship.
19.
a. Has your congregation ever taken disciplinary action against a pastor?
_____ Yes _X___ No
b. Has there ever been an Article 16 or 17 termination in the history of your church?
_____ Yes _X___ No
c. Has there ever been an official ecclesiastical complaint against an elder or deacon of your
congregation?_____ Yes _X___ No
20. Have you completed a Congregational Master Plan? __________ Date________________
Have you completed a Mission Statement? __YES___ Date___1/1/2004_________________
Have you completed a Vision Statement? __________ Date__________________________
Part IV: Leadership Expectations
Below are listed 42 items which represent a range of qualities in the ministry of the church. Choose the 12 items which your church feels are the most important aspects of ministry for your church at this time and place the numbers in the blanks following the list. All the qualities are important. However, please choose those 12 which you feel need first priority at this time. Do not rank the items.
Write no more than 12 numbers in the blanks at the end of this list
Our church needs a person who...
1. is an effective preacher/speaker.
2. continues to develop my theological and biblical skills.
3. helps people develop their spiritual life.
4. helps people work together in solving problems.
5. is effective in planning and leading worship.
6. has a sense of the direction of her/his ministry.
7. regularly encourages people to participate in denominational activities and programs.
8. helps people understand and act upon issues of social justice.
9. is a helpful counselor.
10. ministers effectively to people in crisis situations.
11. makes pastoral calls on people in hospitals and nursing homes and those confined to their homes.
12. makes pastoral calls on members not confined at home or in hospitals.
13. is a good leader.
14. is effective in working with children.
15. builds a sense of fellowship among the people with whom he/she works.
16. helps people develop their leadership abilities.
17. is an effective administrator.
18. is effective with committees and officers.
19. is an effective teacher.
20. has a strong commitment to the educational ministry of the church.
21. is effective in working with adults.
22. inspires a sense of confidence.
23. works regularly at bringing new members into the church.
24. regularly encourages support of the CRC's missions and outreach.
25. reaches out to inactive members.
26. works regularly in the development of stewardship growth.
27. is active in ecumenical relationships and encourages the church to participate.
28. is a person who cultivates a close, devotional relationship with God.
29. writes clearly and well.
30. works well on a team.
31. is effective in working with youth.
32. organizes people for community action.
33. is skilled in planning and leading programs.
34. plans and leads well-organized meetings.
35. encourages people to relate their faith to their daily lives.
36. is accepting of people with divergent backgrounds and traditions.
37. encourages others to assume and carry out leadership.
38. is mature and emotionally secure.
39. has strong commitment and loyalty to the Christian Reformed Church in North America.
40. maintains confidentiality.
41. is a compassionate and caring person, sensitive to others' needs.
42. deals effectively with conflict.
__1___ __6___ __10__ __15__ __23__ __24__ __28__ __35__ ___36_ __37__ __38__ _41__
Part V: Church History (please limit to one page)
A. What have been the three most important events in the history of your church?
1 - Formation: Commitment to caring for one another and the community and genuine, espressive, participatory worship.
2 – 26 year pastorate – being nurtured and spiritually developed by a most able and insightful pastor.
3 – Building the building – we built a building and lost a bit of our soul. We became larger, a bit comfortable, inward focused, yet knew one another less. We seemingly lost our first love.
B. What has been the most interesting and challenging event in the life of your church in the last three years?
A Healthy restlessness as we sought to rediscover a our place and purpose as a body of believers. After many years of growth Sonlight has in recent years seen a decline in membership. While there are a number of different issues that have contributed to this decline there is encouraging evidence of healing and a desire to once again be a growing community of believers.
Part VI: Other Information
1. List the last three persons in this position:
Name Dates of Service
__Pastor Ken Koeman___________________ _1980-2006_______
_____________________________________ _________________
_____________________________________ _________________
2. Please list names of persons whose profiles you wish us to mail to you:
1) 4)
2) 5)
3) 6)
3. Do you want the MIS to suggest some names of pastors whom you might consider for call? If so, completed profiles will be sent.
_X___ Yes _____ No
4. Please indicate if there are any special preferences based on gender, age, race, or national origin in consideration of persons' profiles that may be sent:
_____ No basis for preference
_X___ Please consider the following factors which we believe require consideration:
_1- Energy to relate to young families____________________________________________
_2 – Generally prefer male_____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
Vice President, Consistory
__________________________________________
Classis