Our presbytery, New Hope Presbytery, requires churches who are in transition (seeking the next installed pastor) to complete a Mission Study which must be approved by the presbytery before a Pastor Nominating Committee (Search Committee) can be identified.
There are three parts to this Mission Study:
1. Sharing the church’s history.
2. Considering the present context for ministry, which includes a church-wide survey.
3. Envisioning the future of Oakland’s ministry and the characteristics, indicated in parts 1 and 2 above, which Oakland is seeking in our next pastor.

The Session at Oakland has created a Mission Study Team whose purpose is to lead the congregation through these three steps. (Rudy Baker, Sharon Arends, Ben Swift, Leslie Myers, Steve Pingel, Jennifer Wells and Melinda Garvin) The Mission Study Team will consider ways to provide opportunity for folks to explore Oakland’s history and how that history has shaped who you are. Simultaneously, we will consider Oakland’s present and future vision for ministry using a congregation-wide survey.

Oakland’s Session has hired Holy Cow Consulting to provide guidance through this church-wide survey.
What does the Mission Study Team need from you? We ask that you spend about 20-30 minutes completing the survey. You may take the survey on line by logging in on your computer to:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OAKLANDPCCNC

Online instructions will guide you through the survey. (Note: You must complete all the answers on one page before it will allow you to continue to the next page.) Online surveys will be available February 6 – February 19.

For people who do not have access to online technology, the Mission Study Team will have hard copies available for you to complete in the church parlor on Sundays, February 12 and 19, 11:30 – 12:30 and Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 pm.  A member from our Mission Study Team will be there if you have questions. Holy Cow recommends that folks not take the hard copy home; you must complete the hard copy survey at the church.

Anyone in your household, age 16 years and older, is encouraged to complete the survey. Church membership is not required; we welcome our regular visitors to also participate in the survey. Please, only one survey per person! If you have questions, please call me (478-363-2010) or the church office (919-934-5476).

It is very important that we have as many people as possible to complete the survey! The results of the survey will inform the Session as we begin to consider our vision and mission for the future ministries at Oakland Presbyterian Church. The survey results will also inform the Pastor Nominating Committee as they seek Oakland’s next pastor. The Mission Study Team and the Session will share the results of the survey with you after we have met with a Holy Cow representative who will provide the interpretation.

Thank you so much for your time and input!
Blessings!
Debbie