Raising the Roof: Overview: Denominational Strategies

Regional leaders in your denomination can arrange for programs specially targeted to congregations in the pastoral-to-program size transition. Top-quality resources can be provided using any—or all—of the elements listed here:

“One-book” program for mid-sized congregations, using Raising the Roof as a key resource. The idea is to generate critical mass of energy and understanding by having a wide population focus on the same material during a defined time period. The material is often explored in multiple ways—through large-group settings like sermons, small group settings such as adult education classes or house meetings, and individual study by members at their own pace. Contact Kristy Pullen at kpullen@alban.org for information about bulk discounts on Raising the Roof or other Alban publications.
One-time conference for clergy and lay leaders in churches facing (or about to face) the transition zone between 150 and 250. Especially when participants have read Raising the Roof in advance, and have completed selected self-assessment exercises, a conference can be an opportunity to clarify concepts, ask questions, and—most important—build a sense of camaraderie with leaders in other churches and resource people from the denomination.
Special meeting of denominational staff, elected leadership and resource people (paid or unpaid consultants or coaches) to discuss how the denomination can “raise the odds of raising the roof.” Often scheduled on the Friday before a larger Saturday conference, this element helps the denominational unit to “build capacity” to assist these churches over time—through policies, programs and other local resources.
Training facilitators or coaches within the denominational unit to lead the exercises discernment and planning process in Chapter 4 of Raising the Roof. Where the denomination has clergy and laity organized in some way to assist other churches (paid or unpaid consultants or coaches), one or two days of focused training for this group can multiply the impact of other resource investments. These local leaders can most easily partner with churches over time to apply and adapt what they are learning from Raising the Roof. Alice Mann can also provide telephone coaching to the organizers of such teams, to help them build the effectiveness of that denominational service. Please note: Basic training for paid or volunteer denominational consultants (and denominational staff in consultative roles) is offered annually by the Alban Institute in its Consulting for Vital Congregations I and Consulting for Vital Congregations II programs.
Year-long relationship with an Alban consultant, who meets with teams from selected congregations over 12 -14 months as they work through the learning, discernment and planning exercises in Raising the Roof. This strategy typically involves teams from six to twelve congregations, meeting as a total group with Alice Mann for three full Saturdays spaced over a year. Denominational leaders recruit appropriate churches, assign preparatory work (defined in collaboration with the consultant), and support the churches in their work between Saturday conferences. This is a highly cost-effective way to bring customized help to transitional churches, to strengthen the judicatory resource system, and to build supportive peer relationships. Such strategies have been highly effective in Episcopal dioceses, UCC conferences, Unitarian-Universalist districts and other settings. Congregations typically share the cost of this work with the denomination.

For information about any of the consulting, training or coaching resources described above, please contact Rowena Martineau at 800-486-1318 ext.283 or by email at tbelk@alban.org