A Foreword from Rector The Rev. Andrew John Archie
Dear friends in Christ,
What does God call us to do? Six years ago in 2019, our Strategic Plan established that our priorities were to:
- Improve operations
- Emphasize stewardship
- Support community development
- Increase parishioner engagement
- Strengthen the ties between our church and school
In June I shared our intention to refresh these strategic priorities so that we can fulfill our mission to “live Christ’s life in the world.” I asked Stephen Eisele from our Vestry to lead a committee of 16 members in this effort. In turn, they have gathered input from every part of our community. Through your faithful participation in our survey, focus groups and numerous individual conversations, you have contributed tremendously to this process. As a result, our strategic plan has been entirely dictated by the parish’s input.
Without losing sight of the priorities we set in 2019, we have learned that we should focus on the following areas in 2026 and beyond:
- Connection: Increase members’ opportunities to connect with each other, especially through small groups.
- Communication: Strengthen our communication systems to enrich our community and our relationships.
- Administration: Reinforce best practices for all positions of responsibility in the church—Vestry, staff,clergyand volunteers alike.
Addressing these priority areas will make it possible for us to make progress in welcoming newcomers, in stewardship, and in leaning into our historic strengths.
The Strategic Planning Committee has prepared the attached report for Vestry consideration and adoption. They welcome your continued feedback by email at csmsgstratplan2025@gmail.com. Your passion for The Church of St. Michael and St. George is unique. I am continually reminded of the blessing that it is to be your Rector. Thank you.
In faith together,
Andrew J. Archie
A Foreword from Senior Warden Joe Sheehan
In the past six months, a group of fellow members have invested significant amounts of their time and talent to craft a road map to assist our church and its leadership to achieve our mission:
“To live Christ’s life in the world through the Anglican traditions of worshiping God with reverence, joy and awe; serving and caring for our community and leading spiritual formation for all ages reverence, joy, and awe; serving and caring for our community, and leading spiritual formation for all ages.”
This road map or plan forward will be called Sharing Our Faith Forward. The intention is to establish the priorities we, the members, have asked to be a focus. Clearly, all our efforts to achieve our mission are important. What has been attempted is to identify areas that need more attention to improve. These priorities were identified by a survey of all members of which 280 members shared their views. With the survey as a basis, the planning group went on to host 4 focus groups, which were open to any member wishing to participate. Additionally, the staff and clergy were asked for their point of view and how best to move our mission forward. Then this information was assimilated by the planning group of 16 people led by Stephen Eisele, Tom Horlacher, Ian Hagemann and Patience Schock. During this assimilation several spirited discussions were had over several hours of meetings. This work culminated in the document in hand.
We are members of an amazing Episcopal church. Over the past 6 years the continued effort to successfully live Christ’s life in the world has been praiseworthy. However, in today’s world, it is our obligation to continue to critically evaluate how our parish may better enable our membership to follow Christ’s call. Today, our parish is impactful on our community and our diocese. In doing the work and focusing, our time, talent and attention on the areas identified, in this Faith Forward plan, I believe we will make the Church of St. Michael and St George stronger and more impactful in our community than ever before. This plan is designed to be a living document. Please look for updates and opportunities to help in our efforts in the coming months
After reading this plan I encourage each of you to join in the effort to turn this plan into action.
Sincerely,
Joe Sheehan Sr. Warden
Preliminary Strategic Plan is Available for Comment
The Strategic Planning committee is pleased to present its preliminary report and recommendations. These have been shared with the clergy, staff and Vestry and are now presented to the Parish for further input. This report will be further circulated throughout January 2026 and formally presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting. We welcome your feedback at csmsgstratplan2025@gmail.com.
Sharing Our Faith Forward: Strategic Planning at CSMSG
We are amid a time of discernment—listening in prayer to where the Holy Spirit is leading our parish. Building on the 2019 plan, we’re gathering input so that our next steps faithfully serve Christ’s mission in and through CSMSG.
Learn more about the Strategic Planning Committee.
Executive Summary of Survey Findings
The Vestry commissioned a survey and analysis using HolyCow Consulting’s Congregation Analysis Tool, funded by a special donation. We received 281 responses (55% of the average Sunday attendance), representing a diverse range of ages, tenures, and attendance frequencies, with a predominance of older and longer-tenured members.
The 2025 HolyCow survey revealed high satisfaction with CSMSG, with 67% of respondents clearly satisfied and only 4% clearly dissatisfied. Compared to national benchmarks, CSMSG was rated as a high-energy church. Respondents valued participation in church activities beyond worship (70% clearly agreeing). Priorities include reaching new people, creating relationship opportunities, and drawing in families and youth.
Most satisfied respondents cited our clergy and worship services as driving factors. The HolyCow survey can identify factors that energize a church’s most energetic members, but no single driver emerged. This suggests a diverse range of drivers. High satisfaction and energy place CSMSG in the “transformational” quadrant, where “everyone wants to be.”
Potential areas of risk were identified. Clergy-driven churches, such as CSMSG, provide resources for clergy support. CSMSG was rated as more settled than it is adaptable regarding worship style and practices. While most areas of the HolyCow “performance dashboard” are strong, hospitality and governance could be improved. The Strategic Planning Committee will explore these topics in focus groups. Our stewardship needs improvement. Our contributions are below 1% of family income, placing us at the 4th percentile of churches nationally.
The 2025 survey results were similar to our 2019 in-house survey. Overall satisfaction averaged 8/10 in 2019, with 88% scoring 7 or higher. In both surveys, parishioners desired more involvement and community engagement. In 2019, 95% contributed, but 75% felt underfunded, a sentiment confirmed in 2025. Consistent “wants” include more programming, protecting our tradition, increasing outreach, and fostering meaningful relationships. The church made several changes in response to the 2019 Strategic Plan. The 2025 survey suggests that these changes were beneficial and that an updated Strategic Plan may allow for further growth.
Further Survey Insights from Holy Cow
Explore additional survey breakdowns from our partner, Holy Cow.
Executive Summary of Focus Group Findings
Two live and three Zoom focus groups were convened in October 2025 via open signups advertised by email. Combined participation was approximately 45 parishioners. Facilitators drawn from the Strategic Planning Committee developed an interview guide focusing on the following topics: Vision/Mission alignment + strengths; Relationships/hospitality + newcomer integration; Incorporation/readiness for ministry + operations/systems; Families/youth + pastoral care (survey themes); Outreach + school/church relationship + governance; and Prioritization + feasibility.
Hospitality and Belonging
Hospitality emerged as the most prominent theme. Participants noted that CSMSG’s size, generational diversity, and current habits create a gap between welcoming newcomers and integrating them into parish life. Name tags, greeters, the photo directory, and programs such as Wonderful Wednesdays or small groups were frequently cited as mechanisms that once supported connection and could again. Many observed over-reliance on a few staff members, especially in newcomer engagement, and expressed interest in lay-led approaches. Some described a sense of “coldness” in community life, especially for younger families or individuals who do not already have relationships within the parish.
Pastoral Care
Participants respected the clergy and acknowledged strong individual efforts, yet many perceived inconsistent pastoral responsiveness and communication. Some recalled periods when pastoral care felt more visible. Suggestions included clarifying how pastoral needs should be communicated, expanding lay involvement, and implementing more reliable weekend or crisis contact systems.
Programs and Engagement
Youth ministries were widely recognized as a strength; adult formation offerings are also appreciated. However, several groups observed that many parishioners—particularly working adults and young families—struggle to participate because of schedules, childcare needs, or lack of smaller, relationally oriented groups. There was interest in revitalizing midweek programs, creating targeted groups (e.g., parents, young adults), improving publicity of existing opportunities, and reducing barriers to entry for ministries that rely on volunteers.
Operations, Systems, and Governance
Several operational issues were repeatedly mentioned: frustration with Realm; inconsistent volunteer coordination; and concerns about nursery security and check-in processes. Transparency in finances and governance generated mixed responses. Some saw current disclosures as adequate, while others viewed financial transparency as a long-standing weakness and wanted more visibility into budgeting, decision-making, and the church’s relationship with St. Michael’s School.
Overall Themes
Participants expressed deep appreciation for CSMSG’s worship, leadership, and history, along with a desire for more intentional community-building, clearer communication, and systems that better support engagement. Most recommendations focused on achievable, incremental improvements rather than structural change—“quick wins” that could signal momentum and strengthen trust in the strategic planning process.
Share Comments by E-mail
We welcome your input! Send your thoughts to our dedicated email address, csmsgstratplan2025@gmail.com.
What happens with your input
We will synthesize all input—survey findings, focus groups, staff interviews, and anonymous comments—to build upon the 2019 strategic plan. Our goal is to discern clear, prayerfully grounded priorities and share updates transparently on this page and through parish communications.
Questions or need assistance? Contact the Strategic Planning team: stephen.e.eisele@gmail.com