Different Kinds of Involvement: A Case Study

It's important to always stay clear about what you are trying to accomplish since different goals call for different kinds of involvement. Here's a story that illustrates the point.

A Jewish temple and an Episcopal church share a building in Ann Arbor, Michigan—the longest-standing affiliation of its type in America. Some years ago, the temple and church were in conflict, which threatened the harmony of the relationship. The membership of the temple was growing, but that of the church was not. Members of the temple wanted a larger social hall for celebrating life-cycle events in their community—weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and so on. The church wanted to invest its excess funds in charitable works. Initially the boards of each organization met together to see if they could iron out their differences.

After these sessions, the temple leaders thought that the project was clear: the work they faced was to decide whether or not to build an expanded social hall. They planned to hold a few meetings with the board's audit committee to determine the financial feasibility of such an effort (Know-How Involvement). They talked about what it would take to encourage members of the congregation to contribute to a fundraising campaign (a creative variation of Arms and Legs Involvement you might call "Checkbook and Wallet Involvement"). But as they explored the situation further, they uncovered a more fundamental question: "What kind of temple do we want to be?"

Suddenly, the entire project changed. The temple leadership knew they needed to engage the entire congregation in such a significant question. Through a series of congregation-wide meetings, temple members joined together in conversations about their collective future (Care and Commitment Involvement). A vision for the temple community gradually emerged. At the same time, they also got clearer about the nature of their relationship with their church partners. This new clarity made it relatively easy to resolve the building issues. They proceeded to build a beautiful new worship area, social hall, and educational classrooms that have benefited both congregations—with strong backing from across the congregations' members.

Today, the space shared by the temple and the church is the best-utilized building in Ann Arbor. Schools, community groups, fitness classes, and lifetime learning programs are all housed there for below-market fees. This met the church's need for charitable works. These various groups have also provided a substantial source of income, defraying the costs borne by the temple and church for the construction project. The lesson: as you get clearer about what you're trying to accomplish, you'll get clearer about the kinds of involvement you need.