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Last updated 10th August 2022

Vision Response to and Recovery from COVID19

The Bishop’s Chaplain, the Revd Sam Cheesman, has produced an incredibly helpful discussion document for the Parish of St Peter’s Salesbury but which may be of benefit to other parishes. It uses the shape of Vision 2026 to encourage people to reflect on church life into the future. What are we learning from this pandemic? What will we stop? What might we do differently? What new leaders have emerged? With whom have we established new contacts etc? 

Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Think about the activities of the church which fit under or support the following headings:

  • Knowing the Scriptures better and equipping confident Christian disciples
  • Praying with greater depth and urgency for the Kingdom of God to come
  • Offering worship in spirit and truth through the ministry of word and sacrament
  • Giving generously of our time, talents and money to the cause of Christ

Question 1 – What has been lost that must be grieved? What will we not get back or have a chance to do again?

 

Question 2 – What has been paused or retreated from which we hope to return to in the same form? Do these things still seem fit for purpose?

 

Question 3 – What has been paused or retreated from which we will return to but must now look different? What needs to be reshaped for our current setting?

 

Question 4 – What opportunities are there to let go of things? What has diminished passed the point of rescue? What does not fit our new setting? What have we been thinking about closing down but never found the right time?

 

Question 5 – What is new? What has emerged as a positive from the current situation and what must we keep? What new resources, skills, and capacity have we unearthed? What do we need in order to maintain these things?

 

Question 6 – Who is new? Who have you not heard from for a while? Who has moved closer to the centre of the church community? Who has moved towards the peripheries? Who has taken a lead? Who has used gifts you didn’t know about? Does the leadership team need to change?

 

Being Witnesses to Jesus Christ

Think about the activities of the church which fit under or support the following:

  • Sharing the Gospel of salvation with confidence
  • Enabling human flourishing through social action
  • Planting 10 Strategic Church Plants and 200 New Local Congregations
  • Caring for God’s creation

Question 1 – What has been lost that must be grieved? What will we not get back or have a chance to do again?

 

Question 2 – What has been paused or retreated from which we hope to return to in the same form? Do these things still seem fit for purpose?

 

Question 3 – What has been paused or retreated from which we will return to but must now look different? What needs to be reshaped for our current setting?

 

Question 4 – What opportunities are there to let go of things? What has diminished passed the point of rescue? What does not fit our new setting? What have we been thinking about closing down but never found the right time?

 

Question 5 – What is new? What has emerged as a positive from the current situation and what must we keep? What new resources, skills, and capacity have we unearthed? What do we need in order to maintain these things?

 

Question 6 – Who is new? Who have you not heard from for a while? Who has moved closer to the centre of the church community? Who has moved towards the peripheries? Who has taken a lead? Who has used gifts you didn’t know about? Does the leadership team need to change?

 

Growing Leaders for Jesus Christ

Think about the activities of the church which fit under or support the following:

  • Developing a diocesan-wide culture of vocational discernment for all God’s people
  • Forming theologically literate Christ-centred lay and ordained leaders 
  • Nurturing healthy partnerships between clergy and laity by fully implementing the Lay Majority Ministry framework
  • Generating a pipeline of highly motivated deacons and priests to enable the Diocese’s clergy deployment strategy

Question 1 – What has been lost that must be grieved? What will we not get back or have a chance to do again?

 

Question 2 – What has been paused or retreated from which we hope to return to in the same form? Do these things still seem fit for purpose?

 

Question 3 – What has been paused or retreated from which we will return to but must now look different? What needs to be reshaped for our current setting?

 

Question 4 – What opportunities are there to let go of things? What has diminished passed the point of rescue? What does not fit our new setting? What have we been thinking about closing down but never found the right time?

 

Question 5 – What is new? What has emerged as a positive from the current situation and what must we keep? What new resources, skills, and capacity have we unearthed? What do we need in order to maintain these things?

 

Question 6 – Who is new? Who have you not heard from for a while? Who has moved closer to the centre of the church community? Who has moved towards the peripheries? Who has taken a lead? Who has used gifts you didn’t know about? Does the leadership team need to change?

 

Inspiring Children and Young People

  • Nurturing children and young people in their faith and supporting them as disciples of Jesus Christ
  • Holding regular worship that is accessible and appealing to children, young people and their families
  • Enabling growth in the numbers of leaders of children and young people
  • Pursuing a step change in ministry with those aged 11-16
  • Facilitating effective partnerships between churches and schools

Question 1 – What has been lost that must be grieved? What will we not get back or have a chance to do again?

 

Question 2 – What has been paused or retreated from which we hope to return to in the same form? Do these things still seem fit for purpose?

 

Question 3 – What has been paused or retreated from which we will return to but must now look different? What needs to be reshaped for our current setting?

 

Question 4 – What opportunities are there to let go of things? What has diminished passed the point of rescue? What does not fit our new setting? What have we been thinking about closing down but never found the right time?

 

Question 5 – What is new? What has emerged as a positive from the current situation and what must we keep? What new resources, skills, and capacity have we unearthed? What do we need in order to maintain these things?

 

Question 6 – Who is new? Who have you not heard from for a while? Who has moved closer to the centre of the church community? Who has moved towards the peripheries? Who has taken a lead? Who has used gifts you didn’t know about? Does the leadership team need to change?

 

Any other thoughts?:

 

Vision 2026

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