Widening the Circle of Care

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Widening the Circle of Care

• Survey Response Summary
• May 31, 2008

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QUESTION 1 What do you think All Souls is
currently doing that helps build a caring
community?

• Selected Quotes
• Attempts to make activity participation more
  cohesive such as gardening meal preparation
• Make sure we don't lose sight of individual needs
  for connection as our numbers grow
• Would like to see more outreach and specific
  mentoring.
• There isn't enough room here to say all the nice
  things that are built into the church rituals and
  policies.
• The church is creating a healthier conscience
  within the hearts of the members
• Community is wonderful but sometimes it isn't as
  coordinated as it could be.

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QUESTION 2 What is your vision of a caring
community?

• Selected Quotes
• In a large church we need computerized data
  about members interests, skills and current level
  of church participation.
• Programs, systems, and trained volunteers are
  easy to connect to and reliable in responding.
• Balancing responsibilities, activities,
  opportunities and constructing an infrastructure
  and a financial system that allows it all to
  happen.
• You do see the same 10 of the congregation doing
  90 of the volunteer work, especially the more
  unstructured tasks.
• A community where all of its members know exactly
  who/how to go to to seek help, to share
  information -- because the information everyone
  needs is routinely and comprehensively
  communicated to all members.
• I'd like to see us get a van and incorporate our
  elders more intentionally into the life of the
  church.
• Where those with whom we share information
  respond to an expressed need better yet,
  anticipate and commit to helping

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QUESTION 3 What is your role, as an
individual, in building a more caring community
at All Souls?

• Selected Quotes
• Regular contact with two members not regularly
  attending church. Regular phone contact with
  several long time members.
• Supporting and taking care of my covenant group
  members. Being their first responder
• I see big gaps in what we do as a caring network.
  I'm hoping in the coming year to have more time
  and energy to give to this work so that we can
  strengthen our responses.
• To get to know more members of the church. Not
  just by name or face, but what their interests
  are and how they feel about the church's
  direction.

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QUESTION 4 How do you see your group
contributing toward creating a more caring
community?

• Selected Quotes
• I'm very excited that you have chosen this theme
  for the meeting, because the work of creating a
  caring community is much larger than I or the
  Caring Network can do alone.
• We have worked with other groups at church to
  build on shared concerns and passions Kuumba
  players, ADORE, Building and Grounds committee,
  and others. We are developing a RideShare system,
  which has lovely environmental implications, but
  something people may not be aware of is how it
  also came from our concern and desire to help
  those who may not otherwise be able to come to
  church such as some of our elderly members
• Sponsorship of a living covenant of right
  relations that lifts up pastoral care and
  connection
• I think that Young Souls allows for social
  interaction that welcomes people and allows for
  deeper relationships to develop. The work of WIN
  allows us to stay connected to a broader faith
  and city community that can draw our attention to
  the social needs inside and outside the church.

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QUESTION 5 What are your groups upcoming
plans, and in what way do you think they will
help widen the circle?

• Selected Quotes
• Each one of the group's I'm part of is engaged in
  trying to help make the Church a stronger, more
  inclusive and effective institution.
• Writing a survey that we will send to ASC's older
  members to assess what needs they feel the church
  might help them meet, whether they might want to
  offer help to members of the church, and what
  classes or other activities they might like to
  attend if ASC offered them.
• Music is often the gateway for new members. Once
  involved, they frequently become involved and
  take leadership roles in other parts of the
  church community.

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QUESTION 6. Please complete the following
sentence. A truly caring church community would
be one that

• Selected Quotes
• Takes care of each other in times of need in
  tangible ways and creates an environment where
  all feel held in the embrace of the community
• Continues to strive to be more caring and finds
  specific ways to do so
• Makes clear when and how its members can receive
  attention to personal troubles.
• Was prepared structurally for the life challenges
  that its members will inevitably face (such as
  illness, death), and had efficient and loving
  systems in place to support its members
• I also see a role of the Church Council to help
  us be more caring - by allowing us to share of
  ourselves more in the Church Council meetings
  -i.e. what our committees are doing and such so
  that we can find connections with other groups.

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QUESTION 7 Please use the space below if you
would like to share a personal story or example
of when you felt you were part of a caring
community during your time at All Souls.

• Selected Quotes
• When I broke my foot, it was very nice to get a
  Caring Card, and see that it was mentioned in the
  newsletter, and people emailed me or called me to
  offer assistance.
• I find attending WIN meetings an example of
  something I could not do if I were not a member
  of All Souls
• Most amazing to me were the members who were
  willing to come to our house and stay in the
  evenings or weekend hours
• Realizing that newcomers won't return if we don't
  reach out to them and learn their stories, etc.
• When Gabrielle corrects or disciplines my son,
  and reassures me that he is not a congenital
  miscreant and that she loves us both --- thats a
  caring community
• John Strang called together a few choir folk for
  a pot luck at her apartment. We sat quietly, ate
  the wonderful food and, without talking about the
  brother, simply provided support
• I don't ask for or need very much at this time in
  my life. There may be other times to come when I
  would be less confident of the ability of the
  church to respond effectively.