Congregational Development Office
PICKING UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF
On January 1st, Michael Kurek began the new (one year) position of Congregational DevelopmentOfficer for the Diocese of Keewatin, Southern Region. This position will connect two previous programs: it will serve as a continuation of the New Approaches to Ministry program, as well as help each parish discover what “next steps” are needed as a follow-up to From Cause to Effect.
The New Approaches to Ministry program outlined specific job descriptions for clergy and the parish leadership team. It also made provision for a list of resource people from the region to be identified and utilized by all the churches of the Southern Region.
If you remember, From Cause to Effect looked at five areas of church life from the perspective of past, present and future. The results were overwhelming. What all parishes wanted was to attract new members and to have more community involvement.
With the new Congregational Development Officer position, the Southern Region is now in the position to follow through and combine the positive steps done by these two previous programs. Michael’s focus in the new position will be to help each parish develop a five year plan; support the parish leadership through this process; provide support for the April leadership symposium focusing on Conflict Resolution, and; take responsibility for the 2009 Prayer Conference in October. Michael will also research and design a stewardship education program for the region.
Quoting Michael, “The Bishop has already given us an important theme for this year’s work, “Building Christ-Centred Community in an Alienated World.” In order to build this kind of community, we need to cultivate a strong foundation in prayer (personal and corporate), this is the only way we can discern God’s will for us. And, we need to learn, more and more, how to focus outside of ourselves; to interact in more meaningful ways with the community around us. It’s moving from being a church in the community, to becoming community churches; form going to services, to learning how to serve; it’s discerning what God’s mission is for us, where we are, where we find ourselves. It’s doing God’s work (once we become clear what that is), not our own. Or as Kennon Callahan puts it in his Twelve Keys to an Effective Church, “Money follows mission, not the reverse…The stronger the congregation’s mission, prayer life, visitation, groupings, leadership, and decision making, the stronger the giving.” The world needs a healthy church!”
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER
March came in like a lion, here at the Congregational Development Office. After two months of planning, and a trial run at the February 6th Clergy Day, we are ready to launch the major part of our program called, A Firm Foundation. For all those who participated in the previous program, From Cause to Effect, this is the next phase. In consultation with Bishop David Ashdown, and with the close scrutiny of Archdeacon Pat Cleghorn, the Southern Region of the diocese is moving forward with the changes you said that you would like to see implemented. As a result, a few major things will be happening.
1. There will be continuity with work previously done2. Five year plans will be developed in each of the parishes of the Southern Region with relevant mission statements
3. Each parish will establish a Prayer Group as the foundation of all its work
4. Assessments will be carried out regarding community interaction and relevance
5. A new approach to stewardship will be linked to the five year plan
6. An up to date operations manual will be developed (Southern Region) with clear job descriptions, terms of engagement and directions for conflict resolution.
7. There will be continual support available from the Congregational Development Office
To help this process along, Archdeacon Pat Cleghorn and I met with each of the three Deaneries throughout the month of March: Rainy River Deanery on March 7th; English River Deanery on March 14th, and; Winnipeg River Deanery on March 28th. These Deanery meetings were open to all the leadership of the churches. They were an opportunity to review, in depth, A Firm Foundation, ask questions, solicit help, share insights with each other, and benefit from mutual support and fellowship.
These are exciting times for our region and for our diocese. I am confident that together we can make a difference. As we consciously discern (through prayer and broader community input) what God is calling each of our parishes to be, let’s not lose sight of our true calling as Christians. Canon Robin Greenwood, in his book Total Ministry Handbook, puts it this way, “Ministry is for everyone, not just the clergy. The leadership of the church, parish, and congregation is the responsibility of the whole of that community. Churches need leadership, but that leadership will empower the whole congregation, fusing them into a dynamic, outward looking community, bearing witness to the powerful message of the Gospel.”
Prayer:
O Holy Spirit of God, Spirit of Truth, of Light, of Love, by whom Jesus is made known and through whom the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts;
Come, set out hearts on fire with a new love for Christ, that we may be alive to the opportunities of these times and bear our witness with urgency and zeal.
Save us from complacency and from fear of new ways: cleanse us, inspire us and renew in us such gifts and graces as will glorify you.
Equip us for mission and ministry and stir our wills to pray and work until your will is done; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
