Primus – we have been a church of mnay enthusiasms. This report carries forward some of those ideas but asks us to take forward an holistic view. To look at mission in a world of diminishing resources. More resources may be needed. But we need to make better and more effective use of the resources we have.
We need to support the energy that has moved from Province to Diocese.
It is about a mood in the church. This policy is not a set of prescriptive answers. It is a policy setting out who needs to talk to whom in our church.
Anne Tomlinson – we need to work so htat best pracice in one part of the church is adopted in other parts of the church. Policy seeks to create transferability of ministries across dioceses. We need a mixed economy of ministries. But this cannot mean chaos or variety will be endless. Need common training resources, mutual recognition of ministries across dioceses.
At diocesan level we will need a continuum of mission shaped education of training which is consistent across our dioceses.
Bishop Mark speaks of people who cannot afford to get to their congregations because of fuel costs. (He says nothing about what doing things online might do). Wants mission priests who are itinerent in the north and west. Acknowledges that many of those congregations will die in 10 years.
Kevin Pearson asks us to go into Indaba groups. He defines his role – he will appear to give instructions. That does not detract from the chair. The chair retains the responsibilities of the chair. He tells us which groups are best able to deal with hearing and mobility issues.
Hi Kelvin , what I actually said was that these Highland Churches need to be seen as communities that may simply move on or change significantly as the population changes. A congregation of twenty in one place could struggle to survive if one or two families move away, but the next small community could suddenly spring into life as two new families arrive, the church must be prepared to move with them.
There is a need for a fluid structure that isn’t serving a dying church but one that is for ever evolving and therefore one that it is difficult to turn into a financialiy stable charge how ever spiritualy powerful it might have become.
St Donnan’s Nostie has doubled in numbers as has Kishorn, we are about to re engage in Applecross and we have families asking for worship in Torridon but in three years time we might be in Glenelg and Dundonell and the episcopalian community in Torridon may have moved away. I was marking for the mission policy that some financial aid is still likely to be required in such places if we are to continue serving the Epicopalians in small and scattered communites.
Be assured the church is alive and vibrant in the Highlands, just spread a bit thinner
Thanks Mark – it’s really helpful to have that spelled out. I was struggling to keep up at that point.
I’m not clear as to whether or not you think the Whole Church Mission and Ministry Policy that we agreed makes support from outside your diocese more or less likely.
I’d have guessed less likely myself, but maybe I’ve missed something.
Dear Kelvin
I suspect that depends on a debate between grants for mission or grants to sustain traditional ministries.
I wonder if there is a future for Piskie Priest in a Campervan then? Or tents? Tents have a good history. Tent churches springing up where they’re needed but can be taken down and moved to the next place. (I’m not good in tents, btw, so just a suggestion.)
I have eight tents!! and I know my ministry would be much enhanced with a campervan!
I have a campervan!!
Ooh, the pisky priesthood could be advertised as putting the Camp into Campervan! 😉 That would be a good mission slogan.