Business Plan
Objectives:
- Present Day: to demonstrate a relevance to modern society, of Jesus Christ and his church, by doing as Jesus would do, and carrying his love out of the church and into the streets and parks. Continuing to use food and sport to build bridges of trust between Outside Light and those we meet. Holding a minimum of two bbq’s per year for each community we serve, and by taking snacks and drinks on a regular basis, as well as being prepared to counsel, affirm and honour those that we serve, regardless of their personal beliefs, age or background. Promoting the Outside Light brand in an identifiable way, through the wearing of uniform, and use of the logo on all written communication.
- Present day: through prayer, to develop deep Christian fellowship between all those involved as volunteers in Outside Light, to the point at which we might avow our commitment to one-another and to those we serve.
- Present day: to continue writing a regular Internet blog with the purpose of encouraging prayer support, maintaining open communication between Outside Light volunteers, and by encouraging individual volunteers each week to contribute , so that each week there is a report to non-Christians and Christians alike, about how Jesus Christ actively works in peoples’ lives.
- By November 2009: to develop an Outside Light website with multiple purposes including: Assisting nurture of young people/promoting the work of Outside Light for funding purposes/Encouragement of other churches contemplating joining in with the work/Networking between volunteers including an activities calendar/Repository for all policies and official documents.
- By June 2010: at the very least to develop further Outside Light cells in St Johns and Send.
- By June 2010: to commence a programme of additional project events similar to the bike-mending project, as will be most relevant to the communities in which we operate.
- By June 2010: to commence /participate in a programme of educational and or recreational events, designed to take young people out of their everyday existence and into places of opportunity, where they might be able to develop and be challenged spiritually, educationally, physically and socially.
- By June 2010: To obtain funding and provide onward funding for an initially part-time and then full-time outreach worker/evangelist/ambassador with some responsibility also for raising the profile of Outside Light with other churches locally and further afield.
- By June 2010: to establish programmes assisting young people with their educational development by offering mentoring and, wherever possible, one-to-one educational assistance.
- By June 2010: to assist the development and encouragement of spirituality and awareness of Jesus in everyone we meet by establishing nurture groups
- By June 2010: to develop training programmes for volunteers equipping them to a high volunteer standard to deal in a professional way with all demands that are made of them.
- By February 2011: at the very least to develop (in addition to the target for June 2010) additional Outside Light cells in Woking town centre, Barnsbury, Westfield and Horsell.
- Between now and 2011: to continue the development of personal, working, trusting relationships with the families of the young people we meet outside who are prepared to meet with us.
- By February 2011: to employ a full-time outreach worker/evangelist/ambassador with some responsibility also for raising the profile of Outside Light with other churches locally and further afield.
Long-Term Potential (three-years+)
- Inside-Light – an extension of Outside Light, focusing on people in prisons, hospitals, schools.
- Homelessness – development of projects designed to help those outside, without homes.
Resources Needed to Meet Objectives Over the Coming Three Years
- Funding for food, snacks, sports equipment, away-days and residential courses, training for volunteers, insurances, uniform and equipment, printed materials, explanatory website and a part-time and then full-time Outside Light ambassador/evangelist and general factotum.
- Volunteers for expansion into other areas and maintenance of those areas we already serve.
- Prayer support for direction, wisdom, protection and to give thanks for the blessings we have received to date, the relationships we have built, and the interest that has been shown in Outside Light by those we serve, and the many conversations about God that have arisen from that interest.
