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What is reVision?

• reVision a tool that will support the mission of our presbytery by "helping our churches be the very best that they can be."
• reVision is a program that merges community demographic profile information with church demographic profile information to creatively support and direct defining or refining the mission of a local church.
• reVision will help us define the church's vision for the new millennium.
• reVision will instruct the church in determining what are the needs of the community of faith and those we hope to serve outside of the community of faith.
• reVision promotes bonding within a church and community.
• reVision provides an opportunity for the entire church to participate in identifying the vision and setting the goals of the mission of the church.
• reVision takes us from where we are to where we want to be.
• reVision makes its process immediately actionable in the church and in the community.
• reVision starts with the Bible since the Bible is the historic source of our understanding of God and what God is asking us to do in the world.
• reVision is brought to you by the Committee on Development and Revitalization of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta. Our mission is to serve you by being a resource for generating information about the church and the community that your church serves.

A THEOLOGICAL BASIS FOR REVISION

ReVision is a guided planning process for defining and implementing the ministry of the church within the local community.

ReVision reflects the need of congregations everywhere to consider again why they exist in their communities. The assumption is that at some time in the history of our church, the members had a vision for ministry in the community. But, as communities change and congregations evolve, the original vision that gave meaning to the life's work of a church may no longer provide adequate direction. We may need a new direction. We may need to re-vision. We may need ReVision.

What is a vision? A vision is comprised of two conditions.

A. The NOW is the current reality --what is presently existing.

B. The THEN is the desired reality --what ought to be -- the hope of the gospel.

At its highest level, the Bible and our theological traditions offer a picture of the NOW and the THEN. Recall Isaiah's vision in 61:1-13 and the hope of Paul in Romans 8:18-25. These two Scriptures tell us about humanity's great need to be free of sin and death --the what is -- the NOW; and God's plan for salvation -- what ought to be -- the THEN.

A gap exists between the NOW and the THEN. This gap is the mission. Of course, the gap will never be closed. However, we believe that God has called us to work towards that end in real and significant ways. If we do this, then we believe that the gap can be made smaller.

It is one thing to have a noble picture of what ought to be in contrast to what is, but is it quite another thing to translate this picture into a viable and meaningful mission. In Jesus we have the ultimate model of how vision translates into mission. In Luke 4:16-21, we recall Jesus teaching in the synagogue, reading the Isaiah scripture relating Isaiah's vision. Also in Luke 5:17-26, we learn of Jesus' power to produce wholeness and his authority to forgive sin, demonstrating the nature of the kingdom of God for life to break in where death prevails. In Luke 5:27-32, the nature of God's kingdom is demonstrated in Jesus choosing Levi.

Our actions as individuals and as members of Christ's Church must aim at closing the gap between what is and what ought to be in some real and substantial way.

SPEAKING OF FIRST VIEW REPORTS

Within the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, the Percept program has generated 158 ImagineAreas. Essentially, the population areas of the Presbytery have been arranged in clusters that have a three-mile radius. Some of these clusters contain one church and some contain many more. The REFERENCE chart shows the 158 population centers of our Presbytery. These clusters are ordered by population, i.e., the cluster with the most population is ImagineArea 1, the cluster with the next highest population is ImagineArea 2 and so on.

The First View Report is a six page report that tells us something about a particular ImagineArea. The ImagineArea shown in this information package is ImagineArea 1. This means that this area has a three-mile radius and is the largest population area in our Presbytery. Within ImagineArea 1 there are eight Presbyterian Churches.

Some of the information that is available in the First View Report is outlined below:

• How many people live in the defined study area?
• How do racial or ethnic groups contribute to diversity in this area?
• What are the major generational groups represented?
• Overall, how traditional are the family structures?
• How educated are the adults?
• Which household concerns are unusually high in the area?
• What is the likely giving potential in the area?
• Which general church programs or services are most likely to be preferred in the area?

Much, much more information available

A reference map of all  158 imagined areas of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta is available.  A complete Report for ImageArea #1 is also available,  In order to view these files properly, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.  If you do not have it installed you can get it by clicking the icon here:

A WALK THROUGH REVISION

ReVision is a guided planning process for defining and implementing the ministry of the church within the local community. ReVision reflects the need of congregations everywhere to consider again why they exist in their communities. The assumption is that at some time in the history of our church, the members had a vision for ministry in the community. But, as communities change and congregations evolve, the original vision that gave meaning to the life’s work of a church may no longer provide adequate direction. We may need a new direction. We may need to re-vision. We may need ReVision.

Examples of how ReVision can be used:

     A. PNC activity

     B. Church seeking a new vision and a new mission

     C. Learn more about your church and your community

Inquiring about the ReVision process:

     A. Call the Presbytery office for a ReVision starter kit

     B. Discuss any immediate questions you may have

Getting started with the ReVision starter kit:

     A. Recruit a taskforce

     B. Appoint a chairperson

     C. Conduct a congregation survey

     D. Complete ReVision order form

     E. Mail congregation survey and order form, including payment, to Percept Group, Inc.

Three-week waiting period:.

     A. ReVision Guide Book

     B. Context report

In the meantime:

     A. Taskforce should read the entire starter kit and become familiar with the component parts of ReVision

     B. Inquire with the Presbytery office about a facilitator

After three-weeks, you will receive:

     A. ReVision Guide Book

     B. Context Report: Comparison of church and community profile data

Become familiar with the ReVision material and process. Review the timeline for conducting ReVision.

Walk through the doors of ReVision

     A.. Readiness

            a. Organizational tasks

            b.. Timeline

     B. Reflection

            a. Recruit and train reflection leaders

            b. Establish small groups

            c.. Identify hosts and develop schedule

            d. Engage Context Report

            e. Build theological basis for ReVision

     C. ReVision

            a. Vision statement

            b. Develop three year plan

            c.. Retreat

            d. Presentation to session

            e. Presentation to congregation

Some Thoughts on Conducting Reflection Groups as Part of the Revision Process

1. Food helps! Food is a great motivator. Food is a great bonding agent. Food is a great pacifier. Food helps!

2. Always have a discussion leader. This leader can also be the recorder, but if this dual task is too daunting, then use another person to record the discussion points.

3. Establish rules for the road up front, i.e., who will facilitate, how long the meeting will last, when breaks will occur, what methods and tools will be used, how the discussion will proceed, etc.

4. Assure that there is always equality among discussion members.

5. Every voice should be heard. No one person should be allowed to dominate the discussion. Each and every voice is important. Even when someone is reluctant to speak, the group leader should encourage that person to participate.

6. There are no right or wrong answers in these group reflections. What is desired is that each person freely express his or her personal feelings concerning the issue under discussion. Avoid confronting someone concerning their personal feelings or opinions.

7. Do not block issues that are unpopular or sensitive in the group. All issues should be allowed to surface for discussion.

8. Personal criticism will not add any value to the discussions.

9. Two or more can sing at one time, but two or more can not talk at the same time.

10. Budgets should not be a consideration in reflection discussions. Budget considerations can surface in the latter phases of the revision process. "Accountants"