Serve the City International Leadership Team Retreat 2016
Serve the City International leaders from Brussels, Madrid, Berlin, Lisbon, Dublin and Tallinn gathered for a retreat in Ireland in February. As a follow-up to the Lisbon Resolution from the November International Forum, the participants crafted this vision statement of where they hoped the movement to be in 3-5 years:
Serve the City is a recognized INGO with a dynamic Board of Directors and a committed international operations team. We are a global alliance of regional networks that feel like family. The movement includes 100 cities that are active or greater.
City leaders and Network Coordinators are well resourced with training, ideas, projects, and products. There is a clear plan outlined to start Serve the City in a new city, and a clear process for cities to mature through our 5 Life Stages.
We are described as bridge-builders in our cities. We work together and alongside our partners to serve in areas of global concern and common interest. We measure volunteer hours as our primary output, and have meaningful conversations within our networks about our measurable outcomes and impact.
We are committed to acknowledge Jesus as the inspiration of our movement and we’re equally committed to being inclusive and welcoming of people who do not share that inspiration. We are providing training and resources that will enable our movement to mature in this tension
A highlight of our movement is our annual gathering. We share friendship and stories, while celebrating growth and maturity that has developed from actions resulting from resolutions written at previous gatherings. When we gather, we write new resolutions that inspire and challenge us.
Many action items necessary for the realization of this vision were discussed and a plan of action mapping out a strategy for the accomplishment of these goals is being developed. We anticipate great progress in the coming months as we continue to grow and mature as a global movement.
