Strategic Planning Task Force

Strategic Planning Task Force

Welcome

The Strategic Planning Task Force (SPTF) was established by the Church Council last spring in recognition of the pace and extent of change experienced not just at ACC, but in virtually all churches over the past several years. When the Task Force was on a retreat in late September, we resolved that while the winds of change had made the seas rough around us, we were going to surf those waves, rather than be engulfed by them. 


This page provides resources to keep up with our work and to engage with us. We have archived material here as a resource, we will post news and updates, and let you know how you can be involved as we move forward.

Our Charge from Church Council

Our Church, like our world, is in a different place than it was 10, or even 5 years ago. With change, we have both a tremendous opportunity and a responsibility to take a thorough look at what we value most and where we want our focus to be in 2024 and beyond as we continue to fulfill our covenant with God and each other.

What this charge entails:

  • Setting the course for the future of Acton Congregational Church
  • Identifying core areas of focus for our Church
  • Using these areas of focus to set directions for programs, staff, and volunteer priorities that are in line with membership and giving scenarios.
  • Fueling our work with intensive listening to the priorities of our Congregation.

What We Have Done to Date


  • Summer 2023: Compiled data on the Church and other churches as well as part visioning efforts.
  • September 2023: Firmed up our understanding of to firm up our understanding of where ACC and the broader church stand through a special Retreat session at the UCC Conference Center in Framingham, MA.
  • October 22, 2023: Presented our initial findings to the Congregation. Please find a link to the recording of that meeting on our Members Resource page (link below).
  • November 2023: Developed a plan for small group meetings (8-12 people) with all members and friends.


What We Are Working On


  • December 2023: Creating Members/friends sign up for small group listening sessions in January (see Sign-up Button below under Participation section).
  • January 2024: Present an Update at the Annual Meeting
  • March thru April 2024: Compile our findings and share with the Council and Congregation.
  • May thru June 2024: Prepare recommendations for the Council and Congregation.

Resources for Congregation Members

We have assembled some informational resources to assist in making the work of the SPTF available to the ACC Congregation. 

SPTF Resources

Meeting Recordings & Associated Documents


October 22, 2023
PDF: Strategic Planning Task Force Meeting Information
Video: Strategic Planning Task Force Update *
PDF: Meeting Slides
YouTube Video: Michael Jr: Know Your Why


* Please note: When the Michael Jr video played during the Meeting video, the sound of that video was muted. To see that video, please click on its individual link above.

Check back soon for more Strategic Planning Task Force Updates!


We will be releasing our schedule of small group meetings shortly.

Further Reading

E-News Articles


June 1, 2023 - Strategic Planning Task Force Update
Strategic Planning Task Force Begins its Work

October 22, 2023 - Strategic Planning Task Force Update

Meeting Information and Invitation

Press Articles


July 23, 2023 - The Atlantic, "The Misunderstood Reason Millions of Americans Stopped Going to Church" by Jake Meador


We Need Your Participation

We encourage all members of the Acton Congregational Church to participate in the continuing evolution of this active congregation.


While our in-person "listening sessions" have been completed, you can still have your voice heard in the future of Acton Congregational Church.


We invite you to submit written responses to our three questions with a deadline of Friday, March 29th. We are not looking for elaborate essays – a few bullet points or observations are sufficient – but we do want everyone to have a chance to provide their perspective. You can email your responses to me at bdietly@gmail.com.  Please download the informational handout to access the questions for which we need your input.

To find out more about participating, please download our Information Handout.  All congregation input sessions will be concluded by April 1, 2024.

Strategic Planning Task Force Members, Retreat October 2023
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