Renewal as Christians and Anglicans

First step toward transformational change

by Ana Watts

Members of the 130th Synod of the Diocese of Fredericton clearly identified renewal as Christians and Anglicans, and preparation of our leaders for change, as the diocese’s top near-term priorities in honour of the synod theme of Celebrating God's Grace ... Responding to God's Challenge.

The meeting was held at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre June 4-6. Meeting in archdeaconry groups on Friday afternoon (June 5), the delegates discussed and then prioritized seven recommendations for change that respond to God’s challenge as gleaned from diocesan task forces on rural and struggling parishes and budget support, as well as a National Church stewardship study and the influence of the teachings of retired Bishop Edward Salmon of South Carolina. The result was a strategy for transformational change.   

The archdeacons offered the results of the Friday afternoon archdeaconry sessions on Saturday morning.

“Renew ourselves as Christians and Anglicans” was the overwhelming top priority. Six of seven archdeaconries put it at the top of the list, and in cases where there were two or three “number one” votes, it was “one-a.” It calls upon New Brunswick Anglicans to “Reclaim, renew and relearn what it means to be both Christian and Anglican, using dynamic parish-based teaching, with a special emphasis on the ‘rule of life.’” (Page 555 of the Book of Common Prayer.

The Ven. Geoffrey Hall, speaking as archdeacon of Fredericton, offered a familiar image with a new twist to the problem of trying to isolate a top priority. “We know the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, and we would probably start on the extremities with a foot, the tail, or the trunk. But perhaps this elephant is built in layers, and each time we take a bite we affect another layer.” So if we take a bite out the foot, it also affects the tail, and the trunk, he said. When we make progress in one area of the church we have an impact on the others, and that’s good because everything needs attention. When we renew ourselves as Anglicans and Christians we also affect parish growth.

“Preparing our Leaders for Change” was second priority overall, with three number one votes — in two of those cases it was the “b” choice — and three more second choice votes. It calls on us to “Develop a dynamic leadership education program to prepare our clergy and lay leaders for the challenges of change as we work to grow spiritually, numerically and financially.”

Four archdeaconries named new communications strategies as a major priority as well. It was ranked “one-b” by one archdeaconry, and two, three and four by three others. It calls us to “Develop new communication strategies aimed at a broader sharing of information, gathering input prior to decision-making, ‘speaking the truth in love’ and increasing our support of one another. In this, steadily increase our use of technology as much as we can.”

Several archdeacons alluded to diocesan communication problems and agreed that communication has to be a two-way street.

“We have several communication tools in place, we just need to use them,” said the Archdeacon of Chatham Patricia Drummond.  “Communications can be sent out, but are they received? The receiver has as much responsibility for communication as the sender.”

Archdeacon Richard McConnell of Moncton asked the same question. “What is preventing communication? We need to find out what is keeping us from working together.”

“Do more of God’s work in our communities” and “Major Stewardship Initiative” tied for fourth place with three, third-place votes each. “All Parishes Focus on Growth” had two votes and “A New Congregational Development Fund” had one.

“Perhaps people will come to church when they see church making a difference in the community,” said Archdeacon Drummond.

The archdeaconry groups were also asked what they thought Diocesan Council should take into consideration as it develops and implements a new ministry plan based on these newly established diocesan priorities.

The Moncton archdeaconry responded with a list:

• watch the costs;

• keep the parishes alongside you in your decision-making;

• look for good and existing resources from other dioceses or the National Church;

• keep congregational development local — parishes must look to each other, help each other;

• practice simple kindness; and

• sacrifice quantity for quality.

Lists of the substantive motions carried and delegates elected to General and Provincial synods are online now, as is the Bishop’s Charge.

 

Diocesan Communications
09 June 2009