Listening Team Report to Council

Process to date:

The Listening Team met on May 16th to discern the common themes that we heard during our listening sessions with the Zion congregation.  We left that meeting with 18 main themes that we had heard.

We met again on May 28th to begin the action process. Our ultimate goal is to identify 3-5 themes that we, the Zion congregation, can act on. Our May 28th meeting resulted in narrowing our list of 18 themes to the nine most heard.

We propose a congregational event, at which all Zion people can participate to prioritize 3-5 from these nine most heard themes:

Support Zion People Through Life's Challenges

Be aware of and offer support for whatever people are going through; both times of joy and pain.

Excite and Engage Young People

Make an intentional effort to provide experiences that draw young people to Zion and engage them in ways that are appropriate for their interests. Young people are identified as those under thirty and their parents.

Make Zion as Inviting as We are Welcoming

Building on Zion’s strength of welcoming by growing our inviting muscles.  If we think of this as layers, welcoming is layer one and inviting is layer two.  This second layer invites people into community in the way they are comfortable.  Examples:  Invite someone to coffee hour.  Introduce someone who is new to others and help them enter a conversation.

Develop a Vision for Zion's Sustainability

Energize Worship and Music

Bring more energy to all of Zion’s music; includes traditional and contemporary.  Welcome all ways people have for expressing their praise.

Heal Wounds from Zion's Past

Address feelings and lingering pain from events that happened in the past. Strive to be open, understanding, and forgiving.

Foster Intergenerational Relationships

Encourage experiences that bring people of all ages together.

Communicate Better about Zion Programs/Activities

Make information about Zion activities readily available to all people that helps them connect with their area(s) of interest.  Example:  Circles, Men's Group, Music, etc.

Connect with Neighbors

Continue current efforts to help our neighbors and seek additional opportunities to build further community relationships. Encourage their attendance in Worship and other activities.