Applications Are In: Virtual Front Porch Update #1

We started dreaming about the Virtual Front Porch initiative almost two years ago. It was an ongoing conversation about how many churches in the PCC were struggling with digital ministry (websites, social media, email lists, Google, and all the rest…) and wondering about how we might be able to help.  For a while, we tossed around different ideas. We even had one of our Ministry Forum Community suggest an “incubator style” model - such a great idea! We knew we wanted to do something, but we weren’t sure about capacity or who we could partner with meaningfully. When we were given the opportunity to apply for a Lilly Grant, we were excited to turn what had been more of a conversation into a concrete plan. 

Even with all of the planning we did and through the feedback we received in our listening sessions last fall, I truly did not know how many churches would respond to our pitch. Making this initiative public was definitely an act of faith!

During our launch week in February, we received way more responses than I anticipated! Churches from across the PCC submitted their names or reached out by email (many sharing personal stories from their congregational contexts and excitement about what the project would mean for them). 

After that initial interest stage, we released the full application - 35+ questions that required reflection and asked leaders to think carefully about leadership structure, decision-making processes, time capacity, ministry focus, and motivation.

It was not for the faint of heart!

Even so, many churches engaged with it seriously.

I will admit that this next part of this process stretched me personally. As someone who always wants to say “yes” and“sure, let me help you with that”, my gut reaction was to find a way to help everyone: “Can’t we just include them all?!”

When you read application after application from congregations that care deeply about their ministry and who are hopeful about what might be possible, it is difficult not to want to say yes across the board. I know Lauren felt similarly when we met to review the applications together.

But the reality is that this initiative was designed to be long-term, relational, and in-depth… and we just don’t have the capacity (yet!) to help everyone at that level.

Over five years, we will work with twelve churches in total. We will onboard four churches each year, and each partnership will last three years. It also means that those first four need to be ready not only in enthusiasm for the project, but also with some structure and capacity to step into this work. Ministry Forum is not coming in as staff; we’re working alongside leadership teams who will need to implement, test, adjust, and sustain what is built. 

Because of this, we were careful about how we reviewed the applications. Identifying information was removed before we read them, the order was randomized, and we used a standardized rubric to evaluate responses consistently rather than relying on instinct or feelings. We wanted to be as fair and thoughtful as possible in discerning who was ready to step into this kind of partnership right now.

Since reviewing the applications, we have begun the next stage of the process: follow-up conversations with a smaller group of congregations that could be a good fit for the project. These interviews are helping us discern readiness, capacity, and alignment for a three-year partnership. It’s been energizing and sobering to sit in those conversations as we hear leaders reflect honestly about their hopes and their limitations. This stage of discernment has reminded me again that this work is deeply relational. We’re not looking for the “best” churches; we’re trying to identify the right fit for this season and what our team is capable of.

As we prepare to announce the first cohort of four churches (very soon!), I want to express genuine gratitude to every congregation that applied for the Virtual Front Porch Initiative. The time and care that went into your applications were evident. Even for those who will not be part of this first year, the reflections you shared were meaningful and will have an impact on this project.

We are aware (even more so after reviewing the applications) that the need for help in this ministry area is great. So, part of our ongoing work will be to consider how we can create additional opportunities for training, shared learning, and resource development that serve the broader Ministry Forum community. We hope that what we learn through this initiative can be shared in ways that strengthen many congregations over time – more on that in an upcoming post!