Welcome and welcome back!
September 2024 – A few quick updates — in case you blinked like I did, and missed the summer as it roared by!
Over the summer, we were fortunate to land not one, but 2 film deals for Knox. One was for a commercial, and the other was for an upcoming movie about animals that escape from the zoo. In case you see this movie, I want to make sure everyone knows that the penguin in the sanctuary isn’t real – it’s computer generated! Together, these projects have brought much needed income for our bottom line. And in addition to these film shoots, we booked a wedding and a rental for a one-time dance group.
I’m sure you all want to hear updates on the building project, but the developer has been holding us at arms’ length through July and August. We’re waiting for a meeting date and an update on what’s happening. In the meantime, we received the good news that the VSB has signed their easement agreement with Hon – this was one of the very few remaining things that needs to happen to be able to break ground. We’ve also made use of our legal counsel (and Hon’s) to require an improvement to security measures at the old Fellowship Centre now that autumn is here.
Sharon B and I spent a great deal of time in the office this summer, working through neglected parts of our admin. This was in support of the strategic plan to become Partner Ready, and specially, the tactic to review policies and look for efficiencies in our administration and operations. Sharon and I updated our rental agreements, our rental fees, and looked at several policies that haven’t been updated for a while. Those policies will be updated and start going before the board for approval on a regular basis.
The Board’s priority this fall will be to review our governance structure — to look for ways we can consolidate our leadership, and transfer tasks and responsibilities to paid staff roles (this is also in support of our strategic plan). Once the new structure is drafted, we’ll meet with PMR to make sure we’re on a safe and legal track, and we’ll chat with the congregation about the pros and cons of the proposed new structure. With everyone’s feedback, we’re hoping to pass a motion to approve a new structure at the ACM in the first quarter of 2025.
Thank you for reading! See you in the pews.
Susan
Knox Board Chair
Summer greetings from the Knox Board!
A few quick Strategic Planning updates and other bits of summertime news from around Knox:
1. Making Spaces:
a. Tend to the Building Project: Alan M and our lawyer are actively pushing for a meeting with Hon to discuss the condition of the Fellowship Centre property, the portable office trailer and most importantly, anything reassuring about an intended start date for construction. But in more exciting news, the Vancouver School Board has signed the License Agreement needed for a crane to swing out over the school property! This is one of the final big steps to be ready for groundbreaking. A few pieces of admin work remain on both the license agreement and the easement agreement with our next-door neighbour, but our lawyer advises that “the finish line on these items is clearly in sight”.
b. Become more creative and efficient in how we use our Church Building and land: Following our June Second Sunday meal and announcements about how we’ll move forward with this goal, Sharon B, Anne M and Michelle M will form a small working group. Their task is to look for temporary efficiencies and creative use of spaces in which we can operate well, until the new building is completed. This team will be collaborating with key staff, the Worship and F&PM teams, and congregants, to ensure that any changes make good sense, and can be undone later (if needed).
2. Financial Comfort:
a. Find accord on the concepts of spending and saving: We’re planning a fall retreat for the Trustees and Board to talk deeply about operating costs, deficit, savings and investments. Our goal? To agree on what funds can be used, without angst, to drive our operations and ministry at Knox over the next 3 to 5 years.
b. Continue to refine and upgrade our financial processes: Margaret P is on sabbatical at this time. In the meantime, Larry, Sharon B, Bookkeeper Jeannie and I continue to chip away at refinements to our financial process, tools and documents.
c. Address the deficit: See above, point 2a, as this retreat will help to inform how we define “deficit” and approach it in the future.
3. Becoming Partner-Ready:
A quick recap: According to Pacific Mountain Region, the United Churches that are succeeding are the ones who partner up. This could look like a traditional amalgamation, but it can also look like a partnership with other non-profits, denominations, or community organizations.
a. Reach out to potential partners: At our June meal, we called for a small working group to reach out into the community and start to make connections. Unfortunately, we’ve had no response on this, so we’re working on Plan B for the fall. This may involve gathering leads from the congregation, and then finding a few key people, each of whom will reach out to one lead.
b. Governance & staff model reviews: On July 18, the board held a retreat to begin looking at our current model, which was designed for (and by) a much larger congregation. In the coming weeks, we will discuss ways to reduce Knox’s governance structure, become less reliant on our shrinking volunteers, and maintain an affordable, suitable staff model.
c. Policies & efficiencies: As I write this update, I am sitting in the Knox office, preparing to work with Sharon B today on a pile of important but non-urgent admin work: Revising and updating our staff and rental contracts, fees, invoice and expense templates, signing off on past minutes, and much, much more.
4. IN-reach:
a. Develop & implement programs that address congregational vibrancy, wellness and resiliency – spiritual, emotional, and physical: From the Second Sunday meals to Healing Touch and Arts drop-in, we’re making great gains on this goal. The latest news is that our fitness program, which is rolling through the summer, is incredibly well-attended. Now we have another decisions to make: what will we do with the surplus income being generated by this fantastic program? And a small teaser: we are working on a new music & wellness program to launch in early 2025. Stand by for news!
5. Expand our Web Ministry:
a. A web ministry with clear objectives, that resonates with vision content: Neighbourhood, The Arts, Connection: In June I advised that Ben will be joining our small Web Ministry team as a videographer, creating videos that celebrate the life and work at Knox. I can also announce that Kevin will be expanding his Sunday morning duties by taking on our Social Media platforms. This will help us expand our reach and share our faith, stories and programs more broadly.
In other news… we have one film shoot confirmed for July / August and hopefully will be landing a second one shortly. These promise to be a major source of income for 2024. We’ve also got a wedding booked on September 14th! And you’ll want to mark your calendar for the next Lab Choir performance on September 15th (time TBA). Please also stand by for a Sentimental Journey band concert date this fall. We’re glad to host Bob C’s band here every summer, and we’re grateful that they share their fantastic music with us every fall.
You will see Anne M around the office more this summer and fall. She is stepping into some additional responsibilities, which will free Sharon B up to tackle more of the administrative clean-up our office so badly needs.
Finally, I want to extend my gratitude to our staff and volunteers for extending their talent and work into the Summer Spirit program. This collaborative summer worship has become a highlight of the year for all the west side United Churches, thanks in no small part to the willingness of our staff to be involved in worship and in the upkeep of the church building. THANK YOU all!
– Susan M on behalf of the Knox Board
Knox’s Strategic Plan – We Have Tactics!!
In April 2023, following Knox’s Annual Congregational Meeting, we kicked off a formal Strategic Planning process. The Trustees, Board, and Finance team met to have a candid talk about Knox’s future.
Our discussion focused on Knox’s vision – a unique, beautiful, and authentic vision for connecting people who may be experiencing isolation, using the Arts as a medium. Generally, the consensus was that Church Life and the Arts have been getting the bulk of our time and attention since the pandemic, with much less focus on Isolation. And, we’ve been living life like there’s still a pandemic on. As a group, we agreed on one thing: To secure a vibrant future or legacy for Knox, we must design Vision-based initiatives into which we can pour our hearts.
However, this meeting also raised a lot of questions. Questions like:
- What could vision initiatives look like with a deficit, dropping income, leveled-off investments, and rising operating costs?
- How will we manage the construction of the new building, and what will we do in the new building when it’s complete? (And now, flash forward to January 2024 with no definite start date, how can we make the most of the spaces we do have?
- What is our true capacity as a family-sized congregation of mainly seniors?
- How have our needs as a congregation changed since the pandemic? And how have our neighbours’ needs changed?
- What are the lively areas emerging at Knox since the pandemic?
Discussions on these topics have been ongoing since September 2023, with the Board often meeting bi-weekly to talk about these topics and Knox’s future. Along the way, we held congregational conversations to talk with our members about similar topics.
During a retreat in early January, the Board agreed on a shortlist of key areas that need our attention.
Some were less glamorous, but absolutely need our time and attention. Others seemed to have potential for investment and programming, and were receiving energy and support from the congregation. And so we developed a set of GOALS for Knox for the next three years. Goals are basically “WHAT we want to DO.” These goals were supported by the congregation at the 2024 ACM, which allowed the Board to get busy developing TACTICS to support the Goals — Tactics are “HOW we will achieve the goals.”
These Tactics were shared with the congregation this past week, Sunday May 26. And here they are, in pdf format for your review.
Please share your questions or feedback with any board members. Thank you for looking, and please stand by for news on what tactics will be prioritized for the summer and fall.
– submitted by Susan, Knox Board Chair
Updates on Knox’s Strategic (Ministry) Plan – April 2024
If you attended Knox’s ACM in February, you had a chance to hear about (and vote on) Knox’s Strategic Plan. Sometimes also called a Ministry Plan, this plan is being developed to keep us focused and efficient while we strive to live out God’s vision for us with smaller budgets and an aging congregation.
During the ACM, the Knox congregation voted on 5 goals — 2 of which are administrative, and which will be mostly handled by staff members and relevant teams. The other 3 goals are vision and spirit led, and will enliven our life at Knox while we navigate the realities of living in the southwest corner of Vancouver in this post-pandemic time.
Let’s recap the Strategic Plan goals:
1. Making Space(s):
This goal is about two things:
- Making the sanctuary building as comfortable and as functional as possible while we continue to wait for the development of our new building. A past example of similar success is when we upgraded the Flower Room to make it usable as a tiny kitchen.
- Continuing to shepherd the development project. This means being ready to respond quickly to any changes, and leveraging any opportunities we can find to keep things moving. This also includes acquiring an office trailer, so that our staff can work more efficiently in a more ideal workspace.
2. Financial Comfort:
This goal is about refining our financial reporting and processes, coming to terms with our true financial picture AND becoming objective about money (taking gut and emotional decisions around money out of the picture). We will strive to understand what it means to be good stewards in this time and this place (Pro tip: Stewardship can’t look like it did in the past).
3. IN-reach:
This goal is about ramping up care for our congregation, and you’ve probably already noticed some initiatives popping up in this area: The relaunch of Healing Touch, our new all-abilities Chair Fitness classes (22 people on opening day!), Bible & Brew (coffee / tea) with Rev. Richard, Arts & Crafts afternoons, and the Second Sunday Meal. Watch for more initiatives to come!
4. Expanding our Web Ministry:
With the development of our Vision, the Knox website evolved from a typical church website into a Web Ministry. And while this ministry’s purpose was clear during the pandemic, lately, it’s less clear. This goal means bringing clarity to questions such as: Who are we trying to serve, and why? What do we want them to know, do, or experience? How can we link Knox with neighbourhood, the Arts, and support social connectedness with the website? And how do we measure success with this ministry?
5. Becoming Partner-ready:
This goal is about getting ourselves in order, so that we can be more appealing (i.e. professional, efficient, organized) to potential partners. Currently, Pacific Mountain Region (PMR) is noticing a direct correlation between “churches that partner with other organizations that share values” and “success”. Good thing we were already building this into our plan as a goal! We will seek out churches and other non-profit neighbourhood organizations with the aim of finding groups who want to work in collaboration with Knox. (Please note, this does not necessarily mean Amalgamation. Amalgamation is a CRA technical term, and it would be something deeply explored and discussed before ever happening.)
So where are we at on this plan? Since the ACM, the Board has been working hard on lists of “Tactics” to support our Goals. If the goals are “WHAT we want to do”, then the tactics are “HOW we’ll do it, and WHO will do it”. In May, we’ll bring Tactics to the congregation for discussion. And in June or September, we’ll take a look at a potential new governance structure for Knox. This structure will need to rely less on volunteers and more on paid accountable roles.
Change is really, really, really hard. REALLY hard. Sometimes the flexibility, informed risk, and creativity needed to support change feels like too much. The sense of control that comes with the status quo can hold tremendous appeal. At any time, if Knox chooses the status quo, that’s what we’ll do. But it’s important to know that with the status quo comes a shorter lifespan. Our money and people numbers won’t last. At every meeting PMR, we hear this: “We want you to experiment”. The Strategic Plan will show PMR that we are trying new things, which will then allow us to pursue additional funding. This funding is key to securing a longer, brighter future for Knox, or a solid legacy in our neighbourhood.
Communication is hard, too. Our leaders are incredibly stretched, managing both Knox work and personal demands. We’ve committed to communicating frequently as tactics begin to unfold, and we will make opportunities for ongoing conversation. One of our IN-reach tactics, Second Sunday Meals, will be a great chance to talk informally about all the latest and greatest, and hear news direct from the Board and leaders.
Please don’t forget that good communication happens two-ways. If you miss a meeting, or if you have questions, ideas, or concerns, our leaders need to hear them directly. Reach out to the key leader involved on a topic if you’ve heard something that makes you feel worried — or go right to myself or Rev. Richard. Rumours are an inevitable part of change, but they’re not a healthy part.
We are a family-sized congregation with deeply shared values and beliefs. We exist to love God and our neighbours, we value the Arts and social connection, and we understand how these bring people together. We offer deep and authentic hospitality to everyone. In a city where the population is larger than ever, loneliness and isolation are a growing social (and health) issue. Knox is needed in our community more than ever. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Together, led by Christ and our vision, we can make a better neighbourhood for everyone around us.
– submitted by Susan, Knox Board Chair
CURRENT YEAR Reports
PAST YEARS
Annual Reports , Governance Chart, New Directions
Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2022
Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2021
Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2020
ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING, MARCH 21, 2021 (held via ZOOM)
- ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING 2020, March 6th
- Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2019
- ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING 2019, March 10th
- Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2018
- ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING 2018, February
- Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2017
- Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2016
- Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2015
- Knox ANNUAL REPORT for YEAR ENDING 2014
- Moving from Conversation to Action – Our New Directions – March 18 2014
Your questions are welcome.
Give us a call at 604 261 3747.
Better yet, drop in, talk with any of the congregation and ask us your questions in person – we are always happy to chat.
Knox working to help UN Refugee Agency
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5590 Balaclava Street
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