LeaderLines – from Hillcrest Baptist Church, Austin, Texas  Contact Tom Goodman, Pastor
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Hillcrest Church Office
August 5, 2004


LeaderLines is a weekly “e-briefing” providing valuable information and inspiration to those who serve at Hillcrest Baptist Church.

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Here is this week's LeaderLines. . . .



“SWOT Team”
by Tom Goodman

Next Saturday, August 14, is our second annual Leadership Breakfast.  This is an important way to kick off the new church calendar (Sept 2004 to Aug 2005).  Your Ministry Staff will cook your breakfast and then I will lead you through a quick look at the major events and priorities of the new calendar.

Who should be part of this?  Anyone who serves in a position in our church:  teachers, directors, extended care workers, deacons, technicians, choir officers—if you have a role to play in this church, you need to be part of our Leadership Breakfast.

Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. From 9:00 to 11:30, we’re going to do four things:

We’ll look at the major events already placed on the 2004-05 calendar
I’ll introduce you to one of the most important events of the calendar—The Purpose-Driven Life Campaign.  It will dominate October and November this year.  I’ll explain the reasons for the Campaign and the major activities that make up this Campaign.  I’ll also discuss the adjustments the Campaign may require from your program.  You’ll want to be here for this report.
We’ll go through a special prayer exercise that will get you praying for your church in a way you’ve probably never done before.
We’ll do a SWOT study.
Now, you’re probably familiar with the words “prayer” and “calendar” and “Campaign.”  But what in the world is a “SWOT”?

No, it has nothing to do with what you do to a mosquito.

The word stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.  Lots of groups have used this little exercise to “take stock” and to make realistic plans for the future.

We will list off the Strengths and Weaknesses our church has, and then we will list off the Opportunities and Threats our church faces.  Our Ministry Staff went through this little exercise on our one-day retreat, and their insights helped me a great deal.  I know I will find your insights helpful, too!

Child care will be provided through fifth grade for those who let us know you need it.  Let us know if you plan to come.  Call the church office at 345-3771 or send an e-mail to tammy@hbcaustin.org or put a note in the offering plate this Sunday.

Tom

Winning Ways Campaign:  Earlier this week you received two copies of Winning Ways.  The first one challenged you to send the second one to your friends, inviting them to sign up for Winning Ways.  Why not spend the next half-hour going through your e-mail address book and sending the Winning Ways invitation to others!

Send an E-Card!  The popular ventriloquist Dennis Lee will be at Hillcrest August 15 at 6:30 p.m.!  Tell your friends about it!  Send them an e-card at www.HillcrestAustin.org/ecard.

Welcome to Herb Ingram!  Our church extended the call to Herb Ingram as our next Minister of Education, and he has accepted!  Herb will begin September 1st.  Our church has landed a real catch here:  Herb is known around town as the “Mister Sunday School of Austin,” a Sunday School consultant to over fifty churches, a writer of Sunday School material, and the long-time Education Minister at Bannockburn Baptist Church during their years of rapid Sunday School growth.  It’s exciting to have him at the helm of Hillcrest’s Sunday School—our largest and most important ministry program!