Project Overview:
Having recently completed a capital campaign that added a commercial kitchen to its existing building, Cross Winds United Methodist Church (Maple Grove, Minnesota) recognized the importance of crafting the right vision, policies, and procedures for sharing its space well. Located near a well-trafficked intersection, Cross Winds knew the demand for use would be strong, but wanted to be prepared to meet the demands for space use in a way that was strategic and consistent with their values. Flourish was invited in to help facilitate that process.
Project Details:
Before opening their kitchen (and their entire building) to the community in new and expanded ways, Cross Winds asked Flourish to assist with the following:
- Develop a strategic roadmap to provide Cross Winds with tangible steps in launching its kitchen and more broadly opening up its church space to the community
- Provide Cross Winds with suggested tools, guidelines, and procedures to manage space use inquiries, develop clear expectations for shared use, and ensure a positive experience for both the church and community members using the space
- Facilitate congregational listening sessions, aimed at engaging the congregation in the process of developing a shared vision for sharing their spaces, as well as identifying missional priorities for potential partnerships in space use
- Deliver a synthesis and final recommendations based on the listening sessions and work with Cross Winds leadership, with the goal of preparing Cross Winds to open its space to the community in 2024
In Their Words:
“Reimagining equitable community partnerships for our church community was exciting and overwhelming. Flourish helped us get our bearings as we considered both the tactical and aspirational elements of where God was leading us. Providing us with a nuts-and-bolts approach towards operations management gave us a crucial toolbox. Leading us through congregational discussions provided space for God to speak towards the vision. We are still in progress, but actively on the move thanks to the encouragement and wisdom of Flourish.”
Stina Koppes | Lead Pastor, Cross Winds United Methodist Church
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