Growing Communities Confident in Christ

Diocesan Mission Plan

September 2004

Comments on this Plan are invited. Please email them to alan.wilson@anglican.org.au. Comments received will be published anonymously on this page.

The Diocesan Mission Statement

The Diocesan Mission Statement is based firmly on the Mission Statements for the whole of the Anglican Communion that have been developed over the past twenty years or more.
The Diocesan Statement has added, ’Provide for the worship of God’ to the tasks of the people of the Diocese, in every other way it has adopted the words agreed at Lambeth in 1998.
This Mission Statement is incorporated into the Governance of the Diocese Ordinance and forms the fundamental reference point for all ministries that are undertaken by the Diocese. The Statement seeks to answer the question, “What are we here for?
For Reflection:
As you consider the Mission Statement and your own ministry is there anything that is missing from the Mission Statement?
What do you consider to be the area of Mission which is most important for you and the Ministry Unit of which you are a part at this time?

Jesus’ Mission Statement in Luke

The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour ... [Jesus] began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ (Luke 4,18-19, 21)

The Diocesan Mission Statement

The Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn is called to be part of Christ’s continuing presence in the world.
In fulfilment of this Mission and in ways which are consistent with Anglican practice and tradition, the People of the Diocese:

Proclaim the gospel;

Provide for the worship of God;

Baptise new believers and teach and nurture all believers;

Respond to human need through loving service;

Seek to transform the unjust structures of society; and

Strive to safeguard the integrity of creation.

The Diocesan Vision Statement

A Vision Statement has been described as a compelling word picture of a future desired state. It is not a description of a present reality but a statement of what we hope the future will be.
The Diocesan Statement has a deliberate ambiguity about it, the word ‘growing’ can be understood both as adjective and as verb; What was wanted was a way to recognise that a community of faith might grow in wisdom and maturity without increasing in numbers, and yet there should be an expectation of numerical growth within some ministries.
The Vision is also a statement about the future of the Diocese which imagines that ministry will not be contained by structures of parish or existing Agency, yet every part of the Diocesan mission will be a rich expression of what it means to be part of the Anglican Church.
For Reflection:
What dreams or vision do you have for the ministry that you are part of?
The description of the Vision contains many positive comments; the people of God are to be ‘rejoicing’, ‘growing’, ‘sharing’, ‘participating’, ‘celebrating’, ‘affirming’, and ‘embracing’.
When you think of your own experience of the community of faith that is the Anglican Church can you endorse these positive comments?
Whether your answer be yes or no, why is that?

The Diocesan Vision Statement

The vision of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn is that we are Growing Communities Confident in Christ: -

Rejoicing in our Anglican diversity, together we are growing communities confident in Christ;

As individuals and as community we live in relationship with Christ, sharing and participating in Christ’s transforming engagement with the world;

Celebrating all that we are, existing communities of faith are being nurtured and renewed;

Affirming our identity, all institutions and structures are an expression of Gospel values;

Embracing all that might be, new communities of faith are being born, within existing structures, and beyond them.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs 29.18 KJV

Diocesan Core Values

The introduction of the concept of Core Values is an important one.
When a diocese consisted of a number of parishes relating to a Bishop and to a Synod the common identity was expressed in terms of worship and polity. The instruments of unity were things such as the Book of Common Prayer, the 39 Articles, and the episcopate.
As new ministries have emerged, often only indirectly connected to any worshipping community, the question has been asked, “What makes this an Anglican ministry?”
To date the answer has been expressed in terms of relationship. This can sometimes be a rather crude statement of ownership or accountability, rather than an affirmation of shared ministry.
What the Core Values seek to establish are the distinguishing marks of any ministry within the wide auspices of the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.
They will be a good test of any shared ministry; in response to a hypothetical new ministry one of the tests must be, ‘will this ministry be in line with the Core Values of the Diocese?’, and if not the activity should not be pursued.
Core Values create a living identity (an ethos), which should be shared across the Diocese, and be a manifest part of every ministry and every Agency.
The Core Values are broad, general, statements of identity and every ministry is specific in its’ own identity. The incorporation of Core Values into any ministry will therefore take time.
Whilst there may no disagreement about a particular statement the incorporation of Core Values into the ethos of a ministry unit or Agency will require careful work.
Most Agencies and many parishes have existing statements of values, which are important and have been arrived at over a long period. The introduction of Core Values does not mean that these have to be abandoned. The exercise of comparison between the two sets of values can lead to a much deeper understanding of the identity of a ministry.
For Reflection:
What are the Core Values that you have as a Christian? And as a member of a community of faith?
How would you expect to see the Core Values expressed within the Diocesan agencies that you are aware of?

‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22,36-40)

Diocesan Core Values –
Remembering who we are and our calling

We are open to God’s call through Jesus Christ
We are committed to hearing and obeying the voice of the living God. We strive to discern God’s will and guidance through the Scriptures, the prayer and life of the Christian community, and God’s ways in the world. We take time as individuals and communities to reflect, pray, read the Scriptures, nurture our faith in a loving God and, empowered by the Holy Spirit, work for the coming kingdom. (Mark 9:7)
We cherish God’s world
As God's people we strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and offer our lives in service to its care and renewal. We recognise the suffering and violence in the world, the degradation of the natural environment and the unmet desires of humanity for meaning and God. We rejoice in the remarkable creativity of human beings and acknowledge our role as participants with the Spirit of God in bringing all things to their fulfilment in Christ. (John 3:16; Genesis 1:27)
We are the body of Christ
As communities of faith called by Christ, we strive to build loving, respectful relationships. We treasure diversity and strive for unity, acknowledging our interdependence. We seek to recognise, nurture and use the Spirit’s gifts to all members so that, as communities and individuals, we grow in holiness and joyful obedience to Christ. (1 Cor 12; Micah 6:8; Ephesians 4: 1-14)
We proclaim the Gospel
We are an outward focused church spreading the good news of God’s reconciliation in Christ through proclamation, worship and service. We seek to transform unjust structures in our society. We are responsive to the needs of the wider community through ministries of care, healing, evangelism and peace making, exercised with courage and compassion. (Matthew 28:19 ff; Matthew 25: 31-44)
We commit to the Anglican ethos
We commit to the diversity and richness of Anglican tradition, as we live and proclaim the Gospel in contemporary society. Our diocese is episcopal and synodical. Our patterns of worship are Biblical in content and design, Anglican in tradition and seek to enable all people to enter into praise of the triune God. (Fundamental Declarations and Ruling Principles of The Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia)

Key Ministry Objectives

A Diocesan Mission Plan is nothing more than a piece of paper unless it means something in the life of the people of the Diocese.
The Diocesan Mission Plan becomes a living document in the development and application of the Key Ministry Objectives.
Much of the Plan cannot be argued with; after all, who would not say that we should proclaim the Gospel or seek Social Justice?
But the Plan will never be more than an expression of hope unless the people of God in participation with the Holy Spirit live out the aspirations described here.
What Synod has agreed is that the Key Ministry Objectives should apply to every ministry in the Diocese, as appropriate for that ministry.
Each of these Key Ministry Objectives has tasks related to areas under the immediate direction and control of the Bishop-in-Council; and will require the engagement of every ministry to decide upon the ways in which those same Objectives will be achieved in the more focused area under the direction and control of that ministry.
Is this just an interesting exercise or a work of the Holy Spirit? Only you and time will tell.
For Reflection:
What do you consider are the Key Ministry Objectives for your ministry unit?
What actions might be needed to achieve these Objectives?

Key Ministry Objectives

Six Ministry Objectives that are considered essential over the next three years if our mission is to be followed effectively have been identified. These will form the basis of planning for the Diocese and every ministry unit.

Proclaiming the Gospel Confident in Christ

Growing New Communities of Faith

Actively Working for Social and Environmental Justice

Engaging New Models of Ministry

Enabling the Mission through Effective Resources

Sustaining the Mission through Good Governance

Key Objective For this Key Ministry Objective in 2004-2005 we will

Proclaiming the Gospel Confident in Christ
As individuals and as the gathered people of God we shall proclaim the Gospel confident in Christ. We shall invite our neighbours, friend and stranger alike, to new life in Christ. We shall encourage and nurture belief in Christ in our homes, places of work and leisure and as we gather in worship.

Ensure a Lenten Mission is held in 2005

Endeavour to persuade all ministry units to have a plan to capitalise on the Lenten Mission in order to be/become outward looking

Seek the cooperation of all ministry units in the Canberra viewing region to be actively involved in the September 2005 ecumenical Bible Society sponsored Christian Media Project to mobilise quiet christians to share their faith

Encourage a confident life-engaging culture of evangelism, embraced in every style of ministry unit across the whole diocese

Growing New Communities of Faith
As a church we seek to be inclusive of the whole of community that we serve. As different groups of people gather within the wider community, selecting their fellowship by age, interest, ethnic origin or other defining factor, so we as a church seek to have places of worship and meeting that encounter these different groups. Where appropriate new communities will grow within existing Christian churches as well as outside of them.

Encourage and actively support every ministry unit which has the necessary spiritual, relational and numerical health to intentionally create a separate worshipping community of faith for a distinct new target group

Research and determine the priority areas for establishing new communities of faith in population growth areas, and develop goals and strategies to see new congregations confident in Christ in all identified areas by 2008

Deliberately identify, train and locate those gifted to grow new communities of faith in the determined population growth areas

Develop training, undergraduate and postgraduate courses at St Marks in mission, evangelism and growing new communities of faith to equip our clergy and lay people for this new missional era

Request Bishop in Council to develop healthy Diocesan wide procedures and processes to ensure the highest possible cooperation and fellowship across the Diocese when creating new communities of faith

Recognise and encourage the communities of faith that are emerging within the schools, colleges and universities across the diocesan region

Develop policies and raise the funds to ensure that the training of our personnel is adequately resourced, and endeavour to raise and provide seed money especially for creating new communities of faith in population growth areas

Actively Working for Social and Environmental Justice
The commitment to seek to transform the unjust structures of society can be a contentious aspect of ministry within the Church; as Dom Helder Camara has observed, ‘Why is that when I care for the poor, they call me a saint, yet when I ask why the people are poor I am called a communist?’
To meet an immediate need without asking how to prevent that need arising in the future is a ministry left incomplete.

Promote awareness of issues of social and environmental justice throughout the Diocesan region

Encourage Anglicare to develop social justice programs in partnership with parishes and other ministry units

Support the Bishop in speaking out on fundamental issues of social and environmental justice

Work with the Koori Commission to change community attitudes

Engaging New Models of Ministry
As the world in which we live changes there is a constant need to review the way in which we serve the communities in which we live. New models of ministry will arise as part of this review. Changes will come as we pursue our continuing commitment as the people of God to the whole of God’s creation. Constantly challenged by the imperatives of a Christ-centred life, we work to deepen faith, extending our care to others and to all creation as servants of Christ.

Develop and promote an understanding of the Ministering Communities model

Establish a Regional and Rural Ministry Centre based in Wagga Wagga

Promote and support discussion of ministry options for small parishes

Support and develop different approaches to ordination

Support parishes creating new models of ministry appropriate to their location and resources

Enabling the Mission through Effective Resources
For our mission to be effective adequate resources are a critical factor. Well-supported individuals with appropriate training and clear accountability are essential. The buildings and other space that we use should reflect our Gospel imperative, cared for with regard to the whole of creation and with good stewardship. Where buildings or space no longer serve the mission of the diocese they should be disposed of. In this way we seek to ensure that every resource within the life of the diocese is directly related to the Diocesan Mission

Note that the bishops will meet with each leadership team, both clerical and lay, in every ministry unit to discuss the way forward as a result of the Mapping of the Mission exercise

Request every ministry unit and agency to review their use of Buildings and land

Establish an up to date Property Register for the Diocese

Promote energy efficient operations by encouraging the use of energy audits

Develop diocese-wide opportunities for training in conjunction with St Mark’s and the CSU

Sustaining the Mission through Good Governance
The legal framework of ordinances and other structures provides the ‘platform’ for all ministry in the Diocese. For good governance to succeed there is a need for timely and sound legislation, clarity of responsibility for governing bodies and well-trained and supported members of all governing bodies.

Improve accessibility to information concerning Diocesan ordinances, regulations and other governance matters for individuals, ministry units and Diocesan agencies

Promote the opportunities for different governance models within parish ministry units

Clarify accountability mechanisms

Consider the membership of Synod from 2008 onwards
Promote induction programs, training and support for all members of governing bodies