Shaping up for Mission November 2009 Synod meeting North Western Synod

Shaping up for MissionShaping up for Mission

November 2009November 2009

Synod meetingSynod meeting

North Western SynodNorth Western Synod

A ProcessA Process

November 08 – March 09 Synod finances

November 09 – March 10 Setting Mission Priorities


Our story so far…Our story so far…

2004 Renewed for Witness & Service2004 Renewed for Witness & Service

• District Mission CommitteesDistrict Mission Committees

• Mission AdvocatesMission Advocates

• Mission topics included …Mission topics included …


Youth workYouth work

Children’s workChildren’s work

World ChurchWorld Church

EvangelismEvangelism

Ecumenical relationsEcumenical relations

Racial justiceRacial justice

Health & HealingHealth & Healing

Silence & RetreatsSilence & Retreats

Stewardship advocateStewardship advocate

Commitment for LifeCommitment for Life

Church & SocietyChurch & Society

Environmental ConcernsEnvironmental ConcernsNorth Western SynodNorth Western Synod

What we have agreed alreadyWhat we have agreed already

2008 Synod Education Policy is to:2008 Synod Education Policy is to:

• encourage learning about missionencourage learning about mission• assist churches & ministers on assist churches & ministers on

development pathwaysdevelopment pathways• help congregations develop new ways of help congregations develop new ways of

being church and sharing our faithbeing church and sharing our faith



•identityIn ten years’ time every In ten years’ time every local church will be able to local church will be able to say who they are, what they say who they are, what they do and why they do it.do and why they do it.

Vision4LifeVision4LifeGod is Still God is Still SpeakingSpeaking


• spiritualityIn ten years’ time we will In ten years’ time we will have grown in our practice have grown in our practice of prayer and spirituality … of prayer and spirituality … developing our discernment developing our discernment of where God is and what of where God is and what God is calling us to do.God is calling us to do.

Health & HealingHealth & HealingSilence and Silence and retreatsretreats


• ecumenicalecumenical

In ten years time we will be In ten years time we will be more confident in our identity, more confident in our identity, valuing the treasures of our valuing the treasures of our tradition, discerning when to tradition, discerning when to seek ecumenical partnerships, seek ecumenical partnerships, and when and how to seek the and when and how to seek the further unity of the church. further unity of the church.

local & synod local & synod ecumenical ecumenical relationshipsrelationships


• communitycommunityIn ten years’ time we will be a In ten years’ time we will be a church that is more active in the church that is more active in the life of local neighbourhoods.life of local neighbourhoods.

church & church & societysocietylocal local community community projectsprojects


• diversitydiversity

In ten years’ time In ten years’ time we will be a we will be a diverse church that does more diverse church that does more to welcome and include all to welcome and include all people equally.people equally.

racial justiceracial justiceinclusive inclusive worshipworship


• evangelismevangelism

In ten years’ time In ten years’ time we will be we will be more confident to engage in more confident to engage in evangelism, proclaiming the evangelism, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of good news of the kingdom of God with friends, families and God with friends, families and strangers, through story and strangers, through story and action.action.

evangelism evangelism advocatesadvocatesemerging emerging church church initiativesinitiatives


•church growthchurch growth

In ten years’ time In ten years’ time we will be a we will be a growing church with an growing church with an increasing membership.increasing membership.

evangelism evangelism advocatesadvocates


• global partnershipsglobal partnershipsIn ten years’ time In ten years’ time we will be a we will be a church that is an active partner in church that is an active partner in God’s global mission with other God’s global mission with other churches around the world. churches around the world.

Taiwan linksTaiwan linksWaldensian Waldensian FellowshipFellowshipCommitment Commitment for Lifefor Life


• justicejustice


InIn ten years’ time we will be ten years’ time we will be a church which keeps faith a church which keeps faith with the poor and with the poor and challenges injustice.challenges injustice.

Commitment Commitment for Lifefor LifeRacial justiceRacial justice

• the integrity of the integrity of creationcreation


In ten years’ time we will be a In ten years’ time we will be a denomination where each denomination where each congregation has taken congregation has taken significant steps to safeguard significant steps to safeguard the integrity of creation, to the integrity of creation, to sustain and renew the life of sustain and renew the life of the earththe earth

Environmental Environmental concernsconcerns

• children & young peoplechildren & young people

In ten years’ timeIn ten years’ time we willwe willbe a church in which children be a church in which children and young people are and young people are accepted as equal partners accepted as equal partners with regards to worship and with regards to worship and resources and who have the resources and who have the same rights and safeguards as same rights and safeguards as other members of our church other members of our church community.community.


Creation of Pilot Creation of Pilot companiescompaniesThe Child The Child Friendly Church Friendly Church Award SchemeAward Scheme

62 of our churches responded

or 43 %

Question: Do the ten statements highlight the churches’ priorities for the next ten years

Our answer: 43 yes 11 no 2 undecided

Question: Do you think local mission pledges would help your church to clarify its objectives?

Our Answer: 36 yes 7 no 9 don’t know

Question: Do you agree that such pledges will help Synod & Assembly staff plan the kind of support they can offer local churches?

Our answer: 32 yes 4 no 18 don’t know


Wider developmentsWider developments Challenge to the ChurchChallenge to the Church – a report to General – a report to General

Assembly 2008 anticipating more local Assembly 2008 anticipating more local leadership and shared ministry.leadership and shared ministry.

Vision 4 LifeVision 4 Life – helping the church be refreshed – helping the church be refreshed through Bible, Prayer and sharing our story.through Bible, Prayer and sharing our story.

Fresh Expressions Fresh Expressions – the URC has joined the – the URC has joined the Anglicans and Methodists .Anglicans and Methodists .

Living with Legislation Living with Legislation – conforming to recent – conforming to recent legislation affecting churches.legislation affecting churches.


Acting strategicallyActing strategically Appointment of two special category ministersAppointment of two special category ministers to Inner to Inner

Manchester Mission Network and Cumbria Area presidency.Manchester Mission Network and Cumbria Area presidency.

Resourcing Mission areasResourcing Mission areas – – Trinity LEP, Cottam HallTrinity LEP, Cottam Hall Middlebrook Retail Park chaplaincy.Middlebrook Retail Park chaplaincy. Salford Gateway community minister.Salford Gateway community minister.

Supporting local initiativesSupporting local initiatives – – Levenshulme’s Inspire ProjectLevenshulme’s Inspire Project Salford Central Oasis partnershipSalford Central Oasis partnership


Our task is to prioritiseOur task is to prioritise

We cannot do everything at onceWe cannot do everything at once

What areas should the Synod emphasise for the What areas should the Synod emphasise for the next three years?next three years?

What might they be?What might they be?



Documents

Shaping up for Mission November 2009 Synod meeting North Western Synod