To our sisters and brothers in Christ, gathered as Bethel Lutheran Church:

Thanks be to God for His love and Grace, and for His many blessings to Bethel congregation. To Him be praise and glory forever.

Before you read further, please reread the Scripture above. Study it and prayerfully ask that the presence and insight of the Holy Spirit will be with you as you read this plan and respond to it. As the Apostle Paul says, we are to "stand firmly upon God and not upon man’s great ideas." Every step of the way, your committee has prayed that we would be led by the Holy Spirit in our work, and we pray that this report reflects that guidance. Now, we would encourage each of you to look to Scripture and the Holy Spirit to discern what it is that God would have us do in this place to be obedient to His Will.

This is the report of the Long Range Planning Committee for Bethel Lutheran Church, under charter by the Executive Committee. The committee did its work between November 1997 and May 1998. This report was presented to and approved by the Executive Committee on May 12, and by the Church Council on May 26, 1998. The report will be considered by the membership at the congregational meeting of June 7.

The report and its recommendations are not official until they have been approved by the congregation . More importantly, the work of this committee will not achieve its intended impact unless and until its spirit, direction and recommendations are embraced by the membership of Bethel. After that, the task will be for all of us to implement the plan as a community of faith and a part of the Body of Christ. This is not a "they" document; it is a "we" document.

The committee members were:

The committee was directed by the Executive Committee to develop a long-range plan for Bethel covering ten years. The intent of this plan is to state vision, mission and core values for the congregation and to identify specific action steps in pursuit of the mission.

Ten years is too long a time for which a plan can have certainty. Circumstances and attitudes change too quickly. The longer the period, the less certain we can be that our suggestions will remain relevant. But that has not deterred us from stating what we believe can and should be accomplished during the next decade.

At every step during our work, we have prayerfully sought the Holy Spirit’s direction. Our study, deliberations and decisions were made based upon several core beliefs rooted in Scripture and Lutheran doctrine:

• We believe God has called us together, as Bethel congregation, to do His will as the Body of Christ in this time and place
• We believe He enlightens us with the Holy Spirit to discern what His will is for us
• We believe He has blessed us with abundant resources to carry out that will
• We believe that Bethel’s potential to do great things for the Lord is only partially realized
• We believe that the work of the church is not carried out by institutions, but by the work of people, both individually and together
• We believe that our obligation – as a congregation and as leaders – is to provide a variety of opportunities for people to worship, to grow in faith, and to serve God and each other.

In trying to discern the will of God, we attempted to involve as many fellow members of Bethel in this process as we could. Our work included:

• a printed survey, completed by 160 persons (results summarized in Appendix B)
• a series of focus groups on future plans, attended by 46 people
• interviews on the history of Bethel with 22 people (results summarized in Appendix C)
• a Sunday morning Forum on the committee’s purpose and work
• review of what Scripture, Lutheran doctrine and our constitution say about our mission as a congregation
• interviews with the church staff
• review of U.S. Census data for our area

Having recently celebrated the congregation’s 40^th anniversary, Bethel members are keenly aware of the multitude of accomplishments that have taken place at Bethel. God’s blessings and the power of the Holy Spirit have been abundantly evident throughout those 40 years. While it is not the intent of this plan to give a complete history of Bethel, the committee has interviewed several long-term members to identify some of the consistencies in Bethel over the years. As we plan ahead, it is important to know whence we have come.

Several characteristics of Bethel seem to have been relatively consistent over the years, among them the following:

• Adherence to Lutheran doctrine – Bethel has always been rooted in the core Lutheran teachings of justification by faith, and Luther’s admonition of "Scripture alone, Faith alone, Grace alone."
• Primacy of worship and the Sacraments – The worship service, baptism and Holy Communion have always held primary place of importance in the life of the congregation.
• Importance of education – From its early days, Sunday School and adult education have been viewed as central functions.
• Makeup of the congregation – From its start in the old Cupertino post office, Bethel has been a "mainstream" suburban church, with growth fueled by an influx of young families and by the California population boom of the ‘60s and ‘70s.
• Pastoral leadership – Bethel has been blessed with excellent clergy with a diversity of gifts.
• Financial resources – With a few exceptions, Bethel has been blessed with relatively stable finances .
• Resilience – Over the years, Bethel has been tested by several crises, yet has withstood those challenges to remain a strong congregation.

However, many things have changed over the past 40 years, including the following:

• Growth – In the ‘60s and ‘70s, the rate of growth in membership was high. In the ‘80s it declined and in the ‘90s it has begun to grow again. Bethel today has a membership of more than 1,000 persons, making it one of the largest Lutheran congregations in the Bay Area. Starting from a small building that is now Torvend Hall, the facilities have grown to include a large sanctuary, classrooms, meeting rooms and office space.
• Diversity of worship – Bethel today has three distinct worship services, all rooted in Lutheran doctrine. These serve members’ varying needs and reflect quite different styles. Although some members believe Bethel has become divided, a much larger number of people view the diversity of worship services as a strength.
• Decline in evangelism emphasis – A consistent observation about Bethel’s early years was the strong emphasis on evangelism, led by the founding pastor, Si Torvend. Some members feel that evangelism holds a considerably lower priority today, although there has been a renewed emphasis in the last couple of years.
• Community changes – The Cupertino-Sunnyvale area today is almost fully built out, making it unlikely that future growth at Bethel will come as the result of overall population growth. Bethel today is in the heart of Silicon Valley, an area whose education level and income are considerably higher than the nation as a whole. Silicon Valley also has a far greater percentage of Asians and Hispanics, and a much smaller percentage of African-Americans, than the U.S. overall.
• Religious trends – For many years now, mainline churches in the United States have been on the decline in terms of membership. Non-Christian religions have grown in prominence, and growth in Christianity has been mainly through non-denominational congregations.
• Changing family – The definition of "family" continues to change in the United States. The "typical" family of 40 years ago (working father, homemaker mother and two children) is today a minority of U.S. households

Bethel Lutheran Church today is, in many ways, a rare story – a mainstream Protestant congregation that has a slowly growing membership welcoming an impressive number of young families. It is located in a healthy, affluent community; has a first-rate education program, a lively youth ministry, excellent music, capable staff, and a strong sense of church family. We have stable finances, a diversity of ministries, and are blessed with scores of members who generously give of themselves in service and leadership.

At the same time, Bethel faces several challenges. There is persistent poor communication within the congregation. Concerns about church finances have been persistent. Many questions are raised about the vision of Bethel congregation and its long-term direction. And, we must do a better job of effectively employing the wide range of gifts of our members.

The written survey filled out by 160 members (reported in Appendix C) suggests that members see both strengths and shortcomings in the church today. Briefly, the results of the survey showed the following perceptions:

The survey asked members to rate the current status of Bethel on a variety of characteristics, and also to rate the relative importance of those characteristics. One of the most striking observations about the survey results is that of the ten items ranked highest in importance, nine of them also were in the top-ten ratings of satisfaction. The conclusion we draw is that Bethel members feel the church is generally doing a good job on the things that are most important to the members.

Bethel in 1998 is, in many ways, balanced on a teeter-totter. We are strongly rooted in Lutheran tradition, yet are situated in the most fast-paced, future-looking place on Earth. We are a growing mainstream Protestant church, yet our growth has been nowhere near the overall growth in population. The church has adopted new forms of worship and started many programs, yet the lifestyle of our members is changing faster than we can fully appreciate.

The committee has asked itself, asked you and prayed earnestly over the question "What has God called Bethel Lutheran Church to do in this time and place?" Our answers to this question follow.

Our vision for Bethel over the next ten years is a community of faith with a passion for discipling our members and a commitment to confidently sharing our faith in Jesus Christ in both word and service wherever God leads us.

It is a community gathered around the Cross of Christ and rooted in Lutheran doctrine. It is Christ-centered, Bible-centered and empowered by God’s love and the Holy Spirit.

We believe Bethel is called to be a vibrant, full service, regional church. By "vibrant," we mean that Bethel is a place to which people come eagerly and from which they depart energized and Spirit-filled. By "full-service," we mean that Bethel offers worship, learning and serving opportunities for people at all stages of their lives, demonstrating the love of Christ and equipping them to live for Christ in the world. By "regional," we mean that our members and our ministries extend beyond our immediate neighborhood.

In our vision, Bethel uses the latest communications technologies to reach people, but never forgets that God’s love is best transmitted in person. It responds to the realities of today’s changing lifestyles, but never forgets that the richest lifestyle is one based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It provides opportunities throughout the week for people to grow in this relationship.

We envision Bethel as a larger congregation in ten years. How large, we don’t know. Membership growth is not a goal in itself. It is just one of several measures, both quantitative and qualitative, of how well we carry out our mission. We also envision that Bethel will have additional facilities, larger and more modern than today’s. But again, growth in facilities is not an end in itself, but simply a means to carry out the work God would have us do.

One way to think about vision is to ask, "What will be different?" In our vision, the single greatest difference in Bethel over the next ten years is the conscious emphasis placed on discipleship. We say this because we believe that a congregation has two fundamental purposes – worship and discipleship. In the past ten years, Bethel has made outstanding improvements in worship. Now, it is time that similar improvements are made in discipleship.

Bethel’s mission is to enable everyone to experience, nurture and share a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

People experience life most fully when they know the love of God through the saving life, death and resurrection of His Son. They respond to that love in obedience to the call of Christ. The church’s primary mission, then, is to help people come into such a relationship with God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and then to continually grow in that relationship throughout their lives.

This is our mission – what we are called to do by God. How we do it is more complex. Broadly, our life as a congregation can be viewed in four categories:

• Worship – Gathering together to praise and give thanks to God, and to hear His word and will for us.
• Discipleship – Equipping people to grow in faith, and to live and witness that faith in every aspect of their lives. Through this witness and sharing of faith with those contacted in daily life, evangelism occurs naturally.
• Service – Providing individual and group opportunities for people to reach out to all people during the course of their everyday lives and help meet their emotional and physical needs.
• Community Building – Supporting each other in times of joy and crisis; encouraging each other in faith; building personal relationships among members and friends of Bethel.

The long-range planning committee has reviewed what Bethel is doing today and has considered a long list of suggestions as to what more it could do in the future. Before discussing what we feel should be added to Bethel’s ministry, we want to affirm the many positive programs and activities that exist today. There is, in fact, no current activity we believe should be stopped. But future planning is largely a matter of setting priorities among various needs and opportunities. So, if we do not specifically mention a ministry or program in our recommendations, it is not because we do not value it. It simply means that we believe it has relatively lower priority for new resources or emphasis. In most cases, this means we believe the program or ministry is and will continue to be strong.

The committee’s recommendations are outlined below and then discussed in detail. A timeline summarizing these recommendations and our suggested timing is Appendix A. Paragraph numbers in the timeline match the following outline and discussion.

No other word captures the essence of our Lord's will for our lives more than ministry. Within it lie boundless opportunities for us to serve Him. Through ministry we put our faith into action.

1. Worship

1. Additional worship opportunities

Worship is the most important activity in the life of a church. We should, therefore, continually look for ways to strengthen the worship experience and involve people in it. One of Bethel’s strong points is its diversity of worship experiences – three services on Sunday morning, each with a different character and each growing in attendance (at present). While there is some concern that the different natures of the services mean Bethel is becoming multiple churches, on the whole we believe this diversity is a strength. In fact, we recommend that Bethel go even further in this direction. Specifically, we recommend:

• A Saturday- or Sunday-evening worship service to meet the needs of people who cannot attend a Sunday morning service due to their jobs. This should begin by Fall 1999.
• A worship service whose format and content is specifically intended for high-school-age youth. This should begin by Fall 2000.
• A mid-week worship experience. This should begin by Fall 2000 with worship alone, and the range of activities expanding over time as more facilities become available.

The youth service is important, we believe, because our 11:00 service – while modern compared to traditional Lutheran worship – is not considered "contemporary" by today’s youth. Mid-week worship would be part of a broad set of activities designed to extend the experience of worship, fellowship and discipling beyond Sunday morning.

1. Discipleship

1. Programs to equip people for living their faith

Along with worship, discipleship is the central role of the church. By discipleship, we mean building up people in their faith and equipping them to live and share that faith in their daily lives. It is important to view discipleship in this dual way. It is not just study, but also action to apply faith in all aspects of daily life.

The committee believes discipleship should be a core, ingrained and highly visible function of the church, touching the greatest possible number of people. Bethel will provide a regular, ongoing program of classes and other instructional activities whose goals are to: 1) enrich and deepen the understanding that people have of their faith; and 2) equip and encourage people to live and share their faith in all aspects of their lives.

In our vision, this discipleship program will:

• have learning experiences and material appropriate to people at all stages of growth as Christians
• be Scripture-based
• consciously give guidance on applying faith to everyday life
• recognize that growth as a Christian starts when we are young children and continues throughout life
• equip members to share their faith with others in a diversity of settings
• cover Biblical concepts of stewardship and how to implement those concepts through personal inventories of time and talents
• be led by both called clergy and lay members

Multiple methods should be employed, including Sunday School, youth and adult classes, small groups, and one-on-one mentoring. Every Bethel member should feel empowered and encouraged to "build up one another in faith."

Bible study is a bedrock part of discipleship. We believe the congregation should set a goal of having 15 percent of worshipers engaged in Bible study by 2000, with that number growing to 20 percent by 2001, 35 percent by 2004 and 50 percent by 2007. These goals will be met through a combination of large-group Bible studies and small-group activities (discussed below).

Spiritual retreats are also an important discipling tool. We recommend that a leadership development retreat be held annually, beginning in 1999; and a spiritual growth retreat scheduled annually beginning in 2000. More ambitious retreats – such as a trip to the Holy Land – should be held by 2005.

Worship is, and should be, a large-scale event. But small-scale activities have an almost equal importance, for several reasons.

First, members have a wide variety of needs and interests. Opportunities should be available for people of like interests to gather, no matter how many or few.

Second, we must always strive to make faith "relevant" to individuals in their daily lives. Small groups allow people to explore the meaning of their faith in ways specific to their circumstances – e.g., as young parents, as seniors living alone, as singles, as newcomers to the church, etc…

Third, small groups help build interpersonal relationships between people, reinforcing the church as "the body of Christ" and opening new avenues to support each other in our different needs, whether in times of joy or crisis.

Fourth, the focused nature of small groups inspire intensity and attention to the topic, as well as the questions and discussion that make for a rich learning experience.

Finally, small groups are a way that people who feel a common need can create a ministry easily and quickly, and sustain it as long as it has value. Small groups should use church staff as a point of coordination and a place where people can locate opportunities to join. The majority of topics for small groups, as well as their leaders, should come from members, not clergy or staff.

Bethel should offer a diverse, ongoing program of small groups that cover three areas:

1. Bible study – in church, in homes, in the workplace, in restaurants, or wherever people want to meet; on Sunday mornings and throughout the week.
2. Faith enrichment – groups that focus on key elements of the Christian faith and Lutheran tradition, such as stewardship, evangelism, mission, doctrine and the Sacraments.
3. Daily-life needs – groups that help members understand and apply their faith in the context of their personal lives and individual needs – e.g., parenting, care for the long-term ill, marriage, grief, etc. We envision at least two such groups functioning by 2000, four by 2002 and six by 2005.

Small-group activities should involve, at any one time, 40 percent of Bethel worshipers by 2000, 50 percent by 2002, 60 percent by 2004, and 70 percent by 2006.

The committee advises against any program that simply recreates a service that already exists in the secular world and does not have its roots in Scripture and/or Christian teaching. Bethel should not sponsor or lead any activity (such as counseling service or support group) that does not have such roots. At the same time, we believe it is important that Bethel support its members as they encounter and pass through difficult periods in their lives. This often can be accomplished through the kind of person-to-person ministry that is the essence of discipleship.

C. Evangelism

1. Commitment to evangelism in everyday life

Evangelism was a hallmark of Bethel’s early days as a mission church. It receives less emphasis today as an organized activity, although several recent accomplishments deserve note, such as the new Ministry of Welcome, the neighborhood canvass in advance of the 1997 Vacation Bible School, and the witness that Bethel School makes every day. Evangelism is primarily an individual activity that can and should occur in any location and in the presence of as few as one other person.

The committee believes that as its recommendations on teaching and small-group ministry are implemented, evangelism will flourish. Part of these efforts are classes (already under way) designed to help people share their faith in everyday-life settings. In addition, certain large-scale events and programs can have a positive impact on our goal of helping everyone to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. These activities can include:

• Concerts, plays, lectures or similar "non-threatening" welcoming events that can attract an audience with many non-members. We envision six such events a year in 1999, eight by 2001, 10 by 2004 and 12 a year by 2006.
• The use of traditional or innovative communications methods such as print advertising, radio, cable TV and the Internet

• Community service (see D-2 below)

• Existing or new youth programs that attract non-member friends
  

We also believe that Bethel must make a focused, intentional effort to reach out to those immediately around us – specifically the students of Cupertino High School and residents of Asian origin. Outreach programs targeted at Cupertino High School students could include such activities as an after-school drop-in center, sports teams or counseling. Outreach to Asian neighbors, we believe, should focus on English as a second language (ESL) programs. While these programs can begin now on an informal volunteer basis, we will have to await new facilities in the 2001-02 timeframe before formal, church-organized programs in these areas can begin.

Senior citizens are also an important group requiring our attention, from the perspective of both evangelism and service (D-2 below). Expanded programs in the areas of health care enhancement as transportation should begin by 2000, with additional fellowship opportunities and meals offered when new facilities are opened around 2002.

Once facilities can be expanded, we also foresee Bethel as a community gathering place, where programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon or scouting programs can hold meetings.

It is important to note that these activities by themselves are not evangelistic. They only become so when members seize the opportunity presented by new people in our midst to demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word, attitude and deed .

D. Service

1. Expansion of Bethel School

Bethel School is one of our most powerful programs of witness, evangelism and service. The committee reaffirms the value of Bethel School, and supports the plans made by the School Board to gradually expand the number and grade levels of children served. Expansion of the program through Grade Six is scheduled in Fall 1999. Expansion of the AM/PM program will require new facilities, so that should be anticipated around 2002.

Because the School Board already has shared a clear vision for the future and a near-term plan, this committee will not make specific recommendations about the growth plans or operations of our school. Rather, we offer these guidelines for the future:

• There should not be "the Church" and "the School". Bethel School is, and always should be, an integral and inseparable part of Bethel Lutheran Church.
• Our school should not be located apart from the rest of the church’s facilities.
• Bethel’s unified budget should include school operations, although our school should continue to account for and manage its operations as if it were a stand-alone entity.
• The congregation should continue to have final authority to approve or disapprove the operating and capital plans of our school.

2. More frequent and diverse opportunities for service

The committee believes that despite its many strengths, Bethel is too inwardly focused. The relative affluence of our community largely shields us from the distress that marks the lives of many others. We applaud the outreach that occurs through such activities as the Food Pantry, Sunday worship at Juvenile Hall, participation in the Crop Walk, etc. Bethel’s Mission Outreach ministry does a good job – but outreach is not a high enough priority for the congregation overall. Our recommendations cover six areas:

• Awareness raising – There should be at least one activity every month whose purpose is to raise our awareness and understanding of a need outside the congregation. This may include a temple talk, an Adult Forum, a meeting outside of Sunday morning, or a mailing.
• Opportunities for service – The Mission Outreach ministry should arrange frequent and diverse service opportunities for members, which can be carried out individually or in groups. Our goal is to have 20 such opportunities in 1999, 30 per year by 2003 and 40 per year by 2007.
• Global mission– Bethel should set a goal to double, by 2001, its level of missionary support. A specific activity focused on global mission should be held at least twice a year beginning in 2000.
• Benevolence – The use of an additional offering envelope each month, whose proceeds are dedicated for a special request, has been an excellent move, giving the congregation the opportunity to respond to unexpected needs as they occur. This practice should continue, and the committee recommends that at least ¾ of these monthly offering requests be targeted at activities or needs outside Bethel. We also recommend that the portion of Bethel’s annual operating budget designated for benevolence (currently 10%) be raised to 12% by the 2001-02 budget year, and to 15% by the 2005-06 budget year. This goal should be fulfilled by a combination of benevolence gifts made to our synod and the ELCA, and made directly to recipient groups.

• Service retreats – When teams of Bethel members and friends travel outside our area, they not only follow Christ’s command to help those in need, they also engage in powerful acts of discipleship and fellowship. Regular service trips to Mexico have been valuable, life-enriching experiences for Bethel members and the people they have served. Our target should be three per year in 1999, four by 2001, five by 2004 and six per year by 2007.
• Counseling – An important area of service is counseling to people facing a crisis or other acute need in their lives requiring concentrated and trained assistance. Bethel already has a strong Stephen Minister program with about 20 trained care-givers. Our goal is to have the number of active care-givers in the Stephen Minister program grow to 30 by 2000, 40 by 2002, 50 by 2004 and 80 by 2008. Counseling is also offered by called clergy, of course, and by 2004 we envision a full-time clergyperson on staff whose primary call is to provide counseling in such areas as marriage enrichment, stress-management, creating a balanced life, and youth/family issues.

1. Fellowship opportunities to build Bethel's community

The previous section discussed service to those outside the immediate Bethel family. This section covers service to each other. Through fellowship and community-building, we knit a fabric of relationships – supporting, empowering and learning from each other, and sharing God’s love.

Fellowship can and should occur as part of all church activities, not just events planned primarily for fellowship. Fellowship exists to the extent that members make it happen. But the church as an entity can do some things to encourage fellowship. To this end, we recommend that:

• A period of refreshments and conversation always be scheduled in conjunction with worship services.
• The congregation hold an intergenerational event (other than a worship service or congregational meeting) at least twice a year whose primary purpose is to draw Bethel members into a social setting. We envision two such events held every year by 2000, three per year by 2002 and four per year by 2004.
• A variety of adult fellowship retreats be held, separate from youth retreats and the service retreats described above. Multiple-day trips bind us together as people and enrich our understanding of what it means to be Christians. The theme and makeup of the participants can and should be as diverse as people want them to be – e.g., men’s retreat, women’s retreat, family retreat, Bible-study retreat, etc. We suggest two of these per year by 2001, three by 2004 and four by 2006.

II. SUPPORT

To support current ministries and accomplish the ministries described in the Long Range Plan, Bethel will need to expand significantly our current support infrastructure. The committee is not recommending detailed plans for the required support in this Long Range Plan, but it is very aware of the need and offers recommendations for continued planning in this area. Each of the following support areas should be the subject of a separate planning endeavor during the next year in order more fully to determine our course of action.

A. Administration and Staffing
"Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." Acts 6:3-4

Accomplishing the diverse and expanded ministries identified in the Long Range Plan will require ongoing support that only can be provided by experienced and dedicated staff and capable volunteers. Beyond simply being available, these resources must be properly organized and managed. This undoubtedly will require changes to existing functions and responsibilities, additions of new ones, and an increase in support personnel consisting of pastoral staff, lay staff, and volunteers. Specifically, the committee foresees the need for the following additional staff:

1. Two additional called pastors who will primarily support the ministries of visitation and counseling.
1. A lay person to support and coordinate the growth of small-group ministry; and expand the use of volunteer lay persons in all ministry and support areas.
   

The committee recommends establishment of a Staff Planning Committee to determine specific staffing needs for the next five years and the development of a plan for effectively managing that staff, utilizing current staff where possible. The staffing plan should consider the use of both paid and volunteer staff.

B. Facilities

At present our facilities are straining to accommodate existing ministries. The new and expanded ministries envisioned in the Long Range Plan will require additional facilities. The committee recommends that a Facilities Planning Committee be established immediately to prepare a plan for accomplishing this expansion. This plan should include recommendations as to how present and recommended facilities would be financed, staffed, managed and maintained. The Facilities Planning Committee should be tasked to provide a facilities plan to the congregational meeting in June 1999, with prior review and approval of the Executive Committee and Church Council. This plan should be of sufficient detail so construction could start between June 2000 and June 2001. In general, facilities and their furnishings should encourage multiple uses. The following should be considered in the facilities plan:

1. Bethel must be committed to excellence in worship facilities. Specifically, our sanctuary should be a place that is worshipful and inspiring, and has:

• Comfortable seating
• Excellent sound and audio visual capabilities
• Excellent lighting
• Overflow capabilities
  

1. Discipling must be provided in facilities that are conducive to learning and sharing. They need to be inviting and spacious. The Long Range Plan visualizes the need for facilities to support up to ten simultaneous events at any one time.
1. Continued growth in the numbers of students and grades will result in the need for additional facilities to support Bethel School. The excellent planning by the School Board should be continued and incorporated into a single facilities plan. The plan should include integrated facilities management for all aspects of Bethel’s ministries.
1. Facilities need to be provided not only to support the primary needs of people using them, but also their secondary needs. These secondary needs include the following:

• A nursery that is convenient, attractive, and safe – a place where parents will feel good about leaving their young children.
• Parking, including special parking facilities for visitors and for people with special needs.
• Restrooms that are inviting and easily accessible, especially for those not familiar with Bethel’s buildings.

1. Community building and other ministries will have needs for a spacious gathering place conducive to sharing of meals and refreshments. These events range from mid-week congregation-wide meals to receptions after worship, weddings, memorials and other special events.
   

C. Finances
"On every Lord's Day each of you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week, and use it for this offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn." 1 Corinthians 16:2

Bethel has been blessed by the generosity of its members. However, the ministry and benevolence expansion defined in the Long Range Plan will require significant increases in financial support. This support should be a by-product of an active application of stewardship principles as a part of the Discipling ministry.

Additional staff, expanded facilities and furnishings will necessitate a financial plan that goes far beyond the current fiscal budget. The committee recommends that careful attention be given to financial planning in order to meet the requirements needed to support Bethel’s ministries.

D. Communications

For Bethel to be a truly "regional" church in Silicon Valley, we must take an aggressive and modern approach to using communications to implement our expanded ministries. These communications must have a three fold purpose to: 1) reach those who are not aware of our ministries, 2) support the ministries, and 3) coordinate our support infrastructure. The committee recommends that the following be part of ministry support:

1. Use of the Internet, television, and radio. These will become an increasing part of the way we do ministry if we are to do it well. The society in which we live expects it.
1. Improvement in public relations is a must if we are to reach people who are unchurched or uncommitted to congregational life.
1. Improved coordination within ministry programs and support infrastructure activities.
1. A communications plan should be developed, implemented and regularly updated. This plan should define communications needs and the techniques to be used to satisfy those needs.

During your consideration of this report, the Long Range Planning Committee trusts that the Holy Spirit was with you. It is our prayer that we all will continue to be led by the Holy Spirit as we work together to implement Bethel’s Long Range Plan during the next decade.

In Christ,

Your Long Range Planning Committee: