EPF Strategic Planning Process

by Linda Gaither

“Episcopal Peace Fellowship is actively dismantling violence, doing justice and striving to be peacemakers.”

This EPF mission statement is one achievement of an intensive strategic planning process undertaken in 2007. Your national executive committee engaged in this process to more effectively partner with you, the chapters and individual members, as we build our witness through national and regional events. Our vision: every parish a Peace Partner. Our strategy: provide tools, training and organizational support to dismantle the culture of violence in ourselves, our congregations, our communities and our nation.

In April, 2007, the NEC gathered in Chicago to begin the strategic planning process under the excellent leadership of consultant Barbara Raye of Minneapolis. We had in hand the results of a membership survey involving 400 households, tabulated using SurveyMonkey.com. Our survey instrument provided an overview of members’ past and present experience of EPF, as well as suggestions for new directions. We also had in hand reports of conference calls with constituent groups, such as chapter conveners and allies. We carefully considered responses to questions such as “What is your present experience or impression of EPF?”, “Where are the linkages between religious peace fellowships?”, “What practical actions will promote our goals?”. This valuable information acted as our spring-board into a reflection process.

What was our process? In intensive sessions, Barbara led the assembled NEC through a series of exercises focused by reflection questions. What are our opportunities? What are our challenges? We articulated what we believe are EPF’s strengths and weaknesses. What are our goals? This question involved us in visioning exercises and imagined scenarios of the future. We struggled to articulate our core values, looking for those four or five values that show up in all of EPF’s work:

• Radical Nonviolent Activism
• Personal and Corporate Conscientious Objection
• Prayerful Discernment
• Prophetic Spirituality
• Baptismal Covenant Promises

These values are reflected in our current tag line: Connect, Pray, Act for Peace.

To move from vision to action, the following actions steps were articulated:

• Develop tool kits for EPF chapters, members and parishes to empower local organizing, education, worship, connections and actions.
• Increase organized ecumenical opportunities for public witness.
• Develop and disseminate intellectual work analyzing key issues and their relationship with peace and justice action.
• Change in the church: promote nonviolent peacemaking skills and values as core competencies in education for ministry; promote collaboration at all levels and imbed peace in all aspects of the life and mission of TEC.
• Increase public policy and advocacy at local, state and national levels, including the honing of networking and lobbying skill development.
• Expand nonviolence work in underserved communities.
• Strengthen EPF by increasing our diversity, breadth, age range and involvement of its members.

So what does all this mean for you, our members, chapters and readers? We believe EPF’s strategic vision and goals put the national office in a position to more effectively partner with you. Communicating and Connecting are key aspects of this partnership. Two new positions have been created to provide us with professional assistance: a media master with skills in web-site design, maintenance and E-zine production; and a publicity manager for advertising, news releases, etc. Our staff and our projects will require funding. Our membership will make it all happen.

The EPF is the membership. All of us together are stake-holders in our vision and goals.
We are Peace Partners: individuals, chapters, parishes, cathedrals, all of us working together, pledging together, praying together, eyes wide open to peace with justice. Please read carefully the information on Peace Partners presented in this issue. Make your pledge to support and participate in the EPF Mission: dismantle violence, do justice, become peacemakers.

Linda Gaither is the Vice-Chair of the National Executive Council.