Five Star Award

This year twenty-two churches were recognized for the Bishop's Five Star Award of Excellence during Annual Conference. This award is given to provide incentive for churches to annually embrace new ministries that are geared specifically toward growth and outreach. The award criteria is as follows:

• Increase Sunday School attendance by 5%.
• Developing a new ministry that impacts youth.
• Having a "new work" program that impacts growth.
• Having a 1% increase for members who received by professiion of faith.
• All apportionments must be paid in full for 2005 or a 25% increase in apportionment payments.

I am not usually interested in what appear as gimmick awards. However, these points certainly are proven ingredients for church growth and would give us a basic plan to follow. I wonder if we could incorporate this into our planning for the coming year?