It takes time, lots of listening and some disciplined refinement to establish helpful indicators for your church. You can draw on your experience and training, and the input of others over a few weeks and months as the indicators take shape. It can actually be really interesting and affirming. 

Below are a few tips and links to templates that might help you.

 A few tips:

• Advocate the positives about indicators - remember that they are a way to tell your story.

• Listen to your local context - take time to listen to people and find out what matters and what people value.

• Consider the bigger picture - what does the diocese or wider church need you to include?

• Discern God's calling and direction - and do this collaboratively. An away-day with your leadership team or PCC is great idea. 

• Use some of our existing indicators as a starting point - and then ask 'what is missing?' and 'what is not relevant?' in terms of telling your story, 
  

• Include the things that you value, and the things that you're bad at presently but want to develop

• Think missional and think broad

• Accept that one or two individuals will need to do the fine-tuning of the indicators, you'll probably get the broad strokes from others. 

• Allow time (maybe 4 to 6 months) for the indicators to feel settled and appropriate, you will probably need to do some tweaking after the first couple of reporting sessions.

Templates & Examples:

• An editable template: A table with our 31 Indicators - click here
• An example: A document showing what an 18-month report looks like with our indicators - click here
• An editable template: Containing two blank tables, one for reporting current status and one for showing change over time - click here
• Blog with 'Examples of Indicators and where to find the information.'
• Blog about 'Monitoring Indicators and Reporting Back with them'
• Blog that tells you a bit about our St Denys story and 'Why Indicators Have Been a Good Thing.'