Parish SWOT Analysis /,//'! /Cfj' (/?I"+:)

The Parish SWOT analysis is a simple framework for generating an evaluation and strategic alternatives for a parish situation developed by Rev. Louis F. Aiello, Ph.D. It is applicable either on a larger inter-parish and diocesan level or a smaller ad hoc level of parish ministry or committee analysis. In the corporate world it frequently appears in marketing plans. SWOT (sometimes referred to as TOWS) stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The SWOT framework was described in the late 1960's by Edmund P. Learned, C. Roland Christiansen, Kenneth Andrews, and William D. Guth in Business Policy, Text and Cases (Homewood, IL: Irwin, 1969). The General Electric Growth Council used this form of analysis in the 1980's. Because it concentrates on the issues that potentially have the most impact, the SWOT analysis is useful when a very limited amount of time is available to address a complex strategic situation.

The following diagram shows how a SWOT analysis fits into a strategic situation analysis.

Situation Analysis

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Internal Analysis External Analysis

/ \ / \

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

I SWOT Profile

The internal and external situation analysis can produce a large amount of information, much of which may not be highly relevant. The Parish SWOT analysis can serve as an interpretative filter to reduce the information to a manageable quantity of key issues. The Parish SWOT analysis classifies the internal aspects of the parish as strengths or weaknesses and the external situational factors as opportunities or threats. Strengths can serve as a foundation for building a competitive advantage, and weaknesses may hinder it. By understanding these four aspects of its situation, a parish can better promote its strengths, correct its weaknesses, capitalize on golden opportunities, and deter potentially devastating threats.

Internal f.\.nalysis

The internal analysis is a comprehensive evaluation of the internal environment's potential strengths and weaknesses. Factors should be evaluated across the organization in areas such as:

• Parish culture • Parish image • Parish structure • Key staff • Access to resources and capacity to operationalize those resources. • Ministry effectiveness & service to parishioners • Operational efficiency • Operational capacity • Name (parish & ministry) awareness • Parishioner [membership] % oflocal population • Financial resources and stewardship • Exclusive ministries

The SWOT analysis summarizes the internal factors of the parish as a list of strengths and weaknesses.

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External Analysis

An opportunity is the chance to introduce a new ministry or service that can positively respond to parishioner/community needs. Opportunities can arise when changes occur in the external environment. Many of these changes can be perceived as threats to continued parishioner membership and may necessitate a change in specifications present ministries or the development of new ministry in order for the parish to remain viable. Changes in the external environment may be related to:

• Parishioners • Competing Congregations/Parishes • Participant trends • Diocesan Influences • Partners (in ministry)

So ial changes New theology & technology Economic envirOllment Political and regulatory environment

The last four items in the above list are macro-cultural variables, emanating from the society or world.

The Parish SWOT analysis summarizes the external environmental factors as a list of opportunities and threats.

Parish SWOT Profile

When the analysis has been completed, a Parish SWOT profile can be generated and used as the basis of goal setting, strategy formulation, and implementation. The completed Parish SWOT profile can be arranged as follows:

Stn'lI~th" ",':11\1\1"'"'' 1.1. 2. 3.

(lpl'lIrtl!liilk.. I hn'ah

1. 1. 2. 3. 3.

When formulating strategy, the interaction of the quadrants in the Parish SWOT profile becomes important. For example, the strengths can be leveraged to pursue opportunities and to avoid threats, and managers can be alerted to weaknesses that might need to be overcome in order to successfully pursue opportunities.

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Multiple Perspectives Needed

The method used to acquire the inputs to the Parish SWOT matrix will affect the quality of the analysis. If the information is obtained hastily during a quick interview with the pastor, even though this one person may have a broad view of the parish or ministry, the information would represent a single viewpoint. The quality of the analysis will be improved greatly if interviews are held with a spectrum of stakeholders such as parishioners, staff, employees, and other strategic partners, etc.

Parish SWOT Analysis Limitations

While useful for reducing a large quantity of situational factors into a more manageable profile, the Parish SWOT framework has a tendency to oversimplify the situation by classifying the organization's (parish) environmental factors into categories in which they may not always fit. The classification system we will use is based on the primary categories of parish ministries (Liturgy & Worship; Education & Formation; Outreach & Service; Evangelization; Stewardship & Administration [finance, personnel, material resources like buildings & grounds, etc.]). This classification of some factors as strengths or weaknesses, or as opportunities or thre-ats is somewhat arbitrary. For example, a particular parish ministry could be simultaneously both a strength and as well a weakness for a parish. A pastoral change could be both a threat and an opportunity. Perhaps what is more important than the superficial classification of these factors is the parish's awareness of them and its development of a strategic plan to use them to its advantage.

CATEGORIES OF MINISTRY

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-----------ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH ST. PAUL'S CHURCH 2/ )710;1

LEE CENTER, NEW YORK ROME, NEW YORK

LECTORS

GREETERS/USHERS adult servers for funerals ALTAR SE RVE RS

ADULT CHOIR

, HOSPITAL MINISTRY ,-.. NURSING HOME :'PARISHOl «ACH -.., CHILDREN'S LITURGY OF THE WORD.:' WEtC' "f HAll

\ WOMEN'S DAY 0' REFLECTION / CH:,~~:'~'::;m ELiGIOUS EDUCATION ", ST. JOSEPH'S DAY :' PAR II '>eNIC

YOUTH MINISTRY', .' WOMl' IClUBACONFIRMATION ". UTU~GY. ,,' BEREAV~I'I:' "IT GROUP

MARRIAGE PREP FOCUS "', WORSHIP "" 'i SPRING&WI' "E.RCONCERTS

FIRST SACRAMENTS [, ' ~ ~ PARISH DINN' -'/BREAKFAST • ~;, PARISH DONUTS '..O~~EE MONTHLY

FORMATlON MINISTRY & VIRTUS!" ~ fUNERAL -NCHEONS Ifor RELIGIOUS ED TEACHERS) J,i \~ NOYEMBERMA- Of REMEMBRANCE

YOUTH ORGAN TRAINING Sf ::r~~~::~ J.. GATHERING f( - GRIEVING FAMIUES CHRISTMAS PAGEANT. RElAY FOR l/\ CROP WALl(

.' _. CHRISTMAS Sf-., BOX PROGRAM ALTAR SERVERSOUTIN(>·" 4.. .. - -"_,,~lv' 'ONAR""ETTlE

•.•••.• , """"~~ ".~~ SECRETAR;

" "'-;::.,,, ACCOUNTING & PA' -all, , VOlUNTEER SERVo. is :CHRISTMAS/HOLYWEEK SETUF -:OlUNTEE

RC.I.A, COUNTERS

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION BUILDING. GROUNDS

BEREAVEMENT GROUP SNOW PLOWING

BULLETIN PARISH COUNCIL ALTAR CHURCH CLEANE

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH TABERG, NEW YORK

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Celebration of the Sacraments ,:' Outreocll

-, Prayer Group .: Food Panlry

.:' Thanksglvl ....g & / " Christmas Foce o.,d Pro

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Holy Name So, ,e(les llTURGYa.Getlerol ReligIOUS Educouon: Financial (ontllbutions WORSHIP

Grammar School % 50c;01 Events: High School "" "~"f-\ St. Patrick's Day Cldmbake

Confirmation Program ! ,l $90~ Chris.tmas Dln~er Party First Communion Program J i ~ ChIcken & BISCUI[ SuppersPASTORAl

Marriage Preparation S £> MINISTRY Ice Cream & SI(dWberry Social

scripture Sludy Progr~~, . -. 5weet Sunday {2"" Sunday of mo

Cv.. - - - ". J~_,?ffee.& Refreshment "tt-l<I..>_ ~\t'" ~

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,0"" Personal instruction

Care of physical plant and buildingsCounseling

Financial obligationsEcumenical cooperation

and responsibilitIesStudy of Scripture - open to all Debt Reduction

Fundraising

Charitable contributIons /

altar servers for weekends lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers, choir. children's choir for Christmas,

children's liturgy of the word (C.l.D,W,)

Eucharistic adoration, prayer group, ,/

rosary for life (cenacies of life) / hospital visitation,

/ community outreach faith formation Ik-lOl, LITURGY • , (I.e. blood drive,

sacramental preparation WORSHIP / ~ food collections,

for all sacraments. • ~~~ rescue mission, etc), bible studY, <;'~"i. respect life.

parish mission/retreat, \. funeral luncheons, guest speakers social events

(i.e. Krishe') •• !Le. parish dinners)

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R.C.I.A., i~'''~ sacramental prep for

: fin ante committee,adults and children, social events i1dings and grounds care,

rish equipment : b~

(i.e. coffee hours, i pa: (,., !. computers etc) open house etc),

parish mission/retreat

l-- ­ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH

CAMDEN, NEW YORK

Ministries - liturgical SuPport Martha Ministry - 4

Extraordinary Eucharistic Minlsters­Altar Cire - 24

lectors - 23 Greeters - 40 Sacristans - 2

Gift Bearers - 35 Music Ministry - 25 Artisans -2

(Instrumentalist -guitar, flute, violin) Itar Cloths & Sewing)

Cantors-7,lnstrumentill· 3 Historians· 2

Offertory- 8, Altar Servers· 17 Geneology - 1

Acolytes· 12

CIA - 5 team members'. liturgical Environment· 10 Warm Blessines Projram

Religious Education ·•••liturgy Planning Committee Camden Clothing Orives Programs aod ExtoU

- 17 teachers + S Subs '. Helping Hands Prosram UTUAGya - ZOOS 10 PrescntAnnual Blanket DriveSeasonal Bible Study •••. WOfUHIP Christmas In the Country

Prayer Shaw' Ministry All Calechist sec Certification200~. • - Chri~mas Progroim

Warm Hands + Warm Hurt,/x\ Dances - 3VIRTUS Coordinator ..,'

Bread Broken and Shared Garage Sale· 3Respect Ufe CoordInator I!' Camden food Pantry Live Jam ~~n ·Area M~ns

Bereavement Program Coordinator of Safety i .I \ '\ St. ~ry's Moonl Carmel+ Chillenged'" f Annual Christmas Giving Tree Walking Stations & RoSOIry Rally

Baptismal and .•.• ~istoral Home VisitatioM eteran's DoOIY MiSS +CoHee Hour Marriage Prepa~~tiDn" / .....#' .... '. Annual ChristmoiS Tour of Homes

Omden Quillers Quilt Exbibltlon .......... \.'*~ Pastor • Annuoil ChrlSIm.s BaZioir-:., Steve Warchol- Pastoral AsstR.C.I.A. AnnuoOIl Ea~er Egg Hunt

Nancy Choquette - Pastoral Asst. Chili Cook-offs Ruth Delahunt - Book·keeper

Addition;,' Ututelgl Ml..../tl('s Member of Camden Area St. Jo~ph's Day Spaghetti Dinner

Euch.lri.slic OC'votlonCo Jack Britton - Custodial StatCouncil of Churches

Annual Parish Picnic lhe MO~l Ble~~td s.acr41mtnl 911 Remembrance services Fln.mce Council SI. Patr~k's Parade 2005, 2006, 2007

H(';thni ' Anoinling M41S~C~ Annual Ecumenical lenten service Parish Council PilarImage to St. Anne De Beaupre oinnuallyLtnltn Muj,u foUowtd by SimpIt'Suppe-r\

Commissioned Staff Children's POSOIdaAd.... tnl & Lent Commun411 Ptn,,"Ct Ser .... lCt

Imm4lcul4llt Conceplion No....tnc! Nancy ChoQuette-litur Chrls.tmas Giving Tr.e Program

No"e-~ ;,nd P;,nloh Ce-Ie-br"lion ' ~t;'\1 01 !II Annt Christine Hammon - Poiris,.h ChrlitrNs Dinner Chris.tmas Tour of Hom~Pastoral Cilr Chrktmas Music Prollam

SI f.;,nci~ ~"'UI elC'Sllna 01 An,m",l\ weekly Advenl Sleuing 01 Home1o /IlMlIl

Ih,,"1o.~8Jvtnllilu'IY.... illl Oo~h 10 p",~\ d,"n(" Christmas Bau,u W!l PARISH MINISTRIES All,fr R.oSOlry Sodety • ~ake1" 01 RC'trut Bu,n,ns 01 the- P;,lms (('I('ll' ",lOon Children's EiliSler Ell Hunt" .. MJlSI Jlnd SIJllions on .'id"y·s d""<\3l('n' LISTED BY PASTORAL CATEGORIES